What Owners Report NHTSA ODI · 2,175,102 complaints · MY1998–2026

2003 Toyota 4RUNNER

Typical pattern

12.4% of complaints about the 2003 Toyota 4RUNNER came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2003 vehicle — around the middle of the 228 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 13.9 yr in service. The most-reported system is structure (284 complaints), typically at 15.8 yr or about 138,000 miles.

Complaints
872
Median age at failure
13.9 yr
Median mileage
115,000 n=590
Crash / fire / tow
4.4% of reports
Safety recalls
3

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System
0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y
Structure
284 reports · 138,000 mi
15.8 yr
1.4%
Suspension
112 reports · 150,000 mi
16.2 yr
3.6%
Other
98 reports · 135,000 mi
16.3 yr
4.1%
Engine cooling
82 reports · 500 mi
10 mo
8.5%
Service brakes
44 reports · 123,112 mi
15.7 yr
13.6%
Power train
39 reports · 13,000 mi
2.5 yr
0%
Steering
34 reports · 129,000 mi
15.9 yr
8.8%
Speed control
25 reports · 62,160 mi
8.4 yr
16%
Service brakes, hydraulic
25 reports · 41,000 mi
6.8 yr
0%
Seats
21 reports · 8,000 mi
1.3 yr
4.8%
Wheels
15 reports · 111,354 mi
12.5 yr
0%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

11V113000 2011-02-24
Vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 THROUGH 2011 LEXUS LX570, 2003 THROUGH 2009 TOYOTA 4RUNNER, AND 2006 THROUGH 2010 RAV4 VEHICLES. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CAN GET STUCK IN THE WIDE OPEN POSITION DUE TO ITS BEING TRAPPED BY AN UNSECURED OR INCOMPATIBLE DRIVER'S FLOOR MAT.

A STUCK OPEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL MAY RESULT IN VERY HIGH VEHICLE SPEEDS AND MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STOP THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH, SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.

03V146000 2003-04-14
Fuel system

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH V6 ENGINES, THE FUEL PULSATION DAMPER, LOCATED ON THE FUEL RAIL, MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY ASSEMBLED, CAUSING A DIAPHRAGM IN THE PULSATION DAMPER TO BE DAMAGED. IF THE DIAPHRAGM FAILS, FUEL MAY LEAK.

THIS COULD RESULT IN AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE IF A HEAT SOURCE OR AN IGNITION SOURCE IS PRESENT.

02V339000 2002-12-17
Wheels

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FIVE FACTORY ALLOY WHEELS (MODEL 6934 AND 6936), WITH FACTORY LLAT, AND WITH PORT INSTALLED WR4, FOUR ALLOY WHEEL UPGRADE PROCESSED AT THE JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA PORT AND DISTRIBUTED BY SOUTHEAST TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS IN THE STATES OF ALABAMA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA, WHEN THE VEHICLES WERE PROCESSED AT THE PORT, AN ALLOY TIRE/WHEEL UPGRADE WAS INSTALLED. THE UPGRADE INCLUDED 4 ALLOY WHEELS. THE ORIGINAL SPARE TIRE/ALLOY WHEEL WAS NOT CHANGED. THE SPARE TIRE REQUIRES THE USE OF A DIFFERENT STYLE OF WHEEL NUT TO ATTACH IT TO TH

IF THE SPARE TIRE/WHEEL IS INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE USING THE WHEEL NUTS PROVIDED FOR THE UPGRADE ALLOY WHEEL, DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL COULD RESULT AND COULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO A LOOSE WHEEL.

In owners’ own words

Wheels mileage not reported 4 mo in service
THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL CENTER CAP CAME OFF, WHICH CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO PULL OVER.*TS CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO RETRIEVE THE SECOND WHEEL CAP. *JB
Wheels mileage not reported 11 mo in service
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THERE WAS A STRONG SMELL OF CHEMICAL FUMES IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE DEALER HAD INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK THE DEALER DUPLICATED THE PROBLEM AND SAID THAT IT WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE. THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL CENTER HAD FADED. *SCC *JB
Wheels 28,550 mi 2.1 yr in service
TOYOTA 4- RUNNER, 2003. WHEEL LUG BOLTS ARE BREAKING OFF CAUSING WHEEL TO BECOME LOSE. TOYOTA SAYS THE TIRE ROTATION SERVICE PEOPLE OVERTIGHTENED THE LUG NUTS. THIS SERVICE WAS 9 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE LUG BOLT BREAKING. I CONTEND THAT THE PROBLEM IS DUE TO: A. THE LUG BOLTS ARE TOO SMALL FOR THE WEIGHT AND HP OF THIS VEHICLE. OR B. THE METALLURGICAL COMPOND OF THE BOLTS AND/OR NUTS IS NOT CORRECT. OR C. THE THREAD TOLERANCES OF THE BOLTS AN NUTS IS NOT CORRECT....TOYOTA REFUSES TO TEST THE DAMAGED BOLTS AND NUT THAT I SAVED TO SEE IF THIS COULD BE AN ISOLATED PROBLEM FROM THEIR SUPPLIER.
Power train 444 mi 5 mo in service
THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS ABLE TO GO FROM NEUTRAL TO REVERSE. PH WHILE DRIVING FROM 0-45 MPH, THE SHIFTER WAS IN THE FOURTH GEAR, AND HAD SHIFTED TO DRIVE. THE CONSUMER ACCIDENT'S PUSHED THE SHIFTER TO PARK WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT MOST VEHICLE'S HAVE A SHIFT LOCK BETWEEN NEUTRAL AND REVERSE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS MOTION. SCC

Other 4RUNNER model years

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