NHTSA Complaint #10426359 — 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER

THE REAR AXLE HOUSING HAS RUSTED THROUGH, WHILE THE VEHICLES BODY HAS NO RUST. TOYOTA FAILS TO RECOGNIZE THIS AS A DEFECT BECAUSE OF THE VEHICLES YEAR AND MILEAGE. WE CONTACTED TOYOTA AND THEY PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING REFERENCE NUMBER 1109161548. RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET SUPPORTS THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE AND WILL OCCUR ON THE 4 RUNNER WITH MUCH LESS MILEAGE. THIS REPRESENTS A SAFETY ISSUE SINCE ALL OF THE REAR AXLE FLUID COULD LEAK OUT, ALLOWING THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL TO FREEZE, CREATING A POSSIBLE ACCIDENT. TOYOTA HAS A RUST PROBLEM WITH THE TACOMA PICKUP, WHERE THEY REPURCHASED VEHICLES AS A RESULT OF FRAME RUST OUT. WE ARE OF THE OPINION TOYOTA HAS USED INFERIOR METALS IN THE MANUFACTURING OF THEIR VEHICLES AND SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. WHEN I CALLED THEIR CORPORATE OFFICE IN TORRANCE CA. THEY REFUSED TO ALLOW ME TO SPEAK WITH SOMEONE IN MANAGEMENT SINCE I DIDN'T AGREE WITH THE DECISION OF THE PERSON I DISCUSSED THE MATTER WITH. *KB