Toyota 4Runner

pat84 · December 2003

I know that was my original raction. Why are my cupholders lit ?
I have earned by touch, which window control I have my finger on.
Every vehicle has different lights for various funtions. At least the ignition key is lit with a green circle. I've had vehicles without that. That is one light I like.

scootny · December 2003

Probably trivial, but I noticed that at the bottom of the dash, near to the fuel door release, there is a small tab with a hole in it, kind of sticking out. It looks like there should be a bolt or something screwed in there, or it should be connected to something. Has anyone noticed this or have any information on what it might be? I'm just concerned that something might be missing or gotten loose there. Thanks.

bcmalibu99ls · December 2003

no one in Toyota Corp wants to pay several million dollars to a driver who lost the use of his/her privates after spilling a hot beverage in a dark vehicle

baki44 · December 2003

I guess you guys have a so much free time!!!
You guys complain from anything???
I was wondering about your cell phone quality, TV and home stereo system quality??? etc...

ckdexter · December 2003

Right on the head.

canddmeyer · December 2003

Absolutely. Future & current owners will find useful information here, & hopefully Toyota will make some changes to make the 4Runner the best vehicle it can be.

And since you inquired, the cel phone quality is fair, the cable TV is excellent, & the stereo can always be better. I'm happy to see you also have lots of free time to air your grievance.

likalar · December 2003

Does anyone know if these new 4Runners have clear coated paint jobs? Thanks.
Larry

terrafirma · December 2003

All are clearcoated except black, white and red. I'm 99.9% sure about that-(red might be clearcoated).

Silver, Grey, blue and green are clearcoated. 100% sure about that.

likalar · December 2003

<<All are clearcoated except black, white and red....>>
Thanks, Terrafirma. (so that's why my black truck had the price reduced, but goes a bit faster than some other colors)..... I just tried some black colored Turtle wax on a few scratches. Results were pretty good at hiding them, (but you should see my hands), then got to wondering about clearcoats.
This thing drives so great in these storms, I can't imagine going without it.
Larry

smg1062 · December 2003

Im so damn confused............torn actually.....I really luv the Lexus GX, but at 50K+, its so steep. I also luv the 4runner, but I really want NAV and the 3rd row seat option, which Toyota doesnt do, now anyway.........................wahhhhhhhhhhhhhh...........I was hoping to have my new wheels before winter ended.................Im just venting........

mrwhipple · December 2003

Why don't you just get the Runner and purchase a hand-held nav system.

likalar · December 2003

2 years ago we got a Garmin Street Pilot 111, a color screen, decent size downloadable GPS with voice prompts. We use it on a motorcycle, the 4Runner, the Subaru, and occassionally a rental car or on a fishing trip on SFBay (Great for marking the hot spots). It runs on batteries or plugs into 12v plug. I feel I made the right choice avoiding built-in GPS. The best part is that I don't have to re-learn a different instrument every time we switch vehicles. The velcro patches on the instrument panels aren't the best looking modification, but for some, this approach to GPS makes sense.
Larry
P.S. Anyone tried the new Garmin 2610 with touch screen? Nice looking unit.

rensho · December 2003

I have one on my 03 sr5. the bean bag works very well as a mount, other than going steep uphill and gunning the engine.
There is little to not like about the 2610. It is very intuitive, reroutes quickly, good buttons, and remembers your routes when the power is cut. It now uses compact flash, so you can drop the whole western US on 512mb CF. CA is about 100mb.
I change it from car to car as well.

69mach1 · December 2003

My 03 Sport dash is the same way, a tab sticking down by the gas release lever. The dash looks unfinished like some other panel is supposed to be bolted in place. Since you also mentioned this, I guess mine is not unique.

sacstate1 · December 2003

I have a tab by my fuel release door. Don't know what the tab, with hole in it, is designed for?

kscottt · December 2003

Has anyone noticed how accurate the "outside temperature" gauge is? I keep driving by other signs and they are somewhat consistently 4-5 degrees lower than what my display says. Not that I trust bank signs more than Toyota, but I'd like it to be fairly accurate so I know when to expect black ice and frozen conditions on the road.

Thanks.

likalar · December 2003

Have you had the 2610 Garmin for awhile? The flashcard idea is a good one; I wish I had that!
KScott, my temp guage seems to agree with most thermometers. This morning it's spot on at 23 degrees, the same reading as the electronic therm. here at the cabin.
Winter update on the 4Runner's rear wing/airfoil......Two nights ago we had 6 inches of wet snow. The rear window was kept clear, thanks to the wing. The down side? After a warm afternoon yesterday, the temps dropped last night. The partially melted snow on the roof of the truck froze real hard last night. When I tried to open the rear hatch, the ice was jammed up in the airflow space, and the hatch would open only a few inches. I spent a few minutes picking away the ice jam, and the hatch can finally open. If this happens a lot, I'll probably remove the wing.
Larry

kheintz1 · December 2003

My 4Runner's temp. gauge seems pretty accurate, and typically agrees quite closely (or maybe +/- 1-2 degrees) with the weather reports from sources such as local radio stations, the local "time and weather" phone line, bank signs, etc.

Also, keep in mind that if you park your vehicle in a fully enclosed garage, its outside temperature probe will usually display an initially different temperature (that being the temp. in your garage) until the vehicle has been driven at sufficiently high speeds to allow the probe to re-equilibrate with the outside atmosphere. This process may take 15 minutes or more to complete, during which you should notice the temp. display gradually changing to an outside reading that's more accurate. I do believe the outside temp. probe is located in the front grill area, just forward of the engine (and its radiant heat). Therefore, any situations causing decreased airflow over the probe (such as periods of idling, or moving only at low speeds, or having a protective vinyl hood covering in place) may cause the temperature gauge to temporarily read higher than the actual outside ambient temperature, since the probe is being influenced by the warmth coming from the engine. Again, the probe must have enough outside air flowing over it for a sufficient period of time in order to render the most accurate reading. On the other hand, your truck's temperature gauge might need recalibration, and I would think this is something your service advisor should be able to address.

scootny · December 2003

Thanks 69mach1.

I checked it out on another '03 4Runner and it was the same. It does give off an unfinished look though - compared to the '03 Land Cruiser I also looked at.

scootny · December 2003

I park outside and have noticed that the value is usually about 10 degrees higher when I just start the vehicle. After about 10 minutes of driving, it gets to within 2 degrees of what I believe the actual temperature is.

corancher · December 2003

I can confirm from the repair manual that the location of the external air temp sensor is behind the grille. On mine it seems to give an accurate value after a minute or two of driving. Of course, many garages are warmer than ambient and will throw off the reading, and the reading will also be too high in a vehicle after a hot engine is stopped. However the readings seem accurate when the vehicle is idling, probably because the fan is still drawing in fresh air.

As for the tab under the dash, I've got one too, it's clearly there for a specific purpose. It's even reinforced with metal, as if ready for a screw (rather than a bolt) to be driven in. I've no clue what that purpose might be, though. It seems to hang too low to install anything permanent. Perhaps it's there to temporarily anchor a sensor for brake pedal depression during testing or calibration of some kind?

bo_chung · December 2003

You can get NAV and 3rd row on '04 Runners. Checkout Toyota's website.

kheintz1 · December 2003

Although this tab (and screw socket) under the dash seem a bit flimsy, I wonder if it might be intended for mounting a small electronic trailer brake controller? Just a thought.

smg1062 · December 2003

NOPE.....if you click on the JBL/NAV, there is a number next to it....that refers to any restrictions. It says that 3rd row seats are NOT available with the NAV system. A few folks here wrote its because of the extra speakers, something like that. Makes ZERO sense. I hope they addrees this for '05..............

dogwing · December 2003

I have a 2003 SR5 4X4 with a sliding moon roof. On the passenger side there is a grab ring that is above the door opening mounted on the inside of the roof. I am not sure what good it serves. On the drivers side there are brackets for the same grab ring, but no grab ring is mounted. Is this the way it is suppose to be or is the fixture missing on my vehicle. Not sure I have given the correct names for this item, but any help will be appreciated....

terrafirma · December 2003

The assist grips help the passenger off road on odd angle/bumpy terrain.

The driver's side doesn't have one because you use the steering wheel for that.
It is blank for Japan where the steering is on the right side.

kjack100 · December 2003

I can't see the interest in a Lexus GX470 unless you were dead set on having to have the third seat and the Nav (which is ridiculous that they can't offer both on the 4Runner, but that is another story). All I can see extra that the GX470 offers offers over a loaded Limited would be the memory seating and the multi-disc player(with the Nav). The "sideways" rear door hatch on the GX470 would be a real drag.

If you can afford the GX470, why not consider the Land Cruiser? I would imagine you could get one outfitted like you want, close to the price of the GX470, if you worked at it.

jfeger · December 2003

I *wish* I had memory seating!

And light the window and door lock controls!

-j

yabedude · December 2003

I have a 2003 V8 Sport w/JBL 10 speakers. I purchased my children a set of wireless headsets. They love them. I don't want to lose the wireless feature and decided to install a 2nd deck (Alpine 9815) that plays MP3's and is a much better deck in my opinion; a 2nd subwoofer for this 3rd party deck and also swap out the back speakers. Before I do any of that, I'm going to install a good quality Clifford alarm as these standard door alarms are pretty much useless as a thief can bust a window and climb on in to clean me out without a peep.

My plan is to use a DB25 printer A/B switch (removed from the bulky metal case) and solder most of the JBL and Alpine wires into it which should allow me to listen to one or the other, while leaving the kids with the wireless headsets listening to JBL -- not that they'll hear much with the alpine thumpin' ;-) I haven't decided what available accessory slot I'll use, but possible just under my right arm in the console.

Has anyone pulled the dash or console apart yet? Anyone have any tips or gotcha's to look out for? According to a service fellow at the dealership, he warned that all the panels are in place using clips with little to no screws. He went on to explain that the 4-Runner is very snug (obvious) but that it's not an easy chore to disassemble/reassemble. They seem to dread having to work behind the dash.

I don't have a concern with the wiring side, but surely don't want to break any panels. I'm curious if anyone else had any projects along this line and can offer some first hand experience.

bcmalibu99ls · December 2003

but GX470 is more reliable than 4Runner per JD Power.

It looks much more bland, though

newswords · December 2003

Has anyone tried connecting a laptop computer to the AC outlet in the new series 4runner's glovebox? The manual seems to warn against it. Would a small portable surge protector provide the necessary protection against possible variations in voltage? Would the computer's battery do this just as well?

pat84 · December 2003

I also have the little plastic tab under the gas / hood releases. I figured it may be for somthing that is used in a different country for something. I also have the grab rail on the driver's side, too.
I thought the grab rails were for ease of entry for old people. "Eh, what'd say, youngin ? "

sacstate1 · December 2003

dogwing: The grab handle you describe is not a standard item. I ordered a handle and the two screw hole plugs for about $25. If you want the handle, just pop off the plugs and screw down the handle. I didn't like the plugs with no handle, it looked unfinished, especially in the front cab.

pat84 · December 2003

My 03 Sport V-8 came with the drivers side grab rail. It was there when I bought it. I did have a recall on the sun visors so I got ones vanity mirrors. The mirrors don't light up though.

terrafirma · December 2003

There are 2 locations per side. The drivers side has ONE grab handle (on the A pillar-very handy btw) and one blank-no handle (above the drivers door).

The passenger has 2 grab handles.

It is switched for right hand drive.

18fan · December 2003

Hi All...

I am currently looking at a used 2000 4Runner SR5 4WD with 26K miles and the 3.4L V6 engine. Would you all recommend the 4Runner? What kind of gas mileage could I expect? (I drive about 80% city & 20% highway). Are there any maintenance, defect, or repair issues I should know about before buying this vehicle?

Thanks in advance for your help.

--18fan

yabedude · December 2003

My 03 Sport came with lighted vanity mirrors on both sides. Driver side does not have overhead grab rail, but has on beside windshield.

tranti · December 2003

My 4runner is 2001. I did not pay attention to traction control until I installed an alarm. I notice that when I run over 20 miles an hour, I press the switch of traction control. It does not work. I mean that I can not turn off traction control. When the truck stops, I turn off truction cotrol, the light traction control off appears, but when I run over 20 miles an hour, the light traction control off is off. That means traction control auto on when the truck runs over 20 miles an hour. I don't know whether it is a feature of traction control or the alarm interfere with traction control. Any one knows about it, please let me know. TRhank you.

smg1062 · December 2003

The Land Cruiser is a bit too much, and its a gas guzzler. And yes, I HATE the GX side swing door, and the Sequoa is ugly on the inside...........so I'm wishing that Toyota smartens up and offers NAv and 3rd row for the 05's...............

peter78 · December 2003

It is not your alarm. I have a 2001 and the traction control button to turn it off only works till 18 MPH + or - and the traction control comes back on and the light goes out. It is basically useless when your on the road. It is meant for off road conditions or starting in gravel or snow, where wheel spin is sometimes helpful.

Personally, I which you had the option to turn it off.

terrafirma · December 2003

What is the big deal with the side swing door? Why is that such a problem?

kjack100 · December 2003

I think it's just that the 4Runner's rear hatch design is perfect, i.e, out of the elements when unloading, loading, tailgating, etc. Also, the 4Runner's rear glass lowers to hang stuff out of the rear of the vehicle.

I am not sure about this, but I think the GX470's rear glass is fixed. The GX470's hatch, for some reason, is hinged on the right side, so if you are parallel parked, it's mounted on the wrong side (unless it's a one way street :-))which brings up the hassle of opening it with a lack of space behind you.

hotdogonastick · December 2003

i'm glad the runners always had the liftgate. last winter when i went to lake tahoe, i rented a mitsu montero ltd which had a side swing door. i went to northstar to snowboard but was parked at an angle. after a whole day of riding, i was tired. it began snowing and it was cold! i got the side gate open but it didn't lock in place - so the weight of the door at that angle slammed into me making me lose my balance (not falling completely) on the snow/ice covered ground. it's not often that anyone would park at an angle but it's those few times that make a difference. my 2 cents.

sacstate1 · December 2003

I believe the Lexus GX rear glass is fixed. I do not like the swing away door design. But, I guess Lexus had to make their offering different than Toyota.

ohello · December 2003

So we were driving along last night (in our 03 4Runner) at about 25mph when we hit a patch of black ice - the whole truck started to yaw to the right - we were totally out of control and headed for the curb. At that moment the little VSC light on the dash came on, a little alarm sounded, and there was a buzzing from under the hood. We could feel the system start to kick in the brake on the left front tire (and probably do some other things as well), straightened us right out, and then we were on our way. We were both totally amazed at how well the system worked.

tientran · December 2003

Thank you very much Peter78.

jfeger · December 2003

I have ran my laptop on the AC outlet and have not yet blown anything up.

newswords · December 2003

My runner 2003 LTD came with all four grab handles installed - including drivers and passenger side - no extra charge.

newswords · December 2003

Thank you jfeger. Do you use a surge protector?Whatkind of a laptop do you run on it?

sacstate1 · December 2003

ohello, I agree, that VSC has saved my bacon a few times. Mine kicked in the otherday when it was 20* and the streets were coated in ice/drizzle. Fantastic feature, I have complete confidence in my V8 4WD's ability to 'get me there'.

Toyota 4Runner

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