2003 Toyota 4RUNNER Structure Problems
Owners have filed 284 complaints with NHTSA about structure problems on the 2003 Toyota 4RUNNER, 41% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 138,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “frame rust” (17% of reports).
- 284structure complaints
- 138,500median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 17%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Frame rust: mentioned in 47 of 284 complaints (17%)
- Rusted through: mentioned in 16 of 284 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do structure problems happen?
Based on 200 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 284 complaints, 3 mention a crash.
Toyota 4RUNNER structure complaints by model year
| Model year | Structure complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 4RUNNER | 7 | 12% | — |
| 2024 4RUNNER | 3 | 33% | 2,038 |
| 2020 4RUNNER | 2 | 6% | 4,550 |
| 2019 4RUNNER | 3 | 5% | 25,250 |
| 2018 4RUNNER | 5 | 9% | 15,000 |
| 2017 4RUNNER | 2 | 6% | 28,000 |
| 2016 4RUNNER | 8 | 10% | 25,000 |
| 2015 4RUNNER | 8 | 9% | 41,916 |
| 2014 4RUNNER | 8 | 10% | 29,750 |
| 2013 4RUNNER | 2 | 6% | — |
| 2012 4RUNNER | 2 | 2% | 54,072 |
| 2011 4RUNNER | 9 | 6% | 29,998 |
| 2010 4RUNNER | 12 | 8% | 101,550 |
| 2009 4RUNNER | 3 | 14% | 114,000 |
| 2008 4RUNNER | 16 | 17% | 90,000 |
| 2007 4RUNNER | 40 | 26% | 85,000 |
| 2006 4RUNNER | 143 | 38% | 126,728 |
| 2005 4RUNNER | 185 | 44% | 128,000 |
| 2004 4RUNNER | 310 | 46% | 137,000 |
| 2003 4RUNNER | 284 | 41% | 138,500 |
| 2002 4RUNNER | 88 | 39% | 142,500 |
| 2001 4RUNNER | 81 | 44% | 129,000 |
| 2000 4RUNNER | 256 | 53% | 145,000 |
| 1999 4RUNNER | 112 | 34% | 176,500 |
| 1998 4RUNNER | 78 | 31% | 170,000 |
| 1997 4RUNNER | 76 | 29% | 177,304 |
| 1996 4RUNNER | 42 | 26% | 185,000 |
| 1995 4RUNNER | 4 | 2% | 110,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists structure for the 2003 Toyota 4RUNNER. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Severe frame rust. 2 large holes on the inside of the frame just back from the front wheels and 2 large holes at the ends of the rear crossmember.
Toyota has had issues with their frames rusting out and the 4th generation 4Runner is not exempt from this issue. My 2003 is requiring extensive work to keep it on the road safely due to frame rust. A recall to replace frames should be in place.
There is major corrosion on the chassis, brake-power steering-transmission lines, and all metal brackets on the frame and engine. The corrosion is so bad there is holes on the chassis. Known issue, many complaints, Toyota Corp. says to keep calling back maybe something will be done in the future…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2003 Toyota 4RUNNERs have structure problems?
No. NHTSA has 284 owner complaints about structure for the 2003 Toyota 4RUNNER (41% of the 696 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Toyota 4RUNNER structure?
No recall currently lists structure for this vehicle.
At what mileage do structure problems start?
The median reported mileage is 138,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about structure problems on the 2003 Toyota 4RUNNER?
The most frequent phrase is “frame rust”, in 47 of 284 complaints, followed by “rusted through” (16).
Other 2003 Toyota 4RUNNER problems
See all 2003 Toyota 4RUNNER problems or structure problems across all 4RUNNER years.