2006 Toyota 4RUNNER: fire, smoke or burning smell

Filed Dec 16, 2021 · IL

The component that failed is the frame of the car. The frame is disintegrated in some places, rusted through in others, and in general rusted all over. I went for an oil change and discovered that the pan holding the gas tank had rusted through and the gas tank was about to fall out of the car. I was told that had this occurred while I was driving the car could have started on fire. The vehicle has been inspected and repaired by a Toyota dealer and an independent service center on several occasions. No warning lamps or messages.

Filed Jan 6, 2020 · Visibility · 126,954 miles · GA

Turned the rear defroster on and smelled something burning. Turned off the defroster and then couple minutes later, rear window exploded and totally broke. Did this leaving my neighborhood so only going about 20 MPH. It was about 53 degrees and rainy.

Filed Dec 10, 2019 · 136,000 miles · TX

While I was I driving on the highway, the rear window exploded while I was using the rear window defroster. I smelled a burning smell just prior to it exploding glass all over the back cargo area

Filed Jan 12, 2019 · GA

I turned on the rear defrost in the highway. After about 10 minutes, I started to smell a slight burning smell. Backglass was exploded with my 3 years kid. I called toyota dealership they said the warranty is expired.

Filed Jan 10, 2019 · Electrical · 189,600 miles · MD

While driving down a city street we smelled something burning. We pulled over to a vacant parking lot and put the car in park, before we could get of the car the back window exploded into lots of small pieces. Luckily no one was sitting in the back seat because glassed landed in the back seat as well as the parking lot. We noticed that the defrost button was on at the time of the explosion. The weather was cool at approx. 47 degrees on january 3, 2019 around 8:45 pm. I did get the glass replaced by safelite. The window installer confirmed that the wires for the defroster had melted. I did call toyota to report the problem, but they said it was beyond their extended warranty enhancement program deadline of april 30, 2018. Clearly toyota is aware of the problem because they did offer prior to april 30, 2018 an extended program that would help to reimburse customers whose window exploded. No recalls were provided for possible window explosions for 2006 toyota 4runners.

Filed Jan 4, 2019 · NC

Turning out of a parking lot and had rear defroster on. Within a few minutes smelled a "burning smell" and seconds later my back glass shattered.

Filed Jan 4, 2019 · 86,000 miles · NC

Turning out of parking lot. Rear defrost was on. Started smelling a "burning smell" and seconds later my rear glass shattered.

Filed Oct 31, 2018 · Visibility · 196,000 miles · TN

I turned on the rear defrost in my driveway. After about 1 minute, I started to smell a slight burning smell. As soon as I smelled it, the rear glass shattered while the vehicle was in motion. I was turning onto highway 70 from bridgeway drive in cookeville, tn. The window shattered completely on highway 70 in front of mike's market at about 7:20 am on my way to work. Toyota provided extended warranty coverage for this exact issue but only through april 2018. I called toyota to let them know but they do not extend coverage even one day past the warranty coverage period even though there is a defect according to toyota. The program is warranty enhancement program zg7

Filed Nov 14, 2014 · Electrical · 109,404 miles · CA

Toyota case #[xxx] this is part of a message sent toyota. My daughter experienced a burning smell inside her car on her way home from work. Within 15 minutes of noting the smell, her rear window exploded forcing her to pull over and call us for assistance. When we arrived we started the car and did not experience any of the burning smell she noted so we drove the car directly to toyota of huntington beach for service. The service writer discovered that the rear defroster wiring had shorted out which was believed to have overheated the rear window causing the explosion. We authorized repairs accordingly and confirmed we wanted to be certain the electrical system was in good order. We subsequently were informed by the service writer that the defroster system and window had been repaired and checked out to be functional, with the system automatically turning off within 15 minutes; however, it was left to our option to leave the system disconnected. On questioning why, the writer advised that he, nor the service manager and the head mechanic had any experience with this sort of malfunction though it was their recommendation to leave it disconnected. We agreed in the interest of safety. We have since discovered on various web based blogs that other customers have experienced precisely the same problem. Links were submitted to toyota. As discussed with your corporate representative, the cost of the repairs were an unwelcome surprise, however, the overwhelming concern is wondering if we have placed our daughter in a car, that may have inherent design problems rendering it unsafe for her travels to work, school, and vacations. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).