NHTSA Complaint #11281181 — 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER

DURING A VISIT TO A BODY SHOP TO HAVE MY FUEL DOOR FIXED, I FOUND OUT THAT THE FRAME OF MY VEHICLE HAS SIGNIFICANTLY DETERIORATED DUE TO RUST. THERE ARE HOLES IN THE FRAME, WELDS THAT HAVE RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH, AND ONE OF THE TRANSMISSION MOUNTS IS GONE. I WAS TOLD BY THE BODY SHOP WHO REVIEWED THE FRAME, A SECOND BODY SHOP THAT I CONSULTED FOR A SECOND OPINION, AND MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP THAT MY VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AND SHOULD NO LONGER BE DRIVEN. ONE BODY SHOP SAID THAT THEY NORMALLY SEES THIS TYPE OF RUST ON VEHICLES THAT ARE 30-40 YEARS OLD! THEY ALSO SAID THAT THE ENTIRE FRAME AND ALL RUSTED PARTS WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED AND WOULD COST BETWEEN $12,000 AND $15,000 DEPENDING ON THE PARTS THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED. MY TRUCK ONLY HAS ABOUT 122,000 MILES ON IT, AND THE BODY, PAINT, AND INTERIOR ARE IMMACULATE! FORTUNATELY, HAVING MY 4RUNNER LOOKED AT PREVENTED A POTENTIAL ACCIDENT. I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS CONCERNING FRAMES THAT HAVE RUSTED OUT ON THE TUNDRA, TACOMA, AND THE SEQUOIA VEHICLES FOR WHICH TOYOTA IS PERFORMING REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENTS. THE 4RUNNER SHOULD ALSO BE INCLUDED BECAUSE THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM.