2000 4Runner rusted diff - Recall?

[DanRC30]

Please make this a sticky so this can become a recall.

I discovered that my rear diff was leaking oil due to it rusting through. As far as I'm concerned, this is not acceptable. A rear diff should not rust through. I called Toyota and they're not doing anything. I called the NHTSA and filed a complaint. So far, there are less than a dozen complaints on this problem, though I noticed that MANY MANY others in various forums are having or have had this same problem; so I'm not alone on this one. If you have or are having this same problem, please call the NHTSA at 888-327-4236. Check under your truck. I bet it's rusting! Make the call

Thanks.

 

[p nut]

Care to post a pic? They salt the roads here heavily, and none of my 4Runners had rust issues. But I always made it a point to thoroughly wash under the car after a major storm. Maybe you live near a beach and never wash the undercarriage?

There are things like the Tacoma frame rust issues, where it affected thousands of vehicles, which Toyota took the high road and recalled. Not sure just a few cases of diff rust will require any kind of action. There are far worst things that have happened with other car manufacturers that was just swept under the rug.

 

[DanRC30]

I can't post a pic because I discovered it when I was 6 hours away from home. I had to drive the truck back, so a local shop patched it up for me so it would hold the oil in. It's only a temporary fix though. I'm not near the ocean. I'm in central NJ near PA. I've had trucks before and never saw anything like this.

Care to post a pic? They salt the roads here heavily, and none of my 4Runners had rust issues. But I always made it a point to thoroughly wash under the car after a major storm. Maybe you live near a beach and never wash the undercarriage?

There are things like the Tacoma frame rust issues, where it affected thousands of vehicles, which Toyota took the high road and recalled. Not sure just a few cases of diff rust will require any kind of action. There are far worst things that have happened with other car manufacturers that was just swept under the rug.

 

[Nelsonmd]

Yeah, welcome to the club. It's not actually the diff that's rusting through, it is the axle housing.

People can call NHTSA, but I don't think they are going to recall a 10-17 year old vehicle. Plus, this isn't so abnormal in the big picture. How many 10-17 year old vehicle so you see in the rust belt? Not that many, or at least not nearly as many as you see outside the salt use states. It sucks that this is the component that is rusting through, and yeah, they should have put a thicker or better piece of metal on there, but it isn't exactly safety critical either. If you lose your diff fluid, you will mangle your diff, but it is going to make alot of noise and feel bad before it completely fails, and even thenit isn't likely to cause a crash, or someone to lose control (not like say a failed LBJ).

Anyway, yeah, it sucks, you can read about the many of us that have dealt with this, but I wouldn't count on getting a recall.

How did the shop fix it? Did they weld it, or use JB weld or something similar? If they welded it shut, then it is as permanent as it gets. You just have to protect it now so it won't rust through again. Check out the link in my sig for what I did. Lots of other have done different things around here, so do some searching and find your options.

 

[DanRC30]

I think if enough people complain, there may be grounds for a recall.

The shop put naval jelly on the rusted area and coated it with Rhino liner to seal it up. They said it will last a long time, but not forever. I'll be cutting it apart soon and tig welding some new material in... possibly stainless so it won't rust again.

Yeah, welcome to the club. It's not actually the diff that's rusting through, it is the axle housing.

People can call NHTSA, but I don't think they are going to recall a 10-17 year old vehicle. Plus, this isn't so abnormal in the big picture. How many 10-17 year old vehicle so you see in the rust belt? Not that many, or at least not nearly as many as you see outside the salt use states. It sucks that this is the component that is rusting through, and yeah, they should have put a thicker or better piece of metal on there, but it isn't exactly safety critical either. If you lose your diff fluid, you will mangle your diff, but it is going to make alot of noise and feel bad before it completely fails, and even thenit isn't likely to cause a crash, or someone to lose control (not like say a failed LBJ).

Anyway, yeah, it sucks, you can read about the many of us that have dealt with this, but I wouldn't count on getting a recall.

How did the shop fix it? Did they weld it, or use JB weld or something similar? If they welded it shut, then it is as permanent as it gets. You just have to protect it now so it won't rust through again. Check out the link in my sig for what I did. Lots of other have done different things around here, so do some searching and find your options.

 

[the great him]

if the buyers guide isnt a sticky yet this wont be a sticky any time soon...

and even if this was a sticky that dont mean sh!t, toyota doesnt give a rats a$$ about a sticky thread on a forum, nor dos NHTSA, and they sure as hell arent gonna spend millions of dollars replacing a part on a 10-15yo suv because someone has some rusted parts that they just neglected and failed to do basic preventive maintenance on. your best bet is to either have a shop cut out the bad section and weld in a new section, or buy another rear axle assy. and throw it under your runner(first cleaning it up and prepping it then painting it or coating it with some por15 ect. best of luck to you and your recall.

 

[DanRC30]

The only reason asking for a sticky is so more people will see it and hopefully call the number and file a complaint about this issue. I don't care if nobody every cleaned it... my friend pulled a rear diff assy for a 1932 truck that was in the mud for 50 years and he hosed it off; it looked good as new. There is no excuse for this to happen on a newer vehicle... especially a TRUCK which is supposed to be rugged.

Also, I've had my oil changed mostly at the dealer and nobody ever said a word. They always made sure to ask if they could replace my air filter though!!!

if the buyers guide isnt a sticky yet this wont be a sticky any time soon...

and even if this was a sticky that dont mean sh!t, toyota doesnt give a rats a$$ about a sticky thread on a forum, nor dos NHTSA, and they sure as hell arent gonna spend millions of dollars replacing a part on a 10-15yo suv because someone has some rusted parts that they just neglected and failed to do basic preventive maintenance on. your best bet is to either have a shop cut out the bad section and weld in a new section, or buy another rear axle assy. and throw it under your runner(first cleaning it up and prepping it then painting it or coating it with some por15 ect. best of luck to you and your recall.