2003 Toyota 4 Runner

FOUL FUMES ENTER CABIN UPON ACCELERATION. THIS OCCURS WITH HIGH OCTANE GAS OR WITHOUT HIGH OCTANE GAS. ONLY USE 93 OCTANE, BUT DUE TO SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS TRIED LOWER OCTANE AND STRONG ODOR CONTINUED. THESE FUMES ENTER CABIN WITH ALL WINDOWS CLOSED, AIR VENTILATION ON RECIRCULATION AND WITH AIR CONDITIONG/HEAT OFF. MAKES BREATHING VERY DIFFICULT AND BECOME LIGHT HEADED OR HEADACHE. THIS IS NOT JUST A "SMELL" BUT LITERAL GAGGING FUMES.

TERRIBLE SULFUR SMELL ON ACCELERATION OF 2003 4RUNNER 6 CYLINDER SPORT. MOST NOTICEABLE WHEN THE REAR WINDOW IS DOWN. COMPLAINED TO DEALER TWICE. TOLD IT WAS THE GAS I WAS USING TWICE. TRIED NUMEROUS DIFFERENT BRANDS OF GAS WITH NO IMPROVEMENT. I DON'T BELIEVE ANY OF THIS. THERE MUST BE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER OR ANOTHER EXHAUST COMPONENT. WONDERING IF THE EXHAUST SMELL COULD CONTAIN CARBON MONOXIDE! *NLM

PROBLEM: STEERING WHELL VIBRATION AT SPEEDS OF 60MPH AND UP. PURCHASED ON 8/2/03. RETURNED TO THE DELAER ON 8/12/03 TO HAVE ALL TIRES BALANCED AND A FULL ALIGNMENT; PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK RETURNED TO DEALER ON 8/14/03 TO HAVE THE TIRES SPEED MATCHED TO THE RIMS. WHEN I PICKED UP MY 4RUNNER I WAS TOLD THE VIBRATION WAS STILL PRESENT AND THAT I SHOULD UPGRADE MY TIRES FROM DUNLOP GRANDTREK AT20 265/65/17 TO MICHELIN CROSS TERAIN TIRES. THE DEALER OFFERED TO BUY TWO TIRES AND I WOULD BUY THE REMAINIG THREE (INCLUDING SPARE) AT $199.95 EACH WITH NO GUARANTEE THAT THE MICHELINS WOULD SOLVE THE VIBRATION PROBLEM. LEFT MY 4RUNNER AND ASKED THE DEALER TO CONTACT THE TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE FOR ASSIATNCE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. TOYOTA OFFERED TO BUY ANOTHER TIRE. I TOLD THE DEALER THAT THEY AND TOYOTA SHOULD REPLACE THE TIRES AT NO COST. WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER CUSTOMER RELATIONS MANAGER THAT THEY ORDERED THE DUNLOPS INSTEAD OF THE MICHELNS THAT ARE AVAIABLE FROM THE FACTORY AS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. CR MANAGER CHECKED WITH THE DEALERS GENERAL MANGER WHO OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSIATANCE. NOW SITTING IN MY GARAGE WITH 456 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. NEXT STEP  LEMON LAW SUIT AS CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AND CUSTOMER RELATIONS MANAGER THAT THEY HAVE HAD OTHER 2003 4RUNNER CUSTOMERS WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT CONCERNING THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.

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