2003 Toyota 4RUNNER Suspension Problems
Owners have filed 114 complaints with NHTSA about suspension problems on the 2003 Toyota 4RUNNER, 16% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 149,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “frame rust” (12% of reports).
- 114suspension complaints
- 149,000median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 27%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 14 of 114 complaints (12%)
- Control arm: mentioned in 9 of 114 complaints (8%)
- Completely rusted: mentioned in 8 of 114 complaints (7%)
At what mileage do suspension problems happen?
Based on 75 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 114 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 1 an injury.
Toyota 4RUNNER suspension complaints by model year
| Model year | Suspension complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 4RUNNER | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2023 4RUNNER | 3 | 9% | — |
| 2022 4RUNNER | 6 | 15% | — |
| 2021 4RUNNER | 10 | 28% | 350 |
| 2020 4RUNNER | 4 | 12% | 28,650 |
| 2019 4RUNNER | 7 | 11% | 18,750 |
| 2018 4RUNNER | 4 | 7% | 22,000 |
| 2017 4RUNNER | 2 | 6% | 45,000 |
| 2016 4RUNNER | 9 | 11% | 18,445 |
| 2015 4RUNNER | 10 | 11% | 39,489 |
| 2014 4RUNNER | 3 | 4% | 50,000 |
| 2013 4RUNNER | 1 | 3% | 55,821 |
| 2012 4RUNNER | 2 | 2% | 1,300 |
| 2011 4RUNNER | 3 | 2% | — |
| 2010 4RUNNER | 5 | 3% | 149,500 |
| 2009 4RUNNER | 2 | 9% | 99,500 |
| 2008 4RUNNER | 11 | 11% | 83,600 |
| 2007 4RUNNER | 14 | 9% | 104,500 |
| 2006 4RUNNER | 65 | 17% | 125,000 |
| 2005 4RUNNER | 77 | 18% | 127,500 |
| 2004 4RUNNER | 113 | 17% | 138,000 |
| 2003 4RUNNER | 114 | 16% | 149,000 |
| 2002 4RUNNER | 49 | 22% | 128,265 |
| 2001 4RUNNER | 27 | 15% | 130,500 |
| 2000 4RUNNER | 102 | 21% | 165,000 |
| 1999 4RUNNER | 66 | 20% | 181,800 |
| 1998 4RUNNER | 60 | 24% | 170,000 |
| 1997 4RUNNER | 95 | 36% | 170,000 |
| 1996 4RUNNER | 39 | 24% | 184,000 |
| 1995 4RUNNER | 2 | 1% | 163,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists suspension 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.
I purchased this 2003 Toyota 4Runner in 2018 under what I assumed was prime condition, for a vehicle that spent the majority of its life in Nebraska/Kansas before I moved to Texas in 2021. At 87,400 miles at the time of purchase, the vehicle had no visible damage to the exterior besides a few paint…
There is severe rust on the frame, the rear is listing by 3/4 of an inch due to suspension rust, parts of the frame are perforated and lots of rust can fall out of drain holes when tapped. I am unable to steer the truck due to the intermediate steering column rust. The Tacoma was recalled for the…
Stabilizer bar connecting the axle to the frame rusted off. I was driving only 25-30mph at the time, luckily. The vehicle swayed violently almost causing an accident and nearly forcing me off the bridge I happened to driving over. Very fortunate no one was hurt and nothing was damaged from the…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2003 Toyota 4RUNNERs have suspension problems?
No. NHTSA has 114 owner complaints about suspension for the 2003 Toyota 4RUNNER (16% 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 suspension?
No recall currently lists suspension for this vehicle.
At what mileage do suspension problems start?
The median reported mileage is 149,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about suspension problems on the 2003 Toyota 4RUNNER?
The most frequent phrase is “frame rust”, in 14 of 114 complaints, followed by “control arm” (9).
Other 2003 Toyota 4RUNNER problems
See all 2003 Toyota 4RUNNER problems or suspension problems across all 4RUNNER years.