NHTSA Complaint #10559101 — 1999 TOYOTA 4RUNNER

WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE ON A PUBLIC ROAD, THE REAR END OF SAID VEHICLE BEGAN TO "SWAP" BACK AND FORTH AT MOST ANY SPEED, ACTING AS IF A SUSPENSION COMPONENT HAD MALFUNCTIONED. WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN FROM A DEAD STOP, A LOUD THUMP WAS HEARD UN THE VEHICLE. THE HANDLING ISSUE HAD BECOME MUCH WORSE. WE WERE A SHORT DISTANCE FROM HOME, AND WERE ABLE TO MAKE OUR WAY SLOWLY UNTIL REACHING HOME. UPON INSPECTION, I DISCOVERED THAT THE FRAME HAD RUSTED OUT IN FROM OF THE REAR AXLE WHERE THE TRAILING ARM MOUNTS TO THE FRAME, CAUSING THE BRACKET FOR THE TRAILING ARM TO DISCONNECT FROM THE FRAME ALMOST COMPLETELY. THERE ARE MANY OTHER AREAS ON THE FRAME WHICH ARE SEVERELY RUSTED AND APPEAR WILL FAIL AS WELL. THIS IS THE SECOND TOYOTA WE'VE OWNED WITH THIS PROBLEM. THE FIRST WAS A 1998 TACOMA THAT TOYOTA BOUGHT BACK FROM ME. WHY ISN'T FRAME AN OPTION ON THE LIST OF AFFECTED PARTS ABOVE? WHY IS IT THAT THIS MAKE AND MODEL IS NOT BEING HANDLED THE SAME WAY OR WITH A FRAME REPLACEMENT? THIS IS NOT SOMETHING I CAN AFFORD TO REPLACE. I BOUGHT TOYOTA BECAUSE OF THEIR REPUTATION FOR QUALITY. JUST WHAT I NEED AFTER THE SUDDEN DEATH OF MY MOTHER JUST 2 DAYS PRIOR. THANKS FOR NOTHING TOYOTA. DODGE IS LOOKING PRETTY GOOD RIGHT ABOUT NOW. *TR