I have run into an intermittent issue with my 03 4Runner (V6, 110k) where the engine won't start or won't stay running. This has happened to me twice in the past six months, never had a single problem with it before August.Each time it has been into the shop they were not able to find the problem as each time the truck started fine and ran fine for them.

The first time this happened was in August 2010, right when I was heading out on vacation. The truck was all packed and ready to go, when I went to start it, it would crank but the engine would not start There were no CEL on at that time and no codes stored in the system (checked with my scan tool). The next morning I decided to try starting it one more time before the tow truck showed up. It started up just fine and ran fine so I canceled the tow truck and drove it directly to the shop. By the time I got it to the shop the VSC and ABS lights were on. The shop was not able to find any evidence of a problem and suggested it might be a fuel pump issue. They told me the next time it happened they wanted me to tap on the side of the gas tank to jar the fuel pump.

Fast forward to November 23 2010, my wife drives the 4Runner to pick my daughter up from school. After loading the kids up, the engine started but then idled rough for a few seconds and then died. She couldn't get it to start again and called me to come get her. I checked the obvious and the tank was 3/4 full. I tried starting it and it would run roughly for a second and then die, again no CEL light and no engine codes ( I have my own scan tool to check). So I decided to try the “tap on the gas tank” voodoo that the shop told me to do. Ironically it start up on the first try and seemed to run fine but had the VSC and ABS light lit on the dash. I attempted to drive it home (wife and kids following in another car) and made it a mile before it died on me. The dash was light up light a Christmas tree this time before I coasted to a stop without power brakes or steering. I tried tapping on the tank again and finally got it running and got a little further down the road before the engine died again. This time I had a tow truck show up and take it to the shop. Before putting it on the back of the tow-truck, the driver started the 4Runner up with no problem. He looked at me like I was out of my mind. Before he could get it loaded up on the back of the tow-truck, the engine died again.

My 4Runner is still sitting in the shop today and yet again it started up fine for them and they were able to drive it around without any problems. They have told me that there is nothing they can really do for me since there are no codes stored in the system and it is running fine now. I asked about possibly just replacing the fuel pump and was told that they don't recommend just replacing parts like that because I could spend thousands of dollars and not fix the problem.

If anyone has any ideas about what could possibly be wrong, please let me know. I don't want to have the engine die while my wife is driving with our kids in it.

Sounds like a fuel pump to me. Similar happened to me on my former cars. And it sucked when it stopped in the middle of the freeway.

My dad's Camry had a similar problem. Our mechanic replaced the idle control valve and the problem was solved. Not sure, but this might be the problem. Your mechanic will have to check it out.

The guys at my local shop gave up on me and told me to take it to a local Toyota shop. Last night while driving it home, the engine died on me again, almost silently. I didn't even know it had died until I noticed that the steering and brakes were gone. Luckily I had just pulled onto my street and was able to coast the rest of the way home and pull into the driveway.

The big news to report is that I finally got a check engine light this afternoon. I pulled the code and it is a P0717 Turbine/Input Shaft Speed Sensor Circuit No Signal. Now that I have an error code, I know what to start looking at to fix. I have searched online and found one reference to an 04 4Runner with a similar problem that turned out to be the Crankshaft Position Sensor. Does anyone have any experience with this code?

I bought a new Camshaft Position Sensor from OReilly online. On the V6 model like mine, you have to take the serpentine belt off, then the alternator, and then unbolt the AC compressor. It was a lot of work to put the sensor on, but the job is done. While I was at it I also replaced the serpentine belt. Hopefully this solves the problem with the engine stalling.