2004 Toyota 4RUNNER: complaints, problems and recalls

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED OR EVEN PARKED WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, THERE WAS STRONG GAS ODOR INSIDE THE CABIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DISCOVERED RUST IN THE INJECTION SYSTEM AND A CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILURE.

Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10162587 at NHTSA ↗

TRAVELING 55 MPH ON CA INTERSTATE WHEN CAR DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME ABRUPTLY STOPPED. THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH TIME FOR ME TO STOP, SO I IMPACTED THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE HEAD ON AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. NOT ONE OF THE AIRBAGS IN MY VEHICLE DEPLOYED. CONTACTED TOYOTA ABOUT THIS AND THEY SAID IT IS THEIR "OPINION THAT THE AIRBAGS SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED IN THIS SITUATION." I ASKED THEM WHERE THE FRONTAL IMPACT SENSORS WERE, AND WAS TOLD DIRECTLY UNDER THE HEADLIGHTS IN THE BUMPER. WELL, BOTH SENSORS WERE IN THE IMPACTED AREA ON MY VEHICLE, THE ENTIRE…

Owner-reported narrative. 54,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10168142 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WITH A GUARDRAIL. THERE WAS A 5 SECOND DELAY IN THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG, CAUSING THE CONTACT AND A PASSENGER TO HIT THE WINDSHIELD. BOTH OCCUPANTS INCURRED HEAD INJURIES, LACERATIONS, MUSCULAR INJURIES, AND THE CONTACT INCURRED OCULAR INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS CONSIDERED A TOTAL LOSS, AND A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A SERVICE DEALER OR PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP.

Owner-reported narrative. 78,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10168613 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH UNDER NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE FRONT RIGHT LOWER BALL JOINT SEPARATED. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THE FRONT RIGHT LOWER BALL JOINT HAD FRACTURED.

Owner-reported narrative. 13,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10173963 at NHTSA ↗

TL* - THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL OF THE DOOR LOCK MODULES FAILED AND HE WAS UNABLE TO OPEN OR LOCK THE DOOR LATCH. THE DRIVER'S FRONT MODULE FAILED AT 38,000 MILES, AND THE PASSENGER'S FRONTAND REAR MODULE FAILED AT 48,000. THE CONTACT HAD THE DRIVER'S DOOR LOCK MODULE REPAIRED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS THE A FAILURE IN THE MODULES. THE DEALER AGREEDE TO PAY FOR THE PARTS ON THE PASSENGER FRONT AND REAR DOORS, LEAVING THE LABOR COSTS TO BE COVERED BY THE CONTACT.*AK UPDATED 01/28/07. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 39,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10177735 at NHTSA ↗

AFTER 2.5 YEARS AND ABOUT 25000 MILES, MY 4 RUNNER SPORT DEVELOPS A STRONG SULFUR ODOR INSIDE THE CABIN WHEN DRIVING. BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER (CALDWELL TOYOTA) IN WEST CALDWELL, NJ WHO INFORMED ME THE PROBLEM WAS NORMAL AND CAUSED BY THE TYPE OF FUEL USED. CALDWELL TOYOTA HAD NO ANSWER TO MY QUESTION WHY THE PROBLEM SUDDENLY SURFACED AFTER 2.5 YEARS NOR DID THEY OFFER TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE. THE CALDWELL TOYOTA TECHNICIAN COULD NOT EXPLAIN HOW THE SULFUR SMELL FROM THE EXHAUST, WHICH SHOULD BE CONTAINED WITHIN THE ENGINE AND SHOULD ONLY T…

Owner-reported narrative. 24,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10184036 at NHTSA ↗

I EXPERIENCED A SIGNIFICANT OIL LEAK AT THE TRANSFER CASE. IT WAS DETERMINED THE "O" RING ON THE TRANSFER CASE ACTUATOR MOTOR ASSEMBLY WAS DEFECTIVE AND CAUSED THE LEAK. THE NEW "O" RING COST $10, BUT LABOR WAS $900. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10184295 at NHTSA ↗

HEAD-ON COLLISION WHILE STOPPED AT LIGHT BY PANEL VAN TRAVELING AT 25 MPH, POLICE ESTIMATE, FRONT AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 52,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10187765 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2011-02-24 (February 24, 2011)

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.

Consequence: 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.

Reported: 2016-02-05 (February 5, 2016)

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Toyota Land Cruiser and Lexus LX470, 2005-2006 Toyota Tundra and Sequoia, 2004-2006 Toyota 4Runner and Lexus GX470 vehicles equipped with side curtain-shield-air bags. The affected vehicles have an air bag control module that may be improperly programmed, causing the side curtain-shield-air bags to deploy inadvertently.

Consequence: If the side curtain-shield-air bags deploy unexpectedly, it can increase the risk of occupant injury.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag control module with one that has improved programming, free of charge. The recall began on December 1, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-271-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is G0C and GLB.