NHTSA Complaint #10526087 — 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER

WHILE HAVING MY 2000 4RUNNER SERVICED RECENTLY, MY MECHANIC ADVISED ME THAT MY CARRIAGE FRAME WAS CRACKED AND ROTTING. I TOOK IT TO TOYOTA DEALER IN BRISTOL CT, WHO PUT VEHICLE ON HOIST AND CONFIRMED THE PROBLEM. I WAS ADVISED THERE WAS NO RECALL OR TSB ON MY SUV, AND PROBABLY NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THEY SAID THEY WOULD SEND INFO & PICTURES TO DISTRICT OFFICE FOR REVIEW AND ADVISE WHEN THEY HEARD BACK. I ASKED THEM ABOUT FIXING IT IN THE MEANTIME, BUT THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T ACCEPT THE LIABILITY? I CAN EMAIL PICTURES IF YOU WANT TO REVIEW THESE AS WELL. I AM HAVING IT WELDED IN THE MEANTIME, AS THE CRACK WAS RATHER SEVERE. MY MECHANIC AND TOYOTA BOTH ADVISED THAT IF THE CRACK BROKE THRU WHILE DRIVING, THE REAR AXLE WOULD COME LOOSE FROM THE FRAME. THE ESTIMATE TO FIX MY SUV IS APX. $1,500, WHICH INCLUDES REPLACING THE GAS TANK UNDER-SHIELD, WHICH LOOKS LIKE A CHUNK OF SWISS CHEESE AS WELL. PLEASE ADVISE OF ANY RECOURSE I MAY HAVE. *TR