2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER Complaints

TOYOTA SEEMS TO BE DRAGGING THEIR FEET IN REPLACING THE STICKY DASHBOARDS AS PROMISED. SURELY THEY ARE NOT REPLACING THESE DASHBOARDS OUT OF PURE CONCERN FOR VEHICLE OWNERS. THEY MUST HAVE BEEN PRESSURED THROUGH THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS AND BY DRAGGING THEIR FEET MAY BE EFFECTIVELY IN CONTEMPT OF THAT PROMISE. I FIRST HEARD FROM TOYOTA IN THE SPRING OF 2014 THAT I WILL BE FURTHER CONTACTED IN THE SPRING OF 2015 ABOUT MY REPLACEMENT. AFTER RECEIVING THAT LETTER IN THE SPRING OF 2015, I CONTACTED MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO GET AN APPOINTMENT UNTIL JUNE 2015. SINCE THEN I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THEM TO RECEIVE THE NECESSARY PARTS. SURELY TOYOTA HAVE NOT STOPPED MAKING CARS SO THEIR INABILITY TO COMPLETE THEIR PROMISE APPEARS TO BE OUT OF INDIFFERENCE. HOPEFULLY THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER PROTECTION CAN PUT MORE PRESSURE ON TOYOTA TO HONOR THEIR PROMISE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE ABS, EMERGENCY BRAKE, AND VSC TRAC LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT PLACED THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE AND THEN DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. THE CONTACT QUICKLY PLACED THE GEAR IN PARK AND CALLED A TOW TRUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE HYDRAULIC ABS AND THE TC MOTOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE SHOP FOR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 260,000.

PLEASE VISIT THIS SITE AND YOU FIND OVER 600 COMPLAINTS REGARDING TOYOTA'S WHEELS CORRODING. HTTP://WWW.NUCKLESLAW.COM/SOFTWARE-NEGOTIATIONS-EXPERT/TOYOTA-ALLOY-WHEELS-BUBBLING-TOYOTA-QUALITY-CONCERNS/COMMENT-PAGE-12/#COMMENTS I'M AN OWNER OF A 2003 4RUNNER AND HAVE RESEARCHED THE ISSUES INVOLVING THE PAINT ON THE WHEELS PEELING. I HAVE FOUND THAT IT IS AN ISSUE WITH SEVERAL, IF NOT ALL WHEELS THAT TOYOTA USES ON THEIR 4 RUNNERS AND OTHER TRUCKS. WHY DOES TOYOTA CONTINUE TO SELL AND USE A WHEEL WHEN THEY KNOW IT IS DEFECTIVE, AND WHY AREN'T THEY CORRECTING THE PROBLEM BY ISSUING REFUNDS, OR REPAIR SERVICES? THE DEFECT LEADS TO THE WHEEL BEING CORRODED AND EVENTUALLY COMPROMISES THE INTEGRITY OF THE WHEEL'S STRENGTH. THE SAFETY OF THE WHEEL IS A BIG CONCERN OF MINE, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE PROBLEM CONTINUES TO GET WORSE. SINCERELY, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I'M AN OWNER OF A 2003 4RUNNER AND HAVE RESEARCHED THE ISSUES INVOLVING THE PAINT ON THE WHEELS PEALING. I HAVE FOUND THAT IT IS AN ISSUE WITH SEVERAL, IF NOT ALL WHEELS THAT TOYOTA USES ON THEIR 4 RUNNERS AND OTHER TRUCKS. WHY DOES TOYOTA CONTINUE TO SELL AND USE A WHEEL WHEN THEY KNOW IT IS DEFECTIVE, AND WHY AREN'T THEY CORRECTING THE PROBLEM BY ISSUING REFUNDS, OR REPAIR SERVICES? THE DEFECT LEADS TO THE WHEEL BEING CORRODED AND EVENTUALLY COMPROMISES THE INTEGRITY OF THE WHEEL'S STRENGTH. THE SAFETY OF THE WHEEL IS A BIG CONCERN OF MINE, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE PROBLEM CONTINUES TO GET WORSE. SINCERELY, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

FAILED STATE INSPECTION 1/25/16 DUE TO RUSTED AND PERFORATED FRAME. IT PASSED THE INSPECTION 1/26/15 JUST BEFORE SELLING VEHICLE TO US. WE HAVE PUT LESS THAN 7000 MILES ON IT SINCE PURCHASE ON 1/28/15.

MY 2003 TOYOTA HAD EMISSIONS ISSUES IN THAT ALL FOUR OXYGEN SENSORS WOULD FAIL QUICKLY. IT TOOK ME TWO YEARS AND LOTS OF MONEY LATER TO DETERMINE THAT THE CAUSE OF THIS IS BECAUSE TRANSMISSION FLUID IS WICKING ITS WAY THROUGH THE TRANSMISSION SOLENOID HARNESS ALL THE WAY TO THE ECU AND ONCE THERE BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE ECU IS MOUNTED GETS INTO ALL OF THE OTHER WIRING HARNESSES OF JUST ABOUT EVERY OTHER SENSOR. I WENT TO TOYOTA AND THE FIRST TECHNICIAN NEVER HEARD THAT HAPPENING BEFORE BUT ANOTHER OVERHEARD OUR CONVERSATION AND SAID "I BET YOU HAVE A 4RUNNER" SO YEAH ITS HAPPENED TO OTHERS. THEY WANTED NEARLY $4500 TO FIX THE ISSUE. NEW ENGINE WIRING HARNESS $1500-$2000 AND ANOTHER $1000 FOR THE LABOR AND THE REST OF THE ESTIMATE IS FOR OTHER PARTS NOT SPECIFIED. THEIR SOLUTION IS TO CUT THE WIRE BELOW THE TRANSMISSION WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR THEN SPLICE AND SOLDER BUT I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE NEARLY ALL THE CRITICAL WIRING IN THAT CAR. I CANT GIVE AN EXACT DATE ON WHEN IT STARTED GOING WRONG BUT I CAN LOOK AT THE SERVICE HISTORY ON THE TOYOTA OWNER'S WEBSITE AND GIVE YOU THIS TIMELINE. 0-89,997 - NO, ISSUES WITH EMISSIONS OR ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS. 89,997MI - 90K SERVICE DONE - TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGE W/FLUSH DONE AT DEALER. 98,152MI - CAR REPORTING LEAN CODES, DEALER REPLACES MAF SENSOR. 100,117 - CAR REPORTING LEAN CODES, DEALER REPLACES O2 SENSOR AND A/F SENSOR BANK 2 POSITION 1 & 2 105,312 - CAR REPORTING LEAN CODES, DEALER REPLACES BANK 1 POSITION 1 A/F SENSOR AND MAF SENSOR AGAIN. TOTAL COST $798.76. THERE ARE MORE BUT I HAVE CHARACTER LIMITS. I WILL SAY THIS THOUGH THAT THE PROBLEM SHOULD HAVE BEEN OBVIOUS BECAUSE YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE THE FLUID WHEN YOU UNPLUG THE O2 SENSOR FROM THE HARNESS BUT TOYOTA WAS CONTENT CHARGING ME $500-$700 EVERY 10K MILES WITHOUT ACTUALLY FIXING IT. CAR STILL REMAINED FUNCTIONAL BUT RUINED FUEL ECONOMY.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE PASSENGER REAR SIDE OF MY TOYOTA 4RUNNER BEGAN TO MOVE UP AND DOWN AND WOBBLE MAKING THE CAR WANDER ALL OVER THE ROAD. WE IMMEDIATELY WENT TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER, CARVER TOYOTA OF COLUMBUS IN TAYLORSVILLE, IN. INSPECTING THE CAR ON THE PASSENGER REAR SIDE WE FOUND THAT THE REAR SUSPENSION HAD PULLED AWAY FROM THE FRAME WHERE THE FRAME HAD COMPLETELY RUSTED LEAVING A BIG HUNK OUT OF THE FRAME. THERE WAS EXTENSIVE RUSTING OF THE FRAME IN MULTIPLE PLACES. THE CAR WAS INSPECTED AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY MATT WARREN, SERVICE MANAGER AT CARVER TOYOTA AND WAS DETERMINED TO BE UNDRIVEABLE. THIS IS A WELL MAINTAINED VEHICLE WHICH IS IN TIP-TOP CONDITION IN EVERY OTHER RESPECT THAN THE RUSTED FRAME. WE ARE VERY UPSET TO LOSE A GOOD CAR WHICH STILL HAD A LOT OF VALUE STILL LEFT IN IT TO US. WE ALSO FEEL THAT THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT SAFETY ISSUE. WE WERE INCREDIBLY LUCKY THAT NEITHER WE NOR ANYBODY ELSE ON THE HIGHWAY THAT DAY WERE INJURED BY THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION. AND WE ARE VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED IN OTHER 4RUNNERS AS WELL AND THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL AND THESE DANGEROUS VEHICLES ARE STILL ON THE ROAD. WE ARE HOLDING ON TO THE VEHICLE HOPING THAT THERE WILL BE SOME REMEDY FOR THIS SITUATION. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA 4UNNER. WHILE DRIVING OVER A POTHOLE AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, A LOUD BANG EMITTED OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WANDERED OUT OF THE LANE INDEPENDENTLY AND BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN ENCOUNTERING UNEVEN ROAD SURFACES AND POTHOLES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE ENTIRE FRAME WAS COMPLETELY CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS BEYOND REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000. UPDATED 04/14/16*LJ *CN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE LOWER CONTROL ARM FAILED AND THE VEHICLE BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND AN INSPECTOR SENT BY THE MANUFACTURER EXAMINED THE DAMAGE. THE INSPECTOR DETERMINED THAT THE SUBFRAME BRACKET, WHICH HOLDS THE LOWER CONTROL, HAD RUSTED AND CAUSED THE LOWER CONTROL ARM TO FAIL. THE INSPECTOR RECOMMENDED THAT THE ENTIRE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000.

MY 2003 4RUNNER HAS SERIOUS FRAME RUST ISSUES WITH LESS THAN 150,000 MILES. THE PIECE OF THE FRAME THAT SUPPORTS THE RADIATOR AND A/C CONDENSER HAS RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH AND THE RADIATOR IS UNSUPPORTED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM WITH MY OLD 1996 4RUNNER WHICH HAD 100,000 MORE MILES ON IT.