Exhaust manifolds, hydroboost for the brakes, front differential mount, head gasket failure, etc. etc. What I'm starting to notice is that it's the BIG and expensive stuff that dies on these "legendary quality" Toyotas.
So, somebody asked why you would ever buy used parts for something as important as brakes. My question is why would Toyota use a hydroboost system for something as important as brakes? No other vehicles in this class did, and you never ever hear of failures with those traditional systems.
A front differential mount shouldn't be at all too expensive fist off...
As for the headgasket issue its a smaller percentage than Hemi engines dropping valve seats; but I agree with you that Toyota needs to remedy the issue since they knew enough to update the headgasket design and its just a slap to their customers and reputation. The hydraboost units are another oddball thing they need to better manage. There's 11 pages in the FSM on how to tear the unit down and replace individual components. Yet, there are no real diagnostic methods other than "eliminate everything else," you can't buy parts seperate from the dealer, there's very little support for the assembly beside replacement of the entire unit.
Toyota is not the only manufactuer who uses it; almost all the hybrid utilize this system; GM actually was the first to introduce it on the Cadillacs in the day and still use it on some of their vehicles; many other brands use it. The system allows much better control, pressures, and compactness than most traditional vacuum assisted units; particularly in conjuction with features like VSC and ATRAC which the 4Runner, FJ Cruiser, Land Cruiser, Prado, ect ect advertise.
But you're right to note a growing trend in failures of large expensive equipment on vehicles. The big thing to note is that while the 4Runner seems to have a very small sliver of issues with the Head Gaskets, HydraBoost, and transfercase; compared to other vehicles its rather small. I regularly see Jeep Grand Cherokees, BMW X series, Dodge SUVs, ect that come in with piles of expensive failures that seem to just happen all at once.
My point is, you bought a MODERN vehicle; it doesn't matter if you bought the cheapest trim level. These cars are so packed with tech, that when it goes its always going to be expensive to fix no matter what. ABS issue on a vacuum assisted modern car? $1.5k+ in parts alone, Alternator? $680 (just did a '09 Corolla this week), Instrument Cluster? 1k+ (Lexus LX470 from '05 is 2k for the instrument cluster from the factory). You want cheap parts buy an OLD car. People think buying a 2003 is going to save them from the insane prices of modern repairs... it won't.
Scary story time is over now.
