Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2004 Toyota 4Runner submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 43 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 43, in the owner's own words
CHASSIS, BRAKES AND ALL UNDER CARRIAGE OF 2004 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER IS RUSTED. SOON THE CAR WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION. I DO NOT LIVE IN A SALT WATER ZONE. MY CAR HAS NEVER DRIVEN THROUGH SALT WATER. I HAVE 71,000 MILES ON THE CAR. THE BRAKES WERE SO RUSTED THAT I HAD TO REPLACE THEM. THE CAR WILL BE TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE SOON.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BIG ISLAND TOYOTA KAILUA-KONA (808-329-8517, LOCATED AT 74-5504 KAIWI ST, KAILUA, HI 96740) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE BRAKE FLUID LEVEL WAS ABOVE NORMAL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000. *BF*JB
HAD A MISFIRE IN #6 CYLINDER AT 155K MILES. I TOOK IT TO A DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT I HAD A HEAD GASKET STARTING TO GO BAD THAT LET COOLANT INTO THAT CYLINDER AFTER I SHUT THE ENGINE OFF RESULTING IN A ROUGH COLD START. THE TECH SPECIALIST GAVE ME SOME NICE INFORMATION AND AFTER RESEARCH I LEARNED TOYOTA KNEW ABOUT THE FAULTY HEAD GASKETS IN THEIR VEHICLES AND CAME OUT WITH A NEW REDESIGNED ONE, BUT THEY NEVER TOLD CONSUMERS AND REFUSE TO FO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. NOW MY CAR IS IN THE SHOP AND QUOTED AT $3200.
KINGS TOYOTA DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT THE FRAME IS RUSTED SO SEVERELY THAT IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. SERVICE TECHNICIAN SAYS RUST IS SO BAD THEY CANNOT PUT IT ON A LIFT..
I'VE PUT A DOWN PAYMENT OF 1200 AT PREMIER AUTO SALES . IN VICTORIA TX I LEFT FEEL POSITIVE ABOUT THE VEHICLE . THE SALES MAN TOLD ME AS SOON AS THEY GET A MECHANIC TO LOOK AT IT . IT DIDN'T HAVE AN INSPECTION EITHER . SO I TOOK IT TO P&H ALL THEY DID WAS RIGHT IN A PAPER AN SENT IT BACK WITH ME TO THE CAR LOT AFTER I PICKED IT UP FROM IT BEING DEAD THE BATTERY TERNINALS WHERE HORRIBLE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON THE OIL LIGHT AFTER A BRAND KNEW OIL CHANGE KEPT SMOKING SO TOOK IT BACK SO THEY COULD LOOK AT IT TO FIND OUT THEY JUST CLEARED THE CODES . PICKED IT OUT HE FOLLOWING MONDAY WELL THE VEHICLE SMELT LIKE IT WAS BURNING HAD TO USE MY EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP . CALLED THEM AND THE SALES LADY IN THE FRONT SAID IT WASN'T THEIR PROBLEM STILL WITHIN THE 30 DAY PERIOD SO TOOK IT TO THE BRAKE PLACE DOWN THE ROAD FROM THEM MY BRAKES WERE SO BACK THEY HAD TO CHANGE EVERYTHING HE SAID I COULD HAVE CAUSED A WRECK BECAUSE OF THEM BEING SO WORE DOWN . I CALLED TO MAKE ARRANGEMENT WITH THEM AND THEY WERE JUST BEING UGLY ABOUT THE SITUATION OVER ALL . I'VE TRIED TO BE NICE AND DO THE RIGHT THINK THIS WAS UNSAFE FOR ME AS WELL AS MY CHILDREN .
FRAME HAS WAY TOO MUCH RUST FOR A VEHICLE OF THIS AGE. EXHAUST MANIFOLD TICKING NOISE. BOTH ARE WELL DOCUMENTED ISSUES WITH THIS MODEL YEAR....
BLOWN HEAD GASKET AT 150K MILES. POTENTIAL TO OVERHEAT TO OVERHEAT WHILE IN OPERATION LEAVING THE PASSENGERS STRANDED OR START AN ENGINE FIRE. EVERY LOCAL MECHANIC SHOP I RECEIVED ESTIMATES FROM IN KNOXVILLE WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS ISSUE FOR THIS MODEL YEAR AND THE INTERNET FORUM SEARCHES HAVE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS FOR THIS SAME ISSUE. NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM.
BLOWN HEAD GASKET WITH 130,000 MILES. BLOWN NEAR THE NUMBER 6 CYLINDER (LIKE EVERYONE ELSE). COST $3700 FOR REPAIRS.
LOSS OF COOLANT WITH NO VISIBLE SIGNS OF LEAKING. REPLACED SO MANY THINGS AND KEEP GETTING MISFIRES AND VSC LIGHTS ON CONSTANTLY. ROUGH START UP FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS EVERY TIME STARTED. SLIGHT OVER HEATING IF IDLING ... ALL POINTS NOW LEAD TO BLOWN HEAD GASKET IN WHICH I READ MORE AND MORE AND COMMON WITH 04 V6S.
THIS 2004 TOYOTA 4RUNNER HAD 145000 MILES ON IT WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, ALONG WITH VSC AND VSC TRAC LIGHTS. ENGINE RAN ROUGH/RUMBLED FOR FEW SECONDS AFTER EACH START, THEN THE RUMBLING WOULD STOP. AT AUTOZONE THEY DIAGNOSED A P0306 ERROR CODE. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO SCANNED CODE # 0306 #6 CYLINDER MISFIRE. FURTHER TESTING SHOWED COOLANT SEEPING UNDER HEADGASKET, AND DEALER RECOMMENDED REPLACING CYLINDER HEADGASKET. RESEARCHING THE ISSUE, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS PARTICULAR CAR AT THIS MILEAGE. WHAT MADE ME FILE THIS COMPLAINT IS THAT EACH SINGLE ONE OF THE OWNERS WHO POSTED ONLINE MENTIONED THIS PARTICULAR DIAGNOSIS CODE OF CYLINDER #6 MIFIRE. I FOUND ITINTERESTING THAT EVERYBODY HAS THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM, AND NOT EVEN ONCE IT WAS ANY OTHER CYLINDER MISFIRE BUT # 6. I HAD THE DEALER REPLACE THE HEADGASKET, WHICH TOOK CARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT SINCE IT'S A RECURRING PROBLEM, I THINK TOYOTA SHOULD TAKE OF THIS ISSUE.
EVENT OCCURRED AT START UP. WARNING LIGHTS >>> CHECK ENGINE, VSC TRAC, AND TRAC OFF. PER TOYOTA DEALERSHIP >>> FOUND HEAD GASKET ALLOWING ANTIFREEZE TO LEAK INTO CYLINDER 6 CAUSING P0306 REPLACED BOTH HEAD GASKETS COST $2644.91
VEHICLE ENGINE LIGHT AND OTHER LIGHTS CAME ON, TOOK TO DEALER AND TOLD ME CODE WAS PO306 CODE WAS DIAGNOSED STATING THERE IS A MISFIRE IN CYLINDER #6 RESULTING IN A HEAD GASKET PROBLEM OF COOLANT ENTERING THE CYLINDER & IT WOULD COST ME 3000 TO 5000 DOLLARS TO FIX. EVERY TIME I START CAR IN MORNING THE CAR HAS A ROUGH SHACKING START UNTIL WARMED UP, MY CAR HAS 135000 MILES & REVIEWING ONLINE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE AROUND OR AFTER 120000 MILES AND THAT THEIR ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS WITH THE EXACT SAME ISSUE I AM HAVING. PLEASE CAN ONE GET HELP IN GETTING TOYOTA ACCOUNTABLE FOR A PROBLEM THEY SURELY KNOW ABOUT AS WELL AS BECAUSE I AM NOT THE FIRST AND PROBABLY NOT THE LAST ON COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS ISSUE & THAT THIS IS NOT A NORMAL PROBLEM FOR THIS ENGINE IT IS A MANUFACTURES DEFECT
ROTTEN EGG SMELL FROM REAR OF TRUCK. WORSE WITH REAR WINDOW OPEN.
MY 4RUNNER CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VSC TRAK OFF LIGHTS CAME ON WITH IT. THE TROUBLE CODE INDICATED #6 CYLINDER MISFIRE. AFTER CHECKING ALL THE SENSORS IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT THERE WAS A SLIGHT LOSS OF COOLANT. CHECKED THE ENGINE AND FOUND THAT THE HEAD GASKET FOR #6 HAD FAILED. LOOKING ON LINE I SEE THAT THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT SIMILAR PROBLEMS AROUND THE 120K MILES MARK. ISN'T TOYOTA REQUIRED TO REPORT THESE TO NHTSA AND SHOULD THERE BE A RECALL ON THIS? THIS PROBLEM SEEMS VERY SIMILAR TO AN EARLIER TOYOTA ISSUE THAT RESULTED IN A RECALL. A HEAD GASKET SHOULD NOT FAIL DURING NORMAL USE OF A VEHICLE ESPECIALLY ONE THAT IS USED VERY LIGHTLY AND NOT OFF ROAD.
CYLINDER 6 MISFIRES CAUSED BY OIL LEAKING INTO CYLINDER 6 COMBUSTION CHAMBER AROUND SPARK PLUG. THE ISSUE IS TRACED BACK TO A HEAD GASKET FAILURE ON THE 2004 4RUNNER V6 ENGINE. CYLINDER 6 IS THE WEAK POINT WHERE SUCH FAILURES OCCUR ESPECIALLY AT START UP AND WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD. THERE IS CLEARLY A DESIGN FLAW IN THE 2004 V6 4RUNNER'S HEAD GASKET WHICH REQUIRES MANY HOURS OF LABOR TO REPAIR AND SHOULD BE COVERED BY TOYOTA. *TR
AFTER READING ONLINE THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF REPORTS OF CYLINDER #6 FAILING WITH A HEAD GASKET ISSUE WHICH RESULTS IN A 2500-4000 $$ REPAIR BILL. TOYOTA HAD A MAJOR RECALL FOR THE 2ND GENERATION 4RUNNER BECAUSE OF HEAD GASKET ISSUES. THEY REALLY NEED TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE B/C THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE 2004 4RUNNER V6 ENGINE. *TR
ROUGH IDLE AT MORNING START UP. VSC, TRAC OFF INDICATORS ILLUMINATE. OBD II CODE OF P0306, MISFIRE CYLINDER #6. HAVING TO REFILL ENGINE COOLANT ON A WEEKLY BASIS. PREMATURE HEAD GASKET FAILURE. TOYOTA SUPER LONG LIFE ENGINE COOLANT IS SLOWLY LEAKING INTO CYLINDER #6. ROUGH IDLE NOTICEABLE AT MORNING START UP BECAUSE THE FLUID BUILDS UP TO A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OVERNIGHT. ESTIMATED COST TO FIX IS $3000. *TR
ENGINE IS LEAKING COOLANT INTO THE #6 CYLINDER CAUSING MISFIRE, ROUGH IDLE, AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE - APPARENTLY A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS V6, 4.0L ENGINE LEAKING AT THE #6 CYLINDER - OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT TO HAVE HEAD GASKETS FAILING AT THE SAME LOCATION. *TR
WHILE DRIVING, THE CEL (CHECK ENGINE LIGHT) CAME ON AND THE VSC TRAC AND VSC OFF LIGHTS CAME ON AS WELL. APPARENTLY TOYOTA DISABLES VSC WHEN THE CEL IS TRIGGERED. IN MY CASE, THE 2 TIMES IT HAS OCCURRED HAS BEEN DUE TO EMISSIONS RELATED FAILURES (1ST TIME THE CAT FAILED, 2ND TIME ONE OF THE O2 SENSORS FAILED). IN THE 1ST CASE, I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AS I WAS APPROACHING THE END OF THE EMISSIONS WARRANTY. THEY MADE THE REPAIRS AND CLEARED ALL THE CODES SO WASN'T AWARE THAT THE VSC SYSTEM WAS ACTUALLY DISABLED. THE 2ND TIME (O2 FAILURE) I REPLACED THE FAILED O2 SENSOR, THE CEL HAS CLEARED, HOWEVER THE VSC LIGHTS ARE STILL ON AND VSC IS DISABLED. I HAVE SERIOUS CONCERNS THAT TOYOTA DISABLES KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS DUE TO EMISSIONS RELATED FAILURES ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE INHERENT STABILITY PROBLEMS WITH SUV'S. IF I'M ON A TRIP WITH MY FAMILY AND AN O2 SENSOR FAILS, OR A CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILS, OR THE GAS CAP FAILS, KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS THAT HELP KEEP MY FAMILY AND I SAFE SHOULD NOT BE DISABLED! I THINK THIS DESERVES AN INVESTIGATION. *TR
THIS INCIDENT WAS 1ST NOTICED 12/9/2009. I STARTED MY CAR IN THE MORNING AND LET IT WARM UP, WHEN I WENT TO GET IN IT A FEW MINUTES LATER, THE HEATER FAN WOULD NOT WORK. SINCE THEN, I FIND THAT THE HEATER FAN WILL WORK OFF AND ON, SEEMS TO BE AFTER VEHICLE HAS WARMED UP A BIT -MAYBE (NOT SURE OF THE RHYTHM OR REASON). I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE IN COLD WEATHER ESPECIALLY SINCE I HAVE SMALL CHILDREN AND FEAR GETTING STUCK OR STRANDED WITH NO HEAT! I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN DECEMBER OF 2008 AND DROVE IT ALL LAST WINTER WITH NO PROBLEMS-THEREFORE I AM CONCERNED AS TO WHEN AND WHERE IT WILL MALFUNCTION AGAIN. *TR
VIBRATION IS FELT IN STEERING WHEEL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (55 MPH OR HIGHER). THIS IS ESPECIALLY PRESENT WHEN STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT. HAVE HAD TIRES REBALANCED WITH NO CHANGE IN VIBRATION. PROBLEM HAS BEEN WITH VEHICLE SINCE PURCHASE. TIRE REPLACEMENT AND ROTATION DOES NOT CORRECT VIBRATION. *CN
1.) THERE IS A SERIOUS "CLUNK" NOISE WHEN BRAKING AND ALSO THE SAME NOISE WHEN STARTING FROM A COMPLETE STOP WHEN YOU TAKE FOOT OFF BRAKE. 2.) THERE IS "SULFUR SMELL " IN CABIN FROM CATALYTIC CONVERTER. *TR
EXCESSIVE SULFUR SMELL WHEN ACCELERATING. OCCUPANTS OF THE CAR CAN SMELL THE SULFUR, AND ALL WINDOWS MUST BE ROLLED UP IN WARMER WEATHER TO BLOCK OUT SMELL. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, BUT THEY WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THERE IS NO TSB FOR THE V8 (BUT THERE IS FOR THE V6) TOYOTA 4RUNNER. *JB
AFTER 2.5 YEARS AND ABOUT 25000 MILES, MY 4 RUNNER SPORT DEVELOPS A STRONG SULFUR ODOR INSIDE THE CABIN WHEN DRIVING. BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER (CALDWELL TOYOTA) IN WEST CALDWELL, NJ WHO INFORMED ME THE PROBLEM WAS NORMAL AND CAUSED BY THE TYPE OF FUEL USED. CALDWELL TOYOTA HAD NO ANSWER TO MY QUESTION WHY THE PROBLEM SUDDENLY SURFACED AFTER 2.5 YEARS NOR DID THEY OFFER TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE. THE CALDWELL TOYOTA TECHNICIAN COULD NOT EXPLAIN HOW THE SULFUR SMELL FROM THE EXHAUST, WHICH SHOULD BE CONTAINED WITHIN THE ENGINE AND SHOULD ONLY TO BE EXPELLED FROM THE CAR THROUGH THE MUFFLER ENTERED, THE CABIN WHILE DRIVING (SEEMS PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE). THE STRONG SULFUR ODOR INSIDE THE CABIN CAUSES NAUSEA, LIGHT HEADINESS AND GENERAL DISCOMFORT, WHICH DISTRACT ME FROM DRIVING. THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AS A POTENTIAL CAUSE FOR TOYOTA 4RUNNER ACCIDENTS. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED OR EVEN PARKED WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, THERE WAS STRONG GAS ODOR INSIDE THE CABIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DISCOVERED RUST IN THE INJECTION SYSTEM AND A CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILURE.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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