Family: 4Runner · filed with NHTSA as 4 RUNNER, 4RUNNER
Owner report Severe frame rust. 2 large holes on the inside of the frame just back from the front wheels and 2 large holes at the ends of the rear crossmember.
Owner report Toyota has had issues with their frames rusting out and the 4th generation 4Runner is not exempt from this issue. My 2003 is requiring extensive work to keep it on the road safely due to frame rust. A recall to replace frames should be in place.
Owner report I have not actually had an incident yet, but have been advised by the Toyota service team that I should no longer tow trailers and should consider not driving it at all due to frame rust/perforation in front of the rear control arms. This has been a well cared for vehicle that is in otherwise great shape (It has had ev…
Owner report ADDING MY NAME TO THE LIST OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED EXCESSIVE AND PREMATURE FRAME RUST ON THEIR 4RUNNER, POTENTIALLY CAUSING UNSAFE CONDITIONS WHICH COULD LEAD TO A COLLISION. TOYOTA ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM FOR THE TACOMA, SEQUOIA, AND TUNDRA OF THE SAME YEARS, AND THEY SHOULD DO THE SAME FOR THE 4RUNNER.
Owner report "TAKATA RECALL". SO I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING A PROBLEM WITH MY TOYOTA 4RUNNER. AS OF YESTERDAY THERE WAS A GREAT AMOUNT OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE AREA OF THE OIL STICK FROM MY ASSUMPTION THE OIL WAS GETTING ON THE CADILLAC CONVERTER. OR SOMETHING THAT WOULD HIT SOMETHING HOT ON THE ENGINE TO CAUSE IT TO SMOKE I'M TRYING TO…
Owner report I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AFTER GETTING OFF THE INTERSTATE WHEN MY VEHICLE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT. I LUCKILY NOTICED AND PULLED OVER BEFORE INCURRING MORE DAMAGE AND WARPING THE ENGINE HEAD. I HAVE HEARD MULTIPLE TIMES THAT THESE 4.0 V6'S TOYOTA MADE HAVE HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS. AFTER GETTING IT TOWED BACK TO THE MECHANI…
7% of complaints name no specific component and are left out of the shares above.
To compare years fairly, each year is counted over the same span: complaints received up to two calendar years after its model year. A year is compared only when that span is over and it holds at least 50 complaints.
| Model year | All complaints | First three years | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 696 | 161 | |
| 2004 | 678 | 70 | |
| 2005 | 425 | 33 | not compared |
| 2006 | 381 | 37 | not compared |
| 2007 | 154 | 23 | not compared |
| 2008 | 96 | 30 | not compared |
| 2009 | 22 | 11 | not compared |
Whether a recall has been fixed on a specific car depends on its VIN; check it at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Defect: 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.
Risk: 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.
Remedy: THE REMEDY IS NOW AVAILABLE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN EARLY APRIL 2011. THE REMEDY WILL INVOLVE MODIFICATION OR REPLACEMENT OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND REPLACEMENT OF ANY TOYOTA ALL-WEATHER FLOOR MAT. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331 OR LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.
Defect: 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.
Risk: THIS COULD RESULT IN AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE IF A HEAT SOURCE OR AN IGNITION SOURCE IS PRESENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PULSATION DAMPER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 5, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
Defect: 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 THE VEHICLE.
Risk: 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.
Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH DIFFERENT STYLE LUG NUTS, A WARNING LABEL FOR THE SPARE RE/ALLOY WHEEL, AND AN OWNER'S MANUAL ADDENDUM.
| Action | Component | Opened | Closed | Recall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DP18002 | STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 2018-08-17 | 2022-03-18 | |
| RQ10003 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE | 2010-02-16 | 2011-03-01 | 11V112000 |
DP18002: Frame corrosion
RQ10003: Unintended and Uncontrolled Acceleration
| Version | Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Combined | Fuel cost / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4Runner 2WD | 4.0L 6cyl | Automatic 4-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 16 | 20 | 18 | $3450 |
| 4Runner 2WD | 4.7L 8cyl | Automatic 5-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 15 | 18 | 16 | $3900 |
| 4Runner 4WD | 4.0L 6cyl | Automatic 4-spd | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 15 | 19 | 17 | $3650 |
| 4Runner 4WD | 4.7L 8cyl | Automatic 5-spd | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 14 | 17 | 15 | $4150 |
Fuel cost is EPA's estimate at the fuel prices of its last update, not today's.
| Variant | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 Toyota 4Runner 4-DR. | Not Rated | Not Rated | Not Rated | ★★★☆☆ |
Toyota issued 245 service bulletins listed against this model year, most often about equipment.
A bulletin tells dealers how to fix a known condition. It is not a recall and not a defect finding. Most bulletins cover several model years at once, so one listed here may not be specific to this year. The number of bulletins tracks how long and how widely a model was sold, so it is not a measure of reliability.
| Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-12-06 | STRUCTURE:BODY | Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood… |
| 2024-12-06 | STRUCTURE:BODY | To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and in… |
| 2024-12-06 | STRUCTURE:BODY | The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. If these contaminants settle and remain on a painted vehicl… |
| 2024-12-05 | STRUCTURE:BODY | Toyota vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal painted surfaces. This material protects from acid rain, environmental fallout, and rail contamination. Follow the Removal Procedure … |
| 2024-12-03 | STRUCTURE:BODY | Vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad tracks, train wheels, exposure to heavy machinery facilities, grinding, welding, etc. This type of contamination can be identified by the … |
| 2024-07-12 | STRUCTURE:BODY | Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood… |
| 2024-07-12 | STRUCTURE:BODY | To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and in… |
| 2024-07-12 | STRUCTURE:BODY | The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. If these contaminants settle and remain on a painted vehicl… |
| 2024-07-12 | STRUCTURE:BODY | Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood… |
| 2024-07-12 | STRUCTURE:BODY | To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and in… |
Complaint counts are not failure rates. A model that sells more cars draws more complaints, and owners file more often after news coverage or a recall. That is why this page compares a model year only with other years of the same generation, never with other models.
Each complaint is counted once, even when it names several components; a complaint that names several systems appears under each of them. Owner reports are quoted as filed and have not been verified by NHTSA or by us.
Every model year of this 4Runner, including the ones without a page of their own, is listed on the Toyota 4Runner model page.
MotorAlmanac is independent and not affiliated with NHTSA, EPA or any manufacturer. This page summarises public records; it is not a mechanical inspection. Before buying a used car, check its VIN for open recalls and have it inspected.