2003 Toyota 4 Runner

AT CERTAIN TIMES I HAVE A SULFUR/EXHAUST SMELL THAT ENTERS THE VEHICLE. IT IS INTERMITTENT, I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS EXHAUST FROM VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME EMITTING BAD FUMES, BUT IT HAS ALSO HAPPENED WHEN NO OTHER VEHICLES ARE AROUND ME. IT HASN'T LASTED LONG 30 SECONDS TO A MINUTE AND IT'S GONE. BUT WHEN THE SMELL COMES IT'S VERY OVERPOWERING, MAKING ME WANT TO GAG AT TIMES. *NM

I OWN A 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER AND HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THE SULFUR/ROTTEN EGG SMELL FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. IT IS INTERMITTENT AND SEEMS TO OCCUR MOST FREQUENTLY UPON ACCELERATION. THE SMELL CAN GET QUITE BAD AT TIMES, AND HAS CAUSED MY EYES TO BURN AND OTHER PASSENGERS TO FEEL NAUSEOUS. MY 3 YEAR OLD SON HAS COMPLAINED SEVERAL TIMES THAT IT MAKES HIS TUMMY HURT. TAKING IT IN TO TOYOTA HAS NOT HELPED - THEY STATE THAT TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND IS TAKING A LOOK AT IT. HOPEFULLY THEY WILL LOOK QUICKER AND FIND A SOLUTION. I HAVE OWNED SEVERAL TOYOTAS (THIS IS MY SECOND 4RUNNER IN A ROW) AND HAVE ALWAYS FOUND THE CARS AND SERVICE TO BE EXCEPTIONAL. HOWEVER, THIS HAS SOURED ME ON MY WONDERFUL 4RUNNER AND I WILL MOST DEFINITELY LOOK AT OTHER SUVS - PERHAPS SOONER RATHER THAN LATER NOW. *NM

LTR FM CHRISTINE IDLAND (NJ) RE A PROBLEM WITH HER 2003 TOYOTA 4-RUNNER, IT EMITS A PUNGENT ODOR WHEN SHE PRESSES THE ACCELERATOR; REPLY ATTN DEREK DECOSMO/HADDON HEIGHTS OFFICE. *NM THE NJ OEP RAN TEST ON THE VEHICLE WHICH DETERMINED THAT WHEN THE CONSUMER ACCELERATED THE CARBON MONOXIDE LEVELS INSIDE THE VEHICLE BECAME ELEVATED. THIS OCCURRED WHETHER THE WINDOWS WERE OPENED OR CLOSED. *NM

ROTTEN EGG SULFUR SMELL WITH CARBON MONOXIDE (CO) IN THE CABIN IS MAKING PASSENGERS SICK! (POISONED) I JUST DID A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE LEARNED THAT 60 COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE NHTSA FOR THIS SULFUR SMELL. HOWEVER WHAT EVERYONE IS FOCUSING ON IS THE SMELL OF ROTTEN EGG. THIS IS DISGUSTING AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS BUT THAT IS IT IS NOT WHAT WILL KILL YOU. THE CARBON MONOXIDE(CO)IS THE REAL DANGER BECAUSE IT IS WITHOUT ODOR AND DEADLY IT IS ALSO GETTING INTO THE CAR BY THE SAME MEANS AS THE OBVIOUS EGG SMELL. I WAS SO CONCERNED THAT I CONTACTED A ENVIROMENTAL COMPANY WHO CAME FOR A RIDE ALONG IN MY 2003 SR5 4RUNNER. THIS RIDE PROVED TO ME THAT(CO)IS INDEED ENTERING THE CABIN AND ALARMED THE TECH WHO CAME ALONG WITH A (CO)TESTER. AT ONE POINT HE YELLED "CLOSE THE F@#%@%& REAR WINDOW". I SAW THE READINGS GO OFF THE CHARTS DEPENDING ON THE CONFIGURATION OF THE WINDOWS. I DID NOT PAY FOR THIS TEST AS THEY WERE BEING KIND ENOUGH TO JUST SEE IF I HAD ANY (CO)ENTERING THE CABIN. THIS WAS ENOUGH FOR ME! I HAVE SINCE CONTACTED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND I AM WAITING TO HEAR FROM THE REGIONAL REP FROM FL. ANOTHER OPTION FOR PEOPLE TO FIND OUT ON THEIR OWN IS TO GO TO THE HOME DEPOT AND BUY A (CO) TESTER. THIS CAN BE PLUGGED INTO THE 110 OUTLET IN THE GLOVE BOX. I DID AND I DO NOT DRIVE WITH THE REAR WINDOW DOWN AT ALL ANY LONGER AND HAVE POSTPONED TRIPS OF LONGER THAN 50 MILES TO REDUCE EXPOSER TO THIS HARMFUL CHEMICAL. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT MAY BE CORRECTED BY CHANGING THE LOCATION OF THE TAIL PIPE TO VENT TO THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. I HOPE THIS WILL GET THE PEOPLE (NHTSA) WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO BE PROFESSIONALS THAT PROTECT US "TO WAKE UP." IF SOMEONE ELSE COULD DO A SIMILAR TEST IN THEIR STATE WE COULD HAVE MORE AMMUNITION TO FIGHT TOYOTA. I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THE EPA COMPANY WOULD DO A COMPLETE TEST WITH REPORT AND ALL FOR AROUND $340.00. I AM GOING TO SEE IF THE SERVICE REP WOULD DO THIS BUT I DOUBT IT. *AK

ROTTEN EGG (SULFUR) SMELL WITH CARBON MONOXIDE (CO) IN THE CABIN IS MAKING PASSENGERS SICK! (POISONED) I JUST DID A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE LEARNED THAT 60 COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE NHTSA FOR THIS SULFUR SMELL. HOWEVER WHAT EVERYONE IS FOCUSING ON IS THE SMELL OF ROTTEN EGG. THIS IS DISGUSTING AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS BUT THAT IS IT IS NOT WHAT WILL KILL YOU. THE CARBON MONOXIDE(CO)IS THE REAL DANGER BECAUSE IT IS WITHOUT ODOR AND DEADLY IT IS ALSO GETTING INTO THE CAR BY THE SAME MEANS AS THE OBVIOUS EGG SMELL. I WAS SO CONCERNED THAT I CONTACTED A ENVIROMENTAL COMPANY WHO CAME FOR A RIDE ALONG IN MY 2003 SR5 4RUNNER. THIS RIDE PROVED TO ME THAT(CO)IS INDEED ENTERING THE CABIN AND ALARMED THE TECH WHO CAME ALONG WITH A (CO)TESTER. AT ONE POINT HE YELLED "CLOSE THE F@#%@%& REAR WINDOW". I SAW THE READINGS GO OFF THE CHARTS DEPENDING ON THE CONFIGURATION OF THE WINDOWS. I DID NOT PAY FOR THIS TEST AS THEY WERE BEING KIND ENOUGH TO JUST SEE IF I HAD ANY (CO)ENTERING THE CABIN. THIS WAS ENOUGH FOR ME! I HAVE SINCE CONTACTED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND I AM WAITING TO HEAR FROM THE REGIONAL REP FROM FL. ANOTHER OPTION FOR PEOPLE TO FIND OUT ON THEIR OWN IS TO GO TO THE HOME DEPOT AND BUY A (CO) TESTER. THIS CAN BE PLUGGED INTO THE 110 OUTLET IN THE GLOVE BOX. I DID AND I DO NOT DRIVE WITH THE REAR WINDOW DOWN AT ALL ANY LONGER AND HAVE POSTPONED TRIPS OF LONGER THAN 50 MILES TO REDUCE EXPOSER TO THIS HARMFUL CHEMICAL. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT MAY BE CORRECTED BY CHANGING THE LOCATION OF THE TAIL PIPE TO VENT TO THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. I HOPE THIS WILL GET THE PEOPLE (NHTSA) WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO BE PROFESSIONALS THAT PROTECT US "TO WAKE UP." IF SOMEONE ELSE COULD DO A SIMILAR TEST IN THEIR STATE WE COULD HAVE MORE AMMUNITION TO FIGHT TOYOTA. I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THE EPA COMPANY WOULD DO A COMPLETE TEST WITH REPORT AND ALL FOR AROUND $340.00. I AM GOING TO SEE IF THE SERVICE REP WOULD DO THIS BUT I DOUBT IT. *AK

MY 2003 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER HAS AN EXTREMELY STRONG SMELL OF SULPHUR IN THE CABIN WHEN I DRIVE WITH THE WINDOWS OPEN. I HAVE REPORTED THIS 3 TIMES TO MY DEALER, AND ON THE THIRD TIME, THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE SMELL WAS FROM THE FUEL. I HAVE OWNED MANY CARS, AND NEVER EXPERIENCED SUCH A SMELL, AND I HAVE COMPARED TO OTHER 4RUNNER OWNERS, ALL OF WHOM HAVE THE SAME SITUATION. THE SMELL IS IMMEDIATELY NOTICEABLE. *AK