Has your 4Runner ever stranded you?

S

Schargedtaco

New member
Okay all being a 4runner forum this is a tough discussion to be honest about.
The question? Tell us about a time your beloved 4runner left you questioning all the hype!
My 96 sr5 never gave a lick of trouble from 124k to 197k. With 3 months after purchasing my 97 limited I was left stranded at the bank. I brought my utility trailer and when I started the engine back up it would not go into gear. I had 10 things to go do and was pretty sick in less than 5k I was stuck and had never been stranded before. The 4 runner got a get out of jail free card as there was an auto zone 50 yards away. Turns our the brake light fuse was blown and wouldn't go out of park. Blew 1 more time until I unhooked the trailer plug which had corrosion on it. Had I been 20 miles back into a dirt road camping!! I carry lots of fuses now.

On a 2nd note our ignition key started giving us trouble as the key wouldn't turn without fiddling with it. My wife couldn't get it started and walked 2 miles from the store home. Got new keys made and although its better it still catches and takes several turns. Although a very reliable car these 2 issues would have most owners brand allegence questioned. I'm a believer I can put 200k more on this thing but after driving 20 years and owning over 20 vehicles including an international scout II with 350k I had never been stuck even when broken down. I could always limp the truck back to town. Hard to fully trust the yota now for deep excursions
 
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Only "breakdown" I have ever had was fuel related when the gauge got wonky on me a couple of times. Once left me stranded waiting on AAA. Wouldn't have been as big of an issue off road since I actually carry extra fuel and watch the mileage/fuel consumption much closer.

Anything else that has worn out in the last 213k miles has given me more than enough warning that it was getting worn and needed replacement. I have pushed a LOT of vehicles with a lot less miles on them in the past.
 
About a week or two after I got mine I was driving over a mountain pass and my narrowband AF gauge (wth are those even for) pegged at all the way lean, and the poor little 4runner couldn't accelerate. I slowed to 45, and stopped at the top of the pass to investigate a bit. Nothing found, so I sat there for about 45 minutes pondering life, and why the heck I bought this thing will these modifications. After pondering I drove home, about 100 miles, no issues.

This problem popped up a few more times on steep grades before finally pulling my head (and wallet) out of my butt and buying the 7th injector kit from URD. All groovy now.

My 87 on the other hand... It left me high and dry a few times.

Once on my way back from work it overheated for no reason... To this day I cannot figure out why. Replaced the hose the blew, and carried on.

Another time my clutch master went out. That was fun.

Over heated again. This time due to a leaking HG, I think.

Then I drove about 200 miles with no timing chain guide (that's not completely accurate... it was in my oil pan) and a very leaky HG to pick up my new 22re. Threw it in the back and tickticktickticktick'd my way home. Never doubted her for a second.

Then I hit some black ice at about 45mph, went off a 5ft embankment sideways/back ward, flopped onto the side, popped back up, sat there. Both passengers unharmed apart from hot coffee being everywhere, and a couple torn tendons in my thumb from gripping the steering wheel on impact. She sat in that ditch for a couple of hours while a gentleman (in an FJ Cruiser) drove my wife and I up to the ski lodge to call for help. Everyone else drove right by without even slowing. First Toyota owner pulled right over, loaded up our snowboards and a few valuables, and drove us off. (Turns out he was an off duty WSP)

Buddy came, pulled me out of the ditch. (Of course she fired right up) and I pulled the fender out of my tire and attempted to drive home. Due to broken leafs/twisted frame, I only made it about 15 miles before I decided to just call a tow truck. Parted it out with help from some incredible friends...

Profit? New 4Runner.


And here I am...
 
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The gift that keeps on giving :D [MENTION=63487]A.Wilson013[/MENTION]

As for me, never happened yet, except one time where the starter contacts finally wore out, while at the mechanic getting my chainsaw sharpened (small town!). I don't consider that a big deal at all, as they wear out every 100K miles for some reason. I did have trouble starting a few times before that, when the contacts were on their way out.

Awesome rig!
 
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Only for a couple seconds.

One time I went to start the engine, but the starter wouldn't engage due to a worn starter solenoid contact. Since I have a manual trans, and was parked on a slight incline, I just let it start rolling, and then popped the clutch and it fired right up.
 
Yeah...

Learned real quick that having a winch doesn't make you invincible. Cables snap, then you are screwed.



CV's break




And 4Runners don't do well on the trail when the wheels aren't on the ground.



Of course everything was my fault, she's given me 120k reliable miles in the last 6 years.
 
so did you just tip it back over? a friend of mine did that with his xj. lol.

Engine modifications... honestly the worst thing ever to jeopardize their longevity. I had (well, have) an upgraded turbo Mazda that left me stranded 40 miles from the nearest town and without cell service and the sun going down. Had my hood up and smoke pouring out. Highway Trooper drive right past me, but later someone stopped and gave me a ride because they recognized my bright green wheels.

....and now I'm here (with a second gen, but it's all the same). lol
 
My fuel pump went out around 130k on my 2001. I had a full tool set and the like and sat there in the community college parking lot for an hour trying to figure it out until my parents drove the hour to get me and then get a tow truck to bring it back home.
 
I used to carry a spare fuel pump in my old car too. lol. along with wires, hoses, and many more extra components and tools.

by the way, 120 mile tow FTL. thank god for AAA.
 
Stranded...

Yep, Alternate shit the bed. Right next to a Autozone of all places. So 30 min later I was off again.
 
Yes I had a very RARE, I MEAN RARE thing happen. I had the tensioner idler pulley bracket snap on my way to work. Must of been a bad casting or something. But it threw the timing belt off and sent it through upper and lower timing covers.

My worst was in my 78 GMC 3 on the tree, stock gearing with 35's. I was out in the middle of no where. I got in a tight spot that was a "short cut" back to camp. keep in mind, I was 28 MILES from the nearest road. I was out hunting with 2 buddies and one didnt unload his gun and had it in between his legs. Anyways, in this tight spot my rear end got to bouncing and I heard a tremendous BOOOOOOMM. FREAKED out and thought the shotgun had gone off in my buddys face buuut it was just the poor old drive shaft snapping....
Sooo we sat and waited, 4 hours later this guys cruises by on his quad. I ask him for a ride to the tallest mountain around. We receive our ride and barely make contact with AAA. When he shows up 4 hours later and sees where my truck is stuck says ahhhhh Hell no, I'm not going down there!!!!! Well sir we have a 30 pak handle of crown and plenty of steak, if you get stuck pulling me out, you will be taken care of. Needless to say I got home 6 hours later with a new drinking buddy!!!! Even though my tow only covered 10 miles he drive me the 4 hours home. Ahhhh good people are hard to come by!
 
Ol'Blue said:
Yep, Alternate shit the bed. Right next to a Autozone of all places. So 30 min later I was off again.
Click to expand...

That reminds me of another one! Again in the 87. This one lasted about two weeks.

While cruising a trail on base I somehow blew the "ENG" fuse. No worries, I have a bunch of fuses. Put another one in, turn the key, pop. Blows.

Whatever, still drives, just missing ohhhh everything. Alternator isn't charging, so of course the 4Runner is slowly dying. Drive home.

Took about a two weeks and 50-100 fuses to find the issue after paying a 12v electrician to go through the whole thing. He found that on my transmission a wire had gotten pinched and was grounding out on the trans. Being a gentleman- after ~8 hours of tracing wires, he charged me $150.

Granted, I fed him twice while he was in my garage going nuts, but what a deal. And he drove from the Seattle area to my garage in Dupont to do the work. After that I paid him to rewire most everything off the ignition in the 87. Great kid (I think he was ~18/19).
 
fortunately no. well. once... but I popped the hood and found the battery terminal had been loose from when I was working in the area a few weeks back.

nothing like my old car... it would regularly pop off intercooler hoses on the highway. I knew what to fix every time though. After it left me stranded with that 120 mile tow due to a melted stainless oil line, I never took it on the highway again, and proceeded to work on my second gen I had acquired for pretty cheap.

On the other hand... it has left the previous owner stranded several times. She blew up three engines. Yeah I don't know... good for me though.
 
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