Three problems related to engine and engine cooling have been reported for the 2002 Toyota 4Runner. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2002 Toyota 4Runner based on all problems reported for the 2002 4Runner.
First, the motor blew for no reason at 152,000 miles. I rebuilt the car and had a new motor put in. I was not aware of the rusting frame issue, however, after driving the vehicle with a lovely new rebuilt motor for about one year, the frame rotted beyond repair causing the power steering to go out. I don't drive much, so there was no excessive exposure to salt. The car was parked in my driveway. It was an exceptionally cold day. I started the vehicle and found the power steering fluid had frozen and lost all the fluid as a result of the steering rack being rusted and weakened. The repair shop told me that the frame and rocker panels are severely compromised too badly to bother fixing the steering rack. The car is not safe to drive.
My 2002 Toyota 4runner has a faulty throttle position sensor (part # 89452-35030) that causes loss of power while driving (at all speeds). This loss of power is very dangerous as the car will be driving along at a stable speed and then suddenly just start slowing down even though my foot stays on the gas pedal. This loss of speed puts me at serious risk to be rear-ended by a car behind me or potentially get hit from the side as I am crossing an intersection. My mechanics and I have diagnosed the tps as the issue. This is a very common problem (there are multiple forums on the web about this). . Read more...
Complete loss of power on acceleration if tires spin. . . More than one close call! happening since vehicle was new.