Toyota 4Runner

aggiedog · June 2003

Here is a site that lets you plug in your old and new tire sizes and it tells you what the speed difference would be. I may have got it from someone on this board (Thanks) but I can't remember. Don't let the miata name throw you off. It works for all tires.

http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

sacstate1 · June 2003

I had that high idle with my '02 Sport 4x4. Took it to the dealer three times and nothing was found. The problem seemed to be more prevelant in the summer/hot months. I monkeyed with the throttle body pulley on the intake manifold, seems the fly wheel was not fully resting where it should be when in idle or shifting from N to P or D. If I was at a stop light and put the tranny in N, the idle would race to 1200 and stay there until I put it back in gear. Sometimes it would stay in the normal 700 rpm range. When in gear it felt like the engine was always pulling against the brakes. Very frustrating. When the problem occured, I would put the tranny in P, get out pop the hood and manually push the flywheel back to the resting idle stop. This is unacceptable for a '02 model. And the dealer never could fix it, my only complaint with the vehicle overall. But, we have '03 models which have a throttle by computer design. I wouldn't think the same problem could not be occuring in these fully automated drive systems. Let me know what you find out.

pat84 · June 2003

Thanks for the info on sun visors

So, Toyota just sent you a letter and said you could have vanity mirrors for free?? Seems strange, I wonder why they would do that.

Maybe there are many more persons like my wife. She complained about no mirror the first time she rode in it. If they aren't lit, I'll have to get her a small flashlight with a 2x4 size clip on it.
.

stillookin · June 2003

My vehicle doesn't stay at the higher rpms but only surges momentarily...basically a surge in rpms when I switch from park to reverse or reverse to drive...I did take it back to the dealer as I didn't notice it before when I test drove it or other 4Runners that were on the lot...they said this was normal and that it was there before but I just hadn't noticed it...perhaps they are right but it just doesn't seem normal to me...I am taking it back in next week...will let you know what I find out.I am going to ask to start one of the other 4runners on the lot and do a side by side comparison.

nippononly · June 2003

when you go from reverse to drive, the gearshift goes through neutral, where it would be natural for the engine to return to its normal idle rpm, then drop again once the new gear is engaged. Is this what you mean? Also, when you first start the engine, it is normal for it to rev up past its idle then settle down. Both of these are normal. In fact, when it is cold, the engine will idle high for the first few minutes.

In case some people have not noticed before, the engine turns at a lower speed when a gear is engaged, versus when it is sitting in park or neutral. That is normal.

piusjude: you have a 2.7-equipped Runner sold in 2000? It may be the very last one! You can expect about 3 points better mileage than the V-6, so depending on your driving habits, it should not be too hard to get 22 city, 25 highway if you take it easy, or 19/22 or so if you drive harder.

bcmalibu99ls · June 2003

Just released ratings on 1)Performance, 2)Comfort, 3)Features & Instrument Panel, and 4)Overall Appeal give 2003 4Runner only 2 stars out of 5 on all of these categories. Styling got 3 stars out of 5. These ratings are based on consumer reviews. What's going on, people???

http://www.jdpower.com/cc/auto/auto.jsp#

nippononly · June 2003

when you get there they have a picture of the '02, and I know the old model did not score well in those categories, so my guess would be they still have the old scores on there. Someone, should tell JDP that the '03 has been out almost on a year, and is all-new! LOL

bcmalibu99ls · June 2003

Just released ratings on 1)Performance, 2)Comfort, 3)Features & Instrument Panel, and 4)Overall Appeal give 2003 4Runner only 2 stars out of 5 on all of these categories. Styling got 3 stars out of 5. These ratings are based on consumer reviews. What's going on, people???

http://www.jdpower.com/cc/auto/auto.jsp#

pat84 · June 2003

I have been buying new vehicles since 1968. J.D. Powers never once sent me a survey.
J.D. can hop a spoon for all I care.

bcmalibu99ls · June 2003

Of course they do not poll everyone, but it sucks to see things like that, especially about performance and comfort. Who did they survey about the 4Runner, Grand Cherokee owners? hahaha

rorr · June 2003

Now don't hold anything back, pat.....8^)

4runtexas · June 2003

i just got back from my local dealer (Fred Haas Toyota World, houston TX) and they have the fix straight from Toyota for the squeeking noise from the engine! i dropped off my 4runner, they gave me a free rental (a corolla

)great service and polite salesmen, the dealer just received the fix and my vehicle will be one of the first in houston to be fixed permanantly, according to toyota. just thought i'd let you guys know, dealer says that soon the fix should get around to more dealers across the country, houston is one of the first citys to get the fix.

i'll update you guys when i get my car back on how they did.

p.s. - also, theres a rattle/shaking noise in the sunroof of my car, could be a personal problem for my car, or other 4runners may be experiancing it....

pat84 · June 2003

I have the Sport 4 WD. My moon roof doesn't make any noises. But I live in MD. We have had 2 -3 days that have been above 75 degrees.
If it's a hot weather thing I may not have experienced it. I do know it doesn't leak from rain. We've had about 1 day a month that it doesn't rain for a straight 24 hours. April 28 was a the last non - cloudy or rainy day I remember

bcmalibu99ls · June 2003

How does your Sport handle off-road?

tim_hooligan · June 2003

I am considering a 2003 4Runner in the near future. What I have noticed is that the V6 is an all-new design, whereas the V8 has been proven across the whole Toyota/Lexus line. I don't plan on towing a big boat, so I don't feel like the V8 in needed...but the newness of the V6 worries me a bit. Granted, it's a smooth ride and has lots of power, but how many bugs will Toyota have to work out with it over the coming years?

Around the DC area, I've noticed appearance package 4Runners going for invoice, and the ones with cladding are being slashed to $1500-$2000 UNDER invoice! YIKES! Shame the appearance package isn't going that cheap...

pat84 · June 2003

I have only had it out on the beach once. On the outer Banks of NC they have beach access ramps (Some pretty flat, not really a ramp) every so often. It did fine.

jaredmsd · June 2003

I know your question wasn't directed at me, but I just happened to take my 4wd sport offroad to an offroaders park a little over a week ago. I wrote up a little review of my experience after I got back (Post #6356 on June 9th). If you don't want to look back at it, basically.. I had a great time and the truck performed great! Only complaint/difficulty is that the width of the truck makes it difficult to do some of these trails made for Jeep Wranglers, but I wouldn't trade the passenger room!

-Jared

corancher · June 2003

Check out (search) previous posts in this thread and you'll see some useful information.

About the newness of the engine, it's a balance. The V6 is all-new but uses a proven transmission. The V8 is a proven engine, but uses a new transmission. Both the engine and transmission are complicated devices, and can be very expensive to fix when they fail. Toyota, however, generally does a very good job with reliability, even on new systems.

I'm sure Toyota is disappointed in 4Runner sales figures, but discounts and rebates are the order of the day now. The competition is doing them like crazy, and the SUV market is split into so many different segments now. Vehicles may not be selling anywhere near MSRP for quite a while!

triplenet · June 2003

I wrote them off when they gave the Aztec an award for design! Go figure!! Are they rating "Avalanche" styled 4runners? I am disappointed with the bumps and lumps and overall styling on the new 4runner (with AP). The cladding fiasco has made me hold out for possible '04 changes or a GX470.

beercoll1 · June 2003

Finally took a vacation with my new 4-runner. Ran great. Kids and wife were comfortable. No complaints. I continue to be impressed with this vehicle. Those naysayers are really missing out on a great vehicle.

BTW, does anyone know of some offroad paths located near Newark, De?

beercoll1 · June 2003

BTW, for those that are interested, I did average over 19MPG(almost 20) on my recent vacation...2003 V8 Sport

bcmalibu99ls · June 2003

Do you still have OEM tires? What are they called (make and model), by the way? The Wrangler is surely more capable off-road, but the reliability is atrocious, and the quality is not nearly as good. You can get them for about 5-10K less, though. But you can't sleep in a Wrangler like you can in a 4Runner :-)

tim_hooligan · June 2003

Sounds like it's a case of picking your battles. I don't imagine either a new engine or tranny will experience too severe of problems. Surely, Toyota knows what they're doing by now and would thoroughly test both fully.

At least Toyota acknowledged their mistake with the cladding and now offers the appearance package. The Aztec is still rolling around looking all nasty. I must say that the 4Runner with matching trim looks mighty fine compared to the cladding.

As for changes to the '04...i wouldn't bet the house on any large-scale changes. Seems like there was the mid-year "correction" to the cladding. I'm sure '04 will just make the appearance package standard across all models.

Honestly, when the '03 came out I really liked the limited (no cladding) but it was too $$$ for my tastes. Once I saw the cladding was gone, it peaked my interest. It's now a good-looking truck...whew!

sovang · June 2003

Does anyone know whether side airbags can be added to the 2003 4runner SR5 post purchased?

Thanks,

SV

pat84 · June 2003

Now that the gray cladding is gone, maybe the J.D. Powers scores will go up.
I sure hope those Jeep and Kia owners give us better scores.
Wasn't the gray cladding supposed to prevent scratches and dings for off roading ?

jaredmsd · June 2003

Yes, I used the OEM tires, in particular I have the Dunlops (I'm not sure of the precise model, but you can always look it up, there are only three possibilities that toyota uses on the 4runner).

As far as cladding is concerned, I'm sure it was used not only for style, but also for offroading. And after scraping through some tough spots on the trail, I am sure glad they put the cladding on, and I got it while I could. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

-Jared

nippononly · June 2003

but at least with the new appearance package, if the cladding paint gets scratched, it will only uncover plastic, not bare metal which can rust. In fact, if the whole truck is painted in one of the darker colors, it might not even be noticeable.

sovang - I would think it would be extremely difficult and expensive, if not impossible, to add side airbags post-purchase.

4runtexas · June 2003

guys im wondering, i have the '03 4runner, SR5, 2WD and V6, how do you think it would do off road?

do you think it will make it up small hills and inclines and through grass,dirt, and fields??

i realize a 4WD sport would handle these with ease, but just wondering if anybodys taken a 2WD V6 sr5 offroad or if you guys have any advice, warnings, or pointers as far as taking my 4runner off road......

tim_hooligan · June 2003

Since it has been mentioned that the cladding is just painted for the appearance package, would it be advantageous to just get a cladded-version for $2000 under invoice and pay for it to be painted a matching color? Granted, aftermarket painting is never near the quality of factory, but it was just an idea.

stever · June 2003

Take a look at some truck canopies sometimes. Most of those are "paint to match" and not done at the car factory, and the colors usually match great. Lots of them get painted at the dealer too, and I've seen a lot of good work come out of those little shops. (I have a friend who runs one). Worth a shot, even though most canopies are fiberglass and may take paint better than plastic ....

Steve, Host

yliang · June 2003

need help locating transfer case to change oil
for 2001 4runner

bcmalibu99ls · June 2003

I am wondering if someone put on off-road tires (such as Goodyear MT/R, for example, which i really like), and if the difference was significant for off-roading compared to the OEM Dunlops

mrshenry2002 · June 2003

Can some of you V6 owners tell me what your ave MPG have been ? I've been seeing 18-20 on V8's & I'm only averaging 18 on my V6! My usual driving is somewhat mixed hwy/city ...but mostly hwy. The computer usually calculates around 19 which I've seen posts where this number is inflated. So my 18 is what I've calculated manually. I usually drive between 70-75 mph on the hwy...

rorr · June 2003

Yes, you can paint the regular cladding as it came on early SR5's and Sports. But......it is possible there would be adhesion problems (paint not sticking to cladding) because of the finish on the cladding. You need to discuss with a paint shop what problems may be encountered with painting these pieces. Also, you would still have the funky "notched" cladding instead of the smooth pieces in the Apperance Package/Ltd. versions.

jcla7 · June 2003

mrshenry2002, 20 would certainly be the highest I've seen for the 8. Most are far below that. Been keeping close track of my V6. Mixed driving is around 20 and change. Straight highway, at about 65-70, has been above 22 by a little. City only driving has been a hair under 20. Hope this helps.

JC

tloke1 · June 2003

bcmalibu99ls, actually if JD had polled GC owners the 4-Runner scores would have been even lower. It's about time that people out there realized that the 4-Runner is not the "perfect" vehicle so many had claimed it to be. It was not surprising at all to see the poor ratings for Comfort, Features and Overall appeal. What surprised me is that the "Styling" category rated as high as it did (3/5) - I expected that rating to have been closer to 1/5 stars. And in models with the cladding, 0/5.

stillookin · June 2003

thanks for the information...actually,I paid more attention to what is happening...after my vehicle has warmed up, when I switch between reverse and drive, the engine momentarily revs up (about 200 rpms)...it doesn't do it when shifting into 4 (from Drive), 3rd or 2nd gear...so this is what I figured out (I think)...since the engine revs a bit higher when set in Neutral, than when set in reverse or drive, it must be surging because when I am switching from R to D or back again, I am switching past Neutral momentarily and thus, causing the brief increase an idle speed...I hope this is the case. I am probably just being paranoid and picky over every little thing as I haven't owned a such a great vehicle before! I am very satisfied with this vehicle overall!

nippononly · June 2003

you hit it right on the head! That is exactly right.

mixmanbob · June 2003

I am looking at a 1999 limited, 53000 miles. In beautiful condition. $22500. Is this a good price? Thanks!

mrwhipple · June 2003

Does anyone know if there seems to be enough space for a slightly larger tire to fit in the spare tire carrier underneath the truck?

For instance  265 / 75 / 16
( just 1 size up in ratio) ?

thanks

smg1062 · June 2003

Is the GX simply a dressed up 4Runner, or are there major differences? I know the cabin/dashboard is different and the 4Runner doesnt offer a rear DVD system. I've narrowed down my list to the GX, the RX, and the 4Runner...........any feedback would be great!!

smg1062 · June 2003

If the GX is the same body as the 4Runner, WHy did Lexus give the GX a side swing door when the 4Runner has a lift rear door????????????????

bmw323is · June 2003

4X2 offroading - just stay away from mud, soft sand, and steep hills. You still have good ground clearance and that is more important in many off-road situations. A little common sense is the real key to successful off roading.

Cladding - seems like some folks just hate the cladding. I love mine. I parked next to an identical silver 4Runner SR5 tonight that had the painted cladding. Mine looked much more agressive and truck-like. When the overfenders and lower panels are painted, there is no contrast to the vehicle. With the cladding, you don't have to worry about paint chips or door dings on the lower body panels, or about waxing those surfaces. Oh well, to each his own. Let's see if 4Runner SR5 sales skyrocket now that they got rid of the cladding.

nippononly · June 2003

the Lexus has air suspension, the 4Runner does not. It has the side swing door because it has an available third row seat, so it has a door that can be opened from inside like a regular passenger door. The 4Runner's rear door swings up because it doesn't have a seat back there. The GX still has the manual lever to go from 4-HI to 4-LO, which comes from the Land Cruiser and LX. In the 4Runner V-6, the mode shifter is electronic - a button on the dash.

mixmanbob: at this point I wouldn't pay more than $20K in my area for a 4-year-old Limited w/ 53K on it, and that is assuming it is a 4WD in tip-top shape. However, if this price includes a certified warranty, it is maybe worth a bit more.

mrwhipple · June 2003

4Runner doesnt offer a rear DVD system.

They do, just not sure if it's out yet.

suvowner1 · June 2003

has anyone heard any buzz on what changes may be in store for the 04 4runner.such as memory seats or hid headlights...etc............

pat84 · June 2003

We welcome Jeep owners here.
The real question about the J.D.Powers survey of the 4Runner is why would someone buy a vehicle that they thought was uncomfortable, ugly and didn't like ? It makes no sense at all.
Don't you agree ?
I am curious, how well did the Jeep do in the JD Powers Survey ?
I owned 2 Jeep Cj-5's many many years ago. I bought them used. Their gas mileage makes my 4Runner look like a Prius.

rorr · June 2003

Another difference between the GX and the 4runner is the body is very different, especially in the rear. The GX is several inches taller in the rear to provide some headroom for the 3rd seat.

This is one reason that I think adding a 3rd row to the 4runner would be a grand waste of time.

triplenet · June 2003

I've driven both. The GX has a higher roof line(I read it is about 3" taller). They have gone with the side hinged back door as the door would have been too high to reach when open, or too heavy. I'm not fond of it, but did like the extra volume inside. The interior has much higher quality materials and I read it has 40# more soundproofing than the 4Runner. Interior design is much cleaner also. While not apples to apples, I've tried to compare price on 4Runner and GX and it seems that base GX is about $4K more than similar equipped LTD. The diff is actually more as there is little or no discount on GX, but a big discount on 4Runner.

bigorange30 · June 2003

The 4Runner got an average of 3.2 stars and the JGC got an average of 2.8 stars. That's not too close considering it is an average of 10 categories. The best in this class is the RX300 with an average of 4.2 stars of 5. Jeep's lineup: Wrangler - 2.2, Liberty 2.8 appears to be on the bottom of the industry in terms of this JD Power survey. The 2.6 stars average out of 5 that Jeeps got is right there with the Kia Sorento at the bottom of the list. Jeep's Cousin the Dodge Durango didn't do very well either at a 2.6.

Toyota 4Runner

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles