Common Issues

K

keph13

New member
I know we like to think that our trucks are bulletproof and never break unless we break them...

...but that's obviously not the case, even though they're better than lots of other vehicles. So, I'm wondering if we want a consolidated thread of "weird/unintuitive things that might happen to your 4Runner in the normal course of operation." I'll start with two that I've seen:

  • If you disconnect the battery, the first time you start it after reconnecting it will stall. This is normal, just start it again.
  • You don't have to install a lift to break an ABS sensor wire! If your dashboard looks like this (ABS, Brake, all of the 4wd feature lights on or blinking), you've probably broken an sensor wire. I'm taking it in tomorrow to get replaced since I have a warranty on it, but I gather from other posters that if you replace the part yourself the lights will go out on their own. It's safe to drive in the meantime, assuming you don't need ABS or 4wd.

Anyone else? I'll add stuff to this list as it comes in.
 
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More info on the ABS thing: the lights all came on as I was taking a turn after a stop sign in a town, nothing crazy at all and no clunks or noises. Since I've read some of the lift threads, I had a pretty good idea what was going on, but I did stick my head under the left and right to make sure nothing had broken and taken out the wire on the way by. I did drive through an ice/snow storm on Friday night (where the truck was a champ, btw), and it's been cold since then, so I wonder if the slack in the wire froze to something, and then broke when I took a corner. That said, I was curious and checked the Techstream readout of the ABS section: screenshot. Apparently two of them are bad? So now I'm wondering if it allows one bad one, since it broke when I took a corner which strongly indicates the front end causing the lights to come on. I'm open to ideas on that front.

For what it's worth, this is one reason I can see to get Techstream over Carista - if I didn't have the warranty, I'd be able to easily figure out which ones to replace on my own.
 
I got salt in one of my connectors on the front bottom most harness on the abs wire. The harness had impacted something in a snow storm, I drove through a pile of hard snow.

I unplugged it, cleaned it with Deoxit (switch cleaner) and plugged it back in. Had to duct tape it then zip tie it due to a broken clip on the plug. That was a long time ago. No problem since.

What are the odds two sensor wires went bad? I wonder if you simply got salt in there? Wouldn’t take 5 minutes to try.

You can use two paper clips to get abs error codes. That’s how I figured out which side. No program needed.
 
If you leave out ppl fvcking around with a VERY HIGHLY reliable vehicle as it comes from the factory, this will be a VERY SHORT list. Just sayin'.
 
Slowgoat said:
I got salt in one of my connectors on the front bottom most harness on the abs wire. The harness had impacted something in a snow storm, I drove through a pile of hard snow.

I unplugged it, cleaned it with Deoxit (switch cleaner) and plugged it back in. Had to duct tape it then zip tie it due to a broken clip on the plug. That was a long time ago. No problem since.

What are the odds two sensor wires went bad? I wonder if you simply got salt in there? Wouldn’t take 5 minutes to try.

You can use two paper clips to get abs error codes. That’s how I figured out which side. No program needed.
Click to expand...

Huh, good to know!

philsey said:
If you leave out ppl fvcking around with a VERY HIGHLY reliable vehicle as it comes from the factory, this will be a VERY SHORT list. Just sayin'.
Click to expand...

Hah, fair. But it doesn't have to be all broken things - the stalling after pulling the battery is floating around in a bunch of threads here, but I hadn't read it the first time it happened to me and I definitely thought I killed it. So if there are things like that those are also valid.
 
The problem with this is there are not many "common issues" - I would challenge this forum to come up with real issues that are actually common. I am by no means saying 4runners don't break but would argue they are one of the most reliable vehicles sold in NA and IIRC from a post a week ago there is data to back that up. I like the idea to come up with a list - I just can't do it

I don't feel your ABS line counts as "common" and the 2nd start after a battery (news to me) sounds more like a feature then an issue.

the common issues/concerns that I see on this forum include

*needs more power
*gas mileage sucks
*engine ticks
*this thing nose dives!
*sounds like a vacuum in my engine bay after I shut it off
*Will it rub?
*Seriously will it rub?
*TRD Pro, the 4runner to rule them all....
*Sh**, Early TRD Pros suspension clunk- common
*I swear the truck doesn't brake right (although there have been several reported cases of this among 100,000s of 4runners so maybe its a thing - but not a chance its common)
*Transfer case leaking (not common)
*KDSS shock leaks (not common)
*Threating to repeat WWII based on the Toyota Engineer who designed the oil change routine.
*Engine blew/seized due to oil starvation - Wait that was totally the owners fault but Toyota stepped up and fixed it
*Speaking of Toyta - seriously no auto climate control or headlights in the Premium trims (aside from limited) and no power folding mirrors.
 
keph13 said:
I know we like to think that our trucks are bulletproof and never break unless we break them...

...but that's obviously not the case, even though they're better than lots of other vehicles. So, I'm wondering if we want a consolidated thread of "weird/unintuitive things that might happen to your 4Runner in the normal course of operation." I'll start with two that I've seen:

  • If you disconnect the battery, the first time you start it after reconnecting it will stall. This is normal, just start it again.
  • You don't have to install a lift to break an ABS sensor wire! If your dashboard looks like this (ABS, Brake, all of the 4wd feature lights on or blinking), you've probably broken an sensor wire. I'm taking it in tomorrow to get replaced since I have a warranty on it, but I gather from other posters that if you replace the part yourself the lights will go out on their own. It's safe to drive in the meantime, assuming you don't need ABS or 4wd.

Anyone else? I'll add stuff to this list as it comes in.
Click to expand...

keph13 said:
Huh, good to know!



Hah, fair. But it doesn't have to be all broken things - the stalling after pulling the battery is floating around in a bunch of threads here, but I hadn't read it the first time it happened to me and I definitely thought I killed it. So if there are things like that those are also valid.
Click to expand...

Fair enough, but I posted because your language "issues", "breaking/broken", is coupled with poor examples. The battery thing is not an issue if you read the OM, and in fact is normal. The ABS sensors are highly unlikely to break under anything close to normal conditions.

Sure, the 4R may have issues, but it's a machine, made by humans, ergo susceptible. But they are damned few and far between, and respectfully sir, your examples are not issues. I am NOT starting an argument, just explaining why I posted what I did.

:peace:
 
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Engineer said:
The problem with this is there are not many "common issues" - I would challenge this forum to come up with real issues that are actually common. I am by no means saying 4runners don't break but would argue they are one of the most reliable vehicles sold in NA and IIRC from a post a week ago there is data to back that up. I like the idea to come up with a list - I just can't do it

I don't feel your ABS line counts as "common" and the 2nd start after a battery (news to me) sounds more like a feature then an issue.

the common issues/concerns that I see on this forum include

*needs more power
*gas mileage sucks
*engine ticks
*this thing nose dives!
*sounds like a vacuum in my engine bay after I shut it off
*Will it rub?
*Seriously will it rub?
*TRD Pro, the 4runner to rule them all....
*Sh**, Early TRD Pros suspension clunk- common
*I swear the truck doesn't brake right (although there have been several reported cases of this among 100,000s of 4runners so maybe its a thing - but not a chance its common)
*Transfer case leaking (not common)
*KDSS shock leaks (not common)
*Threating to repeat WWII based on the Toyota Engineer who designed the oil change routine.
*Engine blew/seized due to oil starvation - Wait that was totally the owners fault but Toyota stepped up and fixed it
*Speaking of Toyta - seriously no auto climate control or headlights in the Premium trims (aside from limited) and no power folding mirrors.
Click to expand...

you just summarised 3 or 4 years that I've wasted on this forum in one bullet-point post

I'm wasting my life
 
I’m not sure if anyone else has had the same issues as myself but I now have two.

The first one is that the suspension creeks when going over regular roads. More so over speed bumps and driveways. Stock suspension on 2wd.

The second is that after doing my own oil change after the dealer, there was some gunk in the oil filter canister. It looked almost like mud. Sorry I didn’t take any pictures but I don’t think the dealer actually changed my filter last time.

I know these aren’t common issues, but I’m curious if anyone has seen anything like this.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
There are very few issues so far, a couple more mentioned here are;

Poor paint issues, specifically white

Uncomfortable seats

Skinny rim options

Some factory oil leaks on engine from lack of sealant.

In fact, I like my wife's 4runner so well I looked into replacing my GMC Z71 with a 2018 Tundra until I found out about the oil leak issues on the Camshaft Tower seal. Toyota V-8's have had this issue for years (since 2008?) but no TSB or recall. seems to be hit or miss though. Still not chancing 50k.

https://www.tundras.com/threads/cam-shaft-tower-seal-leaking-please-read.20102/
 
Im a member on other car forums and these type of threads are usually like.

- tailgate shocks fail early
-spare tire gets stuck
-window motor premature failure

ETC...


Dont give opinions like
-seats not comfy
-paint not nice LOL
-i broke abs wire

Cmon guys...dont mention dumb things like that. Its simple...post COMMON issues :ybrick:
 
Georgie said:
Im a member on other car forums and these type of threads are usually like.

- tailgate shocks fail early
-spare tire gets stuck
-window motor premature failure

ETC...


Dont give opinions like
-seats not comfy
-paint not nice LOL
-i broke abs wire

Cmon guys...dont mention dumb things like that. Its simple...post COMMON issues :ybrick:
Click to expand...

Maybe look at the threads on 4runner paint issues before making comments, and who said paint not nice? I was referring to chipping, scratches etc. , how many hatches have been re-painted? Mine is Blizzard Pearl and has had chipping on the hatch.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/108041-rust-bleeding-through-paint-rear-hatch.html

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/236463-rough-paint-clear-rear-hatch-normal.html

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/163350-rust-starting-my-lift-gate-already-%-*-$.html


And there are several threads on the seats, to include repairs needed etc.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/209206-front-passenger-seat-comfort-aint-there.html

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/94241-5th-vs-4th-gen-seat-comfort.html

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/99223-uncomfortable-seats-ltd.html

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/201932-front-seats-uncomfortable.html

Issues that affect 4runners and their owners, not opinions. Read a little before calling someone dumb.

I too am a member on several other forums, does not make me an expert. If the OP or MOD takes issue with my post then I will consider editing.
 
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