VehicleVerdict

2003 Toyota 4Runner engine problems

The 2003 Toyota 4Runner has 101 engine complaints filed with NHTSA — 11% of the year's total, and up sharply from the prior model year.

101

Engine complaints

11%

Share of year

1

Crash-involved

0

Related recalls

Engine complaints by year

4Runner engine complaints by model year124 complaints1986: 6 complaints1988: 2 complaints1989: 2 complaints1990: 43 complaints1991: 23 complaints1992: 19 complaints1993: 20 complaints1994: 30 complaints1995: 124 complaints1996: 27 complaints1997: 14 complaints1998: 16 complaints1999: 19 complaints2000: 17 complaints2001: 18 complaints2002: 17 complaints2003: 101 complaints2004: 45 complaints2005: 30 complaints2006: 18 complaints2007: 10 complaints2008: 9 complaints2009: 4 complaints2010: 3 complaints2011: 6 complaints2012: 5 complaints2013: 3 complaints2014: 5 complaints2015: 8 complaints2016: 6 complaints2017: 2 complaints2018: 5 complaints2019: 6 complaints2022: 2 complaints2023: 2 complaints2025: 2 complaints
4Runner engine complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

What owners report

“THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VSC TRAC TURNED OFF, THE DAY AFTER THE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE TRACTION TURNED OFF...THE TOYOTA 2003 4RUNNER FLIPPED OVER. THE VSC TRACTION SHOULD NOT BE TURNED OFF WHEN A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON BECAUSE IT PROVIDES THE NECESSARY STABILITY OF THE VEHICLE…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Engine · February 5, 2011 · crash

Common questions

How many engine complaints does the 2003 Toyota 4Runner have?

NHTSA has 101 complaints about the 2003 Toyota 4Runner engine — 11% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.