Does anybody know if there has been an abnormal number of speedometers going bad in early to mid 90's 4runners? Out of three 4runners, I've got two gone bad within 1500 miles of each other. I recently acquired a 95 with 122k, 3 weeks later thought the cable was bad as the noise was horrendus, on the 150 mile drive back home with the new $100 cable, my 93 4runner (120k) starts the identical noise. Stupid me goes ahead and replaces the cable, and then when the noise doesn't go away, duh!, it must be the speedo head. The 93 has electronic speedo and no cable, the 95 went back to mechanical speedo with a cable. Haven't taken the 93 apart yet, so don't know how it may be similar to the 95, if at all.
I have Haynes, Bentley, and Toyota factory manuals, and they all are mum on the subject. Toyota book says "check for abnormal noise". Ya think? Also, idler arm on the 95 was trashed at 115k, radiator has like 7 pinholes, power steering pump is screaming at me, and so on. And two days ago, they say they're recalling 90 to 95 PU's and 4runners for steering system problems! How many people have already had to fix this stuff on their own nickel in the last 15 YEARS?? If you're driving around Alaska and see my black 95 4runner for sale cheap, DON"T BUY IT! My 3 other late 80's pickups with 225k plus each, have had NONE of these problems. So. Who's gonna be the next "Toyota"? Hyundai?