AboutTed Ritter Expertise I have more than 26 years experience as toyota technician, I will be able to answer most questions related to the toyota product line up to the present year models, I specialize in difficult to diagnose problems but when posting a question please keep in mind that some situations require the used of special test equipment and diagnostic procedures especially as the newer models become more technologically advanced, so without actually having the car on hand I may only be able to try to steer you in the right direction and in some cases may have to refer you to the toyota dealer but at least you will know what you may be dealing with. Please don't hesitate to ask any questions, I will have an answer for you in most cases. When posting a question keep in mind that I reside in the US, although I get questions from all over the world I may not have an answer for models that are not sold in the US, I will do a reasonable search to try to match your model to the US model,please refrain from asking about diesel powered vehicles, I have no information for them. In most cases I will not answer questions about major modifications of OEM components, engine swapping or aftermarket products,please post a question not a statement, please provide enough basic information such as year, model, what engine and if anything has already been done to fix the problem, the more information I get the more I can help without having to ask you more questions.
Experience Toyota technician since 1979,expert in electrical systems,OBD systems,engine repair, driveability problems,EFI systems,ASE certified,Toyota master technician. Certified Hybrid Vehicle technician.
Education/Credentials Toyota master technician, ASE certified in eight catagories, Hybrid vehicle certified.
Question I have 2005 Toyota 4Runner that I purchased new. I felt lots of vibration on the highway less than a year from my purchase date so I took it back to the dealer to get it check and the mechanic told me everything was fine and he did balance the tire. The vibration didn't go away but I thought it was normal. I rotate my tire several times and had a alignment done as well because the vibration didn't go away. On my last tire check, the mechanic found out that all of my struts were leaking and he said it was way too early to have strut leaking and a chance of having all four leaking at the same time was rare. I asked two other mechanics for second opinion and they both told me the same thing. I currently have 51,000 miles on my SUV and I think the struts started leaking at 45,000 miles but not obvious. Do you think is normal for struts to leak at 50K miles? Could it be defected struts? Do you know any recall concerning 2005 4Runner struts? Thanks for your help.
Answer It does seem to early for struts to be leaking but if they are then they should be replaced. Struts normally don't cause a vibration such as your'e describing and by the way, if the struts are just seeping a little on the top it's considered normal, a leak is defined as fluid leaking down the struts to the spring seats. Back to the vibration, does it seem to be in the steereing wheel or does the whole car vibrate, can it be felt in the seats?
