NHTSA Complaint #10671914 — 1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER

WHILE SITTING AT A STOP SIGN, I WAS HIT FROM BEHIND AND THE DRIVER TOOK OFF. HAVING INSURANCE COVERAGE ON MY 1997, I TOOK IT TO 2 GARAGES FOR REPAIR. THE FRAME WAS BENT AT THE BACK WHEEL, BOTH GARAGES SAID THERE IS NO WAY THIS CAR CAN BE REPAIRED DUE TO THE RUSTED AND ALMOST NON EXISTENT FRAME. IF THE BODY SHOP WERE TO CUT OFF THE BENT PART OF THE FRAME, THE REMAINDER OF THE FRAME IS SO BAD, THERE IS NOTHING TO WELD THE NEW PART TO. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN MINE SINCE 1998, GARAGE KEPT, NO BODY RUST, EXCELLENT CONDITION, BUT I CAN NO LONGER GET IT INSPECTED BECAUSE OF THE TOTALLY RUSTED OUT FRAME. OVER THE YEARS, I'VE HAD TO HAVE THE FRAME PATCHED AND WELDED JUST TO PASS INSPECTION, I LOST MY GAS TANK ONE DAY, RUSTED BRACKET BROKE, NOW DUE TO THE POOR CONDITION OF THE FRAME, WHEN HIT FROM BEHIND, IT JUST CRUMBLED. INSPECTION IS DUE IN FEBRUARY 2015 AND NO ONE WILL INSPECT IT AND NO ONE WILL FIX IT BECAUSE THERE IS NO FRAME LEFT. HOW CAN THIS BE UNLESS THE FRAMES ARE DEFECTIVE. *TR