# 2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER — SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
> NHTSA complaint `585573` · 2006-06-20 · Toyota Motor Corporation
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** Yes
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** TOYOTA
- **Model:** 4RUNNER
- **Year:** 2002
- **Manufacturer:** Toyota Motor Corporation
- **Component:** SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
- **Miles at failure:** 51,665
- **Speed:** 55 mph
## Narrative
ON APRIL 17TH AT 5:45 AM WHILE DRIVING ON I-465, I FELT A LOSS OF STEERING IN THE WHEEL. I DID NOTHING TO THE WHEEL, AS ONE WOULD NORMALLY DO WHEN DRIVING ON ICE. I WAS DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE LANE, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE HIGHWAY DIVIDER AND THEN CAREENED OFF THE ROAD. A CARMEL POLICE OFFICER CAME TO THE SCENE AND AN ACCIDENT REPORT WAS ENTERED.  FRONT BALL JOINT(S) FAILED AND FRONT WHEEL FOLDED UNDER VEHICLE; THIS RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF STEERING AND CRASH ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE HIT THE CONCRETE HIGHWAY DIVIDER AND THEN BOUNCED ACROSS THE INTERSTATE AND OFF THE ROAD.    WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS EXAMINED AT THE REPAIR FACILITY IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE BALL JOINT. IT APPEARS THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT(S) WERE NOT REPLACED.  THE OLD ASSEMBLY(S) DO NOT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN TOUCHED. THERE IS A CONSISTENT PATTERN OF RUST ON THE ASSEMBLY(S) AND NUTS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN DISTURBED.   I SPOKE WITH A TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE AND WAS TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE ID WAS A PART OF THE RECALL SSC 50J OR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V225000.  I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE WORK HAD BEEN COMPLETED AT OBRIEN TOYOTA ON SEPTEMBER 9TH 2005.  THE SSC 50J COMPLETION LABEL WAS NOT APPLIED TO THE VEHICLE.  I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THE FIRST PART OF MAY AND SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER, DAN JOHNSON, WHO ASSURED ME THAT THE PART HAD BEEN REPLACED ON BOTH FRONT SUSPENSIONS. HE STATED THAT THIS SERVICE WAS PERFORMED BY JOE, WHO WAS ONE OF HIS BEST MECHANICS.  MY COM
---
*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*