1999 Toyota 4runner Fuel System Problems

Your fuel gauge is giving incorrect readings — it sometimes shows empty when the tank is full and full when it's empty. The gauge constantly fluctuates, making it impossible to know your actual fuel level, and you've already run out of gas because you couldn't trust the reading. The fix will likely involve replacing the fuel gauge sender unit or fuel gauge itself.

THE FUEL GAUGE DOES NOT READ CORRECTLY AND WILL INDICATE FULL AT TIMES AND EMPTY AT OTHERS LEADING TO RISK OF RUNNING OUT OF FUEL. I FINALLY REAILZED THIS AND SO DON'T USE THE GAUGE ANYMORE. CREATED RISK OF RUNNING OUT OF GAS ON THE HIGHWAY IF I HADN'T SEEN IT.

I'M THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS 1999 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. FUEL GAUGE IS INACCURATE, GIVES MISLEADING INFORMATION. ACCORDING TO SPECIFICATION THIS GAS TANK CAN HOLDS 18.5 GALLONS, BUT WHEN THE GAUGE SAID IT WAS EMPTY I FILLED IT ALL THE WAY UP AND IT ONLY TOOK ~13 GALLONS. THIS A FAULTY DESIGN AND IT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AND REPAIRED FOR CUSTOMER. I DIDN'T NOTICE THIS PROBLEM UNTIL I HAVE A LONG TRIP ~ 500 MILES AWAY FROM HOME. *TR

THE FUEL GAUGE ALWAYS READS 1/2 FULL TO FULL. RAN OUT OF GAS 6 TIMES DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. TOYOTA HAS A TSB (EL010-00) OUT ON FUEL GAUGE INACCURACY. AFTER REPLACING AN EXPENSIVE SENDING UNIT, STILL NO HELP. ACCORDING TO THIS TSB I DO NOT HAVE TO REPLACE THE CIRCUIT BOARD BEHIND THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. THIS IS A FACTORY FLAW AND TOYOTA SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS PROBLEM. THANKS. *JS

I PURCHASED A 1999 TOYOTA 4RUNNER 2 YEARS AGO AFTER DRIVING IT OFF THE LOT WE NOTICED WITHIN A WEEK THAT THE FUEL GAUGE WAS NOT WORKING. THEY EXPLAINED THAT HAD THEY KNEW IT WAS BROKEN, HOW WOULDN'T YOU, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SELL IT FOR THAT PRICE. I PAID FOR THE FIX AND WAS REASSURED THAT THIS WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM. WELL, STARTING ABOUT 1 MONTH AGO I AM NOW HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I CONTACTED TOYOTA GOODWILL AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS ONLY COVERED UNDER INITIAL WARRANTY. I HAVE READ SEVERAL FORUMS AND COLUMNS ON THIS ISSUE AND THE PROBLEM DOES NOT OCCUR WITHIN THE FIRST 36 K MILES SO ALOT OF GOOD THAT DOES. I AM STILL WAITING TO SEE IF MANAGEMENT REVIEWS MY CASE, BUT I DOUBT ANYTHING WILL GET DONE UNLESS I CONTINUE TO CALL BACK. I WOULD THINK THAT TOYOTA WOULD WANT TO EXTEND SOME GOODWILL CONSIDERING THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME IT HAS HAPPENED TO ME. THE SAFETY ISSUE IS RELEVANT CONSIDERING THERE IS NO REAL WAY TO EXACTLY TRACK YOUR MILES AND BECOMING STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY OR LATE AT NIGHT IS CERTAINLY NOT A GOOD THING TO HAVE TO EXPERIENCE. *TR

I HAVE A 1999 TOYOTA 4-RUNNER AND THE FUEL GAUGE HAS STOPPED WORKING. IT BEGAN BY SHOWING A QUANTITY OF FUEL WHEN IT REALLY DID NOT HAVE ANY FUEL. THIS CAUSED ME TO RUN OUT OF FUEL AND ALMOST HAVE A MAJOR ACCIDENT. IT NOW MAY READ FULL, ZERO, 1/2 ETC. YOU CANNOT DEPEND ON THE ACCURACY. I CONTACTED DEALER WHO TOLD ME THEY KNEW IT WAS A TOYOTA DEFECT BUT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY WOULD DO NOTHING ABOUT IT BUT TELL ME TO BRING IT IN AND THEY WOULD FIX IT FOR BETWEEN $500 - $1000!!! TOYOTA HAS EVEN ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN TSB # EL 010-00 TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM BUT NOT OFFER REPAIRING THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR THOSE UNAWARE AND COULD RESULT IN DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY. *TR

SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER WHEN DRIVING 1999 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SR5. FUEL GAUGE READS FULL AND VEHICLE STALLS DUE TO NO FUEL IN TANK. I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO VERIFY THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE TO TOYOTA AND THAT THEY HAVE REFUSED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM UNDER WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT A PROBLEM WITH THE PART AS DELIVERED IN THIS VEHICLE AND THEY ISSUED TSB:EL010-00 TITLED "FUEL GAUGE INACCURACY" TO FIX THE PROBLEM ONLY UNDER WARRANTY. THIS IS NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE, BUT A SAFETY ISSUE AS VEHICLE CAN RUN OUT OF FUEL AND STALL WITHOUT WARNING AT HIGH RATES OF SPEED ON CONGESTED HIGHWAYS. THIS ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. I HAVE HAD TO USE THE ODOMETER TO GUESS HOW MUCH FUEL IS REMAINING THE FUEL TANK AT ANY GIVEN TIME. FACTORS SUCH AS HIGHWAY CONDITIONS, WEATHER, NECESSARY USE OF 4WD CAN IMPACT THE NUMBER OF MILES ACHIEVED IN A SINGLE TANK OF GAS. ALSO, FUEL TANK MUST BE FILLED TO TOP WHEN REFUELING TO MOST ACCURATELY GUESS NUMBER OF MILES THAT CAN BE DRIVEN BEFORE THE VEHICLE STALLS. *TR

VEHICLE STALLS AND DIES ON FREEWAY ALMOST CAUSING WRECK. FIND OUT THERE IS NO FUEL IN TANK EVEN THOUGH FUEL GAUGE READS 1/2. TOYOTA SAYS TSB EL010-00 ADDRESSES KNOWN DEFECTIVE 1999 AND 2000 FUEL GAUGES AND ALSO ADDRESSES SOME GAUGES INACCURATELY READING EMPTY WHEN 4 GALLONS REMAIN. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE DURING RUSH HOUR, IN THE PASSING LANE AT 70 MPH, THE VEHICLES ENGINE QUIT, LOST ALL POWER STEERING, BRAKES, ETC. VERY DANGEROUS FOR ME AND MY FAMILY. WAS ABLE TO DRIFT TO A TURN AROUND. BOTTOM LINE, VEHICLE HAD RUN OUT OF GAS, EVEN THOUGH FUEL GAUGE SHOWED A LITTLE OVER 1/2 TANK. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. *TR

DRIVING ON I-79 IN PASSING LANE AT 65 MPH, THE ENGINE QUIT, COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES..RUSH HOUR. MOST DANGEROUS THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED TO ME. COASTED TO SIDE OF ROAD, TOWED TO GARAGE, ENGINE WILL NOT START, SHOWS A LITTLE OVER 1/2 TANK ON FUEL GAGE..ENDS UP, WAS OUT OF FUEL ! GAUGE GAVE FALSE READING. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 54,000 MILES ON IT. I DID FIND A TOYOTA TSB EL010-00 THAT ADDRESSES THIS EXACT PROBLEM, BUT I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF IT. MY VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT FROM A TOYOTA DEALER WITH MY NAME AS THE NEW OWNER ON RECORD. THIS IS THE MOST DANGEROUS THING TO HAPPEN, NO INDICATION OF LOW FUEL LEVEL, NO FUEL LOW WARNING LIGHT,,GAUGE WAS SHOWING A LITTLE OVER 1/2 TANK. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AS A RECALL. *TR

FUEL GAUGE BEGAN SHOWING INACCURATE READINGS. USUALLY SHOWED AT OR NEAR FULL REGARDLESS OF ACTUAL FUEL VOLUME IN TANK. AFTER A COUPLE WEEKS IT JUST STAYED AT THE FULL MARK. MORE RECENTLY, ABOUT THE BEGINNING OF MARCH, 2009, UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE THE GAUGE WOULD OCCASIONALLY DROP TO THE EMPTY MARK, AND THE LOW FUEL INDICATOR LIGHT WOULD FLASH. IT WOULD REMAIN THIS WAY UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. UPON TURNING THE KEY BACK TO THE ON POSITION, OR RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, THE GAUGE WOULD RETURN TO THE FULL MARK AND REMAIN THERE. REPLACING THE FUEL SENDER AS STATED IN TSB EL010-00 HAS NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. IMMEDIATELY AFTER REPLACING THE FUEL SENDER THE GAUGE READ ABOUT 3/4 FULL BUT THE TANK WAS NEARLY EMPTY. AFTER FILLING THE TANK THE GAUGE MOVED TO FULL BUT IT CONTINUES TO ACT AS IS DID BEFORE REPLACING THE SENDER, EVEN AFTER GOING THROUGH THE CALIBRATION PROCEDURE MULTIPLE TIMES. ACCORDING TO THE VEHICLE VIN, AS SHOWN IN THE TSB, REPLACING THE COMBINATION PLATE (CIRCUIT BOARD) IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IS NOT NEEDED. BUT THE FUEL GAUGE STILL ALWAYS READS FULL, OR EMPTY, AS IT DID BEFORE REPLACING THE FUEL SENDER. *TR

MY GAS GAUGE HAS FAILED LIKE MANY OTHERS I HAVE READ ABOUT ON THE INTERNET. SEEMS TO BE A SERIOUS PROBLEM WHICH HAS CAUSED MANY WRECKS. *TR

I HAVE A BIG PROBLEM WITH MY FUEL GAUGE, IT IS EXTREMELY INACCURATE. SOMETIMES IT'LL TELL ME I HAVE MORE GAS THAN I DO, AND OTHER TIMES IT'LL TELL ME I HAVE LESS. APPARENTLY THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM AMONG 99 4RUNNERS, AND I'D REALLY LIKE TO GET THIS FIXED. I RAN OUT OF GAS ON THE FREEWAY THINKING I HAD HALF A TANK LEFT AND ALMOST CAUSED A WRECK. THANKS IN ADVANCE. *TR

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING HOME FROM SCHOOL, APPROXIMATELY A 3 MILE DRIVE, HER 1999 4 RUNNER BEGAN JERKING AND THEN THE ENGINE DIED. SHE WAS ABLE TO RESTART IT AND DRIVE FOR SEVERAL HUNDRED YARDS WHEN IT DID THE SAME THING. THIS TIME THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. MY WIFE WENT TO PICK HER UP AND SHE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AGAIN AND DRIVE APPROXIMATELY THE SAME DISTANCE WHEN IT DIED AGAIN, THIS TIME THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED AND ITS CURRENTLY AT A REPAIR STATION WAITING TO BE DIAGNOSED. I'VE HEARD THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING A FUEL PICKUP TUBE/SENSOR PROBLEM BUT I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND IT. WHY HASN'T TOYOTA HAD A RECALL YET? *TR

THIS EMAIL IS REGARDS TO THE INACCURACY OF THE FUEL GAUGE ON MY 99 TOYOTA . I WAS LEFT STRANDED LAST NIGHT OUTSIDE OF THUNDER BAY WITH NO FUEL EVEN THOUGH THE GAUGE READ WELL OVER 1/4 TANK LEFT. IN -35 CELSIUS WIND CHILL CONDITIONS. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THIS FAILURE. *NM

ERRATIC FUEL GAUGE, DANGER OF RUNNING OUT OF FUEL ON A DANGEROUS SITUATION. *NM

I WAS DRIVING MY 1999 TOYOTA 4RUNNER WHICH I HAD JUST PURCHASED WITH 104,000 MILES ON IT. I WAS DRIVING IN THE FAST LANE ON I-695 WHEN THE CAR STARTED LOSING POWER AND SLOWING DOWN VERY FAST. I BARELY CROSSED THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC TO GET TO THE SHOULDER. THE GAS GUAGE READ JUST UNDER 1/2 FULL, BUT ACCORDING TO A TSB, THE GUAGE AND SENDER UNIT SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED. I HAD NO WARNING FROM THE CAR TO TELL ME MY GAS TANK WAS FULL. RUNNING OUT OF GAS ON THE HIGHWAY IS DANGEROUS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS ISN'T A RECALL - WHY THIS ISN'T CONSIDERED A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. THE DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE ME TO FIX IT, BUT I CAN'T AFFORD IT. I WAS USING MY ODOMETER TO KEEP TRACK, BUT THE OTHER DAY, I RAN OUT AGAIN WHILE DRIVING IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. I THINK WITH THE A/C ON, IT MUST USE MORE GAS. I'M VERY UPSET.

THE CONSUMER SMELLED A GASOLINE ODOR COMING FROM THE VENT AREA. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR AN INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE FUEL RAIL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

1999 4 RUNNER SR5. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT I HAVE HARD STARTING, INTERMITTENT (POOR, ROUGH) IDLE AND SOME TIME NOT IDLE. AT HIGH ELEVATION, I HAVE EXTREMELY POOR GAS MILEAGE. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL DEALER SERVICES INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM. DEALERS WERE NOT ABLE TO ISOLATE PROBLEM. HOW I DEALT WITH IT OVER THE YEARS. NEVER USED THE VEHICLE OTHER THAN AT SEA LEVEL AND PUMP THROTTLE WHEN IDLE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE RETAINED. *JB

FUEL GAUGE GIVING INCORRECT READINGS.*AK

FUEL GAUGE GIVING INCORRECT READINGS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING, THE FUEL LINE FAILED. APPROX. 7 GALLONS OF GASOLINE SPRAYED OVER THE ENTIRE ENGINE. WHEN I PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY, GAS WAS DRIPPING FROM THE HOOD AND STREAMING DOWN THE SIDES OF THE ENGINE. THANKFULLY, NO FIRE! TIM'S BUICK, PONTIAC, GMC, TOYOTA, 1006 COMMERCE DR., PRESCOTT, AZ 86304, REPLACED THE HOSE AND PLACED ADDITIONAL RUBBER HOSE AROUND THE FUEL LINE AT THE POINT OF WEAR.*AK

GAS GAUGE READS INACCURATE. THE LOW LIGHT COMES ON MUCH TOO EARLY AND AHS CAUSED ME GREAT INCONVIENENCE

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CLUNKING IS STILL. THE GAS SMELL IS ELLUSIVE. TAIL LIGHTS = FRUSTRATING!!!

ENGINE STALLS WHILE VEHICLE IN OPERATION. STALLING OCCURS DURING DECELERATION (E.G. APPROACHING A TOLL BOOTH) AND ACCELERATION (E.G. ACCELERATING AFTER MAKING A FULL STOP). FAILURES ARE SPORADIC AND RANDOM (3X/MONTH). DEALER CLAIMS TO HAVE 4 TO 5 VEHICLES (SAME MAKE AND MODEL) WITH SAME PROBLEM. DEALER CLAIMS INABILITY TO FIX PROBLEM UNTIL SPECIAL TECHNICAL TEAM ARRIVES FROM MANUFACTURER.