Oh The troubles

M

Micah

New member
Three years ago I leased a 2005 4 Runner Sport. I was so excited to get the car. It was hot looking and I wanted something very reliable. The fact that it was good in the snow didn't hurt. I leased the car. I don't do the normal amount of driving a year. I am a salesman, so I do 30,000 a year. I figured it was as safe a bet in getting a Toyota as one could make. I didn't even get the extended warranty. It was a Toyota what could go wrong, it was built to last.

Since about summer this car has cost me $2650.00. I have had more problems with this car than I could imagine. My driver side brake caliper had to be redone. If you do one you have to do the other. That was $1700.00 right there. Last week I had to have one of my Catalitic(SP) converts replaced. That was $950.00. The car isn't even at 90,000 miles and all these problems. I talked to a friend of mine that has the same car as I do. He had the same brake problems that I had. I talked to one of the mechanics at the dealership that did the work on the car. He told me that this brake problem was common. He said that he see's this at 30K, 50K, and on and on. It is very common.

Has anybody else had these problems with their 4 Runners? I am very dissappointed in the car. I expect better than that from Toyota. I don't see myself getting another Toyota anytime soon.
 
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Yes I had one piston in the front brake caliper get stuck. I replaced both front calipers for $ 133/ea. I did the work myself so it was not a huge issue for me.

I have been lucky with mine. The brakes and the A/C relay ($ 60) where the only two money issues that I have had.

The Moon roof rattle disappeared after one year and the stinky sulfur smell went away sometime around 2
 
mole177 said:
leasing a vehicle and popping on 30k a year?

hmmm...
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I am in a sales job that takes me from Upstate New York all the way to middle Pa. It is always fun to see a sales man react when I say 3 years 90 K. Call me crazy but a high quality car such as a Toyota should not have the problems that I have had.
 
The lease rates are pretty good on these vehicles compared to a domestic.

I also leased my 06 V8 sport @ a 27k per year lease as I got a 500.00 per mo. car allowance.

My lease rate is 1.3% , since I've left my job since then I will be way under miles leased. It was the 1st and last time I will ever lease unless my acct. forces me into it for tax reasons.

I'm sorry you are having so many problems. My stuff has all been pretty petty things that needed to be fixed , but honestly have had just as good of luck with my Chevy's and Ford's . Actually it's been in the shop for more things than my 04 Escape to date.
 
$1700 on front calipers??!! :bugeye:

Wow.. you paid way too much for that. I'd be curious of the charges on that bill. I've had two Tacoma's both with front 4 piston calipers. Neither of them had any brake issues. I had 100k on the first and 75k on the second.

As for your catalytic converter, what milage did they replace it at? All vehicles have a 96 month 80k miles warranty on the emissions components which the catalytic converter is.
 
I had frozen calipers at mile 55k. Got the hardware covered under extended warranty.

I had previously purchased new pads and had to pay for the rotors to be cut (1 hr of labor) plus pay the $50 deductable

Changed out the stinky cat as a TSB item.

I basically broke even with the warranty.

I have free Lifetime oil changes and can do basic maintenance items like coolant flushes and spark plugs. So I'm saving a little here and there.

Sorry to hear you've been having to spend $ maintaining your car. Here in the North East salt and corrosion is rusting every bolt :) I think that's what caused my calipers to freeze.
 
$1700 for front calipers and $950 for Catalytic converter?

Can I be your mechanic? :D

Your company leased you a vehicle without an extended warranty? Check the agreement...
 
Sounds like a case of you being partially screwed over, not to mention your experiences seem to be very uncommon. Sounds like you just have bad luck, because Toyota's (especially 4runners) are very well made vehicles. Get a ford next time and see how they do with those road trips. :D

Who knows, maybe replacing the transmission every 30k will be less of a hassle......Not to mention the other problems you would face.
 
Just wondering if someone can explain the reasoning behind "having" to replace both front calipers when only one is frozen?
Did the non-frozen caliper appear like it was about to fail/freeze?

Sounds like the replacement of the non-frozen caliper might have been related to "upselling" the service (ie increasing dealer profits)
more than really needing to have it done...
 
I replaced both of my front calipers, on my own, as it was cheap to do this. The other caliper worked perfectly fine. No real reason to do this. I just did. The two front calipers are not even on the same hydraulic circuit.
 
greasefingers said:
I replaced both of my front calipers, on my own, as it was cheap to do this. The other caliper worked perfectly fine. No real reason to do this. I just did. The two front calipers are not even on the same hydraulic circuit.
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I can undestand replacing both calipers when the parts are cheap and it is a DIY project. I have done things like that myself.
Bleeding brakes can be a PITA when one does not have help or a tool to do it. Doing both calipers and changing the brake fluid makes sense.

Having both calipers replaced by a dealer or shop does not make as much sense if one is being charge ~$800 for each caliper unless there is a very important reason to do so.
 
Oh man, bleeding the brakes on a 4th Gen 4runner is really weird. You do it with the ignition key on (engine not running) and this energizes a pump motor which cycles on and off during the bleeding process.

I many times replace more than what is actually needed when I do the work myself. I like working on my vehicles so it makes me feel good replacing things.
 
greasefingers said:
Oh man, bleeding the brakes on a 4th Gen 4runner is really weird. You do it with the ignition key on (engine not running) and this energizes a pump motor which cycles on and off during the bleeding process.

I many times replace more than what is actually needed when I do the work myself. I like working on my vehicles so it makes me feel good replacing things.
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VERY interesting procedure for bleeding the brakes on the 4Runner.

Man, I know the feeling about working on my vehicles, I own old, water cooled VWs. Keeping some of them running can be fun.
When I get bored with that, I restore one of them. Call me insane.

I put so few miles on my 4Runner I tend to let the dealer do the maintenance. I am usualy too pressed for time (keeping my other vehicles running).
Glad my dealer seems reasonably priced for maintenance.
 
I here ya. I currently own four vehicles and it seems like every other weekend I am changing fluids, doing tune-ups, washing/cleaning
 
Catalytic Converter

Wait a second....Let's talk about the cat repair.

The Catalytic converter/emmission control system has a 80k mile waranty. All cars/trucks have this since it is mandated by the Federal Government.

I had my both cats replaced at 79,600 under warranty. $2300 in work covered.

Why did the cat get replaced? I think you need to go back to the dealer and get your money back.
 
Re: Catalytic Converter

maine runner said:
Wait a second....Let's talk about the cat repair.

The Catalytic converter/emmission control system has a 80k mile waranty. All cars/trucks have this since it is mandated by the Federal Government.

I had my both cats replaced at 79,600 under warranty. $2300 in work covered.

Why did the cat get replaced? I think you need to go back to the dealer and get your money back.
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I brought the car in with 84,000 miles on it. I put on 30K per year on average.
 
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