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Toyota 4Runner Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • tfm1tfm1 Member Posts: 5
    My 2003 V6 without sunroof has the wind noise pretty bad. I tried lining the crossbars on the roofrack with the dots.. Didn't help. I slid the bars all the way to the rear and this may have decreased it some. Next I'll try removing the cross bars.
  • floeva09floeva09 Member Posts: 20
    Questions about the space inside the 4Runner. I am 6ft tall and weight around 240lb wink...wink. There is little space between my head and the ceiling, that I can deal with. The issue I am concern about is my right leg, it has know where to go. Let say if I am on a road trip and I am on cruise control, I can not stretch out my right leg. Is this common for SUV's? This will be my first Suv. For 30,000 dollars where is the leg room. I have to lower the back of the seat to accomodate my legs. I like this vehicle so much. I keep going back and trying to fall in love with the Ford Explorer, pricing is great,space feels better, looks I like,however in every other department it comes in a distance second. Are there any other big guys driving the New $4Runners? How does space work for you? It is not a bad fit for me, but not near perfect. I just can not find another vehicle that satifieds the emotional high. Just needed to sound off about space in the 4Runner. Does'nt Toyoto know that we are getting bigger each year? No! I can not afford a bigger vehicle, I am pushing it with the 4Runner. All advice is welcome, thanks in advance.
  • loudog2loudog2 Member Posts: 83
    I'm 6'3" 230 lbs. I have no problems at all in my 2004 limited. Which model are you looking at. The power seats in my limited adjust pretty well to my size. Yes, I moved the seat down and back a little. My head seems close to the top, but never hits it( I have the sunroof). I had an explorer before. Will never get another. Too many problems and recalls.. Well good luck with your decision.
  • alfster1alfster1 Member Posts: 273
    Have you considered the Sequoia? Depending on the configuration, you might be able to find one that is priced similarly to a more highly configured 4Runner.
  • coranchercorancher Member Posts: 232
    4runnaway, I have the sunroof but no wind noise. I don't have a sunroof wind deflector. It sure sounds like you (and some others) are getting unusual wind noise. I would look carefully around the windshield and sunroof area, and around the mounting points for the rack rails. I wonder if a piece of trim is loose somewhere (perhaps only moving into the airstream when you're underway and therefore not obvious at a standstill. You might jiggle everything and make sure it's all tight. There was a problem a year ago with some loosening of plastic trim in the front rain gutter area; maybe that's returned. Also, look around the perimeter of the sunroof to see if there's a good seal with between the rim that surrounds the glass and the body. You could even spray water over the roof and see if any gets in through the sunroof seal. Lastly, start the vehicle and listen for the dramatic quieting of the engine roar after 10-15 seconds as the fan clutch loosens up. This roar is pretty loud, and quite audible from inside the vehicle even with the windows up. Good luck.
  • floeva09floeva09 Member Posts: 20
    I am looking at the SR5 4WD 6cyl,minus the sunroof. The Sequoia is a bit large for me,I am single and the $4Runner$ fits my lifestyle. With the Sequoia I feel like I need to rent some kids to haul in the back...hehehe... the Ford Explore is on Edmunds most wanted for 2004. So is Ford building a better vehicle now? Are is the Explorer desirable because of pricing? I plan to keep whatever vehicle, I purchase for at least ten years. I have to say the $4Runner$ just give me the feeling, if I have to make a car payment than this one is worth it. Thanks again in advance.
  • alfster1alfster1 Member Posts: 273
    Ok, I guess buying the 4Runner would be easier than buying a Sequioa and then having to rent kids. LOL. Have you tried getting a close crew cut? You might get an extra couple of inches of clearance. An "Elvis" type hairstyle would be out of the question. Hey, you have to make sacrifices for the "Toyota feeling" LOL
  • sacstate1sacstate1 Member Posts: 189
    "Space Inside The 4Runner"

    I am 6'2" and 243lbs. I have a '03 Sport w/sunroof.

    I find the sitting position and front cabin space to be more than adequate. I had a 02 4unner, old style, and the fit was TIGHT. That is why I traded for the bigger, redesigned '03.

    The new Explorer, I owned three consecutive Explorers before buying my first 4Runner, has some towing issues, if you tow. Comparing the Explorer to the 4Runner after two years, the Toyota has held up much better, mechanically and trim.

    The Explorers left me stranded, Ford warranty tow twice. And another time I drove it directly to the dealer after the thermostat stuck open at only 12,000 miles. These were brand new Ford Explorers that I purchased from the local Ford guy.
  • kullenbergkullenberg Member Posts: 283
    I'm 6'4", and quite long bodied. I looked at all the SUV's on the market. Robust 4 wheel drive, leg room, and head room, were the primary criterea. Interestingly, the Forester came in quite high on the list; it has great leg room, good head room, and the 4wd system will handle most on road situations. I had intitially rejected the 4Runner because of the lack of head room. Then I drove a V8 model, without the sunroof - it was acceptable, and in most other respects, I really liked it. I wasn't crazy about the styling, but it grows on you. The end result is that I ordered a silver V8, 4x4 Sport edition, without a sunroof. The thing that really swayed me is the full time 4wd system. It feels like a small Land Cruiser, which in other markets, is how it's sold. Having said all this, try one without the sunroof; you gain 2-3 inches!
    Cheers
    Pat
  • sacstate1sacstate1 Member Posts: 189
    'Robust 4 wheel drive, leg room, and head room, were the primary criterea. Interestingly, the Forester came in quite high on the list; it has great leg room, good head room, and the 4wd system will handle most on road situations.'

    The other family car is a '03 Subie Forester. My wife loves it.
  • alfster1alfster1 Member Posts: 273
    Apparently, Toyota's solution for the lack of headroom for some individuals is the Lexus GX470, which has about 3" more headroom.
  • 4runnaway4runnaway Member Posts: 11
    Thanks to all for your comments and suggestions regarding the wind noise. I spend a lot of time in the 65 to 70 mph range because I am mostly driving on the freeway. My last car was also a 4 runner and it was quiet no matter how fast I was driving. I still have that car so it is easy to compare. Regardless, I am going to have to find a way to live with it because I'm going to be driving this car for the next few years. These wind deflectors for the sunroofs -- is that an aftermarket part? I don't see where Toyota offers that....?
  • floeva09floeva09 Member Posts: 20
    Thanks everyone for the comments, I really have to work my way through this $$4Runner$$ story. I am leaning toward this vehicle, I just feel like for the kind of money this truck cost, I should be able to say "4RUNNER" and it pulls up in front of the door ready to drive. I just wish for that kind of money I could find the perfect fit and vehicle. I will go and sit many more time before I buy. My goal is to own a new SUV by end of summer.
  • alfster1alfster1 Member Posts: 273
    If you ever find THAT 4RUNNER, be nice enough to let us know! LOL Good luck with you vehicle search.
  • sacstate1sacstate1 Member Posts: 189
    A $ 32K 4Runner has much more value than a similar $ 32K Ford Explorer. Or Jeep product. Or Chevy product.

    Good luck on your decision.
  • ohelloohello Member Posts: 27
    If you are concerned that a 4Runner will not fit you or your life very well, you can rent one for a week or so to find out. Typically this will cost about $450. Call around to local dealers, likely you will find one that has 4Runners to rent.
  • stp1stp1 Member Posts: 8
    Was wondering if anyone else has had a low pitch roar (similar to a bad tire) coming from the drivetrain under acceleration at 70-75 mph. It is quite noticable with the radio off and was very loud after about 2200 miles. My dealer changed the trans. fluid and axle fluid which dampened the noise but it hasn't gone away. Anyone know anything or heard of anything? My guess is the front drive axle.
  • dpengdpeng Member Posts: 5
    My SR5 V8 is 3-week old and all seem to be fine except for one thing: it starts making a harmonic noise like hum..hum..hum..hum at speed 75mph and up. I don't think the noise is from the engine (or from the wind) because simply pumping-up the engine while not driving it will not make the same noise. So it must come from the part of transmission, such as the drivetrain. I asked the dealer about the noise, they said the car is not designed to handle that speed (75mph and up) and the noise has been purposely designed-in to kick-in at that speed just to warn the driver. I feel hard to swallow their explanations. Anybody has any idea about this?
  • coranchercorancher Member Posts: 232
    Oh good heavens! dpeng, tell your dealer you want that statement about the 4Runner "not designed to handle that speed" in writing from Toyota corporate. You may get some wind or tire noise at higher speeds, but it's nothing the vehicle isn't designed to handle. I'd pester them to find the real problem.
  • bankeizenbankeizen Member Posts: 46
    "I asked the dealer about the noise, they said the car is not designed to handle that speed (75mph and up) and the noise has been purposely designed-in to kick-in at that speed just to warn the driver. "

    That dealer should get some kind of award for creativity. Taking a defect and making it into a safety device.....brilliant, brilliant!!!!!!!!
  • sacstate1sacstate1 Member Posts: 189
    What other unique noises does my Runner make to remind me I am pushing safety limits? I am used to the DAC, VSC, ABS, but a subtle harmonic resonance to remind you that you are exceeding a safe speed is amazing! When will MB think of this?

    That response from your dealer should win the BS award!
  • kullenbergkullenberg Member Posts: 283
    "The harmonic is a safety device!" That made my morning. My guess is that you have the Dunlop tires - have them looked at for one or more being slightly out of round. I drove a 04 V8 Sport, at 75+, and it didn't have this "safety device". It did, however, have Michelin Cross Terrains. They are an expensive tire, but in my view, worth it.
    Cheers
    Pat
  • toyboxxtoyboxx Member Posts: 150
    The stupidity and arrogance of car salesmen never ceases to amaze me!

    In some ways it is funny but mostly it pisses me off. Most people are so intimidated about cars, and car salesmen and service writers know this, that they would take this excuse, maybe not whole heartedly, but none the less they would live with their "safety feature".

    That salesman should be fired! Lying, ignorant, lazy, arrogant and condescending describes most car salesman. It's a disgrace.

    Sorry for the rant.
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    We can surely find better ways of expressing annoyance.

    tidester, host
  • toyboxxtoyboxx Member Posts: 150
    I don't know why you found my post objectionable. I used no curse words and at very least it describes the salesman who provided that B.S. to a 4Runner owner perfectly.

    He lied. He was ignorant for not knowing about his own product. He was lazy by shooting off an answer without even bothering to check the problem out. He was arrogant and condescending by confidently giving answers about something he knew nothing about or to avoid the problem from going any further.

    They have bad reputations for good reason. Sad but true.

    Ask me about my wife's experiences with service writers and I'll tell you more.
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    I happen to agree with your sentiments.

    However, one need not invoke bodily fluids to express annoyance on a family friendly message board.

    tidester, host
  • dpengdpeng Member Posts: 5
    Thanks to all for the support. A test-drive next week at a different TOYOTA dealership has been scheduled with a hope to get a more trustworthy explanation on the noise. But, there is a small problem too -- they don't want to test-drive the vehicle at 75mph (the speed at which the humming noise starts to occur) because they said driving at that speed is against the traffic law. But how can they find the real problem without first confirming the existence of the noise? I guess I have to drive then ...
  • stp1stp1 Member Posts: 8
    My dealer is going to have the service rep. from Toyota listen to it and decide to authorize the repair or not. My service dept. suspects it is the differential and I agree. What I can tell you is if the problem does not get fixed I will be pursueing a buy back. The noise is unnaceptable no matter what speed you drive at for $32,000.
  • toyboxxtoyboxx Member Posts: 150
    Sorry I didn't notice that. I will chose my words more carefully in the future.
  • pat84pat84 Member Posts: 817
    I have an 03 V-8 Sport. I have had it up to 85 (in a 70 mph zone) keeping up with traffic. It doesn't make any harmonic noises.
     Of course, my 4Runner dealer must have known I drive fast, and "disabled the warning
    device." ;-)
  • toyboxxtoyboxx Member Posts: 150
    I can't see a dealer being that considerate. :)
  • pat84pat84 Member Posts: 817
    My Toyota dealer is so considerate, they even help their mechanics get the grease off their uniforms.
       They do this by letting them drive my 4 Runner in and out of their service department. :(

    .
  • dpengdpeng Member Posts: 5
    I finally got a mechanic from a different TOYOTA dealer to test-drive the noisy SR5. He confirmed the existence of the noise and admitted that it is not a safety feature. How brave he is! However, they were unable to fix the problem, maybe they do not know where the problem is or the problem is too hard for them to fix. The information they have is that the TOYOTA company has received several reports on the same problem and is currently working on a solution to it. When will TOYOTA have a solution to fix the problem? The answer they have is "don't know!". What can I do? "Just wait!!". This is not so good!! :-(
  • gutiguti Member Posts: 10
    I just noticed a lot of questions about wind noise problems with 03/04 4Runners. Perhaps the observation below has already been made and, if so, I apologize.

    In case it helps, make sure that the cross-bars on the roof rack are facing the right way. This is determined by looking at the arrows on the croos bars mounts, which should be pointing forward. When I got my 4Runner, the front cross-bar's arrow was pointing back and it made a veryloud "howling" noise, regardless of how far forward or back I positioned the cross-bar.

    Once the dealer changed the position of the cross-bar so the arrow would point forward, the noise disappeared completely. mY 04 4Runner Limited v8 is extremely quiet.

    Hope this helps!
  • yjsyjs Member Posts: 1
    Anybody knows a good lemon law lawyer in VA on a Toyota vehicle? My runner seems to have the same problem as stp1's and dpeng's runners have.
  • lccbrookslccbrooks Member Posts: 7
    Whenever I accelerate, especially going around corners, it seems like my 4runner takes some time to catch up with me. First it's sluggish then it jumps into gear. I have the 04 sr5 rwd. Also Ive been hearing a noise like a fan blowing then it goes off. Any thoughts?
  • coranchercorancher Member Posts: 232
    Iccbrooks, you might try comparing with another 4Runner. Unless you're getting the traction/stability control active (with it's de-throttling), something you'd see from a warning light in the dash, it's hard to tell what's wrong without more specifics.
    As for the fan noise, if you get it for 10-15 seconds right after start-up, that's just the radiator fan clutch, and it's normal. It makes a considerable roar until the fluid in the clutch redistributes itself and the fan slows down. If the engine gets hot enough and you're stopped, you'll hear it again.
  • kullenbergkullenberg Member Posts: 283
    Why are all the forums coming up read only, and they show that I started them?
    Cheers
    Pat
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Haven't seen that bug reported with the new log-in rollout BUT Tidester is having the same issue this morning.

    Please fill out a Contact us form and we'll holler at John V. too.

    Steve, Host
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Pat, apparently something was tweaked about the same time as you tweaked your favorites. More testing will be done Monday, so please holler if it blows up again.

    Don't forget to vote:

    Consumers' Most Wanted Vehicles for 2004

    Steve, Host
  • urbanekurbanek Member Posts: 8
    What's the technique to removing the filter at oil change time without getting the content all over the place? It is inverted on the engine. I remove the two protecting plates then unscrew the filter. The oil comes out of the filter and hits other parts and I wipe those down. I try to do my oil changes because my shop did without removing the plate(s) and the oil was inside them draining out slowly and messy. My 00 4Runner has only 15,000 so the extra TLC doing the oil change is not a major thing....but I am curious how the pro's get it done.....tx
  • grapevinetxgrapevinetx Member Posts: 89
    Urbanek, scroll back to a Jan. 26 post by Galileo757. Excellent how-to write up on the oil and filter change.
  • silverjettasilverjetta Member Posts: 35
    In Post #250, falson74 posted vibration/resonance problem with V8. I had the same problem with my 2004 SR4, V8. The engine was smooth at all rpm when neutral. When engaged, there was humming sound accompanied with vibration in the steering wheel and the floor at 1600-2000 rpm. It happens only when accelerating. At higher rpm, it became smooth again. The sound and vibration were subtle and some people, like my wife, may not be bothered or noticed. For me, it was very annoying because the car is always in that rpm range in city driving. I had to shift to 3rd or 4th to avoid that rpm. It should not be a tire problem because it is linked to rpm but not speed.

    Interestingly, the problem went away recently. It seems that it is worse when it's cold outside. I guess it must be related to transmission. Maybe the oil is too viscous? I wonder if you still have the problem. Here in Baltimore, it is very warm now.
  • my2centsmy2cents Member Posts: 20
    "vibration/resonance problem" I too have the same problem with my 2004 SR4, V6. The engine is smooth at all rpm when neutral but there is humming sound and rumble type vibration in the floor at 1600-2000 rpm. It happens when accelerating and cruising in this range. At higher rpm, it becomes smooth also. The sound and vibration are subtle but it is very noticeable by me. It is not a tire issue but a drive train problem. Obviously it is not engines since we have different engines as well as transmissions so I have to conclude it is somewhere beyond the transmission. It is definitely worse when it is cold but it has been near 50 here in chicago and I still feel it. It appears as more than an isolated problem with one or two 4runners. My runner has 4000 miles on it and plan on taking it in to discuss the vibration.
  • my2centsmy2cents Member Posts: 20
    Can anyone offer advice/directions for lubricating the drive shafts, etc. on a 2004 SR 4runner. I know there are two different types of grease and many fittings to do but I'm not quite sure I know where all of them are and which greases go where.
  • silverjettasilverjetta Member Posts: 35
    Well, mine didn't really go away. I still can feel it at low rpm every now and then, but it's not persistent anymore. I called up Toyota and they are not aware of the problem, but kindly contacted a local dealer to arrange a checkup. I haven't done it, though, because I'm quite sure what will happen. They'll say "it's not a problem", for sure. I found a couple of posts in this forum, so it should not be an isolated issue.

    Having said that, I also think that all engines are rougher at low rpm. One of the problems could be the fact that the automatic transmission is set to use too low rpm for cruising. For city driving, rpm sometimes settles down at 1,300 rpm! It's amazing that the engine still has quite a power down there, but it is not as soomth as 2,000 - 3,000 range. I think it's natural.
  • tweakertweaker Member Posts: 30
    Just read the current issue of Consumer Reports that said the 2003 4Runner V6 engine was a poor performer in reliability. Can anyone enlighten me on this or direct me to the appropriate thread?
    Is the problem(s) corrected in the 2004?
    Thanks
  • rogers12rogers12 Member Posts: 140
    The oil-change procedure referred to by grapevinetx (1/26) is for the 2003 4-Runner and there are some minor differences for your truck.
  • slarryslarry Member Posts: 19
    What happened to all the complaints on the 4-Runner,such as; vibrations in drive line, seat latch rattles, wind noise, sulfur smells,bad sound systems,even people using the "lemon law" to get out of owning one? People drop in...complain, then are gone and we never know how the problems were resolved. Either the warmer weather took care of all the problems or they weren't that big of deal to begin with.
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