Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Toyota 4Runner owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2003 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated while his wife driving 60 MPH with the cruise control activated, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle rapidly started to accelerate. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The driver depressed the brake pedal to stop the vehicle and parked on the side of the road. The driver was able to restart the vehicle and drive to her destination. The contact stated that in October 2021 his wife experienced a similar failure. The contact also stated that on 11/8/2021 while his wife driving 55 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle accelerated quickly. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The driver depressed on the brake pedal with both feet and shifted gear to neutral to slow the vehicle. The driver stated she saw smoke coming from both front brakes. …
I was driving normally with no issues on local streets. Suddenly the vsc,trac, and e-brake lights came on the dashboard with a very loud audible alarm. No prior issues with this system. I was able to drive slowly home on side roads (1.5 miles away). I made it to my driveway, pulled in on my upsloping driveway and then I had no brakes. Pedal went all the way to the floor. I was able to get the car into the street and had it towed to the shop. I feel lucky to have had this happen at low speed and in town. There was little to no warning for a critical system failure. Diagnosis by mechanic is brake master cylinder/traction control module, at approximately $3000 to replace. I have found multiple incidents of this failure across multiple vehicle types. …
I was at a complete stop. Right after I let my foot off the brake, the car lunged forward violently. It was a traumatic experience. I don't know if this was an isolated incident, will it happen again or is this common? Also, shortly after I took ownership of my car, the paint started to peel on the rear hatch below the license on the left, where there are somewhat sharp angles. Toyota repainted the rear hatch, excluding the spoiler. I just noticed two rust spots above the rear window. It appears water is seeping in from above the black strip and ponding on thr bottom of it (above the window), resulting in rust. I am wondering if this is common or a problem because the black strip was removed to repaint, or wasn't sealed as well by the factory?
Tl*-the contact owns a 2003 Toyota 4runner. A police report was filed for the incident. Updated 6/1/10 the consumer stated as she reached from the passengers side of the vehicle to turn the motor off, the vehicle suddenly accelerated backwards. The consumer stated she tried to run with the vehicle, but it was moving too fast. The passenger door was open and it knocked her down and she hit her head. The vehicle then went into the street and then began to accelerate forward and then the front wheel of the vehicle ran over her. Updated 06/15/10.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Toyota 4-runner. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked when he shifted into drive and the vehicle surged forward and crashed into a curb. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed that the fuel jets were plugged with carbon, causing the failure. The vehicle was repaired. The failure had not since recurred. The failure mileage was 62,160 and the current mileage was 63,160. Updated 07/08/11 updated 07/181//
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Toyota 4runner. On several occasions, while attempting to slow down the vehicle, it independently accelerated. The failure was intermittent. The vehicle was taken to be diagnosed at sunrise Toyota north (located at 910 middle country rd, middle island, ny 11953, [phone]). The mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure or retrieve a fault code. The manufacturer was contacted and notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000.
The engine, vsc trac and vsc warning indicators illuminated continuously on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer. The engine 02 sensors were found to be defective. The manufacture will not replace or replace since there are no advisories on the part. There is a high risk the engine May under perform which May cause lack of control and a potential accident while driving. Leading to injury.
On approximately February 28, 2012, the ABS/trac control/vsc lights came on and remained lit on my 2003 Toyota 4runner. I called the dealership and they said to bring it in right away. They diagnosed the car and came up with "no sensor reading?. It cost me $150 for the diagnostic test. I picked up the car and a few weeks later I brought it back for the same problem. The computer then indicated that there was a faulty o2 sensor which they replaced my cost was over $650. The next week the lights came on again. The dealership kept the car for a few days but later reported that they could not duplicate the problem. They told me that I should wait until it got worse and bring it back. I suffered with this problem for months. I say suffered because when I was in park and these lights came on, I could not shift out of park. The lights would eventually go away and allow me to drive. …
Near the end of August four warning lights came on at the same time in my 2003 4runner. They were the vsc trac, vsc off, ABS and brake. I scheduled an appointment with the local Toyota authorized repair shop to determine and fix the problem. They looked at the vehicle and discovered significant rust and corrosion on the frame, rear axle and attached parts. I have asked for an estimate to repair, and they are unable to do so as there is so much rust, corrosion, and lack of material to work with. I am the second owner of this vehicle. The first owner, a friend of mine, had the vehicle undercoated the day after purchase, kept the car in a garage, and washed the vehicle frequently including the underside. I purchased the vehicle in February 2007 with 13,750 miles. It has also lived in a garage here. As of August 29, 2013, the date of the inspection, the vehicle had 24,005 miles. …
I purchased a brand new 2003 Toyota 4runner in May 2003. In one cold morning of jan. 2005, I was driving it in highway that was still covered with some snow. All of sudden, an engine check light on the dashboard was automatically turned on, followed by vsc lights, indicating that a vehicle skid control function was automatically turned off. At that point, I could not drive the car beyond 50 MPH, no matter how hard or frequently I pushed the accelerator pedal. I pulled over, restarted, and re-entered the highway but had the same results. I managed to drive the car to a dealer for inspection the same day. The dealer could not find a cause and simply reset the computer controller. This seemed to have resolved the problem at that time. However, the engine check and vsc light issues resurfaced about two years later. The difference this time was that there was no acceleration issue. …
Related recalls
Vehicle speed control › Accelerator pedal
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 through 2011 Lexus lx570, 2003 through 2009 Toyota 4runner, and 2006 through 2010 rav4 vehicles. The accelerator pedal can get stuck in the wide open position due to its being trapped by an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat.
Remedy: The remedy is now available. The safety recall began early April 2011. The remedy will involve modification or replacement of the accelerator pedal and replacement of any Toyota all-weather floor mat.
Acceleration complaints in other 4Runner years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2003 Toyota 4Runner?
NHTSA has 29 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2003 Toyota 4Runner, 4% of the model year's 696 complaints. The component named most often is accelerator pedal (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Toyota 4Runner acceleration problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 11V-113 (accelerator pedal, Feb 24, 2011). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2003 Toyota 4Runner acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 58,000 miles, and 30% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 3 injuries to speed control & acceleration problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.