3rd Gen 4Runner Buyer's Guide

[robin3mj]

Hi all. I am looking at buying a 1998 SR5 w/ ~190K miles, assuming a satisfactory pre-purchase inspection at a local mechanic this weekend. The truck looks (pretty) good, drives well, and has extensive service records going all the way back. Longtime owner appears to be a road-going, sensible, and conscientious person.

I was getting very excited to hopefully close this deal, until I made the mistake of visiting the NHTSA website and reading myriad complaints about catastrophic frame rust. I don’t know how concerned I should be about this, since the total # of complaints over 18+ years is about 100. Needle in haystack, bad luck, etc? Some of them seemed to indicate that the frame rusts from inside out, so is not readily apparent until the vehicle becomes unsafe to drive.

So my question is- how worried should I be, and how accurate can a pre-purchase inspection be in identifying future current/near-future rust issues? This is going to be a part-time commuter car and weekend runabout, and am really only worried about the next 10K or so miles (equivalent to 3-4 years of future ownership…)


Thanks in advance

 

[Kyngfish]

Hi all. I am looking at buying a 1998 SR5 w/ ~190K miles, assuming a satisfactory pre-purchase inspection at a local mechanic this weekend. The truck looks (pretty) good, drives well, and has extensive service records going all the way back. Longtime owner appears to be a road-going, sensible, and conscientious person.

I was getting very excited to hopefully close this deal, until I made the mistake of visiting the NHTSA website and reading myriad complaints about catastrophic frame rust. I don’t know how concerned I should be about this, since the total # of complaints over 18+ years is about 100. Needle in haystack, bad luck, etc? Some of them seemed to indicate that the frame rusts from inside out, so is not readily apparent until the vehicle becomes unsafe to drive.

So my question is- how worried should I be, and how accurate can a pre-purchase inspection be in identifying future current/near-future rust issues? This is going to be a part-time commuter car and weekend runabout, and am really only worried about the next 10K or so miles (equivalent to 3-4 years of future ownership…)


Thanks in advance

Pretty easy to tell, the mechanic doing the PPI should be able to tell you if it has enough frame rust to cause concern - if it doesn't it's fairly easy to maintain and protect a solid frame. These aren't like the frames that came from a third party, 3rd gen frames I think, are still Toyota frames.

 

[robin3mj]

Pretty easy to tell, the mechanic doing the PPI should be able to tell you if it has enough frame rust to cause concern - if it doesn't it's fairly easy to maintain and protect a solid frame. These aren't like the frames that came from a third party, 3rd gen frames I think, are still Toyota frames.

Thanks. Hope it has a clean bill of health. Looking forward to owning a 4Runner.

 

[Mark_BC]

Just get a flashlight and look in the little holes along the frame; stick your finger in there. Easy to tell. You will also see the rest of the underside rusting away if there is a problem.

 

[vukos]

Just get a flashlight and look in the little holes along the frame; stick your finger in there. Easy to tell. You will also see the rest of the underside rusting away if there is a problem.

Say there is rust inside these holes. Does this mean my days are numbered? Can any rust treatments help get inside those holes?

I'm beginning a rust treatment this weekend and most of it seems like surface rust. Comments from people here indicate as much after I posted pictures. I have not checked inside the frame holes yet though.

Here's an image. Does this count as "rest of the underside rusting away"?

 

[Mark_BC]

That doesn't look bad at all. Many here go the POR 15 route which I haven't tried but read online that it has to be done perfectly or it doesn't work properly. Seems like a lot of work. My preference is to just scrape off the scale with a grinder and spray on some Rust Cure Formula 3000 oily spray which seems to get good reviews online. Maybe do that once or twice a year. You could also spray it inside the frame through the holes and aim it at any rust spots although it looks like you won't have much inside. Look at the whole frame, some people find lots of rust hiding beside the gas tank.

 

[Rcaf2008]

I'm looking at this 3rd gen on the bay. Has anyone seen it?

http://m.ebay.com/itm/112281467079?...5f11590a2a4c782af44ffb1eeb5|iid:3&_mwBanner=1
It's a 2000 with 116k supercharged. What do you guys think?

 

[Rcaf2008]

Here are some pictures of the underbody. It mostly looks like surface rust to me

 

[Rcaf2008]

Another

 

[Godog45]

need help w 2001 sr5 4wd system working?

Hi I own a 97 now and looking at a 2001 sr5 I don’t know if 4wd is working properly or not? I did my research and understand he differences . But going into each drive{ 4WD, lock diff}< , it seems to work except there is a lag when you get blinking lights in the display it takes a few seconds before it actually engages. In addition you can hear it when it engages Is this normal?

2 now when you try to go out from 4wd to 2wd , 4wdl or unlock the differential it continues to blink no matter what you do : stop, go backwards, step on brake. The display continues to blink till you put car in park
Does this sound normal or is something wrong???

Ps my mechanic has a customer selling a nice 2004 and there s a 99 limited available. Is something wrong w this 2001 or is what I descried normal. Maye I should consider the other two? But I liked this 2001 just unsure if working properly?

 

[4-Ripcord]

Hi I own a 97 now and looking at a 2001 sr5 I don’t know if 4wd is working properly or not? I did my research and understand he differences . But going into each drive{ 4WD, lock diff}< , it seems to work except there is a lag when you get blinking lights in the display it takes a few seconds before it actually engages. In addition you can hear it when it engages Is this normal?

2 now when you try to go out from 4wd to 2wd , 4wdl or unlock the differential it continues to blink no matter what you do : stop, go backwards, step on brake. The display continues to blink till you put car in park
Does this sound normal or is something wrong???

Ps my mechanic has a customer selling a nice 2004 and there s a 99 limited available. Is something wrong w this 2001 or is what I descried normal. Maye I should consider the other two? But I liked this 2001 just unsure if working properly?

It is normal for it to take a few seconds to engage/disengage and it should be audible. Sometimes you have to shift through park,neutral,reverse, or drive for it to pop in/out.

 

[jason275]

Lets say you have following options:

a) '98 Limited 218k
b) '00 Limited 260k

Both 4wd, e-locked, and mechanically sound. The '00 is a little more $

what would you choose?

 

[Godog45]

It is normal for it to take a few seconds to awd feature i wont engage/disengage and it should be audible. Sometimes you have to shift through park,neutral,reverse, or drive for it to pop mode in/out.

Thanks so its normal for 2001 4wd system to act this way. I’m used go going between 2 &4wd on the fly with my 97. Maybe with this mullti mode it won’t be necessary to change so often. .the idea of having a awd mode interested me. I’ve been happy with the 97 but shift often between 2 &4 wd in winter
I didn’t mind the lag getting into each drive wih the 2001 . but the flashing light when I try to get out or make a change on the fly is a little disconcerting.. I had to put it into park to get the display normal again.. also when trying to get out 4wd and the display flashes. what drive is it i then? is it okay to dive ?
. I want to look at a 99 limited and see if that system with its multi mode transfer case is any better with going in and out w/o stopping? Otherwise ill stick with the old school transfer case like in my 97.

 

[Godog45]

Lets say you have following options:

a) '98 Limited 218k
b) '00 Limited 260k

Both 4wd, e-locked, and mechanically sound. The '00 is a little more $

what would you choose?

well i have not driven an 99 limited yet but after driving the 2001 ,id take the 98 limited and save some money now and on possible future electronic repairs

 

[rubymac]

Really informative thread.
Is there anyway I can bookmark or save it so I can come back to it later?

New, and still trying to figure out how to use this forum.

 

[Godog45]

just keep tying & welcome

oopps how do lite a duplicate post?

 

[Godog45]

just keep tying & welcome

Really informative thread.
Is there anyway I can bookmark or save it so I can come back to it later?

New, and still trying to figure out how to use this forum.

im new too and just figured out how to get my picture in my profile. just keep at it . i was a member of another forum ,, v4 muscle bike, which has a similar set up.
what i do is bookmark the page in my browser. that works for me, but here may be another way too ?:car:

 

[amalik]

Yes. Bookmark it like you would any other site. If you're using Tapatalk on mobile, subscribe to the thread and you'll be able to go back to it anytime in Tapatalk.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Fishing Holler]

Thank You!

Just wanted to show my appreciation to everyone who made this guide a thing. It was extremely helpful in my search for the perfect 3rd gen and I know I will continue to reference it as I begin to tune up and mod my newly purchased 1999 limited 4Runner.

Thanks,
-Tom

 

[4-Ripcord]

Just wanted to show my appreciation to everyone who made this guide a thing. It was extremely helpful in my search for the perfect 3rd gen and I know I will continue to references it as I begin to tune up and mod my newly purchased 1999 limited 4Runner.

Thanks,
-Tom

Glad you found it useful, Tom. Thanks!