NHTSA Complaint #10837656 — 2004 TOYOTA 4RUNNER

I HAVE AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH OUR 2004 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. IT STARTED ABOUT 4 YEARS AGO WHEN THE MARYLAND STATE EMMISSION TEST FACILITY PLUGGED INTO MY ODBI2 PORT. ALL THE DASH LIGHTS WERE ON AND I WENT IN TO THE OFFICE AND COMPLAINED. I FILED A FORM WITH EMISSIONS. I WORK OUT OF TOWN, MY WIFE IS A TEACHER AND WE HAVE TWO SMALL KIDS. GOING TO THE DEALER WAS NOT AN OPTION UNTIL SCHOOL WAS OUR. IN THE MEAN TIME THE TRUCK DROVE FINE OTHER THAN NO FOUR WHEEL DRIVE AND THE TIRES SPINNING IF YOU HIT THE PEDDLE TO HARD (NO TRACTION CONTROL OR STABILITY CONTROL. TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER OVER THE SUMMER AND THEY HAD TO RESET THE VALUES FOR $110.00 THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE WOULD NO LONGER ENGAGE. TOYOTA DEALER SAID ALL THE VALUES BEING ERASED WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THAT YEAR AND MVA CHEEP SCANNERS. MARYLAND SAID THEY CALLED TOYOTA AND NO ONE HAD EVER HAD THAT PROBLEM. HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN AGAIN LAST EMISSION TEST. BIGGEST PROBLEM IS THAT THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE NO LONGER FUNCTIONS. THE ACTUATOR DOESN'T ENGAGE THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE. THIS WAS APPARENT WHEN MY WIFE LOST CONTROL AND NEARLY FLIPPED THE TRICK OVER AFTER PICKING UP THE KIDS IN A SNOW STORM. I CLIMBED UNDER THE TRUCK IN THE SNOW AND PULLED THE COVER OFF THE ACTUATOR, PULLED OUT THE PLASTIC GEARS AND MANUALLY SHIFTED IT INTO 4 WHEEL DRIVE TO GET IT HOME. THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM WAS ALWAYS USED AT LEAST EVERY MONTH UNTIL THE EMISSION TEST PROBLEMS JUST TO KEEP IT LUBERICATED. THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE OR LACK THERE OF, COULD HAVE CAUSED DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY TO MY WIFE AND KIDS. THIS ACTUATOR IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM, IF THEY CAN'T DESIGN A ACTUATOR THAT OPERATES WHEN YOU NEED FOUR WHEEL DRIVE, ESPECIALLY IN AN EMERGENCY THAN GO BACK TO THE OLD STICK AND LINKAGE. 55 PEOPLE DIED IN THE BLIZZARD OF 2016 AND THERE COULD HAVE BEEN 3 MORE JUST BECAUSE OF A DESIGN FLAW! P.S. MY WIFE AND I BOUGHT IT NEW, NEVER OFF ROAD!