NHTSA Complaint #11140232 — 2006 TOYOTA 4RUNNER

WHEN TAKING MY VEHICLE TO MY MECHANIC FOR A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPS AND TURNING AND FEELING VIBRATIONS IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN DRIVING. MY MECHANIC STATES THAT THERE IS EXTENSIVE AND PERVASIVE RUST AND CORROSION ON MAIN STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS OF THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE, SPECIFICALLY ON THE FRAME AND FRAME MOUNTING POINTS, THAT IS DANGEROUS AS IT IS AFFECTING OTHER WORKING PARTS OF THE VEHICLE AND COULD CAUSE A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION I WAS SHOWN THE EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF RUST AND CORROSION ON THE LADDER FRAME AND FRAME ASSEMBLY. THE FRAME IN ITS ENTIRETY IS EXTENSIVELY CORRODED AND AREAS WHERE BOLTS MOUNT PARTS TO THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE HAVE CORRODED AND CAUSED PARTS TO FAIL AND LITERALLY HANG OFF CREATING A DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT REQUIRES THE FRAME ITSELF TO BE REPLACED AS WELL AS THESE OTHER PARTS TO BE REMOVED OR REPLACED. THIS IS ABNORMAL FOR ANY VEHICLE AND IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS AS THE FRAME IS THE MAIN STRUCTURAL COMPONENT OF THE VEHICLE. CONTINUING TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE WITH THE FRAME IN THE CONDITION IT IS IN IS HAZARDOUS. TOYOTA RECALLED OTHER VEHICLES WITH THIS FRAME TYPE I.E., SEQUOIA, TACOMA AND TUNDRA MODELS FROM THE SAME YEARS OF PRODUCTION AS THIS 4RUNNER FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM OF EXTENSIVE RUST AND CORROSION THAT COULD CAUSE A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. THESE VEHICLES USE THE SAME FRAME AND SAME ASSEMBLY PROCESSES FOR PREVENTING RUST AND CORROSION AND AFTER YOUR INVESTIGATION THE FRAME AND FRAME COMPONENTS OF THESE VEHICLES WERE FOUND BY YOUR ORGANIZATION TO BE WORTHY OF A COMPLETE RECALL.