2003 Toyota 4RUNNER Transmission and drivetrain Problems

“There is excessive rust on the underbody of my 2003 4RUNNER. It has just 165,000 miles and the frame is extremely rusted. Being only 15 years old I find this to be very sad and unreasonable. The car should be able to last 20-30 years and 300,000 miles. The car has been regularly washed and driven in pennsylvania, illinois, ohio, new york. If there was additional treatment required for the frame it should have been coated, or at the very least notify the customers to make sure they do it. These car should last much much longer and as expensive as the 4runners are they should last.”

“I have had this vehicle since new, and only travel back and forth to work approx 30 miles a day..(now has 59,000 miles).vehicle has been regularly serviced at a local Toyota dealer...vehicle never used for towing or never been off-road, and maintained like a baby...all of a sudden dealer told me my front axle cv joints are leaking and needs replacing including the rear shocks? This is fully loaded 2003 Toyota limited edition v8...seems very unusual at 59k miles? Will contact Toyota to see if they can help out in any way...”

“From a completely stopped position, letting off the gas and allowing the truck to idle forward results in a klunk noise whether you accelerate or not. As I have read, it is a problem within the drivetrain. I took the truck to Toyota to have it looked at. They say it is because the rear needs to be lubed with every oil change and was completely dry. They lubed it up and said the problem should improve with time. The truck is still making the klunk noise. The truck has only 85k. This seems very similar to the problem with Toyota tundra and some lexuses.”

“The vehicle would rev itself up to a high RPM, from a stopped position when I stepped on the gas the vehicle would go in reverse. The dealership eventually replaced the transmission only after the manager borrowed it overnight and experienced it himself, but I have noticed the problem beginning again. Another problem is the radiator leaking and needed to be replaced (I was told it had the wrong kind of antifreeze; it was green and it needs a red kind???). When replacing this I was notified that my front brakes were paper thin and needed to be replaced this repair cost me almost $2000. …”

“Continuing problem on my 2003 v8 4runner with the drive shaft. When I come to a stop or when I accelerate after a stop there is a momentary lag that feels like a clunk or that someone has just run into your back bumper. Toyota dealer fixes the problem with grease to the slip yoke but after 2,000 miles it comes back and is only getting worse. I've complained to the dealer continually and lexus 470 (same vehicle) has a TSB on the same occurrence. It has become increasingly annoying and can only be classifies as a dangerous defect.”