anyone know how to disable the auto-lock feature which forces me to have to manually unlock the door every time i want to get out? (2003 SR5)

Is that the feature that locks the doors when you take it out of park or go a certain speed? If so, your owner's manual describes how to turn that off.

I have it set that when I put it in park, the doors automatically unlock. Some people don't feel that is secure though but I don't mind.

On my 06 the front doors will open from the inside even if locked just by pulling the door handle. The back doors however require they be unlocked first.

Mine like sharp4runr said above are set to unlock when the truck is put in park.

See the owners' manual - the process is in there, and it describes your choices for auto lock and auto unlock features.
In the 2006 manual, it's in section 1-2 - Keys and Doors (p. 25 and 26).

yeah, say like, on a drive through.

My '07 Owner's Manual (PG 25 -26) will explain Automatic door locking & unlocking functions.

Automatic Door Locking

Locking linked with the shift position
-All doors are automatically locked when the selector lever is moved out of "P" position.

1) Close all doors & turn the ignition switch to the "ON" position.
2) Shift the selector lever to the "P" position.
3) Within 10 seconds of turning the ignition switch to the "ON" position, press & hold the driver's side power door lock switch in the lock position for 5 seconds & then release.

The doors will be locked & unlocked to indicate that the function is set.

Locking linked with vehicle speed
-All doors are automatically locked when the vehicle speed goes above about 20km/h (12mph)

1) Close all doors & turn the ignition switch to the "ON" position.
2) Shift the selector lever from "P" to the "N" position.
3) Within 10 seconds of turning the ignition switch to the "ON" position, press & hold the driver's side power door lock switch in the lock position for 5 seconds & then release.

The doors will be locked & unlocked to indicate that the function is set.

Source via' 07 Toyota 4Runner Owner's Manual

The front (2) doors can be opened by pulling on the inside handles.

I have mine set to when you take the shifter out of "P"...it will lock.
Plus, when I drop off passengers & then go over 12mph...it will lock again.
...But it will unlock when you put the shifter back into "P".

I liked my '03 Camry's set up.
It came stock where when you take the shifter out of "P"...it will lock.
And when you put the shifter back into "P"...it will REMAIN lock.

I like this feature, because I'm not always ready to exit the car right away & I want the doors to remain lock.

So since my 4R doesn't have the same feature as my previous Camry, I turn off my car in "N" & then put the shifter in "P" after the car is shut off... because the doors don't unlock in "N"
I also learned this feature from Uneek
...because it takes the weight & wear off the tranny.

So when we park...
1) we put the shifter into "N"
2) depress the foot brake
3) take all feet off all pedals
4) let the weight settle
5) turn off the vehicle
6) put the shifter into "P"

Same directions as above, except holding the unlock side of the switch will dictate when the doors will unlock. The steps are repeated to turn the feature on and off.

-In park, the lock side of the master switch controls locking of the doors shifting out of park.
-In neutral, the lock side of the master switch controls the locking of the doors based on vehicle speed.
-In park, the unlock side of the master switch controls the unlocking of the doors when shifting into park.
-In neutral, the unlock side of the master switch controls the unlocking of the doors when the key is switched from 'On' to 'Acc'.

To enable or disable each of the different locking and unlocking features, just repeat the sequence. If it was on the feature is disabled and if off it's enabled.

IIRC, the unlock settings should be transmission in park sets shifter linked unlocking and neutral sets ignition key position linked unlocking. If not, then I have it backwards, I'm too lazy right now to confirm with the manual.

You can enable each feature individually and unlike the 5th gen Camry, there is not combination of door locking/unlocking. The Camry was 1) lock when shifting out of park, do not unlock shifting into park; 2) lock and unlock shifting in and out of park; 3) lock shifting out of park, unlock when key is turned off; 4) do nothing.

When my 4Runner was delivered, it would not lock the doors automatically (neither shifter linked or speed). BUT it will unlock the doors when I shifted into park. Took me several tries fiddling around with the shifter in park and neutral, the first bunch of times the door locks cycled indicating the command was completed successfully, but it never worked. I tried it again a few days later, both shifter linked and speed linked locking get enabled and auto unlocking is disabled. It works the way I want it to now. If you can't set it, you can have the dealer do it through the handheld programmer. My dealer was going to set mine after when I mentioned it couldn't be set. I didn't have them do it because I had to make another trip back and by then somehow I got it to work.

Apologies for necroposting, I don't have enough posts to start a thread. Ive searched, but haven't found an answer. How can I lock my 05 4runner while out of the vehicle and leaving it running?

The computer keeps unlocking it every time I try. Manually locking with engine running and door open, it automatically unlocks ALL the doors. Trying to lock it with the key from outside while running, it unlocks all the doors. Trying to lock it with the remote while outside and running, it unlocks all the doors. I want to leave it run and lock it without being in the vehicle. Can it be done by reprogramming, or by disabling whatever sensor is telling it I'm not in it?

It does that to prevent you from locking your keys in the car. I have not tested, but if you lock the doors by moving the physical lock button by the handle rather than the electronic button, that might work?

If you have factory remote start you can start it with the doors locked. When you unlock the doors to get in, it will shut off the engine.

I followed the owners manual instructions and turned off the auto door lock feature. Those devils are about $250 each to replace and I figure the less they're used the longer they'll last. When I bought the '07 the carfax showed all four door locks had been replaced at least once.

Thanks, yes, I figured that was the purpose, I just have different needs sometimes. I fixed the lockout problem long ago after the first couple times I did it by always carrying a spare door key on me, and not keeping the remote on the ignition key (actually always have the ignition key by itself).

It doesn't work to use the manual door lock, it still pops them all open a second later. Ive tried every combination I can think of to fool it, but I haven't figured out how yet. I was thinking it was perhaps a sensor under the seat that knew I wasn't in it, but I don't think so now, I think it has to do with the door being opened, so hopefully it could be re-programmed?

I don't have a remote starter. Also didn't get am owners manual with it. Most of the things Ive wanted to learn about I found answers here. I already reprogrammed all the auto locking stuff to my likes, but I haven't found any info about doing away with the question I raised on being able to leave it locked and running while not in the vehicle.

One random one to try: roll up the back window with the key since that locks all doors. It will probably do the same thing as before and unlock all the doors immediately after.

Maybe if you crawl out the back window with all the doors closed then roll it up, it will lock since it thinks you are still inside? That would be kind of silly.

OK, I hadn't tried to lock the doors with the rear lock (I thought I had). It worked. I then tried locking the drivers door with the key, which I was sure I had tried before, it worked also.

Thanks for the suggestion!

I saw the talk of cleaning the cabin air filter, I didn't know there was one. I found it and cleaned it, probably should replace it. Anyway, I also discovered the secret compartment the owners manual is stowed in. Id never been low enough to see it before. Manual has some interesting stuff, though many things they say to go to the dealer for have been covered here and elsewhere as far as reprogramming stuff.

So you have one key in the ignition with it on, and you use another key to lock it? Good to know if it works.

That would be helpful for warming up the car in the driveway in the winter. It would still be a legal gray area, but better than leaving it running with the keys in it unlocked. https://www.cpr.org/news/newsbeat/ne...e-remote-start
I usually let it warm up only as long as it takes me to get the snow and ice off, but sometimes I have to run inside for something.