2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER Complaints

MY DAUGHTER RETURNED FROM WORK TWO DAYS AGO AND PARKED THE VEHICLE, SHE DID NOT NOTICE ANYTHING WRONG WITH ITS DRIVABILITY. THE NEXT MORNING SHE STARTED THE VEHICLE AND A LOUD WARNING TONE WAS BEING EMITTED FROM THE DASH. SHE ASKED ME TO LOOK AT IT AND I NOTICED THE BRAKE AND ABS WARNING LIGHTS WERE ON. I TRIED DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR INSTANTLY. I TRIED BACKING UP THE VEHICLE TO SEE IF REPEATED BRAKING IN REVERSE WOULD PUMP UP THE BRAKES AS IT DOES ON SOME VEHICLES I HAVE OWNED. THAT DID NOTHING AND ALSO UNLIKE OTHER VEHICLES I HAVE DRIVEN, THE BRAKE FAILURE WAS TOTAL. THERE WAS LITTLE TO NO MANUAL BRAKING. TRAVELING IN REVERSE AT MAYBE 3 MPH TOOK FOUR TO FIVE SECONDS TO COME TO A STOP. HAD THIS OCCURRED AT 60 MPH ON THE RURAL ROADS WE LIVE ON, I DON'T THINK WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SAFELY STOP THE VEHICLE. I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY ANY CAR WOULD BE DESIGNED WHERE SOME KIND OF ELECTRICAL/COMPUTER FAILURE WOULD RENDER THE VEHICLE UNDRIVABLE INSTANTLY. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A FATAL EVENT HAD IT OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. IN SEARCHING THE INTERNET AND YOUR 7 PAGES OF BRAKE RELATED COMPLAINTS ON SPECIFICALLY 2003 4RUNNERS, THERE WERE OVERWHELMING ACCOUNTS OF THE BRAKES TOTALLY FAILING WHILE DRIVING, AND MANY ACCIDENTS REPORTED DUE TO THIS. THIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE ROAD IMMEDIATELY BEFORE FURTHER INCIDENT AND TOYOTA SHOULD MAKE OWNERS WHOLE DUE TO THIS SERIOUS DESIGN DEFECT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION BECAUSE THE FRAME WAS CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.

THE FRAME IS RUSTED AWAY BUT THE BODY IS PERFECT. PURCHASED AS IS. WAS NOT INFORMED IN WRITING ABOUT THE BAD FRAME

DURING A VISIT TO A BODY SHOP TO HAVE MY FUEL DOOR FIXED, I FOUND OUT THAT THE FRAME OF MY VEHICLE HAS SIGNIFICANTLY DETERIORATED DUE TO RUST. THERE ARE HOLES IN THE FRAME, WELDS THAT HAVE RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH, AND ONE OF THE TRANSMISSION MOUNTS IS GONE. I WAS TOLD BY THE BODY SHOP WHO REVIEWED THE FRAME, A SECOND BODY SHOP THAT I CONSULTED FOR A SECOND OPINION, AND MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP THAT MY VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AND SHOULD NO LONGER BE DRIVEN. ONE BODY SHOP SAID THAT THEY NORMALLY SEES THIS TYPE OF RUST ON VEHICLES THAT ARE 30-40 YEARS OLD! THEY ALSO SAID THAT THE ENTIRE FRAME AND ALL RUSTED PARTS WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED AND WOULD COST BETWEEN $12,000 AND $15,000 DEPENDING ON THE PARTS THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED. MY TRUCK ONLY HAS ABOUT 122,000 MILES ON IT, AND THE BODY, PAINT, AND INTERIOR ARE IMMACULATE! FORTUNATELY, HAVING MY 4RUNNER LOOKED AT PREVENTED A POTENTIAL ACCIDENT. I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS CONCERNING FRAMES THAT HAVE RUSTED OUT ON THE TUNDRA, TACOMA, AND THE SEQUOIA VEHICLES FOR WHICH TOYOTA IS PERFORMING REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENTS. THE 4RUNNER SHOULD ALSO BE INCLUDED BECAUSE THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, SEVERE RUSTING AND CORROSION WAS DISCOVERED ON THE SUBFRAME OF THE VEHICLE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. AN UNKNOWN DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,000.

THE FRAME IS RUSTED WITH AREAS THAT NEED TO BE REPAIRED OR FRAME REPLACED. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION THE STEERING WHEEL MOVES BACK AND FORTH AFTER HITTING A BUMP. IT IS LIKE THE FRONT END IS LOSE. I HAVE HAD IT ALIGNED, SO IT IS NOT OUT OF ALIGNMENT.

WHEN IN MOTION OR STOPPING, ON CITY STREETS OR THE HIGHWAY, TURNING INCLUDED, THE ABS SYSTEM MAKES EXCESSIVE NOSIES SUCH AS CHIRPING, SQUEAKING, AND GRINDING. CURRENTLY, THERE HAS NOT BEEN A CRASH OR INJURY AS A RESULT; HOWEVER, THERE IS DOCUMENTATION WITHIN TOYOTA SERVICE AND ONLINE FORUMS OF THIS ISSUE AND CONCERN AMONG 2003 MODELS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND VIBRATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HERITAGE TOYOTA OWINGS MILLS (9801 REISTERSTOWN RD, OWINGS MILLS, MD) WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE SUBFRAME HAD EXPERIENCED SEVERE RUSTING. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 153,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRONT BUMPER AND THE FRAME WERE SEVERELY CORRODED WITH HOLES AND THE CORROSION PENETRATED THE RADIATOR SUPPORT, THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TRAILING ARM, AND THE INTERIOR FRAME OF THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,232.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE HAVING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE, THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 171,000.