2003 Toyota Toyota Truck Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2003 Toyota Toyota Truck, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine233.3%
- Steering233.3%
- Body & structure116.7%
- Other / unspecified116.7%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
I OWN A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA REG CAB 2WD REGISTERED IN CALIFORNIA. MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS EASILY STOLEN FROM MY VEHICLE. FOUR BOLTS AND IT'S FREE FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. I UNDERSTAND WHY THESE THEFTS ARE HAPPENING. WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND IS WHY TOYOTA IS CHARGING ME OVER $1,000.00 TO REPLACE IT. AS OF THIS POSTING, I HAVE FOUND NO AFTERMARKET CAT CONVERTER MANUFACTURER THAT MEETS CA OBDII SPECIFICATIONS FOR THIS MODEL TRUCK. A LIFE-LONG TOYOTA CUSTOMER, NO MORE. *TR
THE PROBLEM THAT EXISTS IS ON MY 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. IT WILL ALL OF A SUDDEN LOSE POWER AND HAVE NO THROTTLE RESPONSE, ALMOST AS IF IT WAS HITTING AN ENGINE GOVERNOR. THE RPMS USUALLY DROP ANYWHERE FROM 200-500 AND THEN COMES BACK UP. THE POWER WOULD SLOWLY COME BACK AFTER KEEPING MY FOOT ON THE THROTTLE. IT CONSISTENTLY DOES IT AFTER ACCELERATING OUT OF AN INTERSECTION (USUALLY AROUND 25 MPH OR WHILE CRUISING (AROUND BOTH 45 MPH OR 75 MPH) ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS DROP OF POWER OR LACK THEREOF IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE, ESPECIALLY WHEN PULLING INTO AN INTERSECTION OR NEEDING QUICK ACCELERATION TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE READ ABOUT MANY OTHERS WITH THE SAME ISSUES WITH THEIR LATE MODEL TACOMAS. THE PARTS TO FIX THE ISSUE ARE VERY COSTLY AND THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE WIDESPREAD.*JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
MY 03 4 RUNNER STEERING WHEEL FLUTTERS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. IT HAS HAPPENED SINCE NEW AND DEALER HAS BALANCED THE TIRES EVERYTIME. I CAN STILL FEEL THE STEERING WHEEL FLUTTER/SHAKE
I GET A SHIMMY (FLUTTER) IN MY STEERING WHEEL AT SPEEDS ABOVE 50 MPH, REGARDLESS OF ROAD CONDITIONS. I'VE TAKEN THIS TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES, BUT THEY FEEL IT, TRY TO FIX IT, CAN'T AND CALL IT "NORMAL" FOR A TOYOTA 4RUNNER. IT IS NOT NORMAL AND IT IS DANGEROUS. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
I PURCHASED A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA DOUBLE CAB NEW AFTER A FEW THOUSAND MILES NOTICED THAT UNDERNEATH THE FLOOR MAT WAS WET. TOYOTA HAS MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM AND IS STILL UNSUCCESSFUL, BUT THEY STATE THE PROBLEM IS REPAIRED BECAUSE THERE LEAK TEST DOES NOT SHOW THE LEAK, HOWEVER WHEN IT RAINS IT GETS WET. I FILED FOR ARBITRATION AND RECENTLY LOST, BECAUSE THEY STATED 5 REPAIR ATTEMPTS WAS NOT A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER EVEN THOUGH THE LAW SAYS 3 IS ENOUGH. I URGE ALL TOYOTA TRUCK OWNERS TO CHECK UNDER YOU FLOOR MATS AND LOOK TO SEE IF YOU HAVE THIS PROBLEM IF SO FILE A COMPLAINT AND LET THEM KNOW SO THEY DO NOT CONTINUE WITH THIS FAULTY PRODUCT AS THEY ARE NOW DOING. THE INCIDENT DATE LISTED BELOW STATES TODAY'S DATE BUT I HAVE BEEN FIGHTING THIS PROBLEM FOR OVER A YEAR NOW WITH LITTLE TO NO HELP FROM TOYOTA. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
AFTER I BOUGHT MY 4RUNNER I NOTICED LOSE OF POWER WHEN ENTERING BUSY STREETS OR ROADWAYS. I WOULD GO INTO AN INTERSECTION OR ROAD AND MY SUV WOULD BRAKE AND I COULD NOT SPEED UP , I HAD NO THROTTLE CONTROL FOR 3 OR 4 SECONDS THAT IS ALONG TIME WHEN YOU HAVE TRAFFIC BEHIND YOU. I AM GLAD I HAVE NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXITS. I TOOK IT TO DEALER BUT TELLS ME IT IS NORMAL. IT'S MORE LIKE SCARY THAN NORMAL.. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .