Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2000 Toyota 4Runner owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
We recently looked at this vehicle at Toyota of Ann Arbor car lot. After taking the vehicle to a private Professional Certified Car Inspector we were told that that the passenger side Frame had a catastrophic Crack that ran 7' from front to back and over the forward facing Rear Leaf Spring Shackle Support making the vehicle unsafe for any driving. They showed us the frame damage and showed us how wire mesh and foam spray had been used in an attempt to hide it. We were scared to drive it back to the dealer (we drove very slow). We informed them of the damage and they were very rude and asked us to leave. My only goal here is to insure that this vehicle is not put on the road were it could result in death or injury.
Section of frame broke and fell to the pavement. Vehicle bouncing and went off road causing damage to front driver side bumper, turn signal light housing, headlight. Extensive Back frame rusting has made vehicle dangerous. Frame has many soft spots. Both back shocks rusted and broken. Replace shocks but frame will eventually brake. This is my only vehicle. So, I will continue to drive and pray that this vehicle stays together and doesn't result in death. Front frame and suspension are also rusted and rusting. Please help !
The frame is rusted almost in half a mechanic said it's not safe to drive it will kill someone. The car lot that is selling me the car said he can fix it but it's being held together by welds and c foam. He wants me to still pay for it. I've complained about not being able to drive over 45 without swaying badly and they keep doing stuff to it saying it's fixed and it's not. It's to dangerous to drive. I have a video of underneath but it won't let me upload it
I was driving 65 MPH on the interstate when I heard a clanking sound from the rear, the car started to sway terribly and shake and I lost control. I crossed over the highway lanes, rolled a couple of times and ended up in the ditch with the car upside down. A witness driving behind me said the wheel of the car fell off while I was driving. After inspecting the car, we saw the tire's tread had been ripped off, there were gashes in the tire, and the rear left control arm had fallen off. The car had recently received its regularly scheduled alignment and tire rotation, and the tires were in good shape with only 15,000 miles on them. The car had 118,000 miles on it. The car was a total loss. This was a very serious accident. …
Traveling straight down the highway at 65 MPH. I hear a loud pop and my SUV veers hard to the right crossing the low speed lane and breakdown lane. Fortunately, there were no other vehicles next to me. SUV missed the guard rail, but climbed an embankment and came to rest on the drivers side of the vehicle. Resulting in me forcefully twisting the steering wheel, hitting my head on the windshield and braking the side glass with my head. Afterwards, looking at the vehicle, it was apparent what had caused the accident. Severe rust on the frame, caused the shock mount, and rear control arm to totally separate from the vehicle.
I bought the vehicle recently and was taking it to have it safety inspected. Driving down a curvy road, the vehicle became difficult to steer straight. A loud thunking noise was coming from the passenger rear quarter. Upon inspection it became apparent that the passenger side rear lower 4 link frame attachment tower (just forward of the passenger side rear wheel and tire) had detached from the frame. This condition seems to have been caused by severe metal deterioration from the inside out, hiding itself until it perforated the frame. On further inspection the frame was found to be perforated all along the lower inside wall - from the 4 link tower to the middle crossmember attach point . This area of the frame is adjacent to the muffler and is exposed to exaggerated thermal cycling on a daily basis. …
Driving down the highway in my 2000 4runner, it started to sway back and forth violently, it went into oncoming traffic. Thank god the oncoming traffic was far enough away, I had time to get it back in my lane. If not, I would have been a casualty. I got it home and checked underneath the vehicle and found out the frame was rusted through. The whole frame was rusted, holes everywhere you looked. I just spent $2,000 on new tires and other repairs three months ago. Now the 4runner is useless, I can't believe this was not a serious safety recall. With all the 4runners on the road there is going to be a lot of people killed. You don't know when this is going to fail until it throws you into oncoming traffic and killing everyone in you car and other innocent people in the other cars that you come in contact with. This has to be a safety recall and have Toyota replace these defective frames. …
Vehicle started handling poorly. I had recently replaced the rear shocks and thought I needed an alignment done. Brought it to my mechanic who pointed out that my rear upper control arm brakcet on the passenger had rotted and broken, causing the squirrely handling. Shortly after, while driving home from work on the highway at ~70mph, I heard a clunk and the tail end of the truck started jumping/swerving. Took back roads home and assessed the problem. Lo and behold my driver's side upper control arm bracket encountered the same fate. Rotted and broken. My vehicle's first owner was in minnesota but since then it has been in texas where there is no salt on the roads. I've done what I can to seal and prevent further rust on the frame after purchase and yet this still happens? My truck is no longer drive-able as it's extremely unsafe to have my rear axle disconnected from the frame. …
"rusted frame" my 2000 4runner suffered structural damage when the frame broke away from the rear control link support brackets while driving. The rear of the vehile became unstable and hard to control. We could not drive vehicle and had to have it towed to a garage. We are trying to determine if the frame can be repaired not. I called a Toyota representative and they would not help because there was only a recall on pickup trucks of these years and not 4runners. This is a vehicle that was garage kept for a good portion of its life. I religiously wash my undercarriage throughout the winter months in pa. I have owned 11 toyotas in my driving life, I am 55. Several of my vehicles went over 300,000 miles and I have never had a frame rusting problem up untill this one. The body on this truck does not have a speck of rust anywhere but the frame is disintegrating. …
"rusted frame", my 2000 4runner suffered structural damage when the frame broke away from the rear control link support brackets while driving. The rear of the vehicle became unstable and hard to control. We could not drive vehicle and had to have it towed to a garage. We are trying to determine if the frame can be repaired not. I called a Toyota representative and they would not help because there was only a recall on pickup trucks of these years and not 4runners. This is a vehicle that was garage kept for a good portion of its life. I religiously wash my undercarriage throughout the winter months in pa. I have owned 11 toyotas in my driving life, I am 55. Several of my vehicles went over 300,000 miles and I have never had a frame rusting problem up until this one. The body on this truck does not have a speck of rust anywhere but the frame is disintegrating. …
Suspension complaints in other 4Runner years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 2000 Toyota 4Runner?
NHTSA has 102 complaints about the suspension of the 2000 Toyota 4Runner, 21% of the model year's 483 complaints. The component named most often is rear (4 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2000 Toyota 4Runner suspension problems?
No. NHTSA lists no suspension recall for the 2000 Toyota 4Runner. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2000 Toyota 4Runner suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 165,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 8 crashes, 0 fires and 4 injuries to suspension problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.