32 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2003 Toyota 4Runner cite vehicle speed control, 5% of all 708 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.
“The contact owns a 2003 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated while his wife driving 60 MPH with the cruise control activated, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle rapidly started to accelerate. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The driver depressed the brake pedal to stop the vehicle and parked on the side of the road. The driver was able to restart the vehicle and drive to her destination. The contact stated that in October 2021 his wife experienced a similar failure. The contact also stated that on 11/8/2021 while his wife driving 55 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle accelerated quickly. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The driver depressed on the brake pedal with both feet and shifted gear to neutral to slow the vehicle. The driver stated she saw smoke coming from both front brakes. The drive was able to park on the side of the road. The driver stated that the brake pedal was seized on the floorboard. The driver stated she applied the parking brake to release the brake pedal. The driver was able to drive to her residence. The contact stated that his wife had experienced the failure on 3…”
“I WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP. RIGHT AFTER I LET MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE, THE CAR LUNGED FORWARD VIOLENTLY. IT WAS A TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WAS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT, WILL IT HAPPEN AGAIN OR IS THIS COMMON? ALSO, SHORTLY AFTER I TOOK OWNERSHIP OF MY CAR, THE PAINT STARTED TO PEEL ON THE REAR HATCH BELOW THE LICENSE ON THE LEFT, WHERE THERE ARE SOMEWHAT SHARP ANGLES. TOYOTA REPAINTED THE REAR HATCH, EXCLUDING THE SPOILER. I JUST NOTICED TWO RUST SPOTS ABOVE THE REAR WINDOW. IT APPEARS WATER IS SEEPING IN FROM ABOVE THE BLACK STRIP AND PONDING ON THR BOTTOM OF IT (ABOVE THE WINDOW), RESULTING IN RUST. I AM WONDERING IF THIS IS COMMON OR A PROBLEM BECAUSE THE BLACK STRIP WAS REMOVED TO REPAINT, OR WASN'T SEALED AS WELL BY THE FACTORY?”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE, IT INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED AT SUNRISE TOYOTA NORTH (LOCATED AT 910 MIDDLE COUNTRY RD, MIDDLE ISLAND, NY 11953, (631) 924-8100). THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE OR RETRIEVE A FAULT CODE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.”
“THE ENGINE, VSC TRAC AND VSC WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE ENGINE 02 SENSORS WERE FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURE WILL NOT REPLACE OR REPLACE SINCE THERE ARE NO ADVISORIES ON THE PART. THERE IS A HIGH RISK THE ENGINE MAY UNDER PERFORM WHICH MAY CAUSE LACK OF CONTROL AND A POTENTIAL ACCIDENT WHILE DRIVING. LEADING TO INJURY. *TR”
“I WAS DRIVING NORMALLY WITH NO ISSUES ON LOCAL STREETS. SUDDENLY THE VSC,TRAC, AND E-BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON THE DASHBOARD WITH A VERY LOUD AUDIBLE ALARM. NO PRIOR ISSUES WITH THIS SYSTEM. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE SLOWLY HOME ON SIDE ROADS (1.5 MILES AWAY). I MADE IT TO MY DRIVEWAY, PULLED IN ON MY UPSLOPING DRIVEWAY AND THEN I HAD NO BRAKES. PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR INTO THE STREET AND HAD IT TOWED TO THE SHOP. I FEEL LUCKY TO HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN AT LOW SPEED AND IN TOWN. THERE WAS LITTLE TO NO WARNING FOR A CRITICAL SYSTEM FAILURE. DIAGNOSIS BY MECHANIC IS BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER/TRACTION CONTROL MODULE, AT APPROXIMATELY $3000 TO REPLACE. I HAVE FOUND MULTIPLE INCIDENTS OF THIS FAILURE ACROSS MULTIPLE VEHICLE TYPES. THE LACK OF RESPONSIVENESS UPON FAILURE (INCLUDING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE) AND THE SHORT WINDOW TO REACT MAKES ME FEEL LUCKY THAT I DID NOT HIT OR HARM MYSELF OR ANYONE ELSE WITH THIS FAILURE. *TR”
“WE WERE DRIVING ALONG NORMALLY, THE VSC, TRAC, ABS AND E-BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON THE DASHBOARD, ALONG WITH AN AUDIBLE ALARM. THEN WE HAD NO BRAKES. I HAD TO PUSH WITH ALL MY STRENGTH JUST TO SLOW DOWN AT ALL. WE WERE LUCKY WE DID NOT CRASH, WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. I AM FINDING OUT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS YEAR AND MODEL, AS WELL AS OTHER TOYOTA MODELS THAT USE THE SAME BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER/TRACTION CONTROL MODULE. *TR”
Showing 6 of 32 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 THROUGH 2011 LEXUS LX570, 2003 THROUGH 2009 TOYOTA 4RUNNER, AND 2006 THROUGH 2010 RAV4 VEHICLES. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CAN GET STUCK IN THE WIDE OPEN POSITION DUE TO ITS BEING TRAPPED BY AN UNSECURED OR INCOMPATIBLE DRIVER'S FLOOR MAT.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.