Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2003 Toyota 4 Runner, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Engine and engine cooling75
- Power train18
- Seats17
- Visibility13
- Service brakes, hydraulic8
- Structure6
- Vehicle speed control6
- Tires5
- Fuel system, gasoline5
- Suspension5
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 19 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 41 2003 4 Runner vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 21 people died inside them, and 9 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
In the United Kingdom
2 cars built in 2003 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 2 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
Recalls
No recall campaigns cover the 2003 Toyota 4 Runner.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Toyota told its dealers about the 2003 Toyota 4 Runner: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 635854 | THIS BULLETIN OUTLINES THE INITIALIZATION PROCEDURE FOR THE BACK DOOR POWER WINDOW. *TT |
| 635852 | THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES INFORMATION ON SHORT PIN INSTALLATION DURING PREDELIVERY SERVICE. *TT |
| 635850 | THIS BULLETIN OUTLINES THE INITIALIZATION PROCEDURE FOR THE DRIVER'S DOOR POWER WINDOW AND THE MOON ROOF. *TT |
| 634005 | TECHNICAL INFORMATION REGARDING THE INITIAL CALIBRATION OF THE COMPASS DURING PRE-DELIVERY SERVICE. *TT |
| 634004 | TECHNICAL INFORMATION REGARDING THE INSTALLATION OF THE RECEIVER TOWING HITCH CAP DURING PRE-DELIVERY SERVICE. *TT |
| 634003 | ROOF RACK CROSS BAR INSTALLATION DURING PREDELIVERY SERVICE. *TT |
| 10018386 | MOON ROOF REPLACEMENT PARTS. *AK |
| 10018229 | ACCESSORY DRIVE BELT NOISE. *AK |
| 10017320 | THE BLOWER MOTOR SPEED DOES NOT MATCH THE HVAC DISPLAY INDICATION. *TT |
| 10017317 | NO START IN SUB-FREEZING AMBIENT AIR TEMPERATURES. *TT |
| 10017081 | STEERING FLUTTER FIELD-FIX PROCEDURE. SOME CUSTOMERS MAY EXPERIENCE A STEERING FLUTTER CONDITION WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *SC |
| 10016953 | DIAGNOSTICS - SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM. REPAIR MANUAL CORRECTION. 00400-RM100-1U1 '03 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. 00400-RM105-9U1 '04 4RUNNER. *TT |
| 10016623 | MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ON OR MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP LIGHT FLASHING WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE C1735 STORED IN MEMORY. VEHICLE HEIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM: C1735 EXHAUST SOLENOID VALVE CIRCUIT. *TT |
| 10016187 | DIAGNOSTICS - ABS WITH EBD & BA & TRAC & VSC SYSTEM (FROM NOVEMBER, 2002). 00400-RM105-9U1. 00400-RM100-1U1. *TT |
| 10016172 | THEFT DETERRENT & DOOR LOCK - POWER DOOR LOCK CONTROL SYSTEM 00400-RM116-5U3. 2004 4RUNNER 00400-RM105-9U2. 2003 4 RUNNER 00400-RM100-1U2. *TT |
| 10016090 | SFI SYSTEM (1GR-FE) REPAIR MANUAL CORRECTION FOR THE 2003 4RUNNER. 00400-RM103-4U. *TT |
| 10016089 | SFI SYSTEM (2UZ-FE) REPAIR MANUAL CORRECTION FOR THE 2003 4RUNNER. 00400-RM100-U1. *TT |
| 10016088 | ABS WITH EBD & BA & TRAC & VSC SYSTEM (DIAGNOSTICS). REPAIR MANUAL CORRECTION. 2003 4RUNNER. 00400-RM100-1U1. *TT |
| 10015834 | CHARGE WARNING LIGHT ON. *SC |
| 10015558 | REPAIR MANUAL CORRECTION - ABS WITH EBD & BA & TRAC & VSC SYSTEM (DIAGNOSTICS). 00400-RM100-1U1. *TT |
| 10015535 | MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) ON WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE (DTC) P0136 AND/OR P0156 (OXYGEN SENSOR CIRCUIT). *TT |
| 10015482 | COUNTERMEASURES TO THE AIR CONDITIONER (A/C) MAGNETIC CLUTCH RELAY FOR A/C LIGHT FLASHING (INOPERATIVE A/C) ISSUES ON SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A MAGNETIC CLUTCH COMPRESSOR. *TT |
| 10011803 | REPAIR MANUAL SUPPLEMENT: LEV II EVAP SYSTEM CHECK - DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE (DTC) P0441, P0442, P0446, P0451, P0452, P0453, P0455 AND P0456. *NM |
| 10010473 | OWNER RENOTIFICATION OF NON-COMPLETED SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGNS AND LIMITED SERVICE CAMPAIGNS. *TT |
| 10010021 | ENGINE BANK 1 AND BANK 2 A/F AND 02 IDENTIFICATION. VARIOUS TOYOTA MODELS. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)