1998 Toyota 4Runner Electrical Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A SMALL FIRE ERUPTED UNDER THE HOOD AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR 100 MILES. THE CONTACT SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND WHEN THE HOOD WAS OPENED, THERE WERE FLAMES COMING FROM THE ALTERNATOR. THE FIRE DAMAGED THE WIRING HARNESS BUT WAS EXTINGUISHED QUICKLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE FIRE WAS STARTED BY A DEFECTIVE VOLTAGE REGULATOR TO THE ALTERNATOR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE WAS A MAINTENANCE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 102,000. UPDATED 9/25/12 *CN UPDATED 10/04/2012 *JS UPDATED 10/16/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE FIRST DEALER FAILED TO THE CONTACT OF PENDING ALTENATOR FAILURE , AFTER THE CONSUMER TOLD THE DEALER BOTH ABS AND BATTERY WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. UPDATED 10/18/2012 *JS

NHTSA ID

10475327

Incident

Aug 3, 2011

Mileage

101,000 mi

FUEL GAUGE WARNING COMES ON WHEN TANK GAUGE READS 2/3 FULL, THEN AS DRIVING, GAUGE READS EMPTY WHEN STILL HAS 10 GALLONS IN TANK- NO WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AT THAT READING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10446188

Incident

Nov 26, 2011

Mileage

167,043 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT WAS SITTING AT A TRAFFIC STOP WITH THE BRAKES DEPRESSED WHEN THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED. SHE ENGAGED THE BRAKES ABRUPTLY TO STOP THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IMMEDIATELY TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SENSOR ON THE ACCELERATOR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 152,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 155,000. UPDATED 11/08/10 * BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE AT TIMES. UPDATED 11/10/10.

NHTSA ID

10350065

Incident

Jul 28, 2010

Mileage

152,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING TO WORK IN MY CAR ON 3/21/07 THE SOLENIOD OF THE STARTER DID NOT DISENGAGE AND A FIRE COMMENCED IN THE STARTER OF THE CAR. FORTUNATLY, I WAS ABLE TO STOP AND A PASSER BY,ALMOST IMMEDIATLY PROVIDED A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, AND THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. DAMAGE TP THE AUTO WAS RELATIVELY SMALL.*AK

NHTSA ID

10186153

Incident

Mar 21, 2007

Mileage

102,560 mi

WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE EARLY IN THE MORNING CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. HE PROCEEDED TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE ,BUT THE ENGINE CONTINUED RUNNING, IMMEDIATELY HE DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY, STILL THE ENGINE WAS CONTINUED TO RUN. *AK

NHTSA ID

10081449

Incident

Jul 7, 2004

OUR TOYOTA 4RUNNER CAUGHT ON FIRE WITHOUT ANY WARNING. MY HUSBAND HAD JUST PULLED INTO OUR DRIVEWAY, TAKEN OUR 2 SMALL CHILDREN OUT OF THE CAR, WHEN WE NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE HOOD WOULD NOT RELEASE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. IT TOOK 30-45 MINUTES TO CONTAIN THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE IS A TOTAL LOST. *JB

NHTSA ID

10056240

Incident

Jan 28, 2004

THIS TRUCK (AUTO, 6 CYL, 2WD) SOMETIMES STALLS, BUT ONLY WHEN COMING TO A STOP, ALWAYS IN MOTION, NEVER AT IDLE, JUST AS IF THE KEY WERE TURNED OFF. OCCURS VERY INTERMITTENTLY (7 TIMES SINCE SEPT 2003)... MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT NOTHING HAS REGISTERED ON THE COMPUTER. INTERSTATE BATTERY IS 8 MONTHS OLD. EVERY OTHER TIME, I'VE PUT IT IN PARK AND IT STARTS RIGHT UP, BUT THIS MORNING IT WOULDN'T START FOR ALMOST TWO MINUTES IN A BUSY INTERSECTION. A FRIEND ALSO HAS 1998 4RUNNER; SAYS IT'S BEEN HAPPENING TO HER OVER TWO YEARS, BUT LESS OFTEN. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. THIS CAN'T BE A COINCIDENCE, AND IT CAN'T JUST BE THE TWO OF US. I SPOKE WITH TOYOTA TODAY, BUT MINE IS THE ONLY COMPLAINT THEY HAVE ABOUT THIS.

NHTSA ID

10054679

Incident

Jan 22, 2003

Mileage

85,989 mi

ON 03'04/02 I WAS SITTING AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT WITIN ON THE LIGHT TO CHANGE TO GREEN. THE LIGHT CHANGED TO GREEN , THEN I PROCEEDED INTO THE INTERSECTION WHERE I WAS T-BONED ON THE DRIVER SIDED. AT THIS TIME I HEAR A LOUD BANG THEN THE LOWER AREA BY THE BRAKES CAVED IN ON MY LEFT LEG, THE THE DOORS LOCKED ,THEN MY CAR ALARM SOUNDS OFF. DURING THIS TIME I CAN SEE SMOKE TO MY LEFTT IN THE DOOR AREA. SO IMMDIATELY I TRY TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE BUT I HAD TO UNLOCK DOORS FIRST. I RECALL TRYING TO GET OUT OF THE SEAT BUT IWAS RESTRAINT BY THE SEAT BELT DURING THIS TIME FROM THE IMPACT MY VEHICLE IS STILL MOVING. I REACHED OVER TO REMOVE MY SEAT BELT WHILE ALSO RAISING MYSELF OUT OF THE SEAT WHEN THE DRIVER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. MY ARM TO THE FULL FORCE OF THE PRESSURE OF THE AIR BAG DEPLOYING. I MANAGED TO GET BETWEEN THE FRONT SEAT TO CROSS OVER TO THE PASSENGER SIDE TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE AIR BAG STARTED TO DEPLOYED I REACHED FOR MY PURSE ON FRONT FLOOR OF THE PASSENGER SIDE AND CONTINUE TO GET TO THE BACK SEAT OF 4 RUNNER. I TRIED TO GET OUT ON THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR BUT IT WOULD NOT OPEN THEN I WENT TO THE PASSENGER REAR DOOR AND GOT OUT BUT WHEN I STOOD UP OUT OF THE VEHICLE MY LEFT LEG COLLASPE AND I FOUND MY SELF IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSECTION UNPROTECTIVE. I LAID IN THE INTERSECTION FOR ABOUT 5-7 MINUTES BEFORE OTHER CITIZEN CAMED ON THE SCENE. YOU COULD NOT BEGAN TO IMAGE YOURSELF TRAPPED IN THIS UTILITY VEHICLE LIKE A CAGED MOUSE WITH NO WAY OUT. ALL HEAR IS THE BANG, ELECTRIC DOORS LOCKING, ALARM SOUNDING OFF, AND SMOKE TO THE LEFT OF YOU AND NO VISIBLE PERSON TO HELP YOU GET OUT OF THIS CAGE. NLM

NHTSA ID

759894

Incident

Mar 4, 2002

ENGINE FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT NORMAL SPEED. DEALER COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. TRUCK CONTINUED TO FAIL AND NOT START FOR ANOTHER WEEK UNTIL IT WAS TOWED TO DEALER AGAIN. SECOND DEALER CLAIMS ECU IS RUSTED CAUSED BY A LEAK SOMEWHERE. TRUCK PURCHASED 4 MONTHS AGO AND WAS A CERTIFIED USED VEH. TOYOTA WILL NOT PAY FOR THE FIX. NLM

NHTSA ID

759892

Incident

Mar 18, 2002

REESE TOOLING KIT PACKAGE ON VEHICLE IS CAUSING FUSES TO BLOWOUT, VEHICLE HAS NO RUNNING LIGHTS, AND CONSUMER CANNOT PUT VEHICLE IN GEAR. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAS TAKING A LOOK AT VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

8001821

Incident

Jan 1, 2002

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAULTY. NLM

NHTSA ID

550788

CIGARETTE LIGHTER.

NHTSA ID

609748

Incident

May 1, 1998

CIGARETTE LITHTER IS NOT WORKING. YH

NHTSA ID

606730