NHTSA Complaint #10758725 — 1996 TOYOTA 4RUNNER

ON DECEMBER 31, 2014 WE WERE DRIVING IN HILLSBORO, OH AND NOTICED A POPPING AND CRACKING NOISE UPON STOPPING AND ACCELERATING. ON THE WAY HOME, WE NOTICED THAT THE NOISE SUBSIDED. ON JANUARY 1, 2015, WENT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE JUST OUTSIDE OUR CORPORATION LIMIT AND NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SWAYING BACK AND FORTH LIKE A BOAT OUT ON THE WATER, AND THOUGHT IT WAS JUST CAUSED BY EXCESSIVE WIND. ON JANUARY 2, 2015 WE WERE TRAVELLING ON US 35 TOWARDS CHILLICOTHE, OH AND HIT A RIPPLE IN THE ROAD AND THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE STARTED SWAYING VIOLENTLY AT ABOUT 45 MPH. WE PULLED THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD AND THOUGHT IT WAS IN THE FRONT END AND COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING. WE TOOK OFF AGAIN AND IT DID THE SAME THING AT ABOUT THE SAME SPEED AND PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND DECIDED TO TAKE IT TO GUSWEILER TOYOTA IN WASHINGTON C.H. OH APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES AWAY. A TECHNICIAN INFORMED US THAT THE FRAME WAS BROKEN WHERE THE LEFT REAR TORTION BAR HOOKS TO THE FRAME. HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED HOME AND UPON FURTHER INSPECTION WE FOUND THAT THE FRAME HAS CRACKS ALL THROUGH IT. WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN SEPTEMBER 2013 FROM A USED CAR DEALER WHO BOUGHT IT FROM JOSEPH AIRPORT TOYOTA IN DAYTON OH. TO DATE WE ONLY PUT 5,169 MILES ON IT AND IT HAS BEEN JUST SITTING EVER SINCE.