Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
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).
So first off I had a Ford Escape and one day it wouldn't crank up and started beeping loud so I called and got it towed it sat in the shop for 3 days and they told me it was fixed they fixed the abs lights and was told it was ready and I didn't even make it out of shop and the car was running hot and als realized the miles had been docked back a lot and had to be towed again a week came around and the fan stopped spinning and they said they offer me a trade in because they didn't know what was wrong well I got this 2003 4 runner and these both were under warranty 3 months in and both had to be taken into service this one for radiator busted only to go into service had it towed and then additional problems they put a new wheel hub and brakes without my authorization and also the gear clip / gear shift was broken and they were trying to fix that and told me my car was ready today went up …
No Accident - Items need to be investigated for Safety Defects on Toyota's. 1> Front Brake Calipers (constant freezing of the front brake calipers). 2> Dash Cover (excessive cracking on the dash covers especially areas that contain airbags). 3> Fuel Pump Connection (on top of fuel tank, connection to fuel pump appears to create a short, which in turn causes vehicle to stall also could cause a fire). 4> Excessive Frame Rust (frame has excessive rust outside and inside which is causing frame to fail. this is a manufacturing issue). These are ongoing issues with Toyota that have been reported and nothing is being done about it. Multiple 4runners are having big time Excessive Frame Rust, which are causing the frame coming apart during highway driving. These photo's show the rust on the outside and inside, all metal is having rust issues. …
Due to severe rust underneath the vehicle, there have been a few issues that have made the vehicle very unsafe to drive. Last week, both of my rear brake lines were completely done and leaking brake fluid leaving me with no brakes. This was due to rust and corrosion that had eaten the metal lines away. The radiator mounts are corroding, as well as the skid plate for my fuel tank and a few spots on my frame near the rear. I was not aware of the rust as I just got the vehicle a few weeks ago. I was driving in traffic when my brake light came on and I noticed my brakes didn't seem to be very effective and they eventually got the point where they were not working or slowing the vehicle at all. Once I took it to the shop and they put it on the lift, the mechanics pointed out just how bad the rust was.
Frame is rotted out and brake lines attached to the frame as well as every suspension component. Car failed inspection deemed unsafe to drive. This problem has been addressed for Tacoma, tundra and sequoia but not 4runner. These frames have the same issue as those and needs to be repaired by Toyota due to lack of rust and corrosion protection. There's no reason 4runner should be overlooked for the same issue as the other full frame trucks.
The VSC system in the vehicle becomes disabled due to a firmware 'glitch' identified by Toyota when an emission system issue is detected by the onboard diagnostic system. The VSC system is listed as an 'essential safety feature,' so I'm curious why a recall was never ordered to patch defective firmware that can cause VSC to become disabled due to a completely unrelated emissions issue.
While pulling into a grocery store parking lot, aloud cabin alarm sound and ABS, vsc and trac and brake warning lights on the dash came on. My vehicle seemed to stop OK so we did our shopping, when we started the car it still had the lights lit up and braked OK. We were close to home so I drove slowly trying to get there about half way home I applied the brakes and the pedal was hard as a rock and would not slow down the car applying emergency break and using shifter in order to stop and avoid crashing we got it home accident free. Today a talked to a Toyota specialty shop and explained the problem and his first response was the ABS pump and master cylinder failure. …
My daughter returned from work two days ago and parked the vehicle, she did not notice anything wrong with its drivability. The next morning she started the vehicle and a loud warning tone was being emitted from the dash. She asked me to look at it and I noticed the brake and ABS warning lights were on. I tried depressing the brake pedal and it went completely to the floor instantly. I tried backing up the vehicle to see if repeated braking in reverse would pump up the brakes as it does on some vehicles I have owned. That did nothing and also unlike other vehicles I have driven, the brake failure was total. There was little to no manual braking. Traveling in reverse at maybe 3 MPH took four to five seconds to come to a stop. Had this occurred at 60 MPH on the rural roads we live on, I don't think we would have been able to safely stop the vehicle. …
Driving on a 3 lane interstate highway, stopped traffic, avs/ABS/brake lights came on with a piercing noise. Traffic began moving approx. 10 MPH, behind semi, brakes went to the floor. No brakes!!!! From center lane was able to go the the left lane into the the shoulder. Stopped next to cement barrier between north bound and south bound traffic (both 3 lanes). Sat there shaking for tow truck driver for an hour and a half with semi trucks flying by! Got it to a mechanic. They called back the next day to say "we are sorry but the component that runs the brake pump is malfunctioning." "we reset it and the brakes are working now, but it will only fail again." it will cost a total of $5,000 to repair!!!! The vehicle is only worth $4,500-$7,000 (at best)!!!! Like others on here, this has happened many, many times!!! No recalls!!! This could have been deadly!!! …
Extreme frame rust. Car is low mileage, well-kept, and outwardly in excellent condition. Recently suffered near-total brake failure. Towed it to shop for repair. Shop refused to repair brakes. They said frame was severely rusted. The rust had eaten away the point where the brake lines attached to the frame, and brake fuid was leaking from that juncture. They said if they removed the brake lines to replace them, they wouldn't be able to reattach them because there wasn't enough good frame metal to work with. They said the frame rust was so severe that they feared it could break clean through, or steering or suspension parts could break loose. They did not want to take responsibility for putting what they believed to be an unsafe vehicle back on the road. They only reason I discovered this was that the rust caused my brakes to nearly fail. …
I am deeply disturbed by the thought itself that my son and I could have died or severely injured while the brakes didn't work last weekend. All of a sudden, bunch of lights on the dashboard came on and continued loud sound started coming from the dashboard when I was reaching my son's school to drop him off for a tennis match. While I feel very fortunate that I was driving very slow and I was able to apply the emergency brake to stop the car before it hit any other vehicle or a tree, I am very concerned for the safety of the other drivers who May face the same issue while driving at a higher speed and/or on a busy road. I would like your immediate attention to this issue and request you to investigate the issue with Toyota. There are few others who have reported the same issue. Toyota dismisses the case by saying its 'wear and tear'. …
Brake complaints in other 4Runner years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2003 Toyota 4Runner?
NHTSA has 74 complaints about the brakes of the 2003 Toyota 4Runner, 11% of the model year's 696 complaints. The component named most often is antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Toyota 4Runner brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2003 Toyota 4Runner, though it has 3 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2003 Toyota 4Runner brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 100,000 miles, and 16% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to brakes 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.