4th Gen 4Runners should have no accelerator problems. Right?

[EdDucks916]

It has been more than a long while that I visited T4R.ORG...I've had 100K miles on my 4R and I have had zero problems.

I wonder if this "unintended acceleration" that has been going on in the news lately is more than just the newer Camries and the Corollas.

This article tends to suggest that the 4Runner (even though Toyota has found no problems with it) may not be immune but take Caliber Collision's word for it (body shop located in SJC). This happened in the South OC, and I do not know what her 4Runner is, we do not even know what engine she has...though she said it is a 2004 model; mine's an 03 but it's the same generation.

We should pour in comments over there...they will get better publicity... just have to keep civility though.

Add raging Toyota 4Runner to recall list, local woman says - OC Watchdog : The Orange County Register

 

[audiqtr]

Paranoid OC Chick...what a surprise... I bet she experiences those issues when she wears heels coming out of the "Shopping Mall" Parking lot.
Our cars are fine. They are made in Japan. This topic has been covered literally in 100 different threads...
Happy Friday Everyone.

 

[Maz]

Paranoid OC Chick...what a surprise... I bet she experiences those issues when she wears heels coming out of the "Shopping Mall" Parking lot.
Our cars are fine. They are made in Japan. This topic has been covered literally in 100 different threads...
Happy Friday Everyone.

What the animus and personal comments here audiptr? Firstly vitriolic comments toward a person you've never met pretty much negates the effectiveness of any message you're trying to send. Secondly while we'd all like to think this ongoing Toyota issues doesn't involve the 4Runners, she's hardly the first one reporting a problem like this. Members of this board have had similar occurances.

More importantly the problem she reported occurred again when driven by the body shop people. Are they paranoid too?? More than one person is suspicious this is really a computer / software problem, including myself. Look Toyota tried to soft peddle this instead of jumping in to protecet the image of quality they spend decades building. Then they made the very stupid and disingenous move to blame owners for their choice of floor mats...only to now switch gears and claim it's accelerator problem. Don't be suprised if this story moves on to other models, and don't let it shock you if the problem ends up being more than a gas pedal.

 

[azcowboy]

What the animus and personal comments here audiptr? Firstly vitriolic comments toward a person you've never met pretty much negates the effectiveness of any message you're trying to send. Secondly while we'd all like to think this ongoing Toyota issues doesn't involve the 4Runners, she's hardly the first one reporting a problem like this. Members of this board have had similar occurances.

More importantly the problem she reported occurred again when driven by the body shop people. Are they paranoid too?? More than one person is suspicious this is really a computer / software problem, including myself. Look Toyota tried to soft peddle this instead of jumping in to protecet the image of quality they spend decades building. Then they made the very stupid and disingenous move to blame owners for their choice of floor mats...only to now switch gears and claim it's accelerator problem. Don't be suprised if this story moves on to other models, and don't let it shock you if the problem ends up being more than a gas pedal.

I don't know that there was any animus from audiptr there, just that this is a single instance of an 04 Runner that had a problem....and it made the paper?

People are now rushing to judgment on everything Toyota.

I read a few pieces on the net about this the other day and more than one writer was saying - (to paraphrase) "look out Toyota, people will be coming out of the woodwork, looking for a payday".

I'm not saying that Toyota does not have a problem or that they did not mishandle the issue. What I am saying is start looking for more of these types of stories. The media love it and, as I said, there are some (not saying this particular woman is one) that will be looking for some $$$ - whether the "problem" is the manufacturers or not.

Look back at other recalls from other auto manufacurers.

 

[Aquabear]

Right on the money azcowboy. The media loves this stuff and wants to put fear into everyone with their storytelling. I love my T4R and am happy I finally bought one after years of thinking of it and will not regret it. My old Rav4 went cross country many times when i was in the military; 167,000 mi without EVER a breakdown or repair. Toyota quality has and is solid. Recalls are part of the Auto biz, people forget that most if not all auto co's (and auto parts too- remembr Firestone) have had a recall this is not the first (not the last either) and yes other recalls involved loss of life - sad but true. I'm not saying Toyota did right/wrong but we need to look at this as a whole. Yes times are tuff really tuff and cars having problems from a manufacturer are bad and worse when it involves loss of life but I don't think Toyota should go anywhere. I hope they make positive changes in their company and have more positive relationship with the public. After owning and working on many cars, Toyota to me by far has reliability beat by just about everyone. I hope you all keep this in mind and not sell ur TR4's to a Honda sale or GM buyback.
On a positive note if you get snow like me in NY have fun driving in it guys! and gals.

 

[MikesToy]

I had a minor prob with my '03 Limited 4WD V8. The prob was: Gas pedal was too small for me. Now that i put the OBX pedals in there, i can put most of my right foot over the pedal vs the stock where i have to pedal with the top of my right foot.

 

[Iron Clad Lou]

every tool in the shed that wrecks their Toyota is going to blame Toyota...thats just how its going to be...and, since everyone is a "journalist" now, you will surely hear about it.

 

[MikesToy]

every tool in the shed that wrecks their Toyota is going to blame Toyota...thats just how its going to be...and, since everyone is a "journalist" now, you will surely hear about it.

American cars are next. :lol:

 

[Jed]

Unfortunately, there will be dolts out there who do something stupid behind the wheel of their vehicles. If one of those dolts happens to own a late-model Toyota, then of course they have a built-in excuse for their own stupidity. So it won't surprise me if we hear the occasion story about a 4Runner owner who does something stupid and then blames Toyota.

 

[t4r4life]

American cars are next. :lol:

i dont think people will be surprised

 

[Maz]

I don't know that there was any animus from audiptr there, just that this is a single instance of an 04 Runner that had a problem....and it made the paper?

Fair enough, I should have asked for a further explanation first. However when the body shop wouldn't even release the 4Runner because they experienced the same acceleration problem that made this story something a lot more than someone looking for a payday.

If people are going to blame the media and individual drivers that's fine. However I'm more than a little suprised most seem to be giving Toyota a pass here. It's almost impossible to believe the company has been forthright. Frankly the floor mat finger pointing at the consumer insulting. Does anyone else believe Toyota just made that up with the intention to avoid a recall?

 

[Donlefarq]

Toyota have maintained the reputation of being number one in the industry for so long and, therefore, have the furthest to fall. They have set the highest standards of business management, and are used as an example of excellence for other companies, in any industry, to attempt to match. There is no doubt that in this case they have made some poor management decisions which has severely tarnished their almost immaculate reputation. However, this issue was not obvious at first. If there had been more immediate complaints, problems and accidents in a shorter time, Toyota would likely have responded accordingly. The complaints were few and far between at first. The problem was not clear and may still not be fixed. The floor mat issue may have simply been a case of looking at the most obvious problem first. Replacing floormats may be more expensive for Toyota than fixing the accelerator. I, for one, don't know.

What worries me is that the worst is yet to come. The problem may be electronic or some may be electronic, while others are mechanical or still a floormat issue. Not to mention the Prius/Lexus break issue. Toyota has to respond quickly, accurately and decisively which they have failed to do, and under the circumstances, may be impossible to do. The media is having a "field day" and opportunist are seeing where they can take advantage.

Having said that, I predict, a year from now, Toyota will be back at the top, leaner and meaner, having learned a monumental lesson from this. The whole automotive industry is learning a huge lesson from this.

 

[Roland]

Don't worry about the gen4 4runner not being recalled. Once they determine that this is a ECU problem and not a sticking gas pedal you know what is really going to hit the fan. For the record uncontrolled acceleration happened to my 08 4runner and it wasn't a sticking gas pedal. Dealer blew me off. And before everyone starts saying I have an axe to grind I own 5 toyota's and the other 4 have been rock solid.