IllustrationENGINE COMPARTMENT FILLS WITH SMELL OF ROTTEN EGGS EVEN WITH WINDOWS UP AND AIR CONDITIONING ON, VERY UNPLEASANT.*AK
2003 Toyota 4 Runner
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2003 Toyota 4 Runner do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 96.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all 4 Runner years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
770–25K
925–50K
150–75K
175–100K
0100–150K
1150K+
89 reports with mileage · 79 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 75 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seats. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports0 fire reports8 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
75 reportsWHEN ACCELERATING THE ENGINE MAKES AN ODD NOISE THAT SOUNDS LIKE THERE IS AN EXHAUST LEAK. I ALSO INTERMITTENTLY HAVE THE "ROTTEN EGG" SMELL INSIDE THE VEHICLE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT EXAMINED AND AFTER THE SERVICE MANAGER DROVE THE VEHICLE FOR 1.6 MILES, HE TOLD ME "THEY ALL SOUND LIKE THAT." IT SEEMS ODD TO ME T…
Read full complaint
WHEN ACCELERATING THE ENGINE MAKES AN ODD NOISE THAT SOUNDS LIKE THERE IS AN EXHAUST LEAK. I ALSO INTERMITTENTLY HAVE THE "ROTTEN EGG" SMELL INSIDE THE VEHICLE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT EXAMINED AND AFTER THE SERVICE MANAGER DROVE THE VEHICLE FOR 1.6 MILES, HE TOLD ME "THEY ALL SOUND LIKE THAT." IT SEEMS ODD TO ME THAT A VEHICLE DESIGNED TO BE SO QUIET WOULD MAKE SUCH AN ALARMING SOUND WHEN ACCELERATING. I ALSO FIND IT ODD THAT, IF THERE WERE NO EXHAUST LEAK, WITH ALL THE WINDOWS CLOSED, THE ROTTEN EGG SMELL OF EXHAUST IS STILL ABLE TO SEEP INSIDE THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. I HAVE READ OTHER COMPLAINTS STATING CUSTOMERS SHOULD USE A "BETTER QUALITY" OF FUEL. I HAVE ONLY USED HESS AND MOBIL 93 OCTANE IN THE 3 WEEKS THAT I'VE OWNED THE VEHICLE. I ASSUME THIS IS A GOOD QUALITY GASOLINE, BUT IF TOYOTA FEELS THERE IS A BETTER QUALITY GASOLINE WHICH WILL MAKE RESOLVE THESE PROBLEMS, I WILL BE HAPPY TO USE SPECIFICALLY THE BRAND THEY RECOMMEND.*AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE SMELLS LIKE GAS FROM INSIDE OF VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
STRONG ROTTEN ODOR/SULFUR SMELL FROM VEHICLE WHEN ACCELERATING REGARDLESS IF WINDOWS ARE UP OR DOWN. *AK
CONSUMER NOTICED STRONG CHEMICAL GAS COMING FROM THE EXHAUST TAIL AND ABSORB BY THE REAR WINDOW GATE. DEALER STATED WELL DON'T OPEN THAT WINDOW. *AK
WHEN ENGINE IS COLD THE BELTS MAKE A LOUD SCREECHING NOISE UNTIL THE CAR WARMS, THEN THE CAR MAKE A TICKING SOUND. TRUCK IS A V6 MODEL AND HAS BEEN IN FOR THIS REPAIR 4 TIMES, DEALER SAYS TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND DOES NOT HAVE THE PROPER SOLUTION YET, THEY SAY IT HAS TO DO WITH THE BELTS AND TENSIONER SET UP. UNACCEP…
Read full complaint
WHEN ENGINE IS COLD THE BELTS MAKE A LOUD SCREECHING NOISE UNTIL THE CAR WARMS, THEN THE CAR MAKE A TICKING SOUND. TRUCK IS A V6 MODEL AND HAS BEEN IN FOR THIS REPAIR 4 TIMES, DEALER SAYS TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND DOES NOT HAVE THE PROPER SOLUTION YET, THEY SAY IT HAS TO DO WITH THE BELTS AND TENSIONER SET UP. UNACCEPTABLE RESPONSE FROM TOYOTA. *NLM
ENGINE MAKES A TICK, TICK, TICK NOISE WHILE RUNNING. SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING KNOCKING INTERNALLY IN THE ENGINE OR AN EXHAUST LEAK. DEALERS REPAIR SHOP SAYS ITS NORMAL. I DON'T BELIEVE THEM. I SUSPECT A FUTURE PROBLEM OR FAILURE OF A COMPONENT. *JB
WE BOUGHT A NEW 4RUNNER IN MAY 2003 AND WE NOTICED A ROTTEN EGG SULFUR SMELL. AT FIRST I BRUSHED IT OFF THINKING IT WAS THE OUTDOORS, HOWEVER THE SMELL IS STILL PRESENT. *NLM
TICKING NOISES ON ACCELERATION. ENGINE USES A TREMENDOUS AMOUNTS OF GASOLINE AND ALWAYS SOUNDS AS IF IT IS OVER ACCELERATING. SMELLS OF BURNING RUBBER OFTEN. A BELT HAS BEEN REPLACED FOR THE 3 RD TIME. NO HEAT OR FAN ON ONE OCCASION. SQUEALING FAN BELT ON 3 OCCASIONS. THE THIRD TIME LOST ALL WATER AND COOLANT AND HAD TO BE TOWE…
Read full complaint
TICKING NOISES ON ACCELERATION. ENGINE USES A TREMENDOUS AMOUNTS OF GASOLINE AND ALWAYS SOUNDS AS IF IT IS OVER ACCELERATING. SMELLS OF BURNING RUBBER OFTEN. A BELT HAS BEEN REPLACED FOR THE 3 RD TIME. NO HEAT OR FAN ON ONE OCCASION. SQUEALING FAN BELT ON 3 OCCASIONS. THE THIRD TIME LOST ALL WATER AND COOLANT AND HAD TO BE TOWED. STRONG BURNING SMELL AND LOSS OF POWER STEERING. COULD HAVE HAD SERIOUS ACCIDENT. IT HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER 2 WEEKS THIS TIME AND THEY CLAIM THEY ARE REPLACING PULLEYS. I AM FEARFUL OF DRIVING THIS CAR. I HAVE A 60 MILE COMMUTE. *NLM
2003 TOYOTA 4-RUNNER V6 SR5 GENERATES THIS UNUSUAL (TICK, TICK, TICK) ENGINE NOISE ESPECIALLY WHEN ACCELERATING. IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOOSE PART IN THE ENGINE BLOCK. THIS NOISE IS ESPECIALLY NOTICEABLE WHEN THE 4-RUNNER, DRIVEN BY MY WIFE, ACCELERATES BY ME OR WHEN I DRIVE WITH THE WINDOW OPEN NEXT TO A WALL. IT ALSO SOUNDS LIKE TH…
Read full complaint
2003 TOYOTA 4-RUNNER V6 SR5 GENERATES THIS UNUSUAL (TICK, TICK, TICK) ENGINE NOISE ESPECIALLY WHEN ACCELERATING. IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOOSE PART IN THE ENGINE BLOCK. THIS NOISE IS ESPECIALLY NOTICEABLE WHEN THE 4-RUNNER, DRIVEN BY MY WIFE, ACCELERATES BY ME OR WHEN I DRIVE WITH THE WINDOW OPEN NEXT TO A WALL. IT ALSO SOUNDS LIKE THERE MIGHT BE AN EXHAUST LEAK SOMEWHERE IN THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. *NLM
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.