Toyota 4Runner Rollovers

July 3 2007: 9:24 AM EDT NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com)
Two-thirds of pickups, vans and sport-utility vehicles don't provide acceptable protection against whiplash in rear-end collisions, according to tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
Toyota Highlander and 4Runner SUVs earned "Poor" ratings.

Toyota 4Runners built before 1996 have been dubbed "death traps". The safety design flaws leading to rollovers have been proven dangerous time and time again in court rooms across America. Toyota has even admitted that the 4Runner is prone to rollovers on dry flat surfaces. The 4Runner has been known to rollover at speeds of less than 40 miles per hour during evasive maneuvers.

In 2002, 30 SUVs tested by the NHTS, (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) including the Toyota 4Runner, earned just two stars for rollover safety.

Safety during a rollover is key to driver and passenger safety. The lack thereof can result in roof crush, passenger compartment intrusion and passenger ejection if the windshield glass of the automobile breaks.

Under current NHTSA standards, the 1988-1996 4Runner would receive a one star in rollover resistance rating, the lowest possible rating. The pre-1996 4Runner is nearly four times more likely to rollover than the average vehicle.

Make : TOYOTA
Model : 4 RUNNER
Year : 1998
Build Dates : 19951120 - 19980228
Manufacturer's Involved: TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Potential Number Of Units Affected : 273,743
Summary: ON CERTAIN 2-WHEEL-DRIVE (2WD) AND 4-WHEEL-DRIVE (4WD) 4RUNNER SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, A COMBINATION OF HEAVY LOADING (SIMULTANEOUS LOADING TO REAR GROSS AXLE WEIGHT RATING AND GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING) AND SEVERE STEERING MANEUVERS COULD CAUSE THE 2WD 4RUNNER TO LOSE DIRECTIONAL STABILITY. Consequence: THIS MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

The leading cause of death in SUV accidents is rollovers. Because of the speed involved in the accidents, untested environments, such as uneven or slick surfaces and the actual design of the vehicles themselves, crash and rollover tests do not meet real world circumstances. The current standards are simply not enough to replicate what happens on the highways that we drive on.

Faulty design is a leading contributor to rollover accidents, some even single car accidents. Here's a list of some safety issues that are common with SUVs, trucks and vans:

Weak roof structure - does not prevent roof crush - allows driver/passenger ejection
High center of gravity
Faulty Seat Belts
Seat back failures
Narrow wheelbase
Top heavy design with high center of gravity
Weak window glass that allows driver/passenger ejection

Toyota hasn't done enough to prevent Toyota 4Runner rollovers. If you or a loved one have suffered a serious injury or death due to a rollover, contact us using the link below.