2008 Toyota 4runner Transmission Problems

Your transfer case actuator failed, causing your vehicle to be stuck in neutral instead of park—even though the shifter showed park and you could turn off the engine. This meant your car could roll freely, which is a serious safety hazard. Your mechanic replaced the transfer case with a used unit because Toyota's repair cost exceeded the vehicle's value.

Transmission fluid leaked onto the engine wiring harness and engine computer (ECM), contaminating them and causing the engine to receive false readings. Your engine may run poorly or display warning lights as a result. Repairs will require replacing the transmission internal wiring, engine harness, engine computer, and cleaning other components.

WHEN DRIVING, THE CAR WAS MAKING A THUMPING NOISE WHICH WENT AWAY WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. TOYOTA DEALER SAID IT WAS A BENT REAR AXLE AND WOULD COST $2300 TO REPLACE. THE VECHICLE IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION WITH 108,000 MILES. HAVE NEVER HIT A BIG POTHOLE OR RUN OVER A CURB. I BELIEVE IT IS A DEFECT THAT CAME WITH THE CAR AND SHOWED UP AFTER DRIVING FOR 10 YEARS. THERE ARE A LOT OF BENT AXLES REPORTED OVER THE INTERNET ON TOYOTA TRUCKS AND SUVSL MORE THAN ANY OTHER VECHICLEL I HAVE OWNED MANY MANY CARS AND SUVS AND NEVER HAD A BENT REAR AXLE BEFOREL DEALER SAID I WOULD GET REIMBURSED IF TOYOTA ISSUED A RECALL. VERY UNHAPPY WITH THIS!

ENGIENE/POWERTRAIN COMPUTER/MODULE CHECKED. HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED FOUR TIMES BY THE DEALER AND CONTINUES TO GIVE THE SAME FAULT IN THE CAR. THE FAULT IS THE FOLLOWING AS IT RUNS AND BRAKES THE SECOND BEAUTIFULNESS OF THE TRASMISSION IS LEFT. AND WHEN HE RELEASES THE BRAKE A LITTLE, THE THROAT IS THROWN TO THE FRONT GIVING A BLOW. HE DOES IT MANY TIMES IN THE DAY. BY UNTOYOTA 4RUNNER 08 ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) DEFECTIVE.

WON'T ENGAGE IN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE 4 WHEEL DRIVE.THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE INDICATOR LIGHT KEPT FLASHING ALONG WITH THE WHEEL STABILIZER INDICATOR. DRIVING IN SNOW, STEERING BECAME VERY UNSTABLE. VEHICLE HAS EXTENDED WARRANTY WHICH DEALER SEEMS TO REFUSE TO HONOR. STATEN ISLAND TOYOTA SERVICE CLAIMS SOMEONE EMPTIED FLUID FROM TRANSFER CASE..NO ONE HAS DONE WORK ON CAR AND NO OIL LEAKAGE EVER EVIDENT IN MY DRIVEWAY..CAR WAS IN DRIVEWAY FOR SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE MOVING THAT EVENING. RARELY DRIVEN IN 4H POSITION FOR GAS PURPOSES, AND 99.9% OF THE TIME THE CAR IS DRIVEN ON PAVED ROADWAYS. SEEMS THE DEALER ISN'T WILLING TO HONOR THE EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE AND HAS MANAGED TO RIGHT UP THE SERVICE CALL TO COVER TOYOTA'S BUTT. THEY NOW WANT AN ADDITIONAL $500. TO DROP TRANSFER CASE. I AM NOT FEELING VERY TRUSTING OF THE SERVICE CENTER SINCE. I HAVE PAID $200 ALREADY TO DIAGNOSIS THE PROBLEM. I WOULD THINK THEY DROPPED THE CASE ALREADY TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. NOW STATEN ISLAND TOYOTA SERVICE CENTER WANTS $500 FROM ME TO DROP THE TRANSFER CASE FOR TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS SO MAYBE THEY CAN WHAT ?? POSSIBLY NULL AND VOID WARRANTY. THEY ARE REQUESTING $4,000 TO DO THE JOB. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO A PRIVATE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC I TRUST. THIS VEHICLE ISN'T ABUSED IM A 62 YEAR OLD WOMEN WHO BOUGHT THE CAR BECAUSE I HAVE A DOG AND NEEDED CARGO SPACE. *TR

AFTER HAVING TIMING BELT REPLACED BY TOYOTA DEALER BOB TYLER OF PENSACOLA, FLORIDA; WHILE DRIVING BELT CAME APART LEADING TO LOSS OF POWER, CONTROL, AND MAKING EMERGENCY STOP. TOYOTA FEELS THAT FAILURE IS NORMAL IN LESS THAN 6 MONTHS. *TR

2008 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TRANSMISSION REPAIRS AND SEEKS REIMBURSEMENT. *SMD ACCORDING TO THE INVOICE, THE THRUST BEARING BEHIND THE FRONT PLANETARY FAILED AND DAMAGED THE FRONT PLANETARY GEAR. THE DAMAGE FROM THE PLANETARY CONTAMINATED THE UNIT WITH METAL, CAUSING THE NEED FOR THE TORQUE CONVERTER AND ELECTRONICS TO BE REPLACED.

WHEN ENGAGING DRIVE FROM REVERSE THERE IS A DELAY OF 3-5 SECONDS AND A THUMP WHEN IT FINALLY ENGAGES DRIVE. THIS HAPPENS FREQUENTLY AND HAS CAUSED SOME SCARES WERE MY WIFE THOUGHT THE CAR ENGAGED DRIVE, PRESSED ON THE ACCELERATOR, CAR DID NOT MOVE AND THEN SUDDENLY CAR JUMPING FORWARD SINCE SHE HAD APPLIED GAS THINKING THE VEHICLE HAD ENGAGED DRIVE. TOOK TO DEALER EXPLAINED ISSUE AND WHAT I HAVE READ ONLINE WITH SIMILAR ISSUES WITH OTHER PEOPLES VEHICLES, THEY WANTED TO CHARGE 119.99 TO SIMPLY DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE, EVEN AFTER SHOWING THEM THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS I PRINTED FROM THE INTERNET. *TT

I OWN A 2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SR5. I PURCHASED IT NEW FROM MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER IN NOVEMBER, 2008. BY THE SPRING OF 2009 I NOTICED A SPORADICALLY OCCURRING DELAY IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WHILE SWITCHING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE, LASTING APPROXIMATELY 5 TO 8 SECONDS. THIS WOULD HAPPEN RIGHT AFTER SWITCHING FROM R(REVERSE) TO D (DRIVE). MY CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES. THEY ARE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS QUITE FREQUENTLY. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THEY WOULD/COULD NOT DO ANYTHING UNDER WARRANTY WITHOUT GETTING THE CAR TO REPEAT THE PROBLEM. I LEFT MY CAR FOR OVERNIGHT WITH THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM. I AM FRUSTRATED BY MY EXPERIENCE AND WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE PROBLEM RESOLVED SO I CAN DRIVE WITH THE PEACE OF MIND KNOWING THAT MY CAR IS SAFE. TO DATE, NO REPAIRS OR PARTS REPLACEMENTS OF ANY KIND HAVE BEEN MADE BY TOYOTA TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I ALSO DISCOVERED AN ONLINE TOYOTA 4RUNNER FORUM (T4R.ORG) IN WHICH OTHER TOYOTA 4RUNNER OWNERS SHARED THE SAME EXPERIENCE.

I OWN A 2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SR5 4WD. I PURCHASED IT NEW FROM MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN NOVEMBER, 2008. BY THE FALL OF 2009 I NOTICED A SPORADICALLY OCCURRING DELAY IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WHILE SWITCHING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE, LASTING APPROXIMATELY 5 SECONDS. THIS WOULD HAPPEN WHILE BACKING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY OR PARKING LOT, OR IN THE MIDDLE OF A U-TURN. STILL UNDER WARRANTY, I FIRST TOOK THE CAR INTO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP IN NOVEMBER OF 2009. UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE, THEY RESET THE CAR'S "CPU" AND I RETURNED HOME, ONLY TO HAVE THE PROBLEM CONTINUE. AFTER THREE MORE VISITS TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE LAST IN MAY, 2010, THE DEALERSHIPS SERVICE DEPARTMENT STOPPED RETURNING MY PHONE CALLS AND FAILED TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. SINCE FEBRUARY 2010 I HAVE DOCUMENTED OVER 45 OCCURRENCES OF THE PROBLEM, WHICH HAVE OCCURRED AS FREQUENTLY AS 4 TIMES IN ONE DAY AND AS INFREQUENTLY AS A MONTH APART. THE MOST DISTURBING INCIDENCE WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY URBAN STREET WHILE MAKING A 3-POINT U-TURN. WITH THE DELAY LASTING A SOLID 5 SECONDS, IT IS AN UNSETTLING EXPERIENCE NOT KNOWING WHEN AND WHERE THIS PROBLEM WILL OCCUR. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THEY WOULD/COULD NOT DO ANYTHING UNDER WARRANTY WITHOUT GETTING THE CAR TO REPEAT THE PROBLEM. I FINALLY VIDEOTAPED THE EXPERIENCE WHILE IN THE CAR, BUT WHEN I SHARED IT WITH THE SERVICE PEOPLE, IT PROVED FUTILE. I ALSO DISCOVERED AN ONLINE TOYOTA 4RUNNER FORUM (T4R.ORG) IN WHICH OTHER TOYOTA 4RUNNER OWNERS SHARED THE SAME EXPERIENCE. THE DEALERSHIP FAILED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS FACT, AND STOPPED MAKING ANY ATTEMPT TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM AS OF LAST JUNE. I AM FRUSTRATED BY MY EXPERIENCE AND WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE PROBLEM RESOLVED SO I CAN DRIVE WITH THE PEACE OF MIND KNOWING THAT MY CAR IS SAFE. TO DATE, NO REPAIRS OR PARTS REPLACEMENTS OF ANY KIND HAVE BEEN MADE BY TOYOTA TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *TR

I HAVE A 2008 4RUNNER. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN HAPPY WITH THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER, WHEN SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT ENGAGE IMMEDIATELY. THIS MORNING I WAS BACKING OUT OF THE POST OFFICE WHERE THERE ARE ALWAYS PEOPLE WALKING IN FRONT A ND IN BACK OF YOUR VEHICLE. I SHIFTED INTO REVERSE BACK UP THEN SHIFTED INTO DRIVE. WHEN I PRESSED ON THE GAS THE CAR CONTINUED TO GO IN REVERSE. THIS WAS VERY SCARY. I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE AND LOOKED DOWN TO MAKE SURE I WAS IN DRIVE. THE CAR WAS IN DRIVE, I THEN PRESSED THE GAS AGAIN, THE CAR WAITED ABOUT 5 SECONDS AND WHEN FORWARD WITH A BURST OF ENERGY. I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN BEFORE BUT NOT WITH THIS DISTINCTION. I FEEL THIS IS A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE, ESPECIALLY IN A PARKING LOT WHERE PEOPLE ARE WALKING CONSTANTLY. *TR

2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SPORT - WHEN SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT ALWAYS ENGAGE. ESTIMATE ABOUT 15-20% FAILURE. FOR ABOUT 5 SECONDS THE VEHICLE ACTS AS IF IN NEUTRAL. IF I DO NOT REALIZE WHAT IS HAPPENING AND APPLY GAS, WHEN IT FINALLY ENGAGES, THE CAR DANGEROUSLY LURCHES FORWARD. FAIRLY SURE IT IS AN ELECTRONIC ISSUE. HAS OCCURRED SINCE PURCHASE. HAVE TAKEN TO DEALER 3 TIMES. RESPONSES 1) CAN'T REPEAT AND CAN'T START CHANGING PARTS BECAUSE MAY TRIGGER LEMON LAW, 2) CAN'T REPEAT AND NO ONE ELSE HAS REPORTED, 3) CAN'T REPEAT, SO WE WILL LOOK AT IT AGAIN WHEN YOU BRING IN FOR NEXT OIL CHANGE. DESPITE MY EXPLAINING REPEATEDLY THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN DEALER HAS SHOWN NO REAL INTEREST TO RESOLVE. MY HOME'S DRIVEWAY IS ON A BLIND CURVE AND I WILL NOT BACK INTO ROAD BECAUSE I CAN NOT BE SURE I CAN ACCELERATE WHEN NEEDED. THIS HAS REPEATED REGULARLY SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE OVER A YEAR AGO. I HAVE HAD A COUPLE OF CLOSE CALLS IN PARKING LOTS AND IT IS INEVITABLE THAT I WILL BE REAR-ENDED IF THIS IS NOT RESOLVED. *TR

WE HAVE A 2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SPORT. WHEN GOING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE DOES NOT ALWAYS GO INTO DRIVE. YOU PRESS THE GAS AND NOTHING HAPPENS. YOU THEN HAVE TO PUT THE VEHICLE BACK INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN INTO DRIVE TO BE ABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE. TOOK TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY SAID IT WAS "NORMAL". THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AS IF WE ARE BACKING UP ONTO A ROAD OR ANYWHERE BY THAT MEANS AND WE HAVE TO SPEND THE EXTRA TIME PUTTING THE VEHICLE BACK INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN INTO DRIVE IT WASTE VALUABLE TIME. THIS ISSUE DOES NOT OCCUR ALL THE TIME, BUT APPROX 70% OF THE TIME. WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO. *TR

WE HAVE A 2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SPORT. WHEN GOING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE DOES NOT ALWAYS GO INTO DRIVE. YOU PRESS THE GAS AND NOTHING HAPPENS. YOU THEN HAVE TO PUT THE VEHICLE BACK INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN INTO DRIVE TO BE ABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE. TOOK TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY SAID IT WAS "NORMAL". THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AS IF WE ARE BACKING UP ONTO A ROAD OR ANYWHERE BY THAT MEANS AND WE HAVE TO SPEND THE EXTRA TIME PUTTING THE VEHICLE BACK INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN INTO DRIVE IT WASTE VALUABLE TIME. THIS ISSUE DOES NOT OCCUR ALL THE TIME, BUT APPROX 70% OF THE TIME. WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO. *TR

WE HAVE A 2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SPORT. WHEN GOING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE DOES NOT ALWAYS GO INTO DRIVE. YOU PRESS THE GAS AND NOTHING HAPPENS. YOU THEN HAVE TO PUT THE VEHICLE BACK INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN INTO DRIVE TO BE ABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE. TOOK TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY SAID IT WAS "NORMAL". THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AS IF WE ARE BACKING UP ONTO A ROAD OR ANYWHERE BY THAT MEANS AND WE HAVE TO SPEND THE EXTRA TIME PUTTING THE VEHICLE BACK INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN INTO DRIVE IT WASTE VALUABLE TIME. THIS ISSUE DOES NOT OCCUR ALL THE TIME, BUT APPROX 70% OF THE TIME. WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO. *TR

I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING TO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOR SEVERAL MONTHS THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH MY 2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER CHANGING GEARS. FROM TIME TO TIME WHEN I GO FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE DOES NOT ENGAGE GEARS. JUST YESTERDAY NOT ONLY DID THE VEHICLE NOT ENGAGE, BUT WHEN I WENT FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE (I CHECKED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVE) AND I STEPPED ON THE GAS THE VEHICLE WENT INTO REVERSE, ALMOST HITTING THE CAR BEHIND ME. THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE THAT MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IS NOT TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY AND COULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO DAMAGE AND/OR DEATH. *TR

2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER CLUNK FELT AND HEARD WHEN COMING TO A STOP AND WHEN RELEASING THE BRAKES TO GO. AFTER RESEARCHING IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW WITH THE DRIVESHAFT SLIP JOINT IN THE TOYOTA. THE LEXUS GX470 IS IDENTICAL YET LEXUS CUSTOMERS CAN HAVE THIS PROBLEM FIXED AND THERE IS A TSB ISSUED FOR THE LEXUS (L-SB-0116-08). *TR

WHILE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC, WHEN YOU REMOVE THE FOOT FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL AND BEFORE YOU STEP ON THE GAS, AT TIMES THE CAR MAKES A THUMPING SOUND WHICH YOU CAN FEEL. POSSIBLY TRANSMISSION. DEALER SAYS NO PROBLEM AND CANT RECREATE THE THUMPING. IT CONTINUES TO THIS DAY. *TR

MY 2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER HAS A CLUNKING SOUND AS I AM ABOUT TO TAKE OFF FROM A COMPLETE STOP. I CAN TELL WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN BECAUSE WHEN I AM ALMOST STOPPED, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, MY CAR FEELS LIKE IT SURGES FORWARD. I HAVE TO PUSH ON THE BRAKE PRETTY HARD TO KEEP IT FROM DOING THIS. THEN WHEN I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE TO PROCEED, THERE IS A "CLUNK" FROM THE BACK END. I TOOK IT TO MY TOTALLY DEALERSHIP TODAY BECAUSE IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY (I'VE HAD IT FOR A MONTH AND IT HAS DONE IT EVER SINCE I PURCHASED IT). THE DEALERSHIP CALLED THE TOYOTA TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SYSTEM. THE ANSWER THEY GOT...THE CONDITION IS A NORMAL OPERATING CONDITION AND THAT NO REPAIR ATTEMPT SHOULD BE MADE. THEY SAID IT WAS THE DRIVESHAFT SLIP YOLK EXTENDING AND RETRACTING AND IS NORMAL OPERATING CONDITION OF THE VEHICLE. HERE IS MY CASE NUMBER - 091880146, REPAIR ORDER NUMBER - 13509, CASE DATE - 7/7/09, TAS HOTLINE NUMBER 1-800-233-3718. *TR

WE HAVE A 2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SPORT. WHEN GOING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE DOES NOT ALWAYS GO INTO DRIVE. YOU PRESS THE GAS AND NOTHING HAPPENS. YOU THEN HAVE TO PUT THE VEHICLE BACK INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN INTO DRIVE TO BE ABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE. TOOK TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY SAID IT WAS "NORMAL". THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AS IF WE ARE BACKING UP ONTO A ROAD OR ANYWHERE BY THAT MEANS AND WE HAVE TO SPEND THE EXTRA TIME PUTTING THE VEHICLE BACK INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN INTO DRIVE IT WASTE VALUABLE TIME. THIS ISSUE DOES NOT OCCUR ALL THE TIME, BUT APPROX 70% OF THE TIME. WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO. *TR

NEW, FROM 15,000- 25, 000 MILES, 2008 TOYOTA FOUR RUNNER, JERKING WHEN ACCELERATED ON THE FREEWAY. IT IS AS IF THE SHIFT GEAR OR TRANSMISSION IS NOT PROPERLY WORKING. THIS HAS OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES AFTER THE 15, 000 MILE SERVICE. FIRST DEALERSHIP WORKERS STATED NOTHING WRONG. CURRENT DEALERSHIP HAS NOT CHECKED FOR CAUSE NOR HAVE THEY OFFERED A SOLUTION. CAR REMAINS AT DEALERSHIP. SECOND ISSUE, MOST RECENT INCIDENT, SAME VEHICLE AT 25, 000 MILES WHEN ACCELERATED ON THE FREEWAY, JERKED UNCONTROLLABLY, WORST THAN BEFORE, ACCELERATED TO FAST SPEED (FLOOR MAT WAS SECURED), WOULD NOT BRAKE. DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO MOVE TO EXIT. ENGINE REMAINED REVVED UP. BRAKES SLOWED BUT DID NOT STOP VEHICLE. ABLE TO MOVE TO EXIT...HEAVY TRAFFIC. I COULD HAVE REARED ENDED MANY VEHICLES. SMOKE AND BURNING ODOR FROM BRAKE AREA. DEALERSHIP STATES FLOOR MAT WAS STUCK WHICH IS NOT TRUE, AS WITNESSED BY A PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT. VEHICLE HAS MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY AND EXTENDED WARRANTY. DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO PERMIT OWNER TO RETAIN LOANER VEHICLE UNTIL PROBLEM IS RESOLVED. DEALER HAS NO EXPLANATION FOR JERKING OR SHIFTING/TRANSMISSION ISSUE NOR BURNING ODOR/SMOKE ISSUE. REFUSES TO PROVIDE OWNER WITH CORPORATE CONTACT OR DISTRICT MANAGER INFORMATION. DRIVER NEEDS VEHICLE TO TRANSPORT CHILD TO MEDICAL APPTS. ONE HOUR AWAY FROM HOMESITE ON WEEKLY BASIS. *TR