WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT THE SPEED LIMIT (60 MPH), THE VEHICLE SURGED/JOLTED FORWARD PULLING TO THE RIGHT. I WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE CAUSING ME TO MERGE INTO THE DIRECTION OF A TRACTOR TRAILER. I TRIED TO TURN AWAY FROM TRACTOR TRAILER TO AVOID COLLISION. MY VEHICLE HIT THE REAR TIRE OF THE TRACTOR TRAILER AND I BEGAN TO SWERVE OUT OF CONTROL. MY BRAKES DIDN'T SEEM TO HELP EITHER, THEY DIDN'T FUNCTION. THIS RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE ROLLING OVER 3+ TIMES, THE CAR WAS TOTALED. ALL PASSENGERS WERE HOSPITALIZED BUT NO OTHER VEHICLES OR PEOPLE WERE HURT FROM THE ACCIDENT. MY CONCERN IS REGARDING THE PERIODIC ENGINE SURGE AND/OR JOLTING AND LACK OF BRAKE CONTROL. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD THAT MUST BE ADDRESSED IN ORDER TO AVOID FUTURE INCIDENTS. WE WERE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE NOT BEEN KILLED IN THIS AUTO ACCIDENT. *TR
2000
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER FAILED NEW HAMPSHIRE STATE SAFETY INSPECTION DUE TO EXCESSIVE FRAME ROT/RUST, MOST EVIDENT AT RIGHT REAR TRAILING ARM MOUNT. CONTACTED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS ADVISED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO BECAUSE THERE WAS NO WARRANTY OR A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. THIS FRAME ROT IS THE SAME ISSUE TOYOTA FACED WITH THE TACOMA MODEL THAT UTILIZES THE SAME FRAME AS THE 4RUNNER. PER THE TOYOTA NEWS RELEASE OF 3/7/08 TOYOTA PROVIDED TACOMA OWNERS AN " EXTENDED FRAME CORROSION WARRANTY"UP TO 15 YEARS TO PROVIDE "GOODWILL ASSISTANCE TO OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED, OR MAY ENCOUNTER, FRAME PROBLEMS AS A DIRECT RESULT OF RUST PERFORATION". I WAS TOLD BY TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT THE 4RUNNER FRAME IS ONLY COVERED BY THE COMPREHENSIVE WARRANTY OF 3YEARS/36,000 MILES. TOYOTA WILL NOT RECOGNIZE THAT THE SAME ISSUE IS OCCURRING TO 4RUNNER OWNERS WITH THE SAME FRAME. TOYOTA HAS RECOGNIZED THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THESE FRAMES, ESTABLISHED A PRECIDENT REGARDING REPLACEMENT, YET WILL NOT INCLUDE THE 4RUNNER IN THEIR OFFER OF AN "EXTENDED FRAME CORROSION WARRANTY". THE BODY OF MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE IS IN MINT CONDITION WITH NO RUST, INCLUDING THE UNDERBODY, BUT THE FRAME HAS FAILED UNDER IT! TOYOTA MUST INCLUDE 4RUNNERS IN THEIR "EXTENDED FRAME CORROSION WARRANTY"! *TR
