MyCarTSB

1998 Toyota 4runner Electrical Problems

11 owner-reported electrical complaints from NHTSA data

11
Complaints
1
Crashes
4
Fires
Jan 2002Dec 2004
Date Range

Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.

Owner Complaints (11)

mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM
FireFiled: Sep 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A SMALL FIRE ERUPTED UNDER THE HOOD AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR 100 MILES. THE CONTACT SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND WHEN THE HOOD WAS OPENED, THERE WERE FLAMES COMING FROM THE ALTERNATOR. THE FIRE DAMAGED THE WIRING HARNESS BUT WAS EXTINGUISHED QUICKLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE FIRE WAS STARTED BY A DEFECTIVE VOLTAGE REGULATOR TO THE ALTERNATOR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE WAS A MAINTENANCE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 102,000. UPDATED 9/25/12 *CN UPDATED 10/04/2012 *JS UPDATED 10/16/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE FIRST DEALER FAILED TO THE CONTACT OF PENDING ALTENATOR FAILURE , AFTER THE CONSUMER TOLD THE DEALER BOTH ABS AND BATTERY WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. UPDATED 10/18/2012 *JS

NHTSA #: 10475327
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Filed: Aug 2010

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT WAS SITTING AT A TRAFFIC STOP WITH THE BRAKES DEPRESSED WHEN THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED. SHE ENGAGED THE BRAKES ABRUPTLY TO STOP THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IMMEDIATELY TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SENSOR ON THE ACCELERATOR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 152,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 155,000. UPDATED 11/08/10 * BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE AT TIMES. UPDATED 11/10/10.

NHTSA #: 10350065
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM
FireFiled: Mar 2007

WHILE DRIVING TO WORK IN MY CAR ON 3/21/07 THE SOLENIOD OF THE STARTER DID NOT DISENGAGE AND A FIRE COMMENCED IN THE STARTER OF THE CAR. FORTUNATLY, I WAS ABLE TO STOP AND A PASSER BY,ALMOST IMMEDIATLY PROVIDED A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, AND THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. DAMAGE TP THE AUTO WAS RELATIVELY SMALL.*AK

NHTSA #: 10186153
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM
FireFiled: Dec 2004

WHILE PARKED A FIRE STARTED UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, PUT OUT THE FIRE, AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA #: 10102013
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Filed: Jul 2004

WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE EARLY IN THE MORNING CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. HE PROCEEDED TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE ,BUT THE ENGINE CONTINUED RUNNING, IMMEDIATELY HE DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY, STILL THE ENGINE WAS CONTINUED TO RUN. *AK

NHTSA #: 10081449
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM
FireFiled: Jan 2004

OUR TOYOTA 4RUNNER CAUGHT ON FIRE WITHOUT ANY WARNING. MY HUSBAND HAD JUST PULLED INTO OUR DRIVEWAY, TAKEN OUR 2 SMALL CHILDREN OUT OF THE CAR, WHEN WE NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE HOOD WOULD NOT RELEASE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. IT TOOK 30-45 MINUTES TO CONTAIN THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE IS A TOTAL LOST. *JB

NHTSA #: 10056240
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Filed: Jan 2004

THIS TRUCK (AUTO, 6 CYL, 2WD) SOMETIMES STALLS, BUT ONLY WHEN COMING TO A STOP, ALWAYS IN MOTION, NEVER AT IDLE, JUST AS IF THE KEY WERE TURNED OFF. OCCURS VERY INTERMITTENTLY (7 TIMES SINCE SEPT 2003)... MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT NOTHING HAS REGISTERED ON THE COMPUTER. INTERSTATE BATTERY IS 8 MONTHS OLD. EVERY OTHER TIME, I'VE PUT IT IN PARK AND IT STARTS RIGHT UP, BUT THIS MORNING IT WOULDN'T START FOR ALMOST TWO MINUTES IN A BUSY INTERSECTION. A FRIEND ALSO HAS 1998 4RUNNER; SAYS IT'S BEEN HAPPENING TO HER OVER TWO YEARS, BUT LESS OFTEN. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. THIS CAN'T BE A COINCIDENCE, AND IT CAN'T JUST BE THE TWO OF US. I SPOKE WITH TOYOTA TODAY, BUT MINE IS THE ONLY COMPLAINT THEY HAVE ABOUT THIS.

NHTSA #: 10054679
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE
CrashFiled: Mar 2002

ON 03'04/02 I WAS SITTING AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT WITIN ON THE LIGHT TO CHANGE TO GREEN. THE LIGHT CHANGED TO GREEN , THEN I PROCEEDED INTO THE INTERSECTION WHERE I WAS T-BONED ON THE DRIVER SIDED. AT THIS TIME I HEAR A LOUD BANG THEN THE LOWER AREA BY THE BRAKES CAVED IN ON MY LEFT LEG, THE THE DOORS LOCKED ,THEN MY CAR ALARM SOUNDS OFF. DURING THIS TIME I CAN SEE SMOKE TO MY LEFTT IN THE DOOR AREA. SO IMMDIATELY I TRY TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE BUT I HAD TO UNLOCK DOORS FIRST. I RECALL TRYING TO GET OUT OF THE SEAT BUT IWAS RESTRAINT BY THE SEAT BELT DURING THIS TIME FROM THE IMPACT MY VEHICLE IS STILL MOVING. I REACHED OVER TO REMOVE MY SEAT BELT WHILE ALSO RAISING MYSELF OUT OF THE SEAT WHEN THE DRIVER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. MY ARM TO THE FULL FORCE OF THE PRESSURE OF THE AIR BAG DEPLOYING. I MANAGED TO GET BETWEEN THE FRONT SEAT TO CROSS OVER TO THE PASSENGER SIDE TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE AIR BAG STARTED TO DEPLOYED I REACHED FOR MY PURSE ON FRONT FLOOR OF THE PASSENGER SIDE AND CONTINUE TO GET TO THE BACK SEAT OF 4 RUNNER. I TRIED TO GET OUT ON THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR BUT IT WOULD NOT OPEN THEN I WENT TO THE PASSENGER REAR DOOR AND GOT OUT BUT WHEN I STOOD UP OUT OF THE VEHICLE MY LEFT LEG COLLASPE AND I FOUND MY SELF IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSECTION UNPROTECTIVE. I LAID IN THE INTERSECTION FOR ABOUT 5-7 MINUTES BEFORE OTHER CITIZEN CAMED ON THE SCENE. YOU COULD NOT BEGAN TO IMAGE YOURSELF TRAPPED IN THIS UTILITY VEHICLE LIKE A CAGED MOUSE WITH NO WAY OUT. ALL HEAR IS THE BANG, ELECTRIC DOORS LOCKING, ALARM SOUNDING OFF, AND SMOKE TO THE LEFT OF YOU AND NO VISIBLE PERSON TO HELP YOU GET OUT OF THIS CAGE. NLM

NHTSA #: 759894
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Mar 2002

ENGINE FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT NORMAL SPEED. DEALER COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. TRUCK CONTINUED TO FAIL AND NOT START FOR ANOTHER WEEK UNTIL IT WAS TOWED TO DEALER AGAIN. SECOND DEALER CLAIMS ECU IS RUSTED CAUSED BY A LEAK SOMEWHERE. TRUCK PURCHASED 4 MONTHS AGO AND WAS A CERTIFIED USED VEH. TOYOTA WILL NOT PAY FOR THE FIX. NLM

NHTSA #: 759892
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Filed: Jan 2002

REESE TOOLING KIT PACKAGE ON VEHICLE IS CAUSING FUSES TO BLOWOUT, VEHICLE HAS NO RUNNING LIGHTS, AND CONSUMER CANNOT PUT VEHICLE IN GEAR. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAS TAKING A LOOK AT VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA #: 8001821
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Filed: Feb 2000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAULTY. NLM

NHTSA #: 550788

Other 1998 Toyota 4runner Issues