2003 Toyota 4Runner Visibility & Wipers Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LOWER THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WINDOW, THE CONTACT HEARD A POPPING SOUND AS THE GLASS BECAME STUCK MIDWAY AND DID NOT MOVE UP. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000.

TOYOTA INSTALLED A SUNROOF THAT HAD KNOWN DESIGN DEFECTS IN THE 2003 4RUNNER, THE FIRST MODEL YEAR OF THE 4TH GENERATION 4RUNNER. THE SUNROOF WOULD EVENTUALLY STOP WORKING, AND THE DRAINAGE TUBES IN THE SUNROOF WOULD CLOG AND BACK UP. THIS WOULD CAUSE WATER TO RAIN DOWN ON THE HEAD OF THE DRIVER AND FRONT SEAT OCCUPANTS DURING ACCELERATION OR A SUDDEN STOP. TOYOTA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THE SUNROOF ISSUE SINCE AT LEAST 2006, AND HAD ISSUED MULTIPLE TOYOTA SERVICE BULLETINS ON THE ASSEMBLY WITHOUT INITIATING A RECALL. *TR

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR OF MY 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER BROKE AND HANGS DOWN, PARTIALLY BLOCKING MY VISIBILITY. THE PLASTIC PORTION OF THE SHAFT THE VISOR CONNECTS TO IS CHIPPED AND IS NOT HOLDING THE VISOR IN PLACE. *TR

SUNROOF BROKE IN OPEN POSITION. COST $1600 TO REPAIR. CAR WAS PURCHASED IN FEBRUARY 2006. *JB

SUNROOF/MOONROOF LEAKS AROUND GLASS RUBBER SEAL--SEVERE CORROSION, METAL DEFORMED, EFFECTS OPERATION. *JB

MOONROOF RATTLE. I DID NOTHING WRONG AND IT STARTED TO RATTLE

HVAC BLOWER FAN FAILED AFTER TWO YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. UNFORTUNATELY VEHICLE MILEAGE EXCEEDS WARRANTY PERIOD. DEALER SAID THAT FAILURE WAS DUE TO NOT CLEARING SNOW FROM HOOD, THEREBY BLOCKING AIR TO FAN. HOWEVER, VEHICLE IS GARAGED AND NOT SUBJECT TO ELEMENTS. MECHANIC INDICATED THAT HE HAD SEEN OTHER SIMILAR FAILURES AND THAT THEY WERE DUE TO SEEPAGE OF WATER INTO BLOWER HOUSING AND SUBSEQUENT FREEZING.*AK

CONSUMER COMPLAINED THAT TWO FRONT WINDSHIELDS HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO POOR VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. CONSUMER STATED, THE PROBLEM WAS SEVERE GLARE. DEALER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

WINDSHIELD CRACKED AT THE VERY PASSENGER EDGE MIDWAY AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE FOR 9 MOS NEW. THE CRACK PROPOGATED INWARD. UNDER WARRANTY AND REPLACED. TWO MONTHS LATER, SAME EXACT THING HAPPENED, STILL UNDER WARRANTY, REPLACED. YEAR AND A HALF LATER, SAME EXACT THING, SAME EXACT PLACE, NOT UNDER WARRANTY, NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WAS A STONE CHIP AND I HAVE TO PAY FOR THE NEW WINDSHIELD. I BEG TO DIFFER. *NM

THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW BLEW OUT WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. THE GLASS MADE SCRATCHES ON THE DOOR. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THERE WERE NO COMPLAINTS AND THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. *JB

POWER SUN ROOF LEAKS. *JB

MOONROOF MAKES LOUD GRINDING NOISE ON DRIVER SIDE WHEN BEING CLOSED. OUTSIDE SEAL OF MOONROOF GLASS IS BUBBLED UP, NOT SEALED/INSTALLED CORRECTLY

WINDSHIELD WHISTLES .DEALER TELLS ME THEY CANT DO ANYTHING .THEY SAY IT IS A DESIGN PROBLEM.WELL IF IT IS THERE WILL BE ALOT OF TRADE INS.WHEN DRIVING INTO A HEAD WIND IT WHISTLES PUT SOME PRESSURE ON THE REAR VIEW MIRROR NOISE WILL DECREASE.*AK

THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP ON 3 OCCASIONS FOR AN INOPERATIVE DEFROSTER SYSTEM, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM.*JB

NO HEAT.4-RUNNER WAS BROUGHT INTO DEALER FOR SERVICE 3 TIMES BECAUSE BLOWER NOT WORKING, AND DEALER IS NOW SAYING THEY ARE NOT SURE HOW TO FIX.THEY ARE WAITING TO HEAR FROM CORPORATE OFFICE ON HOW TO REPAIR.WE ARE TOLD THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM AND THEY ARE GETTING MORE OF THIS IN OTHER 4-RUNNERS.THEY SAY MOISTURE IS GETTING INTO BLOWER AND IN COLD WEATHER IT FREEZES CAUSING IT NOT TO WORK. SO WE ARE STILL WAITING TO SEE HOW THEY WILL FIX THIS PROBLEM.*JB

THE SIDE VIEW MIRRORS OBSTRUCT THE DRIVER'S VISION WHEN MAKING TURNS. IT IS ESPECIALLY NOTICED WHEN THE DRIVER IS MAKING LEFT HAND TURNS. OBJECTS IN THE ROAD CANNOT BE SEEN WHICH CAN POTENTIALLY CAUSE A COLLISION. *AK THE VIEW WAS "SEVERELY RESTRICTED" IN THE OUTSIDE MIRRORS WHEN MAKING LEFT HAND TURNS. WHEN IN THE LEFT HAND LANE, IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THE OBJECTS AT THE END OF THE MEDIAN. *SCC *JB