17 of the 188 complaints about the 2003 Toyota 4 Runner are about the seats — 9% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 2,000 miles.
17
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
SEATS
WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE SEATS HEIGHT WAS NOT ADJUSTED PROPERLY. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER WHO ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM SEVERAL TIMES BUT WAS UNABLE TO PERMANENTLY CORRECT . *BF
NHTSA complaint #10097015 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
FRONT DRIVERS SIDE SEAT RATTLES OR MOVES ABOUT 1/2 INCH WHEN SLOWING DOWN, GOING FAST & GOING OVER BUMPS.
NHTSA complaint #10079200 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER STATED REAR SEATS DID NOT LOCK IN PLACE. AS A RESULT, WHEN APPLYING BRAKES SUDDENLY THE SEATS CAME UP.
NHTSA complaint #10075531 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
DRIVER'S SEAT BACKREST, MOVES OR HAS A PLAY MAKING IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE.
NHTSA complaint #10068482 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT ON MY 4 RUNNER DOES NOT PROPERLY LOCK INTO PLACE. THE SEAT MOVES FORWARD AND BACKWARD ON THE TRACK IN CERTAIN POSITIONS UNDER BRAKING AND/OR ACCELERATION. AT FIRST THE DEALER SAID THEY WOULD REPLACE THE TRACK, BUT SINCE THEN THEY HAVE DECIDED TO DENY THAT THERE IS EVEN A PROBLEM. THE REGIONAL MANAGER DROPPED THE CASE OFF OF THEIR RECORDS WITHOUT EVEN TRYING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID IT MADE THEIR AVERAGES LOOK BAD.
NHTSA complaint #10064125 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
MANUAL SEAT OF 2003 4 RUNNER SPORT MODEL CONTINUALLY RETRACTS FROM ELEVATED POSITION. THIS MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO USE THE REAR VIEW MIRROR WHEN DRIVING. SINCE THE SEAT LOWERS WITHIN 15-30 MINUTES DEPENDING ON ROAD SURFACE THE SEAT MUST BE CONTINOUSLY RAISED, CREATING ANOTHER UNSAFE DIRVING SITUATION. SERVICE DEALER INDICATES THERE IS NO SOLUTION TO PROBLEM AND IT IS "SOMETHING I WILL HAVE TO LIVE WITH"!!
NHTSA complaint #10060724 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
I HAVE NOTICED MOVEMENT IN MY SEAT WHEN BRAKING AND ACCELERATING. MOVEMENT DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME, BUT DOES HAPPEN OFTEN. I HAVE INFORMED MY DEALERSHIP, BUT HEY HAVE NOT FOUND THE PROBLEM WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED. I STILL HAVE THE MOVEMENT PROBLEM AND I INTEND TO DOCUMENT THE PROBLEM ON MY WORK ORDER WHEN I GO IN FOR MY NEXT SERVICING, IN CASE I NEED THE DOCUMENTATION FOR LEMON LAW. HOPEFULLY IT WILL NOT COME TO THAT.
NHTSA complaint #10057071 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
03 4 RUNNER DRIVER'S SEAT RATTLES IN BASE OF SEAT. THIS IS A MANUAL ADJUSTMENT SEAT.
NHTSA complaint #10054903 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
DRIVER'S SEAT ROCKS BACK AND FORTH WHILE DRIVING. IT BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE BUT THEY REFUSE TO REPAIR IT.
NHTSA complaint #10054619 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
THERE IS A WHINING NOISE COMMING FROM THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL AT ALL SPEEDS, BUT NOTICEABLE MOSTLY AT 80 MPH AND HIOGHER. TOYOTA AKNOWLEDGED, BUT REFUSES TO REPAIR.*AK ALSO DRIVERS SEAT IS LOOSE AND COMES OUT OF PLACE DURING EMERGENCY STOPPING. AGAIN TOYOTA IS AWARE, BUT REFUSES TO CORRECT.
NHTSA complaint #10051461 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
DRIVER SEAT WAS TOO LOOSE AND MOVED BACK AND FORTH WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK DRIVER'S SEAT MOVES BACK AND FORTH WHILE DRIVING. DEALERSHIP WAS INFORMED BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10050531 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY
THE REAR SEAT BACK REST ON PASSENGER SIDE SQUEAKS AND MAKES A RATTLING NOISE. IF THE BACK REST IS FOLDED DOWN THE NOISE GOES AWAY. IT SEEMS TO BE THE LOCKING MECHANISM. BASED ON RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. DEALER OFFERED TO LOOK AT IT.
NHTSA complaint #10049068 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
THE DRIVER'S SEAT FOR MY 2003 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER SPORT V8, WHICH HAS A MANUAL ADJUSTMENT FOR THE SEAT BASE FORE-TO-AFT POSITION, HAS TOO MUCH PLAY WHEN LOCKED INTO POSITION. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE MOVEMENT, OR PLAY, WILL OVER TIME COMPROMISE THE LOCKED POSITION OF THE SEAT BASE. PREVIOUS OWNED CARS LIKE A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA AND 1996 TOYOTA RAV4, WHICH BOTH HAD MANUAL SEAT BASE ADJUSTMENTS, DID NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE. I BELIEVE ALL >= 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNERS WITH MANUAL SEAT BASE ADJUSTMENTS HAVE THIS ISSUE - A LOCAL DEALER SHOWED ME 2 4RUNNERS ON THE LOT WHICH ALSO HAD THE SEAT BASE MOVEMENT WHEN LOCKED, AND DECLARED THIS ISSUE "NORMAL". I BELIEVE MANY OTHER 4RUNNER OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THIS: HTTP://WWW.TOYOTA-4RUNNER.ORG/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?S=&THREADID=676.
NHTSA complaint #10045413 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
DRIVER'S SEAT KEEPS SLIPPING WHEN INCREASING/DECREASING/STOPPING. IT IS A MANUAL SEAT AND DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS NOTHING TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT AND THAT THERE HAD BEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS. IT IS A NOTICABLE SHIFT IN SEAT POSITION. DEALER SUGGESTED THAT THIS IS A TYPICAL "MANUAL" SEAT REATION. I FIND THIS DIFFICULT TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH AS I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS SITUATION WITH OTHER VEHICLES WITH MANUAL SEATS. PLEASE NOTIFY ME VIA EMAIL YOUR FINDINGS. THANKS BARBARA CHRISTIAN.
NHTSA complaint #10036829 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
LUMBAR SUPPORT IN DRIVER SEAT "POP" AND ADJUST BY ITSELF FROM SELECTED LUMBAR POSITION. OCCURS WHEN DRIVING AND WHEN PARKED. DEALER STATES "PLASTIC CLIPS" THAT HOLD THE S SHAPED SPRING SECURE ARE FAULTY.
NHTSA complaint #10036794 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
THE BACK LUMBAR OF THE DRIVERS SEAT RATTLES AND IT MOVES WHEN I ACCELERATING OR BRAKING.
NHTSA complaint #10030886 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
FRONT SECTION OF SEAT UNDER LEGS HAS COME LOOSE. *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10013548 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.