2003 Toyota 4Runner Powertrain & Transmission Problems

Complete corrosion of entire frame causing unavoidable damage to framework.

The frame of the car has been rusting at a significant rate in the last 4 years. Mechanic identified major rust issues that would make the vehicle not safe in case of an accident.

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.

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 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

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

VIBRATION IN STEERING, MOST PREVALENT AROUND 70 MPH. STARTED AT 15,000 MILES. REBALANCED TIRES 3 TIMES AND DEALER DETERMINED THAT OEM TIRES WERE BAD. TRIED NEW TIRES AND THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. BELIEVED TO BE SAME AS LEXUS GX 470 PROBLEM WITH TSB FIX ST004-04. NO TOYOTA TSB YET. *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.