27 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2001 Toyota 4Runner cite suspension, 14% of all 190 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.
“The contact owns a 2001 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH, there was a thumping and clicking sound coming from the front of the vehicle before the front passenger’s side of the vehicle unintendedly lowered. The vehicle was stopped and inspected, and the ball joint was touching the ground. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the lower ball joint had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 275,000.”
“WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 65MPH OUR TOYOTA 4RUNNER SUDDENLY BEGAN TO SHAKE AND SWAY VIOLENTLY AND WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. I PULLED OVER AND CHECKED BUT DID NOT SEE ANYTHING APPARENT. WE HAD THE CAR CHECKED AT OUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE FRAME IS CORRODED COMPLETELY THRU AND THE REAR TRAILING ARM WAS SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT VEHICLE IS NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE AND THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO REPAIR SINCE THE FRAME WAS SO BADLY RUSTED. WE BOUGHT THE CAR NEW AND HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN VERY GOOD CARE OF THE VEHICLE AND FOLLOWED RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE. THERE IS NO APPARENT RUST ON ANY OF THE BODY FOR THIS VEHICLE AND IS IN EXCELLENT OPERATING CONDITION OTHERWISE. WE HAD PLANNED ON KEEPING THE VEHICLE FOR SEVERAL MORE YEARS BUT NOW LEFT WITH NOTHING BUT APPARENTLY BEING ABLE TO SELL FOR SALVAGE.”
“ENTERED HIGHWAY FROM ON RAMP AS PICKED UP SPEED STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND BEGAN TO LOOSE CONTROL OF SUV. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND HAD IT TAKEN TO SHOP TO FIND EXCESSIVE RUST ON BACK FRAME N SHOCK CAUSING WHEEL TO 'BASICALLY BE FREE FLOATING AND UNATTACHED' THE VEHICLE IS STILL IN SHOP AT MOMENT AND I CAN GET PICTURES AND A STATEMENT UPON REQUEST”
“TOOK MY VEHICLE FOR OIL CHANGE AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE FRAME WAS BADLY RUSTED AND SHOULD TAKE VEHICLE TO TOYOTA IMMEDIATELY. TOYOTA INDICATED THAT NO RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THIS YEAR MODEL VEHICLE AND NOTHING COULD BE DONE. SO I HAVE A MECHANICALLY GOOD VEHICLE THAT I CAN NOT USE DUE TO RUSTED FRAME.”
“THE FRAME RUSTED OUT AND IS VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE .THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS INVOLVING THE FRAME RUST ON THE 4 RUNNERS AND TOYOTA WILL NOT HELP WITH THE PROBLEM”
“BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR REAR END REPAIR AND HAD 2 REPUTABLE MECHANICS REFUSE TO REPAIR THE TRUCK BECAUSE THEY SAID THE FRAME WAS SO BADLY RUSTED THAT IT WOULD BE A HAZARD TO EVEN DRIVE THE TRUCK IRREGARDLESS OF ANY REPAIR THAT THEY COULD PERFORM”
Showing 6 of 27 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, DUE TO A MANUFACTURING ISSUE IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINT, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE SURFACE OF THE BALL OF THE JOINT MAY HAVE BEEN SCRATCHED. THE BALL JOINT MAY EVENTUALLY EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE WEAR AND LOOSENESS, RESULTING IN INCREASED STEERING EFFORT.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.