NHTSA Complaint #11219909 — 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER

EXTREME FRAME RUST. CAR IS LOW MILEAGE, WELL-KEPT, AND OUTWARDLY IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. RECENTLY SUFFERED NEAR-TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE. TOWED IT TO SHOP FOR REPAIR. SHOP REFUSED TO REPAIR BRAKES. THEY SAID FRAME WAS SEVERELY RUSTED. THE RUST HAD EATEN AWAY THE POINT WHERE THE BRAKE LINES ATTACHED TO THE FRAME, AND BRAKE FUID WAS LEAKING FROM THAT JUNCTURE. THEY SAID IF THEY REMOVED THE BRAKE LINES TO REPLACE THEM, THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO REATTACH THEM BECAUSE THERE WASN'T ENOUGH GOOD FRAME METAL TO WORK WITH. THEY SAID THE FRAME RUST WAS SO SEVERE THAT THEY FEARED IT COULD BREAK CLEAN THROUGH, OR STEERING OR SUSPENSION PARTS COULD BREAK LOOSE. THEY DID NOT WANT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR PUTTING WHAT THEY BELIEVED TO BE AN UNSAFE VEHICLE BACK ON THE ROAD. THEY ONLY REASON I DISCOVERED THIS WAS THAT THE RUST CAUSED MY BRAKES TO NEARLY FAIL. TOYOTA HAS HAD RECALLS AND LAWSUITS ON IDENTICAL ISSUES INVOLVING TACOMAS AND OTHER TRUCK-FRAMED VEHICLES. THE 4-RUNNER IS A TRUCK-FRAMED VEHICLE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. I HAVE PHOTOS THAT THE REPAIR SHOP SENT ME, BUT I CAN'T SEND THEM FFROM THIS COMPUTER.