2003 Toyota 4 Runner

PROBLEMS CONCERNING THE MANUAL ON HOW TO ACCESS THE SPARE TIRE EQUIPMENT ON THE 2003 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE MANUAL'S DIRECTION AND GRAPHICS WERE VERY DIFFERENT FROM HOW THE CONSUMER HAD TO ACCESS THE SPARE ON HIS VEHICLE. THE ARM TO THE JACK USED TO JACK UP THE CAR REQUIRED IT TO BE SCREWED TOGETHER AND WAS NOT HEAVY ENOUGH GAUGE TO JACK UP THE CONSUMER'S SUV. THE JACK DID NOT RISE HIGH ENOUGH TO REMOVE THE TIRE. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE JACK AND TOOLS PROVIDED TO CHANGE THE TIRE WERE INFERIOR AND INEFFECTIVE. *NM

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

AAFTER THE OVERNIGHT TEMPORATURE DROPPED BEFOW FREEZING, BOTH OF MY 2003 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER REAR DOORS FROZE TO THEIR WHEEL WELLS DUE TO A MINOR ACCUMULATION OF MUD IN THE WHEEL WELLS (LESS THAN 1/4 INCH THICK) WHERE THE DOOR BOTTOM EXTENDS. ALTHOUGH THE DOOR LATCHES FUNCTIONED PROPERLY, AND THE DOORS COULD BE 'SPRUNG' AWAY FROM THE FRAME AT THE TOP, THE BOTTOM REMAINED FROZEN TO THE WHEEL WELL PROHIBITING OPENING. EMERGENCY EGREES WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE.*AK

WHEN COMING TO A STOP AND/OR ACCELERATING FROM A STOP THE CAR WILL JERK FORWARD WITH A THUD. SOMETIMES TWO OR THREE THUDS ARE FELT AND HEARD. THE DEALER WITNESSED THIS PROBLEM AND OURISMAN TOYOTA IN CHANTILLY, VA REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AT 14,500 MILES. THE PROBLEM SEEMED TO GO AWAY FOR A WHILE. I RETURNED TO THE SAME DEALER WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT AT 32,000 MILES AND THEY REPLACED THE DRIVE SHAFT. I RETURNED AGAIN ON 11/30/04 AND THE SERVICE MANAGER WITNESSED THE SAME PROBLEM WITHIN 200 FEET OF DRIVING. THE SERVICE MANAGER INDICATED HE BELIEVES THIS IS NORMAL (EVEN THOUGH THIS WAS NOT A PROBLEM TILL ABOUT 12,000 MILES). HE IS GOING TO DISCUSS THIS WITH THE TOYOTA REP WHO IS IN TOWN THIS WEEK.*AK I

FROM THE DATE OF PURCHASE THERED HAS BEEN A LOUD "THUD" NOISE WHEN RELEASING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THIS DOES NOT OCCUR ON A CONTINUAL OR PREDICTABLE BASIS. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP EXAMINED THE 4RUNNER AND DIDN'T FIND THE BRAKES TO BE FAULTY; HOWEVER THE SOUND AND A SURGE ARE STILL PRESENT IT REMINDS ME OF THE "THUD" SOUND THAT WAS INHERENT IN THE T-100 PICK-UP TRUCK WHEN IT WAS STARTED IN REVERSE. I HAVE AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IN MY VEHICLE AND WONDER IF FAILURE IS IMMINENT THERE OR IN THE DRIVE SHAFT. IN EITHER CASE THIS IS AN OBVIOUS FLAW AND MUST BE ADDRESSED BY TOYOTA. MY DAUGHTER OWNED A 2002 TOYOTA PICK-UP TRUCK AND SAID IT MADE THE SAME SOUND FOR AS LONG AS SHE OWNED IT. *AK

WHEN COMING TO A STOP OR EVEN WHEN STOPPED, A LOUD THUD IS HEARD AND FELT AS IF TORQUE CONVERTER IS STILL DOWN SHIFTING. WHEN BRAKES RELEASED, THUD IS HEARD AND FELT AGAIN AS CAR ACCELERATES. DEALER SAYS BRAKES ARE FINE! I'M CONCERNED AS THIS IS NOT A NORMAL SOUND AND RECENTLY CAR ACTUALLY FELT LIKE IT WANTED TO MOVE FORWARD AS THUD WAS FELT AND HEARD. (THIS IS UNRELATED TO THE CAR WANTED TO LURCH FORWARD AT STOP WHEN A/C IS ON!)*JB

TOYOTA 4- RUNNER, 2003. WHEEL LUG BOLTS ARE BREAKING OFF CAUSING WHEEL TO BECOME LOSE. TOYOTA SAYS THE TIRE ROTATION SERVICE PEOPLE OVERTIGHTENED THE LUG NUTS. THIS SERVICE WAS 9 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE LUG BOLT BREAKING. I CONTEND THAT THE PROBLEM IS DUE TO: A. THE LUG BOLTS ARE TOO SMALL FOR THE WEIGHT AND HP OF THIS VEHICLE. OR B. THE METALLURGICAL COMPOND OF THE BOLTS AND/OR NUTS IS NOT CORRECT. OR C. THE THREAD TOLERANCES OF THE BOLTS AN NUTS IS NOT CORRECT....TOYOTA REFUSES TO TEST THE DAMAGED BOLTS AND NUT THAT I SAVED TO SEE IF THIS COULD BE AN ISOLATED PROBLEM FROM THEIR SUPPLIER.