IllustrationWHILE 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 *NM
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
Seats complaints
17 reportsFRONT DRIVERS SIDE SEAT RATTLES OR MOVES ABOUT 1/2 INCH WHEN SLOWING DOWN, GOING FAST & GOING OVER BUMPS.*AK
CONSUMER STATED REAR SEATS DID NOT LOCK IN PLACE. AS A RESULT, WHEN APPLYING BRAKES SUDDENLY THE SEATS CAME UP. *AK
DRIVER'S SEAT BACKREST, MOVES OR HAS A PLAY MAKING IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *AK
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 DRO…
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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.*AK
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 THER…
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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"!!*AK
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 …
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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.
03 4 RUNNER DRIVER'S SEAT RATTLES IN BASE OF SEAT. THIS IS A MANUAL ADJUSTMENT SEAT. *LA
DRIVER'S SEAT ROCKS BACK AND FORTH WHILE DRIVING. IT BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE BUT THEY REFUSE TO REPAIR IT.*AK
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.
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.