FaultScore

2003 Toyota 4RUNNER airbag problems

10 of the 718 complaints about the 2003 Toyota 4RUNNER are about the airbag system — 1% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 100,000 miles.

F

10

Complaints

4

Crashes

0

Fires

4

Injuries

Exactly what failed

AIR Bags 8 80.0%
Frontal 2 20.0%

Airbags across every Toyota 4RUNNER year

2003 10 2.5%
2004 36 9.0%
2005 19 4.7%
2006 24 6.0%
2010 92 22.9%
2011 112 27.9%
2012 70 17.5%
2013 11 2.7%
2015 17 4.2%
2016 10 2.5%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 265,000 miles Magnolia, AR

AIR BAGS

DASHBOARD IS CRACKING FROM SIDE TO SIDE; A FEW CRACKS ARE RIGHT OVER THE PASSENGER AIRBAG. I WORRY ABOUT THE INTEGRITY OF THE AIRBAG. IF ANYTHING MALFUNCTIONS, AT LEAST I'LL HAVE THIS COMPLAINT ON RECORD.

NHTSA complaint #11292564 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 100,000 miles Wilmington, NC

AIR BAGS

CAR WAS RUNNING PERFECTLY. BRAKES WERE SERVICES 6 MONTHS AGO. TRAVELED FROM NC TO FL FOR HOLIDAY. STARTED CAR MAINTENANCE LIGHT WENT ON SHOWED AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT WITH EAR PIERCING BUZZER. WENT TO DRIVE CAR TO TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND HAD NO BRAKES. THEY WOULD WORK SLIGHTLY BUT TO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. DID NOT HAVE BRAKES

NHTSA complaint #11162641 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 100,000 miles Indianapolis, IN

AIR BAGS

THE STEERING WHEEL COVER IS BROKEN, CRACKED. BEHIND IT IS THE AIR BAG.

NHTSA complaint #10823974 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 138,000 miles Houston, TX Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS

DRIVING 45 MPH IN A 45 MPH ZONE ON CITY STREET WHEN A PICKUP TRUCK FAILED TO YIELD RIGHT-OF-WAY AND PULLED IMMEDIATELY IN FRONT OF 4RUNNER. ALMOST ZERO TIME FOR BREAKING. 4RUNNER HIT PICKUP TRUCK BEHIND DRIVER'S DOOR AT NEARLY 45 MPH. THE TRUCK WAS WAS MOVING RIGHT TO LEFT. FRONT END OF 4RUNNER SEVERELY DAMAGED AND FRAME WAS BENT. 4RUNNER BUMPER MOUNTS JUST BELOW AIRBAG SENSORS WERE BROKEN OFF. AIRBAGS ON 4RUNNER DID NOT ACTIVATE. 4RUNNER DRIVER HAS SEVERE CONCUSSION AND OTHER INJURIES. BOTH VEHICLES WERE TOTALED BY THE PICKUP TRUCK DRIVER'S INSURANCE CARRIER. THE SAFETY ISSUE TOO FAILURE OF THE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY IN A SEVERE FRONTAL COLLISION...UPDATED 11/12/15

NHTSA complaint #10788164 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 27,000 miles Fort Washington, PA

AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS DEVELOPING A CRACK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TWO DIFFERENT INDEPENDENT MECHANICS AND BOTH STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WAS LEAKING CAUSING THE DASHBOARD TO CRACK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,000.

NHTSA complaint #10653468 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 115,000 miles Olathe, KS Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS

I WAS STOPPED ON THE HIGHWAY BEHIND A TRUCK MAKING A LEFT TURN WHEN I WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER TRUCK GOING 60 MPH. MY 4RUNNER WAS CRUSHED BETWEEN THEM, TOTALED, AND MY AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. I HIT THE STEERING WHEEL SO HARD I BOUNCED OFF OF IT AND BROKE MY SEAT FROM THE MOMENTUM. WHEN I AWOKE I HAD SLID INTO THE BACK SEAT (WHICH IS ALL THAT WAS REALLY LEFT OF THE VEHICLE). ALTHOUGH I AM THANKFUL TO BE ALIVE, I FEEL THAT AT THAT FORCE, THE AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED!

NHTSA complaint #10573105 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Mckinney, TX

AIR BAGS

HAVE AN 2003 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER, THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN PARKED IN MY GARAGE. IT ONLY HAS 40,000 MILES ON IT & IS MINT CONDITION EXCEPT FOR ONE MAJOR PROBLEM, THE DASH. ALTHOUGH IT DOES NOT SIT OUTSIDE IN THE SUN, ONLY IN MY GARAGE, THERE ARE CRACKS ALL ALONG THE DASH. MOST PREDOMINANTLY THERE A DIAGONAL CRACK ACROSS THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG, AS WELL AS ALONG ALL THE EDGES OF WHERE THE DASH MEETS A CURVE' (I.E. RIGHT ABOVE THE SPEEDOMETER) IT IS EXTREMELY UNFORTUNATE THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM ACROSS THE DASHBOARD WITH OTHER 4RUNNER'S AND SIENNA'S, AND IT IS ALSO VERY UNFORTUNATE THAT DUE TO AIRBAG RESTRICTIONS, I CAN'T EVEN PAY SOMEONE TO FIX IT. MY CONCERN IS THE DIAGONAL CRACK ACROSS THE PASSENGER FRONT AIRBAG.

NHTSA complaint #10446724 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 15,000 miles Irvine, CA

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

I HAVE A CRACK IN THE DASH 1 FOOT LONG ABOVE THE PASSENGER AIRBAG ONLY 15000 MILES ON TRUCK. ALOT OF OTHER POST ARE ON THE INTERNET WITH SAME CRACK OR MORE. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN GARAGED. I AM WORRIED THAT SOMETHING WILL SPILL AND SHORT THE AIRBAG. FOR A TRUCK DROVE SO LITTLE AND ALWAYS IN THE DARK THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. TOYOTA PLACE 9670 TRASK AV GARDEN GROVE CA ASKED TOYOTA TO REPLACE IT THEY SAID IT WAS A DEFECT. ANIKA FROM TOYOTA CAME TO LOOK AT A SHOWROOM CONDITION TRUCK AND SAID NO IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. I WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO REPLACE IT IF I AM WORRIED ABOUT IT. IT WOULD BE $1000.00. I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY AT THIS TIME. THEY DO NOT CARE. CALLED TOYOTA ON SAME DAY THEY SAID ANIKA SAID NO SO THAT IS AS GOOD AS IN STONE NOTHING MORE TO TALK ABOUT. THIS IS THE NEW TOYOTA MONEY OVER SAFETY.

NHTSA complaint #10348376 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Unknown, DC Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

2003 4RUNNER. CONSUMER STATES FRONT END COLLISION IN WHICH AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HIS WIFE HAS A PERMANENT NECK INJURY.

NHTSA complaint #10321944 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 23,000 miles Houston, TX Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS

2003 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER, LIMITED V8 4WD- VEHICLE IMPACTED A BUMPER BARREL ON FREEWAY EXIT AT HIGH RATE OF SPEED APPROXIMENTLY 50 MPH. POINT OF IMPACT WAS DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT QUARTER PANEL AND DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT END. TOTAL DAMAGE TO VEHICLE EXCEEDED $5000.00. HOWEVER, NEITHER THE FRONT OR SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE LACK OF AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT CAUSED NON-LIFE THREATENING INJURIES.

NHTSA complaint #10185835 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2003 Toyota 4RUNNER problems

← Full 2003 Toyota 4RUNNER report