2003 Toyota 4 Runner

I HAVE EXPERIENCED A STRONG SULFUR ODOR IN MY NEW 2003 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THIS SMELL HAS NOT GONE AWAY, AND IN FACT HAS GOTTEN EVEN WORSE. I USE THE VEHICLE FOR TOWING PURPOSES ALSO AND THE SMELL IS UNBEARABLE WHEN TOWING SOMETHING. I HAVE RETUNRED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND HAVE BEEN ADVISED THAT THERE IS NOTHING HAT CAN BE DONE. THE DEALER KEEPS TRYING TO ADVISE THAT IT THE FULE CHOICE THAT I MAKE, THIS CANNOT BE TRUE SINCE I TRAVEL WITHIN THREE STATES AND RARELY FULE AT THE SAME SIGHTS, AND UTILIZE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT BRANDS ALSO, AND SINCE THIS PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE NATIONWIDE HOW CAN THE DEALER INSIST THAT IT IS THE FUEL? I HAVE GOTTEN TO THE POINT THAT I DO NOT WANT THIS NEW VEHICLE, ITS A GREAT VEHICLE TOHER THAN THIS PROBLEM, BUT WHEN YOU CANNOT RIDE IN THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE SMELL, HEADACHES, AND WHEN CLEINTS GET IN ...ITS DOWN RIGHT EMBARRASSSING !*AK

WHILE DRIVING MODERATE TO HEAVY ACCELERATION WITH ALL WINDOWS UP AND INTERNAL AIR CIRCULATION THERE IS A STRONG ROTTEN EGG/SULFUR TYPE SMELL??? THIS IS ON A 2003 LIMITED 4-RUNNER BOUGHT NEW IN MARYLAND;DARCARS;THIS IS VERY IRRITATING AND MAKES MY KIDS 10YRS AND 11 YRS. OLD SICK. VERY CONFUSED WHAT IS CAUSING THIS??????? PLEASE HELP..*JB

I HAVE A 2003 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE 1 1/2 MONTHS AGO AND CURRENTLY HAVE 3000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. WHEN I HAVE THE REAR WINDOW DOWN I SMELL A STRONG ODOR. THE ODOR HAS AN ACID AMMONIA LIKE SMELL. THE ODOR IS SO STRONG AT TIMES THAT IT TAKES MY BREATH AWAY. AT TIMES, THE ODOR ALSO ENTERS MY VEHICLE WHEN MY WINDOWS ARE ROLLED UP. THE STENCH IS SO STRONG THAT PASSENGERS IN MY CAR HAVE NOTICED IT (WINDOWS ROLLED UP). DUE TO THE ABOVE I AM VERY CONCERNED FOR MY HEALTH. I HAVE BROUGHT THE PROBLEM TO THE ATTENTION OF MY DEALERSHIP (SERVICE AND THE OPERATIONS DIRECTOR). SERVICE CHECKED THE CAR AND BOTH SERVICE AND THE OPERATIONS DIRECTOR ARE TELLING ME THAT IT IS THE GAS I AM USING. THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT I NEED TO USE SUNOCO GAS (OR A PREMIUM GAS COMPANY, BUT RECOMMEND SUNOCO) AND THAT I NEED TO USE AN OCTANE ABOVE 90. I AM ON MY 4TH TANK OF SUNOCO 93 OCTANE GAS AND THE PROBLEM STILL CONTINUES!! I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE NJ STATE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, BUREAU OF MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE. MY CAR HAS TESTED HIGH FOR CARBON MONOXIDE WITH THE WINDOW OPEN AND CLOSED AND WITH MY CIRCULATION VENT ON. I AM CURRENTLY WAITING FOR THE REPORT FROM DMV. THIS SITUATION IS ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE ON ANY CAR ESPECIALLY THIS $40,000 CAR. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN ONGOING AND THERE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE AN END IN SIGHT! TOYOTA HAS A WONDERFUL REPUTATION BUT IN THIS SITUATION IT IS QUITE CLEAR THEY ARE HIDING BEHIND GAS COMPANIES. WHAT CAN I DO TO GET TOYOTA TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM???? PLEASE HELP!!! *JB

I BOUGHT A NEW 2003 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER ON 8-23-03. THE VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED TO ME WITH THE "VSC TRACK" WARNING LIGHT ON. DURING THE TEST DRIVE, I INQUIRED ABOUT THE LIGHT AND WAS TOLD BY THE SALESMAN THAT IS WAS PART OF THE TRACITON CONTROL SYSTEM. I WAS LED TO BELIEVE THAT THE LIGHT BEING ON WAS A NORMAL CONDITION. THE VEHICLE HAD 25 MILES ON THE ODOMETER WHEN I TOOK DELIVERY. WHEN I GOT THE VEHICLE HOME AND READ THE OWNERS MANUAL, I FOUND THAT THE LIGHT WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ON AND THAT IT WAS AN INDICATOR OF A POTENTIAL PROBLEM WITH THE VSC SYSTEM. THE VSC SYSTEM IS A SKID CONTROL SYSTEM THAT MONITORS THE VEHICLE AND UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, MODIFIES THE VEHICLE PERFORMANCE BY CONTROLING THE THROTTLE OR BRAKES IN AN ATTEMPT TO PREVENT SKID, OR LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 1000 MILES ON IT, AND 3 REPAIRS HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTED BY THE DEALER, NONE OF WHICH HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM. SO FAR THEY HAVE REPLACED THE ECM, THE STEERING WHEEL POSITION SENSOR, AND A DISC WHICH THE STEERING WHEEL POSITION SENSOR "READS" TO DETERMINE THE STEERING WHEEL POSITION. THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS AND I AM ABOUT TO RETURN THE VEHICLE FOR A FOURTH ATTEMPT AT REPAIR.

DEAR NHTSA, I PURCHASED A 2003 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER IN NOVEMBER 2002. THIS VEHICLE OMITS A SULFUR SMELL THAT IS EASILY DETECTABLE AND HORRIBLE TO HAVE TO SMELL WHEN DRIVEN. IT PLAIN STINKS. IT STINKS WITH ALL WINDOWS UP. IT STINKS WORSE WITH THE SIDE WINDOWS OR SUNROOF OPEN. I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER THE DAY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. I HAVE BROUGHT THE 2003 4RUNNER TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES AND EMAILED COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SULFUR SMELL TO TOYOTA USA TO ADDRESS THE FACT EMISSIONS WERE ENTERING THE CABIN. I EVEN MET WITH A REGIONAL TECH FROM TOYOTA USA ON TWO OCCASIONS. EACH TIME TOYOTA FAILED TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM OF EMISSIONS ENTERING THE CABIN OF THE 2003 4RUNNER. THE SULFUR SMELL BEING OMITTED INTO THE CABIN IS AWFUL TO BREATH FOR NOT ONLY MYSELF, BUT ANYONE ELSE TRAVELING WITH ME. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HEALTH HAZARD THE SULFUR SMELL POSES OR WHAT OTHER EMISSIONS MUST BE ENTERING THE CABIN. I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING TO TOYOTA FOR ALMOST ONE YEAR ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, AND RECENTLY I LEARNED THE ISSUE OF EMISSIONS ENTERING THE CABINS OF OTHER THE 2003 4RUNNER IS BEING WIDELY REPORTED BY OTHER 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER OWNERS. TOYOTA HAS FAILED TO REMEDY THIS DESIGN DEFECT WITH ME, OR ADDRESS THE HEALTH/SAFETY ISSUE OF EMISSIONS ENTERING THE CABIN WITH ME. THE 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER IS DEFECTIVE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED TO EFFECTIVELY CORRECT THE FACT THAT EMISSIONS ARE ENTERING THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, TOYOTA HAS BEEN FIRM IN THEIR POSITION THAT THE VEHICLE IS OPERATING CORRECTLY, THEY ARE COVERING UP A KNOWN DEFECT AND NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. I WOULD APPRECIATE A RESPONSE FROM NHTSA. THANK YOU AND BEST REGARDS, BILL VALENTINE 206-297-6535. *JB

I PURCHASED A 2003 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER IN NOVEMBER 2002. THIS VEHICLE OMITS A SULFUR SMELL THAT IS EASILY DETECTABLE AND HORRIBLE TO HAVE TO SMELL WHEN DRIVEN. IT PLAIN STINKS. IT STINKS WITH ALL WINDOWS UP. IT STINKS WORSE WITH THE SIDE WINDOWS OR SUNROOF OPEN. I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER THE DAY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. I HAVE BROUGHT THE 2003 4RUNNER TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES AND EMAILED COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SULFUR SMELL TO TOYOTA USA TO ADDRESS THE FACT EMISSIONS WERE ENTERING THE CABIN. I EVEN MET WITH A REGIONAL TECH FROM TOYOTA USA ON TWO OCCASIONS. EACH TIME TOYOTA FAILED TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM OF EMISSIONS ENTERING THE CABIN OF THE 2003 4RUNNER. THE SULFUR SMELL BEING OMITTED INTO THE CABIN IS AWFUL TO BREATH FOR NOT ONLY MYSELF, BUT ANYONE ELSE TRAVELING WITH ME. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HEALTH HAZARD THE SULFUR SMELL POSES OR WHAT OTHER EMISSIONS MUST BE ENTERING THE CABIN. I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING TO TOYOTA FOR ALMOST ONE YEAR ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, AND RECENTLY I LEARNED THE ISSUE OF EMISSIONS ENTERING THE CABINS OF OTHER THE 2003 4RUNNER IS BEING WIDELY REPORTED BY OTHER 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER OWNERS. TOYOTA HAS FAILED TO REMEDY THIS DESIGN DEFECT WITH ME, OR ADDRESS THE HEALTH/SAFETY ISSUE OF EMISSIONS ENTERING THE CABIN WITH ME. THE 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER IS DEFECTIVE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED TO EFFECTIVELY CORRECT THE FACT THAT EMISSIONS ARE ENTERING THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, TOYOTA HAS BEEN FIRM IN THEIR POSITION THAT THE VEHICLE IS OPERATING CORRECTLY, THEY ARE COVERING UP A KNOWN DEFECT AND NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. I WOULD APPRECIATE A RESPONSE FROM NHTSA. THANK YOU AND BEST REGARDS, BILL VALENTINE. *JB

2003 4RUNNER SE V8: DURING ACCLERATION, I HAVE EXHAUST GASES ENTERING THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. TOYOTA CONFIRMED THAT THE V8 IS MOSTLY AFFECTED DUE TO THE LARGER DISPLACEMENT ENGINE. ALSO, PER TOYOTA, THE EXHASUT GASES ARE ENTERING FROM A VENT LOCATED ON THE LEFT REAR OF THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, TOYOTA INSISTS THAT THIS PROBLEM IS DUE TO THE FUEL. I HAVE TAKEN THIS TO ARBITRATION AND WAS DENIED, EVEN THOUGHT TOYOTA FREELY ADMITS TO THE PROBLEM. BASED ON THE OUTCOME, I HAVE ASKED TOYOTA TO STATE THAT THIS IS A SAFE CONDITION AND WAS ALSO DENIED.