2003 Toyota 4Runner engine and engine cooling problems

“I BOUGHT MY 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER LESS THAN A YEAR AGO FROM AN AUTO GROUP (TOYOTA, HONDA, ECT) AND HAD THEM PERFORM A SAFETY INSPECTION. SINCE IT WAS USED I KNEW THERE WOULD BE SOME ISSUES, THE ONLY PROBLEM IT HAD WAS THE RECOMMENDED SERVICE WASN'T COMPLETED AT 90K MILES (TIMING BELT, WATER PUMP, ECT). I WORKED THAT INTO THE DEAL AN WAS ON MY WAY. AFTER DEPARTING THE U.S. AND SHIPPING MY CAR TO HAWAII, THE INSPECTORS HERE FOUND A LOT OF RUST ON THE FRAME AND SAID IT COULD BE AN ISSUE GETTING AN APPROVED SAFETY INSPECTION (REQUIRED FOR REGISTERING THE CAR IN HAWAII). THEY SAID IT ISN'T SEVERE NOW, BUT CAN BE LIVING IN THIS STATE AS IT IS VERY RUSTED AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO IN SUCH A HUMID ENVIRONMENT. THEY ALSO SAID THAT TACOMAS FOR THAT YEAR HAD A RECALL DUE TO EXCESSIVE FRAME RUST (SIMILAR IF NOT THE SAME FRAMES) BUT 4RUNNERS DO NOT, SO THEY RECOMMENDED I TALK TO TOYOTA ABOUT IT. I CALLED THE TOYOTA SERVICE CENTER HERE AND THEY SAID THERE IS NO RECALL AND IF I WANTED THE FRAME FIXED OR REPLACED, IT'D HAVE TO BE AT MY EXPENSE. TOYOTA'S ARE FANTASTIC VEHICLES, I JUST HOPE THIS COMMENT AIDS IN THEIR DECISION TO APPROVE A RECALL ON 4RUNNER'S FRAMES DUE TO RUST…”

“WHILE IN PROCESS OF REPLACING SERPENTINE BELT AND IDLER PULLEYS ON ENGINE, I NOTICED (AFTER REMOVING LOWER ENGINE SHIELD UNDER VEHICLE) SIGNIFICANT RUST DAMAGE TO FRONT FRAME SEGMENT UNDER RADIATOR SUPPORT. THE RIGHT SIDE TOW HOOK AND CORNER OF FRAME IT WAS MOUNTED TO FELL OFF IN MY HAND WHEN I TOUCHED IT. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THERE ARE OTHER PARTS OF VEHICLE FRAME WITH RUST DAMAGE, THOUGH NONE APPEAR TO BE AS SEVERE AS AREA OF FRAME UNDERNEATH RADIATOR. THIS PORTION OF FRAME APPEARS TO CONNECT THE TWO SIDE FRAME RAILS TOGETHER. *TR”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING ABOVE 25 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 30,000.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VSC TRACKING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO VIOLENTLY JERK WHEN APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 100,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.”

“THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VSC TRAC TURNED OFF, THE DAY AFTER THE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE TRACTION TURNED OFF...THE TOYOTA 2003 4RUNNER FLIPPED OVER. THE VSC TRACTION SHOULD NOT BE TURNED OFF WHEN A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON BECAUSE IT PROVIDES THE NECESSARY STABILITY OF THE VEHICLE THAT A SUV NEEDS NO MATTER WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CAR. THE CAR IS NOW TOTALED AND ONE PASSENGER STILL SUFFERING FROM INJURIES FROM THE ACCIDENT. *TR”

“BOUGHT A 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER V6 4WD 2 1/2 YEARS AGO AS A TOYOTA CERTIFIED USED VEHICLE..WITHIN A YEAR I NEEDED A NEW SERPENTINE BELT DUE TO EXCESSIVE NOISE AT START UP. THE DEALER TOLD ME THERE WAS A TSB FOR THIS AND TO BRING THE CAR BACK IF I HAD FURTHER ISSUES. THE NOISE CAME BACK BUT WAS IRREGULAR, IT WOULD COME AT START UP EVERY DAY FOR A COUPLE WEEKS AND THEN DISAPPEAR FOR ANOTHER FEW WEEKS. THE NOISE GOT LOUDER AND SOUNDED SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE IDLER PULLEY ON FRIDAY 07/16/10. IT SOUNDED LOUD AGAIN AT START UP AFTER I PICKED UP THE VEHICLE BUT THE NOISE EVENTUALLY WENT AWAY. HOWEVER MY SERPENTINE BELT ACTUALLY RIPPED LESS THAN A WEEK LATER (07/21/10) WHILE I WAS DRIVING 45MPH ON A CURVY ROAD. I FIRST LOST MY AC, QUICKLY FOLLOWED BY MY POWER STEERING...SOMEHOW MANAGED TO PULL OVER BUT BY THEN SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD DUE TO THE FACT THAT IN THE RIPPING PROCESS THE BELT BROKE A COOLANT HOSE. I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT A VEHICLE FOR 5 DAYS NOW AND AM WAITING ON THE DEALER TO GET A NEW HOSE SO THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY RUN THE CAR AND MAKE SURE THE PULLEYS ARE ALL OK. HOWEVER SO FAR…”