NHTSA Complaint #11165597 — 2006 TOYOTA 4RUNNER

MY 2006 TOYOTA 4RUNNER LIMITED HAS EXCESSIVE RUST CORROSION THROUGHOUT THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE FRAME, SUSPENSION, BRAKES, WHEELS, EXHAUST SYSTEM AND BOLTS/BRACING. SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE BOTH FRONT AXLES DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST AT THE RECOMMENDATION OF BOTH THE DEALERSHIP AND A THIRD PARTY MECHANIC. WHILE DRIVING, THE SKID PLATE DETACHED FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND WAS DRAGGING BENEATH THE CAR AFTER THE METAL ON THE PLATE RUSTED OUT AROUND THE BOLTS. SIMILARLY, THE HEAT SHIELD DETACHED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AFTER THE BOLTS RUSTED OUT. WHEN I REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKES (PADS & DISCS), I WAS FORCED TO PURCHASE BRAND NEW CALIPERS BECAUSE THE CURRENT CALIPERS WERE SO RUSTED AND SEIZED AND THE MECHANIC COULD NOT REATTACH THEM. I HAVE CONTINUED TO USE TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS FOR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE AND THE CONSENSUS HAS BEEN AS FOLLOWS: SELL THE 4RUNNER BECAUSE IT IS EXCESSIVELY RUSTED WOULD BE A MONEY PIT TO REPAIR. CURRENTLY, THE DEALERSHIP HAS RECOMMENDED I REPLACE THE STEERING RACK AND PINION DUE TO LEAKS CAUSED BY RUST. MOREOVER, THE VEHICLE HAS DUEL EXHAUST LEAKS IN BOTH EXHAUST MANIFOLDS DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST. ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THEY COULD NOT PERFORM THE WORK BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE RUST. IT HAS COST ME THOUSANDS TO REPAIR AND MAINTAIN, ALL OF WHICH IS A RESULT OF EXTENSIVE RUST. THE SUSPENSION AND FRAME, INCLUDING THE SHOCKS, STRUTS, AND BOLTS ARE EXCESSIVELY RUSTED AND I HAVE BEEN URGED TO REPAIR OR SELL THE VEHICLE BY MULTIPLE MECHANICS AND DEALERSHIPS, THOUGH THE COST TO DO SO WOULD FAR EXCEED THE COST OF THE VEHICLE. ALL OF THE AFOREMENTIONED IS DETAILED IN PAPERWORK FROM THE DEALERSHIP AND SUPPLEMENTED BY PAPERWORK FROM THIRD PARTY MECHANICS HERE IN SAN DIEGO. THE VEHICLE HAS 90K MILES ON IT AND HAS FOLLOWED SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE METICULOUSLY.