2004 Toyota 4 Runner

STEERING WHEEL AND GAS PEDAL HIGH FREQUENCY VIBRATION WHEN ACCELERATING AT 1500 RPM TO 1800RPM (IN VARIOUS SPEED). I HAD TAKEN THIS CONCERN TO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER. THE DEALER SERVICE WAS GOOD, BUT NO SOLUTION PROVIDED. THE REASON WAS "ALL 4 RUNNER V8 4X4 DO THIS, AND THERE IS NO TSB SOLUTION FOR IT". I HAVE SEEN COMPLAINS ABOUT THIS ANNOYING VIBRATION IN '03 AND '04 4RUNNERS IN VARIOUS PLACE - EDMUNDS.COM, THIS SITE, AND ETC. SHOULD TOYOTA CONSIDER THIS A DEFECT OF THE VEHICLE AND PROVIDE A SOLUTION?*AK

RELATES TO A 2004 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS AND THE LIGHT BLINKS INDICATING LOW PRESSURE IN THE TIRES (BLINKING OF THE LIGHT PER THE PROVIDED MANUAL IS INDICATIVE OF LOW PRESSURE IN TIRES). TOYOTA AND ITS DEALERS REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ISSUE AND UNABLE TO OFFER A FIX. I HAVE HAD MY VEHICLE IN THE DEALER SHOP NOW TWICE AND INVOLVED REGIONAL TOYOTA TECHNICAL SUPPORT WITH NO RESOLUTION. EACH TIME THE SENSOR IS RESET, THE LIGHT TRIGGERS ON AFTER A FEW DAYS. LIKELY A FAILURE OF THE EITHER THE TIRE SENSOR OR THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE. BY ADMISSION OF THE DEALER MULTIPLE VEHICLES HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS. THE FAILURE OF THE TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR SYSTEM TENDS TO OCCUR EACH TIME AFTER DRIVING CONDITIONS THAT INVOLVE HIGHER (LEGAL) SPEEDS AND AFTER CONTINUOUS DRIVING FOR MORE THAN 30 MINUTES ON HIGHWAYS. *NM

WHEN COMING TO A STOP & BRAKING, CAR ACCELERATED FORWARD. THIS CAUSED ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT WITH MUCH DAMAGE TO THE FRONT OF MY CAR. THIS CAUSED ME TO HIT THE BUILDING IN FRONT OF ME WITH EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE BUILDING. IT WAS AMAZING PART OF THE BUILDING DID NOT FALL DOWN ON THE TOP OF MY CAR WHICH WOULD HAVE CAUSED ME SERIOUS INJURY.*AK

THIS IS AN E-MAIL I SENT TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS: I HAVE HAD MY NEW 2004 4RUNNER LIMITED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP (RON CARTER, ALVIN, TX.) 4 TIMES BEFORE I EVEN HAD 500 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THE REASON IS BECAUSE OF STEERING WHEEL OSCILLATION/VEHICLE VIBRATIONS BETWEEN 55 AND 70 MPH. THE DEALERSHIP RE-BALANCED THE WHEELS AND TIRES THAT CAME WITH THE VEHICLE (DUNLAP GRANDTREK AT20) TWICE WITHOUT ANY LUCK. I THEN HAD THEM UPGRADE THE TIRES (FOR AND ADDITIONAL $420) TO MICHELIN TIRES. THIS DIDN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM EITHER. I THEN BROUGHT VEHICLE BACK IN ONE MORE TIME THE FOLLOWING MONDAY FOR ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO FIX THE PROBLEM. NO LUCK AGAIN. ALL OF THIS TOOK PLACE WITHIN 7 DAYS OF ME TAKING OWNERSHIP OF THE VEHICLE. EVERY TIME I TOOK IT IN FOR THIS INVESTIGATION, THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED (ALL 4 TIMES). IT WAS NOT FIXED! I HAD THE TECHNICIAN WHO BALANCED THE TIRES (HIS NAME WAS TRACY) DRIVE THE VEHICLE AND HE TOO NOTICED THE STEERING WHEEL OSCILLATION/SHIMMY. ONE OF THE SERVICE ADVISORS (HER NAME WAS KIM) ALSO DROVE THE VEHICLE AFTER A DIFFERENT ATTEMPT TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM AND NOTICED THE SAME CONCERN. 9/8/04 I'M STILL WAITING ON THE TOYOTA REGIONAL OFFICE TO CONTACT ME BACK LIKE THEY PROMISED TO GET THIS PROBLEM RESOLVED. I REALLY LIKE THIS VEHICLE AND WOULD LIKE TO GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED. I'M NOT SURE WHAT TO DO NEXT (LEMON LAW?). I AM WRITING TOYOTA TO SEE WHAT ELSE CAN BE DONE TO SOLVE THIS ISSUE THAT THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT. FYI - THE MORE I DRIVE THE VEHICLE IN THIS CONDITION, THE MORE DAMAGE IT'S DOING TO MY "NEW" TIRES AS WELL AS PREMATURE WEAR TO THE STEERING/SUSPENSION COMPONENTS. FYI-STILL WAITING FOR THEM TO CONTACT ME BACK FOR RESOLUTION.*AK