This is an online automotive information provider of a detailed information on complaints, defects and recalls for Toyota 4RUNNER 2003 structure body hood. Our users can find data on mass market car models from most popular brands. The service allows to compare and analyze statistics for reported problems, complaints, recalls for various manufacturers. We hope our site will help with selecting of a reliable and safe car. By using this tool, you will be able to get records with description of safety issues for vehicles, equipment, tires and child restraints. These issues include safety recalls for your Toyota 4RUNNER 2003 structure body hood and complaints other owners have filed.

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2003 Toyota 4RUNNER Structure Body Hood Problems, Complaints and Defects

Issue ID	784947
Internal NHTSA #	10326207
Manufacurer	TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION
Brand	TOYOTA
Model	4RUNNER
Model Year	2003
File date	15/03/09
Component	STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD
Product type code	VEHICLE
Description of the problem	In my 2003 toyota 4runner sr5 the open engine hood falls without warning. A small hydraulic piston automatically holds the hood open when the hood is lifted. There is no rod or other mechanical device to hold the hood open, just the piston. The hood stays open for a few minutes, then quietly falls, at first very slowly for a few inches, then rapidly enough to possibly cause serious injury to a person leaning over the open engine compartment. The hood is fairly heavy probably due to the thick and heavy fiberglass insulation. The piston worked properly until about early 2009 when it started occasionally falling, now (april 2010) the hood falls after a few minutes every time the hood is opened. Since this started happening i've been using a wood stick i cut to size to hold the hood open when i need access. Now i'm going to have the piston replaced but i'll ask for the removed parts back in case they need to be examined. Even with the new piston, though, i intend to use the wood stick as a safety measure. I just don't trust the piston design since it apparently requires perfect sealing to maintain the lifting force. Also, according to my independent auto repair shop that does mainly toyota's, this is a frequent enough problem that their repairmen always brace the hoods open when working in engine compartments. Thanks.
Vehicle Mileage at Failure	53000
Number of Occurences	1
Source of the issue	NHTSA WEB SITE
City and State	LITTLETON, CO
VIN pattern	JTEBU14R030XXXXXX
Was vehicle invloved in a crash?	N
Was vehicle involved in a fire?	N
Was incedent reported to police?	N
Was medical attention required?
Was part original equipment?
No. of injured persons
No. of fatalities
Date of purchase	07/08/26
Was original owner?	N
Anti-lock brakes	N
Cruise control	N
Number of cylinders
Drive train type
Transmission type
Vehicle speed	0
DoT tire identifier
Tire size
Location of tire code
Type of tire failure code
Was defective tire repaired?
Date of manufacture
Type of child seat code
Type of restraint
Dealer's name
Dealer's telephone number
Dealer's city
Dealer's state code
Dealer's ZIP code

What is Recall?
A recall is when a product is removed from the market or a correction is made to the product because it is either defective or potentially harmful.
What is Failure?
Failure is the state or condition of not meeting a desirable or intended objective, and may be viewed as the opposite of success. Product failure ranges from failure to sell the product to fracture of the product, in the worst cases leading to personal injury, the province of forensic engineering.
What is Defect?
Non-conformance of a car component with the specified requirements, or non-fulfillment of user expectations, including the safety aspects.

Last decoded VIN:

SJNTAAE12U1136300 MMFNU58050CY97609 WVWZZZ3CZFE406657 SJNFAAJ11U2311182 SA9FASSA8BE004103 UU1DJF00567244209 JN1CV6AP3CM629684 WVWZZZ6RZEY245737 AFAPXXMJ2PPE36825 WDF9036122A953571 WAUZZZGY9PA100211 LCETHDH40R6000188

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2003 Toyota 4RUNNER Structure Body Hood Problems, Complaints and Defects, Recalls and Failures

2003 Toyota 4RUNNER Structure Body Hood Problems, Complaints and Defects

What is Recall?

What is Failure?

What is Defect?