Seats Problems of Toyota 4Runner - part 1

Saturday morning July 12th after starting my vehicle, a warning was presented “srs airbag system malfunction”. I immediately took it to the dealership where they ran diagnostics. The service advisor admitted he nor his mechanic had ever seen anything like that before. They were unable to detect the issue that day. We planned to return the vehicle Thursday July 17. I dropped it off at 10am and never heard from the dealership again that day. Friday, July 18th I contacted the service advisor around 10 am to get an update in which he said they were looking into it. Friday afternoon, I received a call from the service advisor letting me know that the front passenger occupant ecu had malfunctioned, costing approximately $1000. After researching this, I learned that Toyota has issued many recalls on this issue with other models. I called Toyota headquarters to see how they would rectify this but ended the conversation with no solution other than it is the consumer’s liability. This is a safety issue that should fall back on the manufacturer, especially given the history of recalls issued on this specific defect.

See all problems of the 2021 Toyota 4Runner 🔎.

Picked up a gal to go out on a date. Turned the vehicle on and got about 1 mile down the road when I started to smell , like a hot , burning electrical smoke . My date , sitting in the passenger seat says her seat is get warm , then says , it's getting really hot ! I looked at the seat warmer switch and noticed and said , weird , the switch isn't even on . Then the smoke became very apparent as we got onto the freeway and we were compelled to pull over as the electrical components or wiring were on the verge of catching fire , where the electic seat switch is located .

See all problems of the 2016 Toyota 4Runner 🔎.

Heated seat on drivers side was hot but heater was turned off. After a 1/2 hour drive smoke started coming out of the center console. Driver parked and exited the vehicle and called for help. Fire department arrived and put water on the fire then disconnected the battery. The insurance company determined the vehicle is a total loss. There were no personal injuries. Toyota case #211004001272 I am not pleased that Toyota is treating this as a claim instead of a safety concern when I clearly stated this is a safety concern.

See all problems of the 2010 Toyota 4Runner 🔎.

I turned in the ignition and wasn't even around the block from my home, when I noticed my seat overheating along with a strong burning electrical/wire smell. The heat was hotter than the highest setting because it was uncomfortable to remain seated. I checked the power switch, which was off, then toggled it anyway to see if it would turn off. I had to pull over as the seat was too hot and feared it injure me and/or would ignite. After turning off the ignition, the heating stopped. However, I got back in and started to drive, it heated up again. I returned home to look under the seat but didn't see anything unusual, except for the strong burning wires smell. Also, my skin was red with a lingering sting in two areas where the heat was more intense. I conducted on online search about the problem and discovered others experienced the abrupt overheating seats.

See all problems of the 2011 Toyota 4Runner 🔎.

Driving eastbound into portland (or) on hwy. 26 (sunset hwy. ), three lanes inbound. Three lanes inbound, I was in the right lane. As we neared the tunnels, traffic stopped bumper-to-bumper, as it often does. I stopped, leaving a small buffer between my vehicle and the one ahead of me, and watched the red Mazda cx-5 approaching behind, not slowing, and braced for the bump. Bam! it was a serious jolt. We pulled off onto the shoulder. Traffic was busy, so it took a while to get out to inspect damage. I was expecting more than I found, and actually noticed no damage at the time. The Mazda that had rear-ended me sustained some serious cosmetic damage, but was still driveable. We traded info, and I headed on to mt. Hood to ski. A couple of days later, I noticed that my drivers seat was a bit wobbly. When I got a chance to check the cause,I found that the front left bolt holding the seat was loose. I tightened it back down. ,but it came loose again after the embedded nut came loose from the frame. A google search revealed a pleathora of 4runner and tacoma owners encountering similar failures. To fix, I drilled a 1/2" hole through the bolt hole and through the bottom of the frame chamber, ran a 4"x1/2" steel bolt through the hole, fastened with a large washer, lock washer, and nut, some thread-lock, and slathered on the black silicone rtv. All done. Seems just fine, now. Cbs news did a story on their morning show last Thursday, regarding dangers of similar seat failures in hondas, I believe. I'm surprised that these companies have not done recalls on these design failures,already.

See all problems of the 1999 Toyota 4Runner 🔎.

Tl the contact owns a 1999 Toyota 4runner. The contact stated that the driver's side front seat adjuster lever was fractured. Neither the local dealer nor the manufacturer were contacted or informed of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was 100,000.

When braking from 20 mph, the seat rocks forward, and then in coming to a halt, rocks backward. Very unsafe. Feels like the seat mount is about to break off from floor pan. 07/24/2019.

See all problems of the 1998 Toyota 4Runner 🔎.

New vehicle discovered to have rusting seat rails and seat belt attachments. Local Toyota service center said they have never seen such a problem on a new vehicle and recommended immediately replacing all seats. However, Toyota regional reps after only doing a visual inspection decided the rust �does not compromise the seats integrity at this time. � they ignored the recommendation of their mechanics to replace. They also refused to clean and seal. The regional reps will not replace until the integrity is compromised. This is a willful selection to ignore the safety of the occupants. Thank you.

See all problems of the 2018 Toyota 4Runner 🔎.

The bolts and nuts that attach the front seats to the car rust over time and eventually break.

See all problems of the 1997 Toyota 4Runner 🔎.

Rust on the frame including the rear bumper, crack in the dashboard from drivers side over to the center of car. Drivers seat excessive movement at attachment between seat back and base on external portion of seat. The vehicle was parked at various times when inspected. Repainted rims that paint had flaked and peeled.

See all problems of the 2004 Toyota 4Runner 🔎.

The driver seat bolts where the mounts are located are completely stripped/rusted out which will require complete welding repair. No active recalls are found. 3 out 4 bolts are stripped/rusted out. Unsafe to drive, driver seat on verge of dislodging out, can cause accident. Very common 4runner problem, owner should not be responsible for manufacturer default.

See all problems of the 2000 Toyota 4Runner 🔎.

Driver¿s seat left front mounting bolt attachment has failed. Problem was first noticed on 15 March 2016. Vehicle was stationary. As I was shifting around to get seated I noticed a grinding sound coming from beneath the driver¿s seat. Eventually I observed the left front mount lifting slightly off the floor. Later, investigating further (removing the plastic covering) I was able to remove the mounting bolt¿there is nothing for the bolt to attach to that I can see. Whatever held the bolt originally has broken off and is no longer visible or serviceable. This is a critical safety concern for me; all the more so because I was recently diagnosed with three bulging discs in my neck at the san francisco va medical center on 8 March 2016. Should I be in a collision and the seat not perform as intended, I could potentially be paralyzed. This is a safety concern. Toyota should be required to perform a safety recall for this problem.

See all problems of the 2002 Toyota 4Runner 🔎.

The drivers seat mount (left front) failed causing the seat to become loose and rock. The seat mount beneath the carpet had failed, allowing the mounting bolt to fall off. The metal bracket had to be welded with new, stronger metal and the bolt reattached with spot welds. This failure is wide spread among all Toyota 4 runners from 1995-2002; Toyota is aware and has failed to address this defect; all should be recalled and repaired.

The contact owns a 2010 Toyota 4runner. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign numbers: 14v743000(seats) and 16v340000 (air bags); however, the parts to do the repairs were unavailable. The manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

The second row seat backs move back and forth when in the locked position--they seem very loose--the Toyota dealer says this is normal--could this be a safety issue?.

See all problems of the 2013 Toyota 4Runner 🔎.

On June 20, 2013 approx. 10:30-11:00 am, walked in garage attached to house notice smell of burn, opened driver door and discovered that the front passenger door completely burn, front passenger seat burn, passenger sunvisor burned, carpet burned. No previous problems or technical issues, auto check ups daily. . . . . Contacted insurance CO. And now their saying it may be fixable or totalled. Would appreciate any assistance in this matter thanks michael vannort (803) 708-1306.

On 8 April 2013, there was a burning smell coming from the drivers seat. The heating switch to the heated seats would not turn off. Its smelled like something was burning and the drivers side seat was real hot like it was on fire. This vehicle is only 18 months old and there should not be any problems with it. As to the question was there a fire. . . . . . . There was no physical fire but, something was burning. . Can you please help.

2nd row seat of the non third row option. The 60% part of the seat has a lot of wiggle play to it. I feel it is a safety concern with regard to car seats and passenger security. People who have rode on this side of the seat have gotten nauseated from sitting there and did not feel secure with the seat moving around. Complaint made to Toyota with no action made to this point.

Drivers seat on Toyota 4 runner, when adjusted and locked in place, has way too much lateral movement. The seat "rocks" from side to side approximately 1-2 inches. It is most noticeable when you are strapped into the seat, with the seat belt on and seat locked in place. I had my independent mechanic check the seat to make sure it was securely bolted/fastened to the frame of the vehicle. He told me it was, but that the problem was actually the seat frame, and that the word he was getting is that Toyota maybe instituting a safety recall soon. This is a serious safety hazard. In the event of a collision or accident, I am certain the seat will not stay in place, putting the driver at serious risk of harm or even death.

I was driving the vehicle at a slow speed and made a turn up a hill. Suddenly, I felt the seat jerk backwards and it seemed like the driver's seat went off its track. Later, when the vehicle was parked, I checked the seat in an attempt to resecure it to the track, but I could not improve the situation. It seemed as though the seat is not locked anymore. Whenever I accelerate or come to a stop, it feels as though the driver seat could come loose as it is not secure to the track anymore. I did some research and found out that there is a Toyota technical service bulletin for this issue. The number is nvo11-06. I checked with the dealer, and they said there is no recall to fix this problem. The vehicle owner must pay for parts and labor to fix, with a total cost exceeding $1500 for cars outside of the 3 year/36000 mile warranty. I have a 2003 model vehicle that I purchased on 6/2003, and this TSB was issued on 10/2006 for my vehicle model, which means this TSB was invalid for me at the TSB release. I discovered this problem around 9/2011 because I have very low mileage on the vehicle. Many owners are not aware of this issue. I believe this is a safety hazard because even if you are wearing your seatbelt, the driver's seat is not secure and shifts during normal stop of acceleration and can cause whiplash. Also, I have felt dizziness during heavy stop and go traffic due to the rocking motion because the seat is not secure to the track. In case of an accident, it is more likely that the seat can become dislodged, thus rendering the seat belt useless during a crash. I am a mechanical engineer and I understand the issue. I have surfed online and many people who have noted this issue have resorted to jerry rigging a fix to the seat because they cannot afford to pay for fixing this defect. I highly recommend a recall for Toyota to fix this problem.

See all problems of the 2003 Toyota 4Runner 🔎.

The contact owns a 2011 Toyota 4runner sr5. The contact stated while driving various speeds and when the vehicle was not moving, he noticed that the lumbar support on the drivers seat would crackle and make noise whenever he moved. The vehicle was not inspected by a dealer nor had it been repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was approximately 400 and the current mileage was approximately 1,500.

Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6) vehicle is a Toyota 2007 4runner sr5. VIN [xxx]. The plastic cover (Toyota part no. 72124 35010) that fits over the front driver seat hold down bolts broke off and slid under the brake pedal. The brakes could not be used until I removed the loss part.

See all problems of the 2007 Toyota 4Runner 🔎.

I own a 2004 Toyota 4runner. Due to poor design drivers seat frame has collapsed. This is a very common problem for 2003-2005 4runners according to my local Toyota dealer. So much so that Toyota has several service bulletins issued regarding the matter. I had been driving with it broken for several months before realizing the problem. Had I been in an accident with the frame broken, the seat would have offered zero support and it's failure could have resulted in death in an otherwise survivability accident.

Drivers seat is defective. It once rattled and moved on it's own (just little bit). However, the seat frame has now collapsed over the time period. (please note it has been sinking slowly over a long time period. . I just noticed it in 2008) the frame must have been defective and/or is poorly designed. I am presently sitting on the electronics box which I believe to be the electronics for the side impact air bags. I hope sitting on that does not prematurely set off the air bags which could cause an accident. Or short out the air bags so they won't go off when needed. I went to the dealership a few times. I get the run-around and never get a straight answer . Now they won't return my calls.

The contact owns a 2004 Toyota 4runner. The contact stated that the front driver seat would not attach to the mechanical rail properly and as a result, pieces of foam from the bottom of the seat cushion were becoming stuck within the frame rail tracks. The dealer was notified of the failure yet the vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000.

Driver's seat on new 2005 Toyota sr5 4runner rocks and shifts back and forth while driving. Dealer has already replaced seat linkage and frame assembly and seat movement has gradually returned in a very short time period. Dealership tried to call it a normal condition prior to replacing saying that all seats in 4runner's on the lot were loose from the factory. As vehicle is driven and weight of driver shifts back and forth from stops and starts, linkage in seat weakens and works loose. Very poor design. Condition is very dangerous and safety should be Toyota's #1 concern but obviously not yet.

See all problems of the 2005 Toyota 4Runner 🔎.

I have a 2006 Toyota 4runner. My drivers seat clicks and shifts each time I accelerate or turn, whether its left or right. I have taken it to a Toyota dealership to be fixed, however when they returned it to me, it continued to do the same. It is very annoying and frustrating. I did a search on the internet for "seat clicks, Toyota 4runner" and pulled up multiple forums of Toyota owners who are experiencing the same thing. It seems that this problem is occurring in older models, as well. I understand Toyota is beginning to "slow" their manufacturing process down to ensure higher quality than what they have been making over the past couple of years. I have never seen the 4runner mentioned as a vehicle with defaults, but it definitely need to be made public.

See all problems of the 2006 Toyota 4Runner 🔎.

Driver's seat on brand new 2005 Toyota 4 runner moves and rattles while driving. Dealer replaced seat frame assembly on one occasion and problem still exists. After dealer examined problem again they contacted Toyota and were told this seat problem is a known "design defect" that they are trying to fix. I have been told that I have to live with the problem for however long it takes Toyota to resolve this problem. Having a driver's seat that moves along it's mounting rails while driving is inherently dangerous and needs to be addressed.

2005 Toyota 4runner sport edition: front driver seat faulty. Seat shifts upon breaking & acceleration. Safety concern/issue.

The first time the owner drove the car he noticed the problem. The weight of the driver caused the driver's seat to shift. There was not a loose feeling but there a movement in the seat. The seat felt unstable and insecure. The owner was concerned that the seat could come off was the track. He owner first contacted the dealership, who tightened the bolts. However the problem recurred on the way home. The second time the dealership was contacted they said they would contact manufacturer. Toyota was contacted, and Toyota said they were about to fix the seat problem. The owner was not aware of when the problem will be repaired, and what the fix will be. They will replace the seat at a cost of $1,500. The owner called Toyota, and was assured that a fix was in the process. There was no time frame or indication of what the fix may be. The vehicle's sunroof started to close while the vehicle was being driven.

I am the owner of a 2004 Toyota 4-runner se, the driver's seat is constantly clicking and shifting upon acceleration, braking and turning. The technician's at the dealer say it is operating as designed and they all do it. The car has 7500 miles on it and has been to the dealer 2 times for the same and it is going back again for it on 5/27/05. I feel if it moving this much with such low mileage what will it be doing it a couple of years from now. I feel it is dangerous because sometime the seat will actually move back a notch while accelerating and almost cause me to loose control of the vehicle while steering around a car that had pulled out in front of me. As for the rotten egg smell I also get that when the windows are open mostly and it is very annoying as is the dronning of the drivetrain or differential upon acceleration, that I hope will be addressed at the next service date above. I think Toyota should be able to repair a loose seat it is ridiculous with all the technology out their that there is no repair for such a simple problem.

Drivers seat moves while driving, when slowing down or turning. It sounds like a clicking noise and feels like a shift forward or back. This has been there since purchase and dealer has no fix.

New 2005 Toyota 4runner 4x4 started to show seat rattles after 500 miles. Talked to dealer and two service departments, Toyota dealerships has deemed the seat rattle an "inherent Toyota" problem. No service can be done until Toyota issues tsbs. Since all new 4runners come from japan with the rattle, service dept. Does not know how to fix. But more improtantly, they will not fix b/c all other 4runners in the dealership lot come with rattles. Now, 1600 miles and two moths old, the driver seat rattles more than ever. This problem was "inherent" since 2003 whent the 4th generation 4runner was completely redesigned. . Read more...

I have a 2004 Toyota 4 runner and I took it in when it was new for the front driver seat. Where the seat connects to the back when you stop or start the hinge or track has considerable play in it and you feel a clunk every time. They replaced the seat but the problem came back. I repeatedly ask Toyota if this presents and danger in the event of an accident since there is so much play in the seat. They told me there is no safety concern. In light of Toyota's track record for lying I'm now more concerned and want to know if this is an issue. Many 4 runner owners experience the same thing. Should I be concerned?.

The driver's seat moves (or rocks) while driving. The local dealer assures me that the defect is not a safety issue, yet I don't feel comfortable driving the car. This is an ongoing problem.