2003 Toyota 4RUNNER Latches, locks and linkages Problems
- Complaints
- 5about this part
- Share
- 1%of 696 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 99,000miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 5 complaints about the latches, locks and linkages of the 2003 Toyota 4RUNNER, 1% of the 696 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 99,000 miles.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“Power door locking mechanism on 2003 Toyota 4 RUNNER malfunctions and locks vehicle while running with the inability to exit vehicle from inside. Toyota was notified of this safety issue and is ignoring the problem (copies of e-mails from Toyota can be provided). Customer message boards indicate this may be a systemic safety issue. I hope this complaint initiates an investigation. The inability to exit a vehicle could pose an extreme hazard to driver/passengers. Thank you”
NHTSA complaint #10231575, filed 2008-06, 99,000 miles“All four of my door locks have stopped working with the automatic system. Each required a new lock actuator to be installed on each door. The failures occurred at 26,598 (7/16/04) - front driver, 50,327 (6/10/05) - rear right, 67,878 (12/30/05) - front right, 81,435 (05/2006) - rear driver. If a user does not notice the failure, the potential exists for children in the backseat to open the door - as the driver believes that the door is locked, but it is not.”
NHTSA complaint #10161070, filed 2006-06, 81,000 miles“Safety related to 2003 Toyota 4runner sport edition SUV. Driver's door locking mechanism froze up for the third time in two years. This time, could not open driver side door by any means. 63-year old driver had to exit over console, then through passenger door. Driver later had to re-enter from passenger side, over the console in order to drive vehicle to dealership. Took it to the dealer and was charged over $500 for repairs. Potential of not being able to exit vehicle. This is a flaw or defect is commonly noted on the world-wide web. …”
NHTSA complaint #10360532, filed 2010-10, 116,000 miles“The door locks on front-right and rear-left sides are malfunctioning. The dealer at bell Toyota indicates that there are bad actuators. Considering that the front-right and rear-left locks are not operable, I'm very concerned about the ability to escape the vehicle in an emergency situation. Also, the front-right and rear-left doors are sparingly utilized indicating that there is a quality issue associated with the malfunction.”
NHTSA complaint #10182891, filed 2007-02Latches, locks and linkages: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2 | 6% |
| 2021 | 1 | 3% |
| 2019 | 1 | 2% |
| 2017 | 1 | 3% |
| 2015 | 1 | 1% |
| 2008 | 1 | 1% |
| 2007 | 4 | 3% |
| 2006 | 2 | 1% |
| 2004 | 5 | 1% |
| 2003 | 5 | 1% |
| 2002 | 1 | 0% |
| 2001 | 1 | 1% |
| 2000 | 2 | 0% |
| 1998 | 2 | 1% |
| 1997 | 3 | 1% |
| 1996 | 1 | 1% |
| 1995 | 1 | 1% |
| 1990 | 2 | 3% |
Other parts of the 2003 Toyota 4RUNNER
284 complaintsSuspension
114 complaintsOther or unknown
111 complaintsEngine cooling
89 complaintsBrakes
74 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
39 complaintsSteering
35 complaintsVehicle speed control
29 complaintsSeats
21 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
18 complaintsWheels
15 complaintsFuel system
13 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2003 Toyota 4RUNNER
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology