11th Apr 2007, 18:51

I'm glad this website is here, I'm in a bad situation. I just purchased a 1994 4runner about 28 days ago to be exact. driving home from work today it wouldn't stay running at stop lights and would shake violently. With either black smoke coming out the exhaust or white. I DO not have the money to get this fixed. As I type, this the vehicle is sitting in my driveway and will not start. I have 3 years left to pay on this. I'm at a loss for words on what to do...

17th Apr 2007, 22:01

Well, I'm another one on this list. My 93 4runner just blew the head gasket tonight. I decided to look up the problem and see if anyone else had ever had problems with the head gasket. WOW. I had no idea this was such a problem with Toyota. Of course, I had no idea a recall had been made, but it sounds like it wasn't much of a recall. Most people on here were turned down. I bought mine used about 4 yrs ago with 109,000 miles on it. It has 144,000 now. They probably sold it for this very same reason. What am I thinking now, well, I think Honda is much better then Toyota and will probably look for a Honda CRV. I am through with Toyota. I never thought they were better then Honda anyway.

2nd May 2007, 13:58

Hi Guys.

I have a 1996 4Runner with 109,00 miles. My head gasket just blew and I hope it's still under recall. I'm glad you guys are out here, but this sure sucks.

11th May 2007, 09:35

Here goes another one! 1995 4Runner with 97,000 miles. Driving yesterday morning it began to overheat. Just had the thermostat done about a month ago, and have the dang thing sold. Dropped it at Firestone (it was the only place close by) and found out the dreaded news. They quoted me $3000. Ha Ha! Will take it to my local guy and get it done, minus valve work, for $1400. I have a message in at Toyota, but I'm not too hopeful.

13th May 2007, 06:18

Add me to the list of many... I have a 1994 4 Runner that had the head gasket replaced in 1998...now has another cracked head. This has been maintained to perfection with oil changes and all required maintenance, but to no avail.. I am now told my 4 runner is a $500 car because of it. I had hoped to drive this for many years since Toyota used to be a dependable car. No more I guess. They should be ashamed. Maybe an effort to take care of these problems would go a long way in promoting some goodwill & new sales... since money talks...

4th Aug 2007, 19:43

Well, I, too, bought a 95 4runner for my new driver. The truck was very clean, 296K km on it - I thought I had a good safe vehicle. Husband checked it over - within 10 days and noticed sludge in the coolant. "Hmm - could mean a gasket going."

Anyways, before the truck died, he rolled it - and now the truck is virtually a write-off. It still runs. Anyone close to Prince George, BC - who wants me to take their 4runner off their hands - I need a new body.

Casbc@xplornet.com.

13th Aug 2007, 10:59

ANOTHER BLOWN HEAD GASKET! Our 95 4Runner has blown it's head gasket for the SECOND time within 20,000 miles. We really enjoyed paying $1800 to have it fixed the first time! We will be paying on this piece of junk for years to come as we still owe on it. Selling the crap for scrap.

31st Aug 2007, 15:45

I JUST bought a '95 Toyota 4-Runner and while on my way home I noticed that it started to get hot. It cooled right back down and seems OK now, but is idling rough. What should I do, can I do to keep the gasket from going like everyone else? I'm freaking after reading these comments. I JUST bought this truck from a private owner and I'm a single mom with very limited income. Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated. rainebeaubrite@hotmail.com.

10th Sep 2007, 08:31

Add me to the list also; 1995 Toyota 4Runner V6 3.0 I am the original owner; only 87577 miles, and very well cared for. This vehicle is in immaculate condition and yet it still blew its head gasket. The extent of damage to the engine is unknown, but will find out on Monday after towing it to Maui Toyota. I wish Toyota had informed me of this known problem before it happened. I could have either avoided this costly repair, or at least could have been prepared to dish out so much money to fix.

10th Sep 2007, 22:08

Update on previous posting... Maui Toyota stated 4Runner head gasket recall is for late production 1990, all 1991, 1992, 1993, and 1994 up to early production 1995 (1/90 to 10/94 production date) only. Unfortunately my 4Runner was manufactured 12/94 therefore NOT covered by recall. Repairs will cost me $3000 or more.

I never thought this could happen to my "baby" that I took so good care of over the last 12 years. Obviously there is something wrong with the head gaskets on all 1995 Toyota 4Runners. All these complaints could not possibly be a coincidence.

If anyone would like help starting a class action lawsuit, please email me at OneVigilante33@aol.com or write me:

Janine Carroll

P.O. Box 880999

Pukalani, HI 96788.

15th Sep 2007, 20:50

I bought my 1990 4runner for $500 with a known headgasket problem. Doing the repairs myself saved a fortune. I bought new idler bearings, new timing belt, and water pump as preventive maintnance. I bought MLS head gaskets for the head to cure the known defect in the original gasket design.

Spent a total of $250 dollars for parts. Now I own one great-running 4runner for $750 dollars! If you want to sell your 4runner with a head gasket problem, I'll buy it for $500 dollars all day long, thank you! :)

20th Sep 2007, 12:44

I bought my 95 4runner about a month ago and aways smelt a burning rubber smell. Not know much about cars I ignored it until today I realized the white smoke coming form the gasket region. Does the smoke indicate its blown or cracked? What should I do, as in where should I take it or should I even bother with Toyota? Also my rear anti-lock break turns on and off, any others with that problem?

22nd Sep 2007, 00:39

"I love what you do for me Toyota" what a great slogan that was with that nice catchy jingle. "I love what they did to me" should be what it says.

My nice 4runner I bought in Febuary is now my nice dead 4runner in September. 135,600 and now sitting like a duck in a puddle of antifreeze. My first foreign car and my last. Toyota has made me realize why I am american. You can keep the japanese crap cars that come over on the boats. People on this page are right, Toyotas will go 150k maybe more. But ask an owner if they took out a second mortgage to pay for the repairs on the way.

Maybe someday 300 thousand miles away in a far off land, the pieces of crap that run Toyota will come and pay off the rest of the payments on my nice green 1995 planter that sits on front of my house. Hey, maybe they'll loan me the $1,200 dollars to fix my indestructible Toyota.

Back to the big three! God bless America! Hell can bless Toyota!