Problems with 2003 Toyota 4Runner POWER TRAIN

Vehicle was maintained at a toyota dealership for over a decade before being informed that vehicle is unsafe to drive due to holes forming throughout the entire frame assembly from corrosion. further research showes the frame of this vehicle resembles that of the toyota tacoma and tundra models which where recalled due to early and unsafe corrosion leading to components to detach from frame while vehicle is in motion which can lead to serious life hazard. frame and vehicle were also manufactured in ohio dana company which is the supplier of the recalled frames used in the toyota tundras and tacoma's.

There is excessive rust on the underbody of my 2003 4runner. it has just 165,000 miles and the frame is extremely rusted. being only 15 years old i find this to be very sad and unreasonable. the car should be able to last 20-30 years and 300,000 miles. the car has been regularly washed and driven in pennsylvania, illinois, ohio, new york. if there was additional treatment required for the frame it should have been coated, or at the very least notify the customers to make sure they do it. these car should last much much longer and as expensive as the 4runners are they should last.

Extensive frame rust through and rear differential/axle rust the frame rust is in an area that connects the rear axle to the vehicle.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota 4runner. the contact stated that the steering wheel failed. the steering wheel became hard to turn and the vehicle was taken to a mechanic for inspection. the failure was located at the steering wheel system, which failed due to severe corrosion that expanded to the transmission lines and the frame. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the failure and current mileage was 125,000.

I have had this vehicle since new, and only travel back and forth to work approx 30 miles a day..(now has 59,000 miles).vehicle has been regularly serviced at a local toyota dealer...vehicle never used for towing or never been off-road, and maintained like a baby...all of a sudden dealer told me my front axle cv joints are leaking and needs replacing including the rear shocks? this is fully loaded 2003 toyota limited edition v8...seems very unusual at 59k miles? will contact toyota to see if they can help out in any way... *tr

Vehicle has a low gear sound which began when vehicle was relatively new as i travelled down slight grades. i never complained because that was the only time it seemed abnormal and there are only a very places in my town where the hill was steep enough to cause it. plus i assumed it was related to the trac braking system and might be normal. last weekend on a 5 hour trip each way the problem began to manifest itself as i accellerated on flat ground. the tachometer showed low rpms (under 2000) until 50-60 mph. however the sound was much more noticible with some additional vibration. the vibration is now worse, could it be a speed sensor problem? [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota 4runner. the contact stated that the subframe was rusted, causing the transmission to hang very low. as a result, the vehicle was inoperable. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where the transmission was re-attached. the manufacturer was aware of the failure. the failure and current mileages were 129,000. ..updated 09/19/11 *bf also, the steering intermediate shaft needed to be replaced. updated 10/28/11

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota 4 runner. the contact was driving 55 mph when the transfer case imploded and spewed out from under the vehicle, damaging the driveline. the vehicle was then towed to a local mechanic shop. the mechanic replaced the vehicle with a used transfer case and driveline at a cost of $1,374. the manufacturer was contacted and a case was filed. no other assistance was offered. the failure mileage was 152,664. updated 06/16/11*lj the consumer has since traded the vehicle. updated 10/12/11

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.

From a completely stopped position, letting off the gas and allowing the truck to idle forward results in a klunk noise whether you accelerate or not. as i have read, it is a problem within the drivetrain. i took the truck to toyota to have it looked at. they say it is because the rear needs to be lubed with every oil change and was completely dry. they lubed it up and said the problem should improve with time. the truck is still making the klunk noise. the truck has only 85k. this seems very similar to the problem with toyota tundra and some lexuses. *tr

2003 toyota 4runner was stuck in 4-lo, vehicle unable to travel at safe highway speeds. part that needs replaced is transfer case actuator. *tr

Continuing problem on my 2003 v8 4runner with the drive shaft. when i come to a stop or when i accelerate after a stop there is a momentary lag that feels like a "clunk" or that someone has just run into your back bumper. toyota dealer "fixes" the problem with grease to the slip yoke but after 2,000 miles it comes back and is only getting worse. i've complained to the dealer continually and lexus 470 (same vehicle) has a tsb on the same occurrence. it has become increasingly annoying and can only be classifies as a dangerous defect. *tr

My 4runner has been making an awful clunking noise coming from the rear for about 2 years now. i have done some research and it seems to have happened in the lexus gx470 as well. the 03-06 4runners have the same driveline as the lexus and unlike lexus, toyota has refused to fix this problem. please help! *tr

My 2003 toyota 4runner makes a clunk sound that is felt throughout the vehicle when coming to a stop or when beginning to take off. this was first noticed at approximately 40,000 miles. per the toyota dealership, removing the driveshaft and greasing the spline yoke quiets the clunk for approximately 20,000 miles. this is partly true, as the greasing quiets it, but it does not go away and the clunk get stronger every day the car is driven until you feel like you are being rear ended. toyota states this is normal for the operation of the vehicle. it is not normal, and it is absurd to think it is normal. the car should accelerate from a stop without a clunk and come to a stop without a clunk. this problem is widely documented, but toyota has yet to provide a fix. the "clunking" changes your driving behavior/habits in order to minimize the clunk, but in the end, the car clunks when taking off, and clunks when coming to a stop. the toyota dealership states no damage is being incurred to the vehicle by the clunking, this may be true, but you certainly do not feel safe and secure when the vehicle clunks and shakes the car at virtually every stop and start. toyota needs to find a fix to ensure toyota customers are safe when they drive, feel safe when they drive, and are satisfied with the toyota vehicle they drive. *tr

The vehicle would rev itself up to a high rpm, from a stopped position when i stepped on the gas the vehicle would go in reverse. the dealership eventually replaced the transmission only after the manager borrowed it overnight and experienced it himself, but i have noticed the problem beginning again. another problem is the radiator leaking and needed to be replaced (i was told it had the wrong kind of antifreeze; it was green and it needs a red kind???). when replacing this i was notified that my front brakes were paper thin and needed to be replaced this repair cost me almost $2000. another problem is the rear window trim has shrunk. i also had the sunroof replaced after owning the vehicle less than two years. the brake light on the rear hatch does not work as well as the rear wipers (also when i hooked a trailer to it the electrical system seems to be messed up because the trailer lights will not work; went to autozone and tested the trailer and it is fine). the vehicle is starting to act funny again, the engine revs itself to high rpms (this is not the automatic tranny because it happens when it idles as well). the last incident was when i pulled out from a street parking spot and as soon as i put it in drive the vehicle stalled and we lost all power, when i pressed the gas pedal it was as if it was in neutral yet i triple checked and it was in drive. all of the sudden it acted normal and drove about 10 feet then it happened all over again. i also have the rotten egg smell (sulfur?) which is sporadic. of course the dealer always says they can find nothing wrong, nothing is coming up on the computer. luckily no injuries have occurred as of yet but i feel it is only a matter of time before i am on the highway and it decides to play these games. very disappointed in quality of this vehicle, especially since i purchased it because of the reputation. *tr

When coming to a stop and/or accelerating from a stop the car will jerk forward with a thud. sometimes two or three thuds are felt and heard. the dealer witnessed this problem and ourisman toyota in chantilly, va replaced the transmission at 14,500 miles. the problem seemed to go away for a while. i returned to the same dealer with the same complaint at 32,000 miles and they replaced the drive shaft. i returned again on 11/30/04 and the service manager witnessed the same problem within 200 feet of driving. the service manager indicated he believes this is normal (even though this was not a problem till about 12,000 miles). he is going to discuss this with the toyota rep who is in town this week.*ak i

Vibration in drivetrain of 2003 4runner (awd-v8). i do not see my original complaint listed in the nhtsa complaints,submitted october 2003. i am writing to let all consumers know that toyota usa was forced to buy back my 4runner on nov 4th 2003 thru the new vehicle lemon law in florida,(due to this drivetrian vibration).*ak

When coming to a stop or even when stopped, a loud thud is heard and felt as if torque converter is still down shifting. when brakes released, thud is heard and felt again as car accelerates. dealer says brakes are fine! i'm concerned as this is not a normal sound and recently car actually felt like it wanted to move forward as thud was felt and heard. (this is unrelated to the car wanted to lurch forward at stop when a/c is on!)*jb

2003 toyota 4runner v8/awd w/ under 5,000 miles at highway speeds there is a vibration and low frequency "roaring" noise that appears to come from the from axle/differential. sound ceases when coasting. noise and vibration was noticed within first 500 miles of ownership and is increasingly getting worst. thought to be tires which were rotated and did not solve problem. dealer analyzed and stated this is a normal working noise from the differential which has aluminum parts. noise is getting louder. concern there is a defect and safety issue.*ak

Gated shifter, on 2003 toyota 4 runner, allows you to shift the vehicle past neutral (into reverse or even park) while driving, with out depressing the brake pedal. if you push straight up on the shifter it locks it out (against the staggered plastic of the gated shifter). but if you accidentally hit the shifter on an angle, it can slide past neutral and into reverse or even park!*ak

Drivetrain vibration felt in steering column and floorboards at approx 1200rpm to 2000rpm. this is not to be confused with wheel shimmey due to tire or wheel imbalance. service dealer indicates this is normal and will resolve itself with more mileage. *ak

There is a whining noise comming from the front differential at all speeds, but noticeable mostly at 80 mph and hiogher. toyota aknowledged, but refuses to repair.*ak also drivers seat is loose and comes out of place during emergency stopping. again toyota is aware, but refuses to correct.

Vibration in steering wheel ,floorboards, driveline and droning noise. this is an update to id# 10060725. lexus of toyota has announced a tsb for the gx 470 which has the same mechanicals as the toyota 4runner. this tsb addresses the indicated problem that is in both vehicles. it is :"steering st004-04" "steering vibration and driveline vibration/drone". unfortunately the fix can only be applied to the lexus vehicles per dealer.*ak

2003 toyota limited 4-runner v8- awd_x0014_front-end vibration problem first presented the vibration problem at 5048 miles to my dealer the last week of august! it is mostly felt through the steering wheel and the accelerator and occurs at various speeds. there is also a droning noise associated with the vibration and is most notable under load. they tried balancing the wheels with no improvement. they agreed the problem was there and notified corporate. their technical staff had them remove the front axels and retest. the vibration, which started at 22 mph, went to 32mph 42, 55, and 62mph now disappeared! the dealer was advised that there was an angle problem with the front drive shaft. a week later a technical representative met with me and mentioned that several similar vehicles in phoenix had the same problem. he suggested it probably would take about two months to get a fix. he felt that toyota would probably just replace the whole unit rather than putting in different parts. two months later i talked to the tech. rep. again and he mentioned that the engineering group had determined the problem to be interferences in the spider gear assembly in the front differential, they were trying to correct the condition with thrust washer shims and other things. they claimed that the problem was not a safety factor; i wonder though what would happen if the front end were to freeze-up since it_x0019_s in 4wd all the time! i have presented my claim to the toyota customer support group. i have called them regularly once a month and have had no success at finding what their schedule is for the fix, --only to say _x001c_we are working on it and your dealer will notify you._x001d_ i_x0019_ve since heard from my dealer staff that they have a number of lexus gx470's as well as 2004_x0019_s 4-runners involved. i_x0019_m beginning to feel that they have so many vehicles involved it might be a long time before we see a fix! i haul a pop-up trailer and does it magnify the problem! *ak

Have had the vehicle for a month now. i went back to the dealer after the first week with noticeable vibration in the steering wheel and the vehicle in general from approx. 45 mph and above. dealer balanced wheels. returned again another week later with same symptoms. dealer again attemped to balance tires and analyzed rims, speed balance, etc. and determined it was the tires. after the song and dance about the dealer being unable to replace the tires without a long drawn out process, i was directed to the local bridgestone dealer for tire replacement. had tires replaced the following tuesday. same symptoms re-occurred after a few days. back to the dealer a third time this past friday. re-balanced the new tires again, service manager drove it afterwords and said everything was fine. left that afternoon on a trip, and the symptoms re-occured again. have had enough ! i am filing a lemon law notice to toyota this week with one last chance to repair. if unsuccesful, will be filing for arbitration to receive a refund.*ak

2003 4 runner. bought 8/1/03 with 63 actual miles. 1st owner. vehicle vibrates at 75 mph and becomes severe rumble at 80 to 83 mph. dealership explained the problem as the tires. tires re mounted. rumble still exists. tires then replaced. rumble still exists. i called toyota customer service hot line, received claim # 2003-1212 0940, which happens to be the actual date and time of call also. i am still in wait for a solution to this problem that toyota acknowledged has been happening with several 4 runners. please help. wayde *cb

From the date of purchase thered has been a loud "thud" noise when releasing the brake pedal. this does not occur on a continual or predictable basis. the toyota dealership examined the 4runner and didn't find the brakes to be faulty; however the sound and a surge are still present it reminds me of the "thud" sound that was inherent in the t-100 pick-up truck when it was started in reverse. i have an automatic transmission in my vehicle and wonder if failure is imminent there or in the drive shaft. in either case this is an obvious flaw and must be addressed by toyota. my daughter owned a 2002 toyota pick-up truck and said it made the same sound for as long as she owned it. *ak

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota 4runner. while driving 2 mph with the brakes applied, the vehicle would surge and make a thumping sound. the dealer lubricated the u joint, but the failure recurred a month later. the failure mileage was 2,000 and current mileage was 70,000. updated 03/04/08. *lj the consumer stated a propeller assembly/driveshaft was needed to correct the problem. updated

My wife was driving her 2003 toyota 4runner limited,v8 when the transmission popped out of gear.she had it in 4d gear for normal driving.she pulled over and put it in 4d gear again and it popped out a second time.the check engine light also appeared. she pulled over again and turned off the air conditioner and she proceeded to drive to her destination without the gear popping out.she called our son to pick up the car to take it to the dealer for service.they found nothing wrong with the vehicle. they said it had to happen while they were testing the car to fix the problem but they couldn't repeat the same thing that happened when my wife was driving it. this situation could be potentially dangerous.where do we go from here,who do we contact? my wife's work number is 412-875-1481