Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
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Toyota 4Runner problems?
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The engines produced prior to 1996 had a recall on the head gaskets (V6 only). However Toyota will replace the head gasket free of charge up to 100,000 miles.
A few people on the message board had this done and regretted it but I know of a guy who has 184,000 miles on his and he had his done way back at 80,000 miles.
If you can afford a newer model then go for it and avoid this problem. I however am looking at a 95 4Runner w/ 84,000 miles. The recall work hasn't been done but the previous owner has had zero problems with it.
-Locks - keys in the door locks do not turn smoothly, I have to move the key in the cylinder up and down to get to the 'right' spot before it will turn - has anyone had this issue and actually gotten Toyota to own up to it? I know a few others I have talked to have had the same issue with no action from Toyota.
-MPG - I am getting about 220 miles per tank of gas (approx 15mpg) with mixed highway, city driving. (Admittedly I do have a bit of a heavy foot) I keep tires inflated, added a K&N air filter to help on gas mileage, changed the plugs, distributor and plug wires when I got the car. I am not sure about the fuel filter. What type of mpg is typical for this vehicle? Any suggestions to improve would be greatly appreciated.
-Gears - shifting into first and second when it is a little cold in the morning is relatively tough, and has been getting harder to do....any ideas on how to make shifting easier?
I found the same complaint on:
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/complain/compmmy1.cfm
but there doesn't seem to be any real resolution for the problem. Has anyone else here encountered this?
I found the same complaint on:
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/complain/compmmy1.cfm
but there doesn't seem to be any real resolution for the problem. Has anyone else here encountered this?
I choose Bilsteins because this is what TRD uses.
I recently purchased a new Toyota 2001 4runner SR5. Pretty often when I release the brake pedal after a complete stop, I feel a bumping sensation from the back of the truck... kinda like somebody hit the truck from the rear. However, this problem has not occurred on the raining days. When I brought this issue to the dealer, they claimed the following: "bump condition from suspension and brakes unloading at end of stop." Could this be true?
Thanks in advance.
1990 4-Runner - purchased new - I live in AZ, which is wonderful and provides opportunities to go running around in the desert in the summer and up into the mountains for skiing in the winter. Problem: When I go up into the cold weather, my 4-Runner makes the most horrendous noise imaginable, after being off for a few hours. It comes from the front wheel/wheels (from 1 or both). The first time it happened, 10 years ago, I actually stopped the car and looked under it as I thought I had hit one of the old, metal trash cans and it had become lodged under my car. It is so loud that people turn and look if they are walking on the sidewalk. Characteristics: happens in cool/cold weather, synchronizes to the turning of the wheels, can last for seconds or hours - on and off, does not matter which way I turn the car, can be started or stopped by hitting a pimple in the road after moving but will almost always occur after the car has slept overnight in cold weather, does not affect steering or braking. It NEVER occurs in the summer. Solutions: NOTHING!! Three dealers can find nothing. Brakes have been checked and checked and checked. No friction/hotspots found. Dealer offered to change out my axle, for $2000, but could not guarantee that it was the cause. I actually tape-recorded it to give to a repairman. After getting mad at the dealers, I took it to the independent repair place, which finally said, after trying to find a cause (and listening to the tape) that if it didn't affect the driving, don't worry about it. They could not find anything.
I can't believe that this is the only truck that would have this problem. Or is it???? Anybody???
It sound as though it's coming from the driver's side rear passenger door. I've tried silicone lubricant to try to alleviate it, but it's still a prominent squeak. I need to sit in the back seat and let someone else drive it to see if I can diagnose exactly where the sound resides - hopefully the problem won't hide itself with the extra weight in the back.
Anyone else had similar problems?
I can also testify to comments about the Toyota dealer network - they sell fabulous cars, but they're not as friendly at servicing them; although with very few exceptions (Saturn, Lexus), keep in mind that nearly all dealers get defensive about making repairs - perhaps because the service areas are overwhelmed with a daily abundance of service orders and a shortage of trained service technicians. There's still no excuse for the poor service -- but I think it's a trend of high demand for service with an inability for the dealers to keep up with those demands honestly and thoroughly for each and every customer who walks in the door.
If I can just massacre the stupid squeak from an otherwise quiet SUV, I'll return to be a 'no complaints' 4Runner owner.
I'm guessing that person A with the cold weather noise does indeed have an axle problem, but what can you do? You'll just have to wait until it gets worse. You can't fix a car from a tape recording--don't mechanics wish it were so!
Toyota's formal position is "this is a normal characteristic of the fabric" in my case. Ah...Toyota's idea of value added. Any one else having this problem? Contact me, we may not be out of the fight yet!
I had a 1990 SR-5, 4x4 pickup with the same loud noise coming from the front end. I live in Indiana and whenever the hemp got below about 20 degrees the front end would growl in direct relationship to the speed of the wheels. I was told that they put brass bushings in the hubs where needle bearings were previously used. The service department pulled the wheels and greased the bushings and the problem went away... until next winter. They told me I would just have to grease the bushings occasionally. In other words, every winter they would pull the wheels and grease the bushings for about $150. I found this unacceptable and called Toyota and they authorized replacing the brass bushings with needle bearings. This was in 1992, so my truck was still under warranty, but I kept the truck until 1999 and never heard that loud, embarrassing noise again. You might want to check into this.
I installed them myself in 35-40 minutes in my driveway with no special tools.
*NOTE* Disconnect the bottom shock bolt AND the rear sway bar! I tried to leave the sway bar end bolted up and fought it needlessly for several minutes.
I hope this helps some of you.
I've considered the leather as well and if DL7265 can pass on the information about where to locate the leather package he/she mentioned that would be great. That appears to be the best route as you just take it in the shorts on trading in/selling it so close to having purchased it. But do I think Toyota could do better, yep!
I wanted to know if anyone else had this problem and if so has found a remedy. Thanks!
I installed them myself in 35-40 minutes in my driveway with no special tools.
*NOTE* Disconnect the bottom shock bolt AND the rear sway bar! I tried to leave the sway bar end bolted up and fought it needlessly for several minutes.
I hope this helps some of you.
Also, I am hearing a low noise between 60-65 mph on the highway & when passing. I have to increase the radio volume in order to hear the radio. I recently had the drive shaft replaced. I was reading that for 97' model year, this might be normal for the v6 engine to make this kind of noise. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thank you.
Regards, DL
Please advise A SAP as I will have to make a decision by tomorrow. I am getting it from a dealership in Florida.
My '97 SR5 Manual 4wd developed an odd hesitation problem at about 58k miles. The hesitation is not on acceleration, but rather exhibits itself as a single brief "miss" resulting in a pronounced jolt at the point in time when I transition from acceleration to maintaining speed. For instance when accel from a stop to 45 mph, just as I reach 45 and feather off the throttle to maintain that speed I will experience a significant jolt as the ignition or fuel delivery seems to stop momentarily.
The service mgr suggested it should have the 60k service and tune-up and that would probably fix the problem. It didn't. I drove it through the winter with this problem happening about 20-30% of the time I first transition to cruising speed from a start. I took it back for the dealer to look at again, and of course he reports "problem could not be duplicated." I asked if there was not some diagnostic they could run and was told their diagnostics would not find anything that did not cause a check engine light. Any one have any ideas. A few observations:
It started as the temperatures in PA started dropping below freezing overnight, and is always more noticeable in the cold morning than the warmer afternoon.
This same start time is approximately when the good PA EPA force feed the county's around here Oxygenated gas that a) costs 10% more, and b) delivers about 10% worse gas mileage (the combination is a real pain).
The dealer has been pleasant enough in conversation about this, but I didn't buy conversation, and I'm not appeased by their recommendation that I bring it in again and again. I don't think dealers appreciate what a pain it is for a person with an actual job to schedule a substitute ride to work along with a two way shuttle to and from the dealer twice in one day.
Sorry for the long post, all ideas appreciated,
Jere
My question: our driver's side exterior mirror doesn't heat. The passenger side does. Is this normal or should they both be heating???
Does anyone have a suggestion to remedy this?
My first instinct would be to replace the mids and add a sub to the cargo area. I don't know if there's an exisiting amp outside of the head unit or not but based on the power and signal the OEM system puts out I wouldn't think so, so an amp might be in order too?
I need advice as to how to go about fixing this w/o jumping into an all-new system right off the bat. If the head unit has a sub outlet does it make sense to get a powered sub and let the head drive mids and highs? If I add an amp and indeed the OEM amp is on the head unit can it be bypassed to a cleaner-sounding amp? Is the crappy sound caused by non-amp electronics in the head unit?
It might be obvious that I know nothing at this point...
Understand that I don't listen to thump and that I don't listen at excessive volume levels. Instead I prefer rock, classical, blues and other assorted music that *doesn't* require strong bass, but I enjoy *clean*-sounding music and this system sounds like it's been packaged, boxed and dropped into a pond.
Appreciate responses.
When I had the 60,000 mile checkup, my mechanic adjusted the idle to factory specs and now it has a tendency to stall, (even with that little anti-stall device on the idle) after it has been running for about 15 minutes. This lasts maybe 2-3 minutes and then it goes back to normal idle speed. Any ideas? I have been driving sticks for 25 years and have never had this much problem with a clutch.
What exactly did your mechanic grease in the rear end ? I also have this intermittent bump when I start to roll after a stop with my 2001 SR5.
Thanks
Another thing to consider is how horsepower is applied. The numbers you see are flywheel horsepower. It still has to go through the drive train to the wheels. I think the 4Runners are as smooth as anything I drove, certainly more so than the Cherokee with the 190 up engine. As for the behemoths that Chewy, Old and the others are putting out, those huge engines are going into much heavier vehicles. One way to compare apples to apples is to divide the vehicle's curb weight by the horsepower of the engine. That gives you pounds per horsepower, a measure of how much weight each horsey needs to haul. You'll find that the 4Runner is one of the lightest, which explains why it manages to accelerate as well as, or better than, the Chewy Blazer and Jeep Cherokee, both of which have more horsepower. As for a TRY supercharger, yup, that'll give you more power. You'll also have to run higher octane fuel due to the higher compression. I wouldn't be surprised if Toyota were to put the variable valve timing technology into the next 4Runner, something they already are using in their cars. That's how the Pathfinder gets more horsepower out of an engine that's a hair smaller than the 4Runner's. I'll lay odds that because those Pathfinder engines are tuned more like a sporty car's, they won't last as long in a truck.
And as mmcbride1 pointed out, it's a truck. If you want a sports car with 4wd, or a people hauler than can occasionally go off road, there are lots of alternatives. I've seen lots of people [non-permissible content removed] about 4Runners on these bulletin boards because they really bought the wrong vehicle for them. It's a very solid 4wd truck. It's not a minivan, so don't expect it to ride like one. It's meant to be maneuverable on a jeep trail, so don't expect it to be wide or hold 18 kids. It's meant to roll over rocks, so don't be surprised if it's a big step up to get into it. In fact Toyota, recognizing the actual use most people put SUVs to, came out with the Sequoia, an SUV based on a car chassis (with a bigger engine).
I live in Colorado, where altitude significantly reduces horsepower over the rated number. Yet I can load up three passengers, and all their ski gear, and head up I-70 to the Eisenhower Tunnel, doing the speed limit all the way (at least when traffic allows), and faster if I want. The tunnel's at over 10,000 feet. Yes, it's breathing a little hard when I get there, but I still get there plenty fast. A friend of mine rolled his 4Runner over a BIG rock, badly enough to cause damage. But between the skid plates, and the heavy duty design, he was able to drive home no problem. No fluids leaking, no broken suspension members. The point (which I fear I've much belabored) is that the 4Runner does very well the things it was designed to do.
Rant over.
up = hp
Chewy = Chevy
Old = Olds
TRY = TRD
Sorry
One thing to note is that in 2000 and newer models, the *defogger* also invokes the A/C in order to clear the windows faster. I used to do this manually back in the old days, and apparently Toyota caught on. However, I noticed (finally!) that this is also causing much lower mileage. I used to leave the front defrost mode on a lot, and noticed over time that it reduced my trip mileage quite extensively (like 20-30 miles per tank).