NHTSA Complaint #755830 — 1995 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER

HEAD GASKET FAILURE: DULL BANG OCCURS IN ENGINE, EXCESSIVE WHITE SMOKE BILLOWS FROM EXHAUST. EXHAUST SMELLS SWEET FROM ANTI-FREEZE. ENGINE RAN ROUGH FROM ONE CYLINDER MISFIRING. COOLANT IS BEING BLOWN FROM RADIATOR CAP. HAD TO PULL OVER IMMEDIATLY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. VEHICLE TOWED TO HOME. TEST ON ENGINE OIL FINDS THAT COOLANT HAS MIXED WITH ENGINE LUBRICATING OIL. DISCUSSION WITH TOYOTA CERTIFIED MECHANIC RESULT: THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE NEW HEAD GASKETS AND IS USUALLY CATASTROPHIC NEEDING ENGINE REBULD/REPLACEMENT AS THE ENGINE BLOCK USUALLY NEEDS RE-DECKING(MILLING) BEYOND MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE TOLERANCES; COOLANT GALLERY COMES TOO CLOSE TO CYLINDER WALL AT HEAD. CONTACTED DEALER, REFERED TO TOYOTA NATIONAL SERVICE HOTLINE (800-331-4331) AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PRIOR YEARS HEAD GASKET RECALL DID NOT INCLUDE MY YEAR, AND WAS RESOLVED FOR MY YEAR VEHICLE BY INSTALLING HEAVIER HEAD GASKETS AT POINT OF ENGINE MANUFACTURE. NO ASSISTANCE FROM TOYOTA NATIONAL SERVICE, BUT IF I WAS WILLING TO PURCHASE A NEW TOYOTA THAT TOYOTA NATIONAL SALES WOULD OFFER ASSISTANCE AFTER THE SALE WAS MADE. THE ESTIMATE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE IS $5,300.00 WITH REBUILD (JASPER OR OTHER). SEEKING FINANCING TO REPAIR/REPLACE ENGINE.*AK