2004 Toyota 4runner Electrical Problems

Your rear tailgate window shattered on its own while the vehicle was parked in the driveway right after you turned off the engine. You noticed a burning plastic smell before the glass broke. The sudden shattering was loud and startled passengers, and while no one was injured, this could be dangerous if it happened while driving. The repair will likely involve replacing the rear tailgate window assembly and investigating the underlying electrical or thermal cause.

I WAS DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 50 MPH ON POOLER PARKWAY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND A BUZZER WENT OFF. ALL OF A SUDDEN MY DASHBOARD GIVES OFF MULTIPLE WARNING SIGNALS: VASC TRAC, TRAC OFF, ABS (I) BRAKE. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS SO I PULL OFF THE ROAD AND TRY TO STOP THE CAR, BUT THE BRAKES FAIL. I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED. CHATHAM TOYOTA IN SAVANNAH GA TELLS ME IT'S ABOUT $4,000.00 TO REPAIR THIS. THIS FAILURE COULD HAVE KILLED MY WHOLE FAMILY.

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR ON POOLER PARKWAY IN POOLER, GA ON A CITY STREET IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN A BUZZER GOES OFF AND MY DASHBOARD IMMEDIATELY GIVES OFF MULTIPLE WARNING SIGNALS. VASC TRAC, TRAC OFF, ABS (I) BRAKE. I IMMEDIATELY PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TRY TO STOP THE CAR, BUT THE BRAKES FAIL. THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE KILLED MY WHOLE FAMILY. I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED. CHATHAM TOYOTA IN SAVANNAH GA INFORMED ME THAT I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT I NOR MY FAMILY MEMBERS WERE HURT OR KILLED. THEY ALSO STATED TO REPAIR THIS WOULD BE $4,000.00 UNBELIEVABLE! TOYOTA SHOULD WARN AND INFORM ALL BUYERS OF THIS!!!!

ABS, VSB TRAC ON/OFF, AND BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON SUDDENLY ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS HIGH-PITCHED ALERT. BRAKES EVENTUALLY BECOME DIFFICULT TO WORK. HAD TOWED TO DEALER, BY THE TIME DEALER LOOKED AT, IT WASN'T HAPPENING AND THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. PICKED UP CAR, HAPPENED AGAIN ON WAY HOME (BOTH TIMES MAKING RIGHT HAND TURNS). I AM TOLD THIS MAY BE AN ELECTRONIC PROBLEM BUT REGARDLESS, TO FIX IT, IT WILL COST THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ($4500 FIRST QUOTE) AND REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF A NUMBER OF PARTS/AN ENTIRE ASSEMBLY: BRAKE BOOSTER/ACCUMULATOR/MASTER CYLINDER ASSEMBLY. BESIDES THE DANGEROUS CONDITION, DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IS BUILT SUCH THAT SO MUCH WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AND COST SO MUCH. PRIOR TO THIS, SEEMED TO HAVE HAD MORE THAN USUAL PROBLEM WITH BRAKES, WITH MULTIPLE FROZEN CALIPERS FOR EXAMPLE.

LOSS OF COOLANT WITH NO VISIBLE SIGNS OF LEAKING. REPLACED SO MANY THINGS AND KEEP GETTING MISFIRES AND VSC LIGHTS ON CONSTANTLY. ROUGH START UP FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS EVERY TIME STARTED. SLIGHT OVER HEATING IF IDLING ... ALL POINTS NOW LEAD TO BLOWN HEAD GASKET IN WHICH I READ MORE AND MORE AND COMMON WITH 04 V6S.

8/6/14-STARTED MY 2004 4-RUNNER TO LEAVE WORK AND A HIGH-PITCHED ALARM SOUND STARTED AND THE VSC, ABS, AND OTHER DASH LIGHT SYMBOLS CAME ON. I REVERSED OUT OF MY PARKING SPOT, AND BRAKE, AND NOTHING OTHER THAN THOSE THINGS WAS OUT OF THE ORDINARY. I PULLED FORWARD AND PULLED INTO ANOTHER SPOT AND CALLED MY HUSBAND TO LET HIM HEAR WHAT WAS GOING ON TO SEE IF HE KNEW WHAT IT MAY BE. HE ASKED ME TO REVERSE, PULL FORWARD, AND SEE WHAT ELSE I HEARD/SAW, SO I DID SO DRIVING A SHORT DISTANCE (ABOUT 5 PARKING SPACES AWAY) ATTEMPTING TO EXIT THE 4TH LEVEL OF THE PARKING GARAGE I WAS IN. I STARTED TO BRAKE TO TURN LEFT AND NO BRAKES. I PUSHED THE BRAKE PETAL AS HARD AS I COULD WITH BOTH FEET AND NOTHING, SO I PUSHED THE PARKING BREAK AND AS IT CAME TO A STOP, I PANICKED AND THREW IT INTO PARK. I WAS WITHIN 1 FOOT OF THE CONCRETE WALL 4 STORIES OFF THE GROUND. GOT IT TO A LOCAL DEALER AND TOLD THEM I JUST GOT NEW BRAKES 6 WEEKS AGO, COULD THEY HAVE POSSIBLY GONE BAD? THEY CALLED AND SAID IT WAS THE ABS MODULE THAT NEEDED REPLACED AND THE USED PART AND LABOR IS $3000 AND THE NEW PART AND LABOR IS $5500.00. THIS IS NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE AND ARE BEING TOLD "RARE DEFECT". THIS "RARE DEFECT" COULD HAVE BARRELED ME THROUGH A CONCRETE WALL OR WORSE. THANKFULLY NO ONE WAS IN THE PARKING GARAGE WITH ME AT THE TIME AND I WAS AT A MINIMAL SPEED. I WAS LEAVING DURING A LUNCH BREAK. HAD I BEEN LEAVING AND THIS OCCURRED AFTER WORK, I WOULD HAVE HIT SOMEONE. WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO GET TOYOTA TO FIX THIS "RARE DEFECT"? I HAVE A CALL INTO THEM AND OF COURSE, NO CALL BACK YET. SO, I'M CURRENTLY STUCK WITH A VEHICLE THAT HAD A RECALL FOR AN ACCELERATION ISSUE AND A "RARE DEFECT" FOR A BRAKE ISSUE. *TR

SUFFERED SUDDEN, CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF VSC/ABS BRAKE SYSTEM WHILE DRIVING. VSC, ABS, BRAKE DASH INDICATOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED WITH AN AUDIBLE ALARM. VEHICLE OPERATED NORMALLY FOR ABOUT 1 MILE, THEN LOST MOST BRAKING CONTROL. NARROWLY AVOIDED COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE DUE TO HAVING MINIMAL BRAKE SYSTEM. HAD TO USE EVASIVE STEERING AND EMERGENCY BRAKE MANEUVERS TO SLOW AND STOP VEHICLE. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE ON AUTO REPAIR BLOGS THERE SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE VSC/ABS SYSTEM IN MOST TOYOTA VEHICLES, ESPECIALLY CAMRY'S. REPLACEMENT OF THE DEFECTIVE PART COSTS $3200 AND TOYOTA REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM OR HELP PAY FOR THE REPAIR SINCE MY VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. CATASTROPHIC BRAKE FAILURE SHOULD NOT BE TOLERATED BY ANY MANUFACTURER. PERSONALLY, I BELIEVE A RECALL IS NEEDED ON ALL TOYOTA VEHICLES USING THE VSC/ABS SYSTEMS BEFORE MORE SERIOUS ACCIDENTS, INJURIES OR DEATHS OCCUR. *TR

1.) 4RUNNER SAT FOR 10-15 MINUTES WITH RADIO ON (NOT RUNNING) (BATTERY TESTED GOOD/700, 701, 691 OUR OF 75 CA) 2.) 4RUNNER WOULD NOT START, BATTERY ISSUE, AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY JUMPED. 3.) DROVE 4RUNNER 10 MINUTES, PARKED, TUNED OFF AND STARTED BACK UP JUST FINE. 4.) 4RUNNER SAT FOR 3 HOURS, STARTED 4RUNNER, BUZZER/WARNING SOUND EMITTED AND BRAKE AND ABS LIGHT WERE ON. 5.) TRIED DISCONNECTING BATTERY TO SEE IF SYSTEM WOULD RESET AFTER SPEAKING TO TOYOTA DEALER TO NO AVAIL. 6.) BACKED 4RUNNER OUT OF PARKING SPOT, LIGHTS AND BUZZER STILL IN EFFECT, AND 4RUNNER HAD NO BREAKS. 7.) TOOK 4RUNNER TO DEALER, DEALER CLEARED CODES, BATTERY TEST, RESET BRAKE SYSTEM, TEST DROVE, ALL WORKED. 8.) DROVE 4RUNNER APPROXIMATELY 10-11 MILES, HIT BRAKES, BRAKES FAILED, ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT ON, WARNING/BUZZER SOUND, CRASH - NO FATALITIES. 9.) CODES FROM DEALER C1223, C1251, C1256; BRAKE FLUID LEVEL GOOD. 10.) DEALER REPLACED ABS AND MASTER CYLINDER. $3,356 REPAIR COST. 11.) DEALER (FROM MULTIPLE DEALERS IN THE ORLANDO, FL MSA) INDICATED THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE AND ONLY BY UNACCEPTABLE ODDS DO YOU AVOID CRASH, DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY. 12.) TOYOTA HAS NO SAFEGUARDS FOR EARLY INDICATION PROBLEM COULD OR MAY OCCUR. 13.) TOYOTA HAS NO MAINTENANCE SPECIFICATIONS FOR PREVENTING OR RECOGNIZING A POSSIBLE FATAL MALFUNCTION IN THE BRAKING SYSTEM. 14.) TOYOTA HAS NO ECONOMICAL SOLUTION TO RESOLVE/REPLACE THE ABS PUMP/MASTER CYLINDER AND IS IN THE TOP 5 MOST EXPENSIVE PARTS OF THE VEHICLE. 15.) TOYOTA HAS RECEIVED MULTIPLE REPORTS FROM ORLANDO, FL MSA DEALERS FROM WHAT I AM TOLD AND HAS DISREGARDED, NEGLECTED, REFUSED, DECLINED TO ADDRESS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA 4-RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE CALIBRATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 112,000.

ON JUNE 20, 2013 APPROX. 10:30-11:00 AM, WALKED IN GARAGE ATTACHED TO HOUSE NOTICE SMELL OF BURN, OPENED DRIVER DOOR AND DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR COMPLETELY BURN, FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BURN, PASSENGER SUNVISOR BURNED, CARPET BURNED. NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS OR TECHNICAL ISSUES, AUTO CHECK UPS DAILY.....CONTACTED INSURANCE CO. AND NOW THEIR SAYING IT MAY BE FIXABLE OR TOTALED. WOULD APPRECIATE ANY ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) I AM AN ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2004 TOYOTA 4RUNNER, SPORT EDITION. TWO SAFETY ISSUES: 1) DURING THE FALL OF 2009 ON THE WAY BACK FROM FRANKLIN VA, I EXPERIENCE A CONTINUOUS ACCELERATION AFTER MY FOOT WAS REMOVED FROM THE GAS PADDLE, SPEED EXCEEDED 80 MPH AND AFTER TAPPING THE GAS AND PULLING UP ON THE GAS PADDLE, THE SPEED RETURNED TO NORMAL AND I WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE 4RUNNER ' [XXX] 2) AIR MONITORING SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT KEPT GOING OFF, HAVE HAD REPAIRED DURING WARRANTY PERIOD AND IS NOT RESOLVED CURRENTLY MILEAGE: 49,892. *TR

WARNING LIGHTS BEGAN COMING ON AROUND 60,000 MILES OR SO. STARTED WITH THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT & NOW HAS PROGRESSED TO THE VSC ON, VSC OFF, ABS WARNING LIGHTS BEING ON ALL THE TIME AND THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT IS STILL ON. I HAVE TAKEN THIS VEHICLE INTO 2 DIFFERENT DEALERS TO BE FIXED FOR 40,000 MILES OR AROUND 3 YEARS WHICH AMOUNTS TO MULTIPLE TRIPS TO THE DEALER, WAITING WHILE THEY WORK ON IT OR GOING WITHOUT A VEHICLE FOR DAYS AT A TIME WHILE THEY TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WRONG. THEY HAVE REPLACED ABS SENSORS, ENGINE COMPUTERS, BRAKES, SPEED SENSOR WIRES, RESET COMPUTERS, ORDERED NEW VALVE STEMS FOR THE TIRES. I CAN GET ONLINE & FIND THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE SAME ISSUE IN TOYOTAS & LEXUS VEHICLES SINCE AT LEAST 2001. THE DEALERSHIPS LOOK AT ME LIKE I AM THE VERY FIRST & ONLY PERSON TO EVER MENTION THESE PROBLEMS. THE SOLUTIONS ONLINE HAVE RANGED FROM DEFECTIVE MASTER CYLINDER/BRAKE BOOSTER ASSEMBLY, FAULTY IGNITION COIL, O2 SENSORS, VSC COMPUTERS, CATALYTIC CONVERTERS & BRAKE PEDAL SWITCHES. ALSO PROBLEMS WITH THE EXHAUST SYSTEM & ACCELERATION MODULE UNDER THE CONSOLE WAS LISTED AS FIXING THESE ISSUES. WHY HAS THIS ISSUE NOT BEEN ADDRESSED AND/OR FIXED IN 8 YEARS ? THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN MY BRAKES DID NOT WORK, TIMES WHEN THEY BARELY WORKED, TIMES WHEN I PUT THE BRAKES ON & IT ABRUPTLY PULLS TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT & A COUPLE OF TIMES WHEN MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AS I WAS PULLING ACROSS TRAFFIC. AS I READ OF THESE "FREAK" ACCIDENTS LATELY WITH TOYOTAS, I HAVE TO WONDER IF THEY REALLY ARE "FREAK ACCIDENTS". I DO NOT WANT MY FAMILY OR MYSELF TO BE ONE OF THE TOYOTA FATALITIES THIS YEAR OR ANYTIME. WHEN IS SOMETHING GOING TO BE DONE ? HOW MANY MORE INNOCENT PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE ? *TR

THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE STOP WORKING RIGHT AFTER 36,000 MILES ON 2004 TOYOTA 4RUNNER LIMITED EDITION 4 WD. THE NEEDLE WILL WORK AFTER IDLE FOR 2 DAYS UNTIL ENGINE OFF. *TR

THERE IS A DELAY AND THEN A SUDDEN AND ABRUPT ACCELERATION IN THE VEHICLE A 2004 TOYOTA SUV, VIRTUALLY EVERY TIME DURING SLOW DOWNS IN TRAFFIC AND WHEN MAKING TURNS. THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO JERK AND HAS CAUSED A HOT BEVERAGE TO SPILL ON THE DRIVER, NEARLY CONTRIBUTED TO AN ACCIDENT WHEN THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE WHILE CHANGING LANES, AND WITH PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SPIN OUT WHILE MAKING A TURN ON A WET ROAD SURFACE - HAD THERE BEEN ANOTHER VEHICLE AT THE INTERSECTION AT THE TIME A CERTAIN COLLISION WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. THE RESULT IS THAT I MUST CONSTANTLY NEGOTIATE THE DEGREE OF PRESSURE ON THE ACCELERATOR IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC AND WHEN MAKING TURNS. DESPITE ALTERING MY DRIVING HABITS I AM NOT ALWAYS ABLE TO PREVENT THE VEHICLE FROM JERKING AND THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THIS PROBLEM IS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING AND HAS BEEN A DETERRENT FROM LETTING OTHERS DRIVE THE VEHICLE AND BECAUSE OF SAFETY CONCERNS WILL BE A PROHIBITIVE FACTOR IN PERMITTING MY DAUGHTER TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE WHEN SHE REACHES DRIVING AGE. ULTIMATELY THE VEHICLE WAS CHECKED BY THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED AND THERE DOCUMENTED RESPONSE IS AS FOLLOWS: CONDITION IS NOT ABNORMAL FOR THIS MODEL VEHICLE. BELIEVE DELAY AND HARSHNESS UPON ACCELERATION ATTRIBUTABLE TO DRIVE LINE LASH AND ENGINE LAG DUE TO ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL. COMMENTS AS A RESULT OF FURTHER PHONE CONVERSATIONS WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE AT THE DEALER WERE ABOUT DESIGN FLAW, WARRANTY NOT APPLICABLE IN THIS SITUATION, NO REPAIR .CURRENTLY AVAILABLE, COULD NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM - EVEN IF I WERE TO PAY, AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND CONCERNS BY OTHER DRIVERS, WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DOCUMENTATION OR ASSISTANCE. *AK

AFTER PICKING MY CAR UP FROM THE DEALERSHIP FROM AN OIL CHANGE LAST OCTOBER, MY VEHICLE STABILTY CONTROL (VSC) SYSTEM ZEROED THE CALIBRATIONS IN EFFECT SHUTTING THIS SYSTEM DOWN. AS A RESULT, THE CAR WENT INTO A SIDEWAYS SKID AND NEARLY ROLLED. I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO RECALIBRATED THE SYSTEM AND ACCUSED MY OF INDUCING THE SKID AND INFORMED ME THE SYSTEM IF SUPPOSE TO TURN OFF IF A TIRE STARTS TO SPIN FASTER THAN ANOTHER. IN MAY, AFTER PICKING THE CAR UP FROM ANOTHER OIL CHANGE AT THE DEALERSHIP, THE VSC SYSTEM AGAIN ZEROED THE CALIBRATION WHILE BEING DRIVEN FROM THE SERVICE BAY TO THE FRONT. THIS TIME FOR KNOW KNOWN REASON. THE DEALERSHIP AND TOYOTA TECHNICAL SUPPORT HAVE TOLD ME TO TAKE THE CAR, DRIVE IT AND "SEE WHAT HAPPENS". THIS SEEMS TO BE OCCURRING ON A 13,000 MILE FREQUENCY AND WHEN THE SYSTEM DOES TURN OFF, THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. MY CAR HAS BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR 9 DAYS NOW.

DURING THE DAY INSTRUMENT PANEL IS NOT WELL LIT, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY OF THE SPEEDOMETER AND WARNING INDICATORS. *AK *MR