4R TRD Sport - Issues Resolved

Make sure they didn't screw up something by delivering in 4WD. It seems you didn't do a proper search of what a 4R is before buying it. Otherwise the 4R is a great truck, but its not for everyone.

 

I bet they put it in 4wd to unload it from the car carrier. Were those 3 miles put on after that? Who knows? And how many miles did you drive in 4wd before you found out it should be in2?

 

I wouldn't advise every new 4Runner owner to do that - mine was fine. But you're not the first who've declared this a serious oversight by Toyota, and won't be the last. It still remains an easy fix which I wouldn't hesitate to do myself if needed, rather than complaining to Toyota or taking it back to the dealer, which would take more time and effort than fixing it personally. There are far more serious issues (see defective needle bearing) that some have come to realize that while Toyota will fix, the fix isn't really the fix, and they're doing the real fix themselves.

As far as the other things, fluids, truck in 4WD, no real PDI - that's on the crappy dealer you got your truck from. Not Toyota.

 

Exposed bolt? Just wait until you get your every 5000 mile services from your friendly Toyota dealer. Every visit will likely disappoint you in some way. You’d better find a reliable independent mechanic to do all of your services or learn to do it yourself. It really is not that difficult if you are at all handy and motivated. This forum and the “other” one (T4R.org) have lots of info and guidance on how to do it.

 

Driving a little way in 4H won’t damage your truck. I have left my deer lease and didn’t notice/forgot to put my truck back in 2WD a bunch of times. Yeah it is probably not good for it, but it isn’t going to grenade on you because somebody drove it 3 miles on pavement in 4H. That is ridiculous and you alarmists should be ashamed of yourselves. Lmao

 

Now you’re being ridiculous.

The bolts won’t rust or let water in.

Mine is 9 years old and no such thing has happened.

It really sounds like you should have done your research better about BOF 4WDs.

 

Tks so much @Qc. Appreciate
Several hwy miles.

I know Toyota and some lot salesmen are on this forum with cheeky replies blaming the victim.

The idea is to create awareness for others during Google algorithm searches.

The Toyota Engineers could design shorter bolts that doesn't burst through the Wheel Wells like other vehicles in the market.

 

The exposed bolt bothered me as well. I eventually just stopped looking at it. If you complained about it, maybe the dealer could coat it for you.

The rest of your complaints are dealer issues, as mentioned by others.

 

When I get in my wife’s rav 4 I’m the same way I step on the gas and go up to 4,000 rpms off the bat and she says calm down...I am calm your cars to touchy haha.

 

My first service left me with a scratched up grill from the oil change...yep

 

I was looking at a trd pro with a 10k over invoice mark up (looking, not thinking if buying). I noticed the same exposed threads and wondered wtf is that about? To me there is ne excuse for slop like that, and I am sad to hear its common. Anyone who thinks moisture will not penetrate through that broken seal over time is kidding themselves. Have the dealer touch it up but don't go nuts about it if you wind up having to seal it up yourself. I agree though I wouldn't leave it.

 

Being since the exposed thread on the seatbelt bolt is how they all seem to be coming from the factory, my conclusion it’s that it’s not an oversight, but rather how it’s manufactured.

Perhaps they decided it was better to seal the bolt on the inside where the bolt head lands, or seal the threads themselves? Who knows, maybe they had problems with them remaining sealed when they were sealed from the outside / from the wheelwell (lots of rock damage could possibly compromise an outside seal).

Still, I hit that bolt with woolwax/fluid film on a regular basis. I havent coated it with anything more permanent because I think hard/thick permanent coating can become compromised and trap water instead. And then you wouldnt find out about it until that bolt fails.

 

Though the level of bolt exposure is different between each 4Runner... One side fully exposed, one side half covered. Which points to manufacturing defect. No other brand name has these bolts exposed. They should just use shorter bolt. I guess.


Spoke to my sales consultant. Seems a bit naive after asking a few questions from the cool stuff learnt this week already from this forum.


Turn off 4Runner auto unlock feature - https://youtu.be/3Wmr1VPU8cw?t=308


Underbody Coating - https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p...rubberized-undercoating-16-oz-03584/7141477-P

 

Thanks for pointing this out! I looked in the rear wheel wells on our 2 week old ORP, and sure enough, the seatbelt screws pop right through the sound deadening rubber glued to the inside of the wheel well. I also have a chunk missing in another spot. C'mon. Toyota, what's all this talk about the 4Rs being assembled in Japan quality, bla, bla bla??

 

Time to sell it and buy a quality American made vehicle.

 

I have a Chevy Equinox for sale with a 15,000 mile motor in it... The last motor decided to dump all of it's oil out while my wife was driving it several years ago. Top notch quality for sure!

 

Make you a decent deal on a 6.0 F250.

 

This Pro actually had the chunk of rubber coating that it had displaced hanging by a few threads. It's like a carpenter that blasts nails through the finished trim and leaves it splinters and all

 

Here is an interesting question…I wonder if the lexus GX has a similar bolt, similarly exposed?

lexus probably has a fancy cover on the whole underside of the well, but I bet it’s a similar setup underneath the luxury cladding.

 

Excellent question!!!

It appears that this same option is still available on the GX according to this forum poster.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gx...-2021-gx460-rear-wheel-well-bolt-exposed.html

 

LOL! I swear I didnt search before I posted my guess! This smacks of a highly refined, planned, and consistent manufacturing process. I’d expect nothing less from toyota! When they choose cheap out, they do so wholeheartedly and with great precision.

I can almost read the research papers submitted on the 10 year corrosion simulation, cost/benefit ratio of installing seatbelt bolts after the wells are sprayed vs before, and focus group data regarding potential customer impressions of these hang-dangly bolt threads.

Totally making this up, but I bet the conclusions were along the lines of: installing bolts after spraying the wheel wells saves X dollars over every 1000 units built, results in no change to the otherwise typically shocking levels of corrosion, and is only noticed by .001 percent of buyers, of which 99 percent are 4runner/Prado/GX/Surf forum members that love their body on frame dinosaurs to death anyway. The other 1 percent wont stand for it, and sell their 4runners for great profit. Corporate executive decision: Run that bad boy straight through the spray!!!

 

LOL! Of course it's not a huge issue, but all the talk about attention to detail and high QC control because these things made in Japan, one wouldn't think this would happen.

 

Maybe they should have QC correction options

QC correction of frame (rustproof frame Prior body install) $500

Use proper length bolt into wheel well $70.

These options would be easy to add to the build your 4R website and just add under exterior build options.

I have to admit that stuff is disappointing, I knew about the frame issue before I got mine but I think many frames have issues on all trucks to some extent.

The bolt thing not being corrected is something I would expect on a Chinese product done half a$# not on something coming out of Japan which has historically been known for good quality control/fit finish etc. The Japanese were the ones that put the American manufacturers to shame for many years.

 

What's the thread? Next time I go to the dealership I'll bring a bag of nuts and discretely thread them onto any exposed bolts or n the wheelwell

 

If you use acorn nuts, people will think it's a factory upgrade...

 

Buy a shorter bolt and change it out.

hit it with some bed liner in a can

leave it be drive on. That’s my option

most of us don’t keep these things 20 years anyway.

 

Yeah I am the opposite I will keep it 20 years if maintenance costs are not out of hand. Hell if I can make Explorer last 20 years hopefully with reputation the 4Runner has it should last 20+ years (if gas is still available)

 

When I was shopping for a new SUV I looked at how long we kept our '99 4R, 18 years and going strong at 200K miles, so pulled the trigger on our first new car in 20 years, a 2022 ORP . But then it hit me, will gas still be available in another 18 years??

 

Yeah I know about the gas---I have to admit though I live in metro Detroit and there are tons and tons of classic car guys here. In the summer time every Friday and Saturday night the classics are out cruising on the main strip called Woodward. If there is no gas sold here in metro Detroit those classic car guys will start the next civil war. The legends of the muscle cars must live on indefinitely

 

I tend to trade 2-3 years.

longest I have ever kept a vehicle was a 1994 Dodge Ram. Kept it from 1994-2002.