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Toyota 4Runner Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    absolutely...and the filter change is crucial, along with the fluid. If you still get an intermittent problem after that, it is most likely approaching a major expense!

    I am curious - are you still on the original engine in your Runner? I needed a complete valve job at 180K (burned out exhaust valves, one cylinder not firing properly) miles, which I guess is about 270K km. Mine has the same V-6.

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • 4run4run Member Posts: 3
    I'm the second owner and as far as I know it has not been done. I have many of the original owners service info and the only major item replaced, on schedule has been the timing chain. Otherwise the engine has been bomb-proof. So yes, original engine. I expect it to be good for a long time, my 86 4Runner went 450,000 km (4cyl) and I still own a '88 Corolla 4WD wagon with 449,000 km on it. That engine doesn't burn or leak oil at all, but like all old Toyotas the body is rusting away on me. My In-laws have a 89 Camary 4WD with over 500,000 km that replaced a 77 Celica that died with approx 375,000 miles on original drivetrain.
    We love our Toyotas.
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    I wish you much good luck! That said, the valves on these are a bit problematic in later life, and their replacement is common as the miles get on, earlier than I have come to expect on Toyotas. When did yours have the factory head gasket replacement as part of the service campaign?

    Even at its current mileage (about 208K miles, that is what, about 312K km?) it only uses a quart of oil every 3K miles (5K km) though - very solid. They don't make 'em like this any more, which is why I have not bought something newer.

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • lccbrookslccbrooks Member Posts: 7
    I would like to thank you for this message. Toyota of Orlando ordered new parts and replaced my whole exhaust system. I will see how it works.
  • lccbrookslccbrooks Member Posts: 7
    I have the same problem and when I took my car to have its 10,000 mile checkup I told them about this. They responded that my truck is working properly.

    The first time I told Toyota about this,(had only driven 250 miles) the head mechanic road with me and told me my truck will adjust to my driving. (smiling)

    Anyway, I feel comfortable having it on record that I was having the problem, just in case something major happens.
  • willowinkwillowink Member Posts: 8
    My SR5 seats pick up lint like crazy. Along the sides of the back of the seat and along the sides of the bottom of the seat. A roller won't work. The brush only works so well and it's hard to get into the crannies. Anybody having any luck with anything? Thanks
  • kullenbergkullenberg Member Posts: 283
    Get one of those sticky rollers used to take lint off clothes and such. The sheets of sticky paper pull off when they lose the stick. They will pick up lint, dog hair, etc.
  • bmannerbmanner Member Posts: 3
    Does anyone have a printable copy of the TSB for the moonroof rattle for 2003 4Runner?

    If you could email to bmanner@bellsouth.net it would be much appreciated. I believe the TSB numbers are
    NV013R-03 and/or NV003R-03.
  • gcmellogcmello Member Posts: 17
    Just over 27K miles on my 2003 Sport V8. Symptom first occurred last week. When starting the engine, heard 4-5 bursts of static thru radio speakers, although radio was turned off. Turned engine off and on again, but no static. Same thing happened each of the last few days.
    In for service this morning. Service dept called to tell me it it's the "amplifier". Seems there is a TSB for a faulty "amplifier, nothing to do with the radio. Replacement has to be special ordered. Will post update once I find out details of this TSB and when repairs complete.
    TSB repairs for sulfur smell (TSB EG0020-04) done a few months ago which involved reprogramming ECU, but don't know if it's somehow related.
  • atlantis2000atlantis2000 Member Posts: 3
    I have a 4Runner SR5 v8 4wd. The wheel and the vibrates slightly when accelerating. On the driver side, I can feel it from the floor too. But may not from the passenger side. It happens around 40m/h. At higher speed it does not happen and it is very smooth. I noticed this when I purchased the car but the dealer said that was normal.

    Is it a problem?
  • bdaybday Member Posts: 1
    Anyone had this? My trans over drive light came on and it will not shift in to over drive even though the over drive button is "on". I always leave it on since I'm on the highway a lot. Didn't see any fuses related to this. If I push the over drive button on and off slowly, the light on my dash for the over drive flickers a little but stays on. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    a warning sign that there is a problem in the transmission - you should take it in for inspection. I forget exactly what it signifies when the light flashes or stays on, but it does mean something specific is wrong down there.

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • nsmollernsmoller Member Posts: 7
    i have 4500 miles on my new v8 2k4 sr5...

    2 issues
    Sulfur & rattling sunroof!

    please, help me in what i should be telling my dealer... they are located far from me, so i want to make the trips efficient.. what exactly is the issue, what should i be telling them???

    Thanks in advance!
  • gcmellogcmello Member Posts: 17
    TSB EG020-04 addresses the sulfur problem for the 2003 V8. It lists the VIN #s that are covered by the repair. The repair includes replacing the VERY expensive catalytic converter. Most service departments don't keep one in stock, so you'll have to ask them to order one and let you know it's arrived BEFORE you take your SR5 in for the work. Be persistent, they'll tell you they need to test the vehicle FIRST. My argument was that I already tested mine and the smell was very strong and I wanted the repair done. I'll try sending you the TSB separately, so you can check it against your VIN #

    Gerry
  • gcmellogcmello Member Posts: 17
    Turns out the problem IS with the radio amplifier in my 2003 4Runner. TSB AU003-03 addresses the JBL audio system static noise problem as "This condition typically occurs on cold mornings. Once the amplifier warms up, normal operation is restored."
    An "improved amplifier" is on order thru the JBL exchange program. Expected delivery is 3-4 days.
  • consumer14consumer14 Member Posts: 4
    I don't know if you are still checking this board or not, but I to have the same problem and have brought the vehicle in several times to be fixed at the dealership. They have replaced the latch and the seat and the noise is still there. It is not the cup holder; it is definitely coming from the seat and latch area. Some days it does it more then others and if I adjust the seat (fold it and push it back in) it will go away for a couple of days and then come back. I wish I could tell you what the fix is, but they still haven't figured it out at the dealership. At least you know it's happening to someone else.
  • 69mach169mach1 Member Posts: 60
    My 2003 Sport did the same thing, I wrapped electrical tape around the rear seat latch and the rattle went away.
  • pdc611pdc611 Member Posts: 4
    Is it true that vehicles with DRL causes prolems or more frequent alternator replacements since it is constantly working?

    I'm about to sign a deal for a '04 Sport V6 are there any concerns I should have before driving off the lot?

    Any help would be greatly appreciated!
  • rvalc43594rvalc43594 Member Posts: 31
    Yeah wait and get the 05 v6 sport. Better tranny (5sp) and hopefully all the bugs has been corrected
  • nedzelnedzel Member Posts: 787
    Don't worry about the alternator. Many, many cars have DRLs these days. My previous car had DRLs. Being a VW, it had many, many problems. But none to do with the alternator. My 2003 4Runner has had very few problems.

    But I agree with rvalc, get an 05 V6 with the 5sp transmission.
  • viper4evr2001viper4evr2001 Member Posts: 2
    hi i have spent nearly 2 hours reading threads. btw i have a 03 v6 4runner SR5 2wd. i got it new , with in the first 2 week the sun roof stayed open, took it to the dealer they kept it for a day replaced the whole thing brand new, no payment. i was happy no problems since. got a letter later on about the factory recall said ok whatever. brought it in fixed it no problems. i love this truck (suv). no noise problems, no wind problems no nothing. (knock on wood...a lot of it) but...my only stich is the front brakes. i have under 20k miles and have replaced the front brakes twice. costing over $400. anyone else having to do this??? also i have the same brake problem stated in other threads about "soft" brakes. new brakes last bout 2-3 weeks then they seem like you have to push the brake a lil harder. oh btw in some threads there talking about the smell of sulfer and stuff, one its partly the gas...not really...its from when they ship the car-truck-suv from japan, the spray stuff on the engine to stop the salt water from crapping up the engine. its spose to go away after a while. depends on use. anybody know whre to buy oem fog lights the dont cost $300 for each??
  • scott78945scott78945 Member Posts: 5
    I too have had the ticking sound in my 4Runner. I have an 03 Sport Edition and I find it quite annoying. I have e-mailed and called & complained to Toyota. They are aware of the problem and stated that it is an engineering defect. Never said if it would be fixed. I highly doubt it as they also told me that they don't believe that it is hurting the engine any. I am up to putting 93 octane in my tank and have found that the higher the octane the quiter the noise gets. But it will never go away. As for your annoying rattle I have one of those too. Mine is coming from the rear seat latch where it connects when it sits upright. Many people have found that putting a small piece of electrical tape on it gets rid of this. My suggestion with the engine is to complain to Toyota. I am hoping that if enough people complain that they will try to get a fix. All contact info is on their website. Good luck.
  • scott78945scott78945 Member Posts: 5
    I was curious if anyone has had any luck getting the engine ticking in their V6's fixed yet. I see that many people have the problem just unsure if anyone has voiced this to Toyota and gotten any good answers as to when this will be fixed, if ever.
  • scott78945scott78945 Member Posts: 5
    I too have this problem in my 2003 V6, is there a separate bulletin out for that model engine?
  • law55law55 Member Posts: 3
    I noticed the same brake "click" on my 04 4Runner Ltd. V6 almost from the first day. The brakes seem fine and I didn't quite know how to describe the noise/feeling in the brake pedal to the service department (plus I'm a woman which means they don't pay much attention to what you say anyway). I have 27,000 miles since I bought it in March and no problems at all. This is my third 4Runner and based on past experience I don't forsee any probs.
  • md4runnermanmd4runnerman Member Posts: 72
    wow, from the sound of these posts it is not a good idea to get the V6. I am glad I got the V8 no ticking noises, no rattles, nothing.
  • consumer14consumer14 Member Posts: 4
    I am not a lawyer or anything, but aren't you guys worried about wrapping electrical tape in the latch. I mean let’s hope this never happens, but what if you got in a car accident and someone was in the back seat and died because the latch was loose and the seat flipped forward. You wouldn't be able to sue Toyota because you tampered with the latch by putting electrical tape in it. I doubt this would happen, but I also don't feel that the consumer should have to find a temporary fix for the rattling noise and Toyota needs to fix the problem. Just my thoughts.
  • coranchercorancher Member Posts: 232
    You raise a good question about reliable locking of the seatback, though I think it's easy to resolve. I asked myself the same question after doing the tape-wrap for the first time.

    First of all, I only needed a couple of wraps of the tape, and I would avoid using more tape than necessary. Second, I'd suggest removing and replacing the tape once/year or so; sooner if it begins to look ragged.

    There is actually an indication in the seatback latch (the part you press with your finger) of whether it's locked or not. Just look for the appearance of red. IIRC, if you see red, it's not locked. In my experience, the tape didn't affect the locking in any significant way.

    Whether you wrap anything with tape or not, it's always a good idea to snap the seatback firmly in place, yank forward on it to see if it's really locked, and then check the latch to make sure the red is gone.

    [Normal disclaimers apply--I'm just noting my experience and I'm not a mechanic or an automotive engineer.]
  • pdc611pdc611 Member Posts: 4
    i was told that i will lose torque with a 5-speed compared to a 4-speed transmission... is this true?
    Keep in mind, the gear ratios are different which makes me conclude that the 4-speed has more torque.
    anyone with an answer would be helpful.
    thanks.
  • kullenbergkullenberg Member Posts: 283
    The torque curve is a function of engine RPM. The ratios in the tranny serve to keep the engine within the torque curve and the HP curve (ususlly higher RPM). I can't see where a 4 speed vs. a five speed would make any difference, unless they were spaced in such a way that the shift points dropped you out of the optimum torque curve. That being said, I have a V8 4Runner, with the 5 speed, and it does a great job of keeping it "on the curve"
    Cheers
    Pat
  • charlie4runnercharlie4runner Member Posts: 22
    I have this click noise on my new 04 4Runner. I barely have 700 KM on this vehicle. It feels as if the ABS is doing some type of checking. What is particularly interesting, is that it happens about every 5th or 6th time that I step on the brakes. For example, drive around town and count the number of times you step on the brakes when you're slowing down or coming to a stop. Almost every time I step on the brakes (6th time) I get a weird clicking noise.

    Is the brakes suppose to do this? Hoping someone out there can tell me this inherent in the 4Runner, or shoud I get this repaired?
  • coranchercorancher Member Posts: 232
    I can't say for sure, but a slight click or other noises heard occasionally may be normal in the new generation 4Runners. They don't use a vacuum booster for the power brakes like most vehicles have in the past. Instead they use an electrical pump (shared with the ABS) with an accumulator--sort of a small pressure tank that's common in electrohydraulic systems.

    I don't think the pump needs to operate to re-pressurize the accumulator for each stop, so the noise of it's operation (or the switch and relay that activates it) may well happen only on every nth stop on average.

    So you wouldn't hear exactly the same noise on every brake application, but the noise and any other sensation should be subdued. If it's loud or offensive, I'd get it looked at.
  • haynesja99haynesja99 Member Posts: 1
    Had the same problem. After several visits they finally changed all 5 senders one in each tire and the receiver. Took several calls to the factory troubleshooter. So far so good.
  • nsmollernsmoller Member Posts: 7
    yes when i make a tight turn i hear a clunk/ping type thing
  • pdc611pdc611 Member Posts: 4
    I just bought a 4 runner sport ( '04, v6 ) and i also experienced the brake click every other time the pedal is pressed. Also the master cylinder and the ABS are working together in the new runners, so when i did a self test to check the master cylinder (with key placed in the egnition(not turned, just in the first position)I pressed the brakes repeatedly until pressure builds up and hold the brakes and start the engine, the brake pedal should go down after the engine starts however in the 4 runner when the ignition in turned the brakes depresses which tell me that the ABS is working instead of the master cylinder) I did this to see if it needs to be replaced considering the posts i have read here. I'm am still not sure if the master cylinder needs to be replaced? Is there anyone else that can do this test and tell me the results? so i can see if it's other 4 runners and not just mine. thanks
  • tangmantangman Member Posts: 127
    Hi:

    Just did first oil change on my 04 Sport V8. I have read the earlier posts on oil changes.

    1. Oil Filter Number: The Toyota dealer could not provide me with the exact same filter number as the filter that came off the truck. The filter coming on the truck was a Nippon Denso part ending in 20004. The filter from the dealer does appear to fit, but has a different Nippon Denso number ending in 3. Has anyone else experienced this with their dealer's parts department.

    2. My instruction manual says the maintenance light should blink at 5000 miles then stay on sold at 7500. Mine stays on solid at 5000.

    3. Has anyone figured out a way to cleanly change the filter without removing part of the skid plate. The earlier post does work, just wondered if the number of steps could be reduced.

    4. Per an earlier post, the drain plug washer from the factory is made of a different material then the washer sold at the local dealers parts department.

    Just curious if anyone else who is a do it yourselfer, noticed these differences.

    Thanks
  • rjordanrjordan Member Posts: 30
    Hello,
          I would like to know if a magnetic key box can be used to store a spare ignition key somewhere under my Toyota 4Runner. But I wonder if the electronic chip in the key would be effected by the magnet. I might have to make up my own key box as the key is too big for the box's sold at the hardware store. There have been times that I left my key on the seat of my past vehicle and my spare key saved the day. I asked the Toyota people at their web site, the same question but those yokels gave me an answer meant for someone else.
  • coranchercorancher Member Posts: 232
    The ignition keys contain a passive RFID chip that shouldn't be affected by a (static) field from a permanent magnet, but I suppose it's hard to say that anything is out of the question. I wouldn't worry about it if it was mine.

    There have been a number of postings about oil/filter change wrinkles, and you've found your share.

    The factory-installed filter (90915-20004) isn't the same one you'll get at your local dealer's parts counter. That one syould end in YZZD3 if memory serves. Just don't let your dealer try to sell you the one for the old 4Runner (08922-02011)like mine did; that filter will fit but is smaller and presumably lower capacity.

    The factory oil plug gasket is a thin thing, and very different from what your dealer will give you. I haven't seen any problems with it, though.

    The filter location on the V8 is unfortunate, and the V6 is much better. If I had a V8 I'd probably try to get a remote filter mount to make things easier.
  • tangmantangman Member Posts: 127
    Hi:

    Thanks, your information is right on with mine. Just seemed weird that they use a different number for the exact same manufacture for the filter.

    Can anyone out there recommend a remote oil filter mount for the V8.

    Wayne
  • shishi Member Posts: 6
    There had been a lot of discussion on the steering wheel vibration here before. I had the same problem on my 04 SR5 V6 within the first a few hundred miles (@65mph). Now I have 2K miles on it, the problem seemed to be gone before I acted on it. Had anyone experienced the same? It can't be a bent wheel problem. It seemed to be a break-in related issue. Now I am worrying that as the truck gets older it will come back.... This must be a design imperfection that the resonant frequency of the front transaxle/steering component is too close to that of wheel vibration at 65mph (swing in and out as the wheels ever bent slightly). If this is the case, don't ever make your truck going against a curb, or go rock hopping.... This thing will be extra sensitive to lateral "trueness".
  • rjordanrjordan Member Posts: 30
    Wayne,
            One or more of the online automotive parts and upgrade suppliers have a remote mounted oil filter for the Toyota 4Runner V8. Someone gave instructions on how to install it, but you will have to do a search to find the message. Bob.
  • hoapperhoapper Member Posts: 1
    I have T100 with 3.4L engine. I believe it is the same engine on some 4runner. My truck is very noisy (high pitch rattling noise) near the firewall toward the driver side during acceleration from 2000RPM on. It is not as noisy when not under load. I found that the sheetmetal that cover the exhaust manifold from the left side of the engine to the right side is the problem. There is one part of this metal about 3-4 inched long that follow the curve of the manifold that is not supported well enough. I fixed by clamping with metal strap radiator hose clamp and the noise is completely gone. Good luck.
  • 02accrdv6ex02accrdv6ex Member Posts: 7
    am toying with the idea of an '05 SR5 V6 4wd. One thing (among many) I am curious about is if there is any extra noise while in 4WD mode (vs regular 2wd rear drive mode). I had a '94 pathfinder XE V6 5sp and it made all types of extra noise (hard to describe... like a whoosh type sound) from the around the front transfer case area when the vehicle was put in 4wd (hi mode).
    In 2wd mode, the noise was not there.
    I know this was normal for that vehicle at the time because I drove others and noticed same thing. Also, mine had a very basic non-center differential type system meant for non-dry pavement only.

    Has anyone noticed anything like this on the '04/'05 V6 4wd 4-runners? (I believe the V8 has a different, always engaged, AWD system?) Is the vehicle just as quiet when 4wd (hi) is engaged as driving in 2wd mode? Or is it noisier like my old Pathfinder was?
  • rvalc43594rvalc43594 Member Posts: 31
    No i have the 4.0 v6 2003 limited 4runner, but i think it is the exhaust manifold which is not insulated enough. The air coming out of the engine upon acceleration is making the rattling sound, which gets louder in the winter. I may try your idea though, it seems it might just work.
  • yobow1yobow1 Member Posts: 29
    Well, I took delivery of my 2005 SR5 V6 and really like it. I was aware of the sulfur smell from previous postings, but hoped that that problem was corrected on the 2005 model. I was sadly mistaken.

    I was driving from San Diego to the Pasadena area and detected the sulfur smell when the engine was under load, due to going up hills/mountains. I was also accelerating onto the highway up in Pasadena and my daughter remarked "what's that awful smell"? I was a little embarrassed by the sulfur smell.

    I took the 4Runner into the dealer yesterday and explained the situation to the service writer. I told him that I was aware of the sulfur smell problem with the 2003-2004 4Runner V6, and I also had the tech bulletin numbers as proof. He did say that the fix on the previous years was to adjust the computer settings for the fuel and to replace the catalytic converter(s). He checked with the service manager to see if the tech bulletin applied to the 2005s, but the manager said that there is no bulletin yet. So, they checked the fuel settings only and said that they would contact me if and when they received it. They were nice about it, but it's very frustrating to still have the condition, even though they agree that there is a problem.

    I really would have thought that Toyota would have figured out the problem and corrected it by now. If anyone has any comments on this, I'd like to hear them. I am still very happy with the vehicle, though.

    Thanks.
  • coranchercorancher Member Posts: 232
    yobow1, you've probably read many of the 700+ previous messages in this thread, so I won't cover that ground again. I will offer one suggestion and ask one question, though.

    The suggestion is that when you experience the smell (or if you want to avoid doing so) you should turn the HVAC fan on at least the low position and make sure the cabin air intake is on fresh rather than recirculate (the light in the recirculate button is off).

    The question is whether you ever experience the smell again when the system is configured this way. If you're getting the smell when you change to these settings, it should go away in a minute or two and stay away as long as these settings are used (at least if you're not following someone with the same problem!) Please let us know about your experience if you try this.
  • yobow1yobow1 Member Posts: 29
    Thanks for the suggestion, Corancher. When I experience the sulfur smell, I have the rear hatch window down, usually about 3 inches. I also have the moon roof opened all the way or just tilted. I rarely have the recirculate on, unless I'm trying to cool the inside down fast with the AC. When the windows are closed all the way, I might have noticed a slight smell, but not much.

    I had a 2002 4Runner and did the same thing with the rear hatch window and never had a sulfur smell...at any time over the 36,000 plus miles I put on it. But, I'm still baffled why Toyota can't correct this condition before the vehicle is sold and after 2 years of production time.
  • coranchercorancher Member Posts: 232
    yobow1, I'm not sure if you can reliably keep the smell out when the rear window is down, but I do know of one approach to try. Whether it's for technical reasons or simply a design philosophy, Toyota has moved away from side-pointing exhausts on all the vehicles I've seen. I think that the rear-pointing exhaust is a problem for both the cabin exhaust (at least they're supposed to be exhaust) vents and for the dead air at the blunt rear end of a vehicle like this. Getting your local muffler shop to point the exhaust tip to the side may be of some help. Your 2002 probably exhausted to the side, but it also wasn't one of these extra-clean-burning new engines, so it's hard to be sure about the main cause of the problem in your case.

    As for fixing the problem by reducing or eliminating the smell at the source, the TSB may be the only thing you can do. It changes the catalysts (to ones with more nickel?) and makes changes in engine management (more fuel in some situations, to avoid letting the sulfur compounds build up?) but these are not changes that Toyota is making on all 4Runners or on newly-produced ones. Presumably there's a trade-off of some kind, though it may be small.
  • yobow1yobow1 Member Posts: 29
    corancher, thanks again for your input. We'll see how the TSB goes on the 2005s...or I may have to just bite the bullet.
  • asifasif Member Posts: 1
    Hi,

    I own a 2004 4Runner SR5 V6 RWD and have currently 18k miles on it. I recently noticed an increase in mileage both on highway and in-town. I never got more than 15-16 in town and 19-20 on highway but now this ratio is 20/24 consistently for 3 full gas tanks. This is not just computer reading but i noticed it by actuall mileage and tank fill up. I am using Shell 87 octane. Though i understand gas mileage differs in winter and summer but it was surprising to me at the end of summer. During Jun-Aug my mileage was worse. The only thing i did was use Shell V Power for 1500 miles, that gave worse mileage during that and change engine oil to Valvoline Semi Synthetic. I am unable to relate these changes to my increased mileage other than the fact, that gas expands in summer giving more efficient burning, but its not peak summer in Louisiana. The other thing i can think is the Self Learning of Computer, which optimizes Air/Fuel Ratio based on your driving habbit.

    About that sulfur, I had occasional strong sulfur smell in the beginning but never noticed it again to date. I never drive with my windowns open and have kept recirculate on and off. I saw the TSB and hesitent to change CAT converter, that it might reduce my mileage.

    Any thoughts on this?
    Asif
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