DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY GOING STRAIGHT AT 55 MPH, WITH MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR ONLY (WITH NO LOSS OF STABILITY OR CONTROL AND NO WET CONDITIONS), SUDDENLY AND SIMULTANEOUSLY A BEEPING NOISE FROM THE DASHBOARD OCCURS ALONG WITH THE 4RUNNER PULLING REAL HARD TO THE LEFT. (ALMOST AS IF I PULLED THE STEERING WHEEL ABRUPTLY TO MAKE A LEFT TURN...). ALSO FEELS LIKE BRAKE IS APPLIED DURING ALL OF THIS TO THE FRONT LEFT TIRE CAUSING ME TO LOSE ACCELERATION - REGARDLESS OF HAVING MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALER A YEAR AGO WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. IT HAPPENED AGAIN THIS MORNING AND I TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER. BOTH INSTANCES NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *TR
1999
POWER TRAIN
MY TRUCK WAS BEING DRIVEN ON A LONG TRIP. THE DIFFERENTIAL STARTING MAKING A WHINING NOISE THAT GOT LOUDER AND LOUDER. I STOPPED AT AN OIL CHANGE PLACE AT MY DESTINATION TO HAVE THEM CHECK THE FLUID. IT WAS ALMOST EMPTY. TOPPED IT UP AND CHANCED DRIVING IT 400 MILES BACK TO CHICAGO. I MADE IT OK AND HAD MECHANIC LOOK AT IT. THE DIFFERENTIAL WAS SO RUSTED THAT IT HAD HOLES THAT ALLOWED IT TO LEAK. THE MECHANIC TRIED TO FIND A USED ONE BUT THEY ALL HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. AN INTERNET SEARCH TURNED UP COUNTLESS EXAMPLES OF RUSTED DIFFERENTIALS ON TOYOTA TRUCKS SPANNING MANY YEARS. THERE IS ALSO EXTENSIVE RUSTING ON THE FRAME, AXLE SPARE TIRE MOUNT. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A LONG TERM TOYOTA PROBLEM. *TR