2005 Toyota 4Runner Complaint Log

2005 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SPORT V8 - 14800 MILES - BUILT MAY 2005. THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR SEAT WINDOW SPONTANEOUSLY SHATTERED. AIR TEMPERATURE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40 DEGREES WITH A LIGHT RAIN. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN APPROX 18 MILES AFTER BEING PARKED INSIDE OVERNIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH ON A SMOOTH HIGHWAY WITH NO VEHICLES NEAR. THE GLASS 'EXPLODED' INTO THE VEHICLE REAR SEAT WITH A LOUD BANG. HAD THERE BEEN ANY PASSENGERS IN THE REAR SEAT THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN CUTS. THE GLASS BROKE INTO THOUSANDS OF TINY PIECES. *JB

THERE'S EXCESSIVE RUSTING OF THE CHASSIS, AXLE, DIFFERENTIAL AND OTHER COMPONENTS UNDER THE VEHICLE. I'M THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND OBSERVED RUST FORMATION WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF OWNERSHIP. THE SUV HAS ONLY 84K MILES AND IS GARAGED MOST OF THE TIME. I HAVE BEEN USING RUST INHIBITORS TO SLOW THE PROCESS.

WHILE STOPPED, MY 2005 4RUNNER MOVES FORWARD WHEN COMPRESSOR ENGAGES. THE RPM AT IDLE WILL FLUCTUATE BETWEEN 750 AND 1100. DURING THE LATER PORTION OF FLUCTUATION, ABNORMAL BRAKE PRESSURE IS NEEDED TO KEEP THE 4RUNNER FROM MOVING FORWARD. IDLE SPEEDS CAN REACH 25 MPH ON FLAT SURFACE AND 45 ON MODERATE SLOPE. IF YOU ARE CRUISING AT 60 MPH AND REMOVE PRESSURE FROM ACCELERATOR, VEHICLE IDLE WILL RETAIN 55 MPH. TOYOTA CLAIMS THIS IS NORMAL. PLEASE INVESTIGATE BEFORE THIS CAUSES A SEVERE ACCIDENT. IF YOU FORGET TO APPLY MASSIVE FORCE TO BRAKE PEDAL WHILE STOPPED... SOMEONE MAY IDLE THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. *JB *NM

CRUISE CONTROL GOES CRAZY ON HILLS. IT WAITS TOO LONG TO ACCELERATE AND THEN IT FLOORS THE GAS AND THE AUTO TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS AT LEAST TWO GEARS AND RACES THE ENGINE WAY PAST THE SPEED YOU WANT AND THEN IT FINALLY LETS UP AND THE SPEED DROPS TOO LOW AND EVERYTHING REPEATS. DANGEROUS AND ABSOLUTELY WORTHLESS! HAS BEEN HAPPENING EVER SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW IN 2005. *TR

EXCESIVE RUST UNDER BODY. EXHAUST SYSTEM AND FRAME.

FRONT BRAKES PISTONS SEIZED TO ROTORS AND WILL NOT RELEASE. VEHICLE WOULD BARELY SLOW DOWN. CALLED TOYOTA HOTLINE AND THEY SAID THERE'S NOTHING THEY WILL DO TO HELP FIX THE PROBLEM. CALLED DEALER AND THEY ARE WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID THEY HAVE REPLACED MANY FRONT CALIPERS AND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR 2004 AND 2005 4RUNNERS. I ALMOST LOST CONTROL AND CRASHED CAR WHEN THE BRAKE WENT OUT AND TOYOTA CAN'T EVEN HELP FIX THERE FAULTY PRODUCTS. VEHICLE HAS 85K MILES. I COUNTED OVER A DOZEN SIMILAR COMPLAINT ON NHTSA WEBSITE REGARDING 04 AND 05 BRAKE CALIPERS SEIZING. CALIPERS SHOULD BE RECALLED, THIS IS JUST AS DANGEROUS AS THE STICKING GAS PEDALS THEY PUT IN THE NEW CARS. *TR

DRIVER'S SEAT ON BRAND NEW 2005 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER MOVES AND RATTLES WHILE DRIVING. DEALER REPLACED SEAT FRAME ASSEMBLY ON ONE OCCASION AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. AFTER DEALER EXAMINED PROBLEM AGAIN THEY CONTACTED TOYOTA AND WERE TOLD THIS SEAT PROBLEM IS A KNOWN "DESIGN DEFECT" THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO FIX. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT I HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE PROBLEM FOR HOWEVER LONG IT TAKES TOYOTA TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM. HAVING A DRIVER'S SEAT THAT MOVES ALONG IT'S MOUNTING RAILS WHILE DRIVING IS INHERENTLY DANGEROUS AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. *JB

VEHICLE PULLS/DRIFTS TO THE RIGHT AT HIGHWAY SPEED. STEERING FLUTTER CONDITIONS EXIST. CONSEQUENCES INCLUDE STEERING AND SUSPENSION COMPONENT WEAR AND TEAR. VEHICLE UNDER WENT TWO WHEEL BALANCES, TWO WHEEL ALIGNMENTS, A TIRE ROTATION, AND INSPECTION BY A FIELD SPECIALIST ON 6 SEPARATE REPAIR ATTEMPTS. AS OF TODAY, CONDITION STILL EXISTS. MANUFACTURER WILL NOT ATTEMPT TO FIX THE PROBLEM. A TSB BULLETIN EXISTS FOR THE MODEL YEAR BUT MANUFACTURER HAS SAID THE FIX/CONDITION DOES NOT APPLY TO MY VEHICLE DUE TO VIN. *JB

DT: ON 7-4-2005. WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 35 MPH AT A 8 LANE STOP BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND THEY FAILED. NO PRESSURE WAS FELT IN THE PEDAL, AND THE BRAKE WENT TO THE FLOOR. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ON AND NO NOISE. THERE WAS ALMOST AN ACCIDENT. OWNER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. THERE WERE NO BRAKES ALL THE WAY HOME. OWNER DROVE VERY SLOWLY, AND USED EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP. THEN THE DEALER CALLED OWNER AND REPORTED NO PROBLEMS. OWNER CALLED TOYOTA, AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. NO OTHER PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE BEFORE. OWNER DID WANT TO TAKE CAR BACK BECAUSE IT WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE.*AK

I HAVE A 2005 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SPORT AND THERE IS A HORRIBLE SULFUR SMELL THAT IS EMITTED INTO THE CABIN WHILE REACHING RPM'S OF APPROXIMATELY 3000 - 5000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE WHEELS, NOTICED FOUR LUG NUTS ON THE PASSENGER FRONT WERE MISSING, AND THE OTHER THREE TIRE LUG NUTS WERE LOOSE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS KIND OF PROBLEM. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE 2003 MODEL (RECALL# 02V339000). THE CONTACT FEELS HIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED AS PART OF THE RECALL. THE CURRENT MILEAGE AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 30000.

TL*THE CONTACT PREVIOUSLY OWNED A 2005 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LUNGE FORWARD, INTO THE PROCEEDING VEHICLE. THE POLICE WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE OPPOSING VEHICLE SUSTAINED SEVERE DAMAGES. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT DURING SUDDEN BRAKING OCCURRENCES. THE CONTACT WAS INVOLVED IN THREE COLLISIONS AS A RESULT OF THE VEHICLE ACCELERATING TO INCLUDE DAMAGES TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED AND REPAIRED EACH TIME THE CRASH OCCURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CONTACT NO LONGER OWNS THE VEHICLE.

WHILE WAITING AT A STOPLIGHT, MY FOOT LIGHTLY ON THE BRAKE, THE ENGINE SURGES FROM A NORMAL IDLE SPEED OF 500 RPM UP TO 750-800RPM WITH NO WARNING. THIS HAPPENS FREQUENTLY BUT AT RANDOM TIMES. (REMEMBER THE AUDI 500) DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM.

2005 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SPORT EDITION: FRONT DRIVER SEAT FAULTY. SEAT SHIFTS UPON BREAKING & ACCELERATION. SAFETY CONCERN/ISSUE. *NM

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30-35 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED A CHEMICAL ODOR. IF THE WINDOWS WERE OPEN, THE SMELL SEEMED STRONGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BECAUSE OF THE SMELL, HE HAD TO TAKE MEDICATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER SIX TIMES BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REMEDIED. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO CHANGE THE TYPE OF FUEL HE DID BUT THE ODOR WAS STILL PRESENT. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO ALSO STATED THAT HE TO CHANGE THE FUEL TYPE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 48,200. UPDATED 02/02/11 *CN

WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING 35 MPH IN HER 2005 TOYOTA 4RUNNER A BOOK SLID INTO THE SHIFTER KNOB AND KNOCKED IT OUT OF DRIVE AND INTO REVERSE. *NM ON TWO MORE OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED ON A RAMP LIKE HILL AT A STOP LIGHT, THE CONSUMERS FOOT WAS OFF THE BRAKE, AND BEFORE THE CONSUMER COULD APPLY THE GAS A LOUD CLANKING NOISE FOLLOWED BY A RATCHETING SOUND AS THE VEHICLE DRIFTED BACKWARDS. *SC THE CONSUMER TEST DROVE ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE SAME NOISE WAS HEARD, THE MECHANIC ALSO HEARD THE NOISE BUT STATED IT WAS NORMAL AND WAS NOT SURE OF THE SEVERITY OF IT. *JB

WHILE APPLYING BRAKES, A SMALL BUMP WAS HIT AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY STOPPED, BUT WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF POWER BREAKS. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, SO FAR WITHOUT A COLLISION. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. *TR

ROTTEN EGG SMELL WHILE DRIVING. (CAT CONVERTER). *NM

DT: THE FIRST TIME THE OWNER DROVE THE CAR HE NOTICED THE PROBLEM. THE WEIGHT OF THE DRIVER CAUSED THE DRIVER'S SEAT TO SHIFT. THERE WAS NOT A LOOSE FEELING BUT THERE A MOVEMENT IN THE SEAT. THE SEAT FELT UNSTABLE AND INSECURE. THE OWNER WAS CONCERNED THAT THE SEAT COULD COME OFF WAS THE TRACK. HE OWNER FIRST CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP, WHO TIGHTENED THE BOLTS. HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RECURRED ON THE WAY HOME. THE SECOND TIME THE DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED THEY SAID THEY WOULD CONTACT MANUFACTURER. TOYOTA WAS CONTACTED, AND TOYOTA SAID THEY WERE ABOUT TO FIX THE SEAT PROBLEM. THE OWNER WAS NOT AWARE OF WHEN THE PROBLEM WILL BE REPAIRED, AND WHAT THE FIX WILL BE. THEY WILL REPLACE THE SEAT AT A COST OF $1,500. THE OWNER CALLED TOYOTA, AND WAS ASSURED THAT A FIX WAS IN THE PROCESS. THERE WAS NO TIME FRAME OR INDICATION OF WHAT THE FIX MAY BE. *AK THE VEHICLE'S SUNROOF STARTED TO CLOSE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN. *NM

STEERING VIBRATION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS - 2 DEALERSHIPS UNABLE TO BALANCE WHEELS - POSSIBLE TIRE/WHEEL DEFECT. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A ROTTEN EGG ODOR IN VEHICLE. THE SERVICE DEALER REFERRED THE CONSUMER TO THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY STATED THAT THE ODOR WAS COMING FROM THE FUEL THAT WAS BEING USED IN THE VEHICLE BECAUSE NEW ENGLAND FUEL HAD A HIGHER RATE OF SULFUR. *AK

NEW 2005 TOYOTA 4RUNNER 4X4 STARTED TO SHOW SEAT RATTLES AFTER 500 MILES. TALKED TO DEALER AND TWO SERVICE DEPARTMENTS, TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS HAS DEEMED THE SEAT RATTLE AN "INHERENT TOYOTA" PROBLEM. NO SERVICE CAN BE DONE UNTIL TOYOTA ISSUES TSBS. SINCE ALL NEW 4RUNNERS COME FROM JAPAN WITH THE RATTLE, SERVICE DEPT. DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX. BUT MORE IMPROTANTLY, THEY WILL NOT FIX B/C ALL OTHER 4RUNNERS IN THE DEALERSHIP LOT COME WITH RATTLES. NOW, 1600 MILES AND TWO MOTHS OLD, THE DRIVER SEAT RATTLES MORE THAN EVER. THIS PROBLEM WAS "INHERENT" SINCE 2003 WHENT THE 4TH GENERATION 4RUNNER WAS COMPLETELY REDESIGNED. TONS OF UNHAPPY CUSTOMERS ON THE INTERNET "WWW.TOYOT-4RUNNER.ORG" ALL REPORT THE SAME PROBLEM AND SAME LACK OF "SERIVICE" FROM TOYOTA. NO QUALITY CONTROL BEFORE THE TRUCKS ARE DELIVERED? I FIND THIS HARD TO BELIEVE. DASHBOARD RATTLES ARE FIXED EASILY, WHY NOT A DRIVER SEAT? POSSIBLE SAFTEY CONCERN? *AK

When accelerating it feels like the frame shifts on the body lots of rust,, as well as the power steering was a little low I added power steering fluid next thing you know it stopped working and driver seats is falling apart and collapse in Woodson within itself as well as the airbags didn't go off upon rear-ending a vehicle they came to a sudden stop in front of me at least 25 miles per hour