2002 Toyota 4runner Brakes Problems
18 owner-reported brakes complaints from NHTSA data
Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
Owner Complaints (18)
SKIDDING WHEN PUMPING BRAKES LIGHTLY ON GRAVEL (ONLY GOING 15 MPH)
VIBRATION FROM BRAKING CAUSING VERY DECREASED VEHICLE CONTROL POSING VERY INCREASED ACCIDENT RISK. TOYOTA FOUR RUNNER 02 LIMITED, RECURRENCE OF PULSING BRAKE PEDAL AND VERY HIGH VEHICLE VIBRATION WHEN BRAKING. THIS OCCURS AFTER SHORT OR LONG MOUNTAIN DESCENTS AT NORMAL / POSTED HIGHWAY SPEEDS UNDER NORMAL PASSENGER LOADS (NOT HAULING), CLEAR DRY CONDITIONS. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS LOW MILEAGE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCE THIS ISSUE. FIRST TIME, THE FRONT ROTORS WERE REPLACED AT THE DEALER BY THE PREVIOUS OWNERS EXPENSE UNDER 60K MILES. THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN AT MOST 7K MILES A YEAR. THE PROBLEM HAS RETURNED OVER AND OVER AND POSES A SERIOUS HAZARD TO OCCUPANTS AND OTHER HIGHWAY TRAVELERS. SEARCHING THE WEB, THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF WARPED ROTORS WHICH TOYOTA DEALERS ARE SAYING IS DRIVER ERROR / NORMAL USE. I HAVE NOT DRIVEN THIS VEHICLE MUCH AND NOT HARD. MY USE WOULD QUALIFY AS NORMAL HIGHWAY TRAVEL. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED BY ME IN 2008 AND I HAVE REPLACED ROTORS EVERY YEAR. I HAVE PURCHASED THE SLOTTED ROTORS WITH CERAMIC AS WELL AS SEMI METALLIC WITH NO BENEFIT . CERTAINLY THE EXPENSE OF AGAIN REPLACING ROTORS IS CONCERNING, BUT REALLY, THE AMOUNT OF VIBRATION AND DECREASED CONTROL CAUSES ME TO BE VERY CONCERNED FOR MY, AND OTHERS, SAFETY. EVEN IF THE ROTORS ARE REPLACED, IT SEEMS VERY LIKELY THAT THE VIBRATION AND LOSS OF CONTROL WILL RETURN IN A FEW THOUSAND MILES OF NORMAL USE. I WOULD LIKE TOYOTA TO ADMIT THEIR VEHICLES HAVE FAULTY ASSEMBLY WHICH CAUSES EXCESSIVE WEAR ON PADS AND ROTORS. I NOW JUST TOOK IT IN AGAIN, AND THIS WILL BE THE 4TH SET OF ROTORS, PADS AND REAR DRUMS! *TR
WITHOUT ANY WARNING THE VEHICLE LOST ALL BRAKING POWER. THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD NOT GO DOWN AND AT THAT MOMENT THE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON BUT THAT WAS AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD ALREADY LOST IT'S BRAKES. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO HEADQUATER TOYOTA AND THEY DETERMINED THAT THE "HYDRAULIC BRAKES POWER BOOSTER ASSEMBLY" HAD FAILED. IT WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $3127.00.
I OWN A 2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER WITH APPROXIMATELY 94,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE PRIMARY USE IS DRIVING LESS THAN 10 MILES A DAY OFF HIGHWAY. THE FOLLOWING ALARM LIGHTS CAME ON: BRAKE LIGHT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, VSC LIGHT, TRAC LIGHT, ABS LIGHT, AND THE SPEEDOMETER QUIT WORKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MIKE CALVERT TOYOTA IN HOUSTON, TX TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THEIR SCANNER WAS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY A CODE FOR THE PROBLEM. THE CONCLUSION WAS THAT THE ADS CONTROL MODULE (SKID CONTROL SENSOR) WAS AT FAULT AND THUS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE ASSISTANT SERVICE MANAGER, GRANT MILES ADVISED ME NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE ADS CONTROL MODULE WAS REPLACED. THE COST FOR THE PARTS AND LABOR WAS QUOTED AS $2377.01. IT WOULD TAKE 3 TO 5 BUSINESS DAYS FOR THE PART TO BE ORDERED AND REPLACED. I HAD TO RENT A CAR FROM THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE OF THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND BECAUSE OF THE LENGTHY REPAIR TIME. THE COST OF THE RENTAL CAR IS APPROXIMATELY $289.00. BECAUSE OF THE POSSIBLE SAFETY ISSUES WITH THE ADS CONTROL MODULE (SKID CONTROL SENSOR-PART # 8954035270), I AM REGISTERING THIS NOTIFICATION WITH THE NHTSA. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND ALL THE SERVICE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY MORE PRESSURE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF. THE FAILURE CONTINUED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ABS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 258,000.
VIBRATION FROM BRAKING CAUSING VERY DECREASED VEHICLE CONTROL POSING VERY INCREASED ACCIDENT RISK. TOYOTA FOUR RUNNER 02 LIMITED, RECURRENCE OF PULSING BRAKE PEDAL AND VERY HIGH VEHICLE VIBRATION WHEN BRAKING. THIS OCCURS AFTER LONG MOUNTAIN DESCENTS AT NORMAL / POSTED HIGHWAY SPEEDS UNDER NORMAL PASSENGER LOADS (NOT HAULING), CLEAR DRY CONDITIONS. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS LOW MILEAGE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCE THIS ISSUE. FIRST TIME, THE FRONT ROTORS WERE REPLACED AT THE DEALER AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE UNDER 40K MILES. THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN AT MOST 5K MILES A YEAR. THE PROBLEM HAS RETURNED AND POSES A SERIOUS HAZARD TO OCCUPANTS AND OTHER HIGHWAY TRAVELERS. SEARCHING THE WEB, THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF WARPED ROTORS WHICH TOYOTA DEALERS ARE SAYING ITS DRIVER ERROR / NORMAL USE. I HAVE NOT DRIVEN THIS VEHICLE MUCH AND NOT HARD. MY USE WOULD EASILY QUALIFY AS NORMAL HIGHWAY TRAVEL. THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 65K MILES ON IT NOW. CERTAINLY THE EXPENSE OF AGAIN REPLACING ROTORS IS CONCERNING, BUT REALLY, THE AMOUNT OF VIBRATION AND DECREASED CONTROL CAUSES ME TO BE VERY CONCERNED FOR MY, AND OTHERS, SAFETY. EVEN IF THE ROTORS ARE REPLACED, IT SEEMS VERY LIKELY THAT THE VIBRATION AND LOSS OF CONTROL WILL RETURN IN A FEW THOUSAND MILES OF NORMAL USE. *TR
READING ABOUT THE PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEMS OF THE TOYOTA PRIUS, I LEARNED THAT THE BRAKING SYSTEM MIGHT NOT WORK WHEN THE VEHICLE HITS A POTHOLE, UNEVEN PAVEMENT, OR BUMP. I'VE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM IN MY '02 4RUNNER. IF THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED AND THE VEHICLE HITS A BUMP, THE BRAKES FEEL AS IF THEY ARE NOT WORKING, (BRAKE PEDAL GOES STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR W/NO PRESSURE). THIS ISSUE GOES AWAY IF YOU RELEASE THE BRAKE PEDAL AND REAPPLY PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE, (PUMP). I ALWAYS THOUGHT THIS WAS "NORMAL" UNTIL I READ ABOUT THE PRIUS ISSUES WITH IT'S BRAKING SYSTEM. THE ISSUES WITH THE PRIUS SOUND TOO SIMILAR TO DISMISS THE ISSUE AS JUST A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR'S ELECTRIC ENGINE. *TR
WHEN TURNING TO EITHER SIDE THE VSC LIGHT COMES ON AND THE ABS SYSTEM ACTIVATES. TIS IS IN DRY ROAD ON THE HIGHWAY. *TR
I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA WITH 62,000 MI. I HAVE BEEN TO TWO TOYOTA DEALERS TO FIGURE OUT MY PROBLEM. THE VSC TRAC, VSC OFF, ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS ARE COMING ON. FINALLY AFTER @$700 OF MY MONEY, THEY FIGURED OUT THE PROBLEM TO BE THE ECU. THIS WILL NOW COST ME @1800 FOR PARTS, AND WHO KNOWS YET FOR LABOR. I HAVE READ ONLINE THAT MANY OTHER TOYOTA OWNERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE SITUATION, UNLESS YOU HAVE THE EXT. WARRANTY. I FEEL THAT TOYOTA NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS, MAYBE RECALL THIS AND FIX THESE CARS BEFORE THERE IS AN ACCIDENT. I LIVE IN NEW YORK WHERE THERE IS ALOT OF SNOW. MY VSC WILL NOT WORK UNTIL I GET THIS FIXED. I HAVE TWO SMALL CHILDREN AND HAVE TO RELAY ON STANDARD BRAKES IN THE SNOW UNTIL THIS IS FIXED. TOYOTA SHOULD STAND BEHIND THEIR REPUTABLE NAME AND FIX THESE PROBLEMS ASAP..... *TR
2002 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER. BRAKE ROTORS ARE WEARING UNEVENLY, CAUSING SHAKING WHEN SLOWING DOWN. DEALER SAID THE BRAKE PADS HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN USED 50%. *JB
I AM DEALING WITH UNDERSIZED BRAKE CALIPER AND ASSOCIATED ROTOR AND BRAKE PAD QUALITY PROBLEMS. THE CARS SHAKES VIOLENTLY QWHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. THEY ARE CAUSING THE ROTORS TO OVERHEAT CAUSING THE ROTORS TO WARP AND EXCESS WEAR. WHILE TOYOTA RECOGNIZED THAT THE CALIPERS ARE TOO SMALL FOR THE 2002 SEQUOIA, THEY WOULD ONLY REPLACE THEM UNDER WARRANTY. NOT SURE WHY THEY ARE ONLY TOO SMALL UNDER WARRANTY. DO THEY GROW AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRES? THIS IS BAD POLICY. THE DEALER RECOMMENDED I SPEND THE $2000 TO FIX THE PROBLEM, WHICH TOYOTA SAYS IS NOT A PROBLEM AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRES. WHEN I SPOKE TO THE LOCAL DEALER,BOULDER TOYOTA, HE STATED IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE, ONLY A QUALITY QUESTION. I SEEM TO GET TWO DIFFERENT STORIES FROM THE DEALER AND TOYOTA "CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE". I HAVE RESEARCHED A NUMBER OF SITES INCLUDING NHTS AND AUTOBYTEL. APPARTENTLY I AM NOT UNIQUE AND MANY OTHERS ARE CLAIMING PROBLEMS WITH TOYOTA SEQUOIA BRAKES. THIS IS NOT THE QUALITY I EXPECTED FROM A TOYOTA.
STRONG VIBRATIONS FROM FRONT BRAKES
I BOUGHT A 2002 4RUNNER SPORT FROM JIM BARKLEY TOYOTA IN ASHEVILLE NC. SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE I NOTICED A VIBRATION IN THE BRAKES. I HAD THEM CHECKED AND WAS TOLD THE ROTORS WERE WARPED AND HAD THEM TURNED. A FEW MONTHS LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN ,AND I HAD TO PUT A NEW SET ON. THEN ONCE AGAIN I HAD TO REPLACE THEM, WHEN WE DID WE ALSO REPLACED THE PADS AND THE ENTIRE SYSTEM WAS NOT WORKING AND WE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT, AND THEY WORKED ON IT AND STATED THAT IT WOULD BE $3000 TO FIX IT BECAUSE THE CALIPERS AND ACTUATOR WOULD NEED REPLACING. I AM SURE WHEN I PAY FOR THIS THE PROBLEM WILL COME BACK AND THEY WILL TRY TO GET EVEN MORE MONEY FROM ME.*AK
I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA LIMITED. THE BRAKES NEEDED REPLACING AT 21000 MILES.THIS IS CONCIDERED NORMAL , FOR THIS HEAVY CAR. THE DEALER REQUESTED $330.00 TO REPLACE PADS I SHOPPED AROUND GOT THE JOB DONE FOR $250.00. BUT THE BRAKES STARTED VIBRATING WHENEVER I APPLIED THEM. TOOK IT BACK TO REPAIR CENTER THEY RE-DID THE ENTIRE BRAKE JOB WITH DIFFERENT FACTORY PADS (26000 MI) , SAME RESULT. I THEN TOOK IT TO THE DEALER I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM (33000 MI) , THEY CHECKED IT OUT, PROBLEM NOT OCCURING AT THIS TIME. NO REPAIR DONE. I TOOK IT TO THE TIRE CENTER I ALWAYS USE FOR TIRES, THEY REPLACED REAR ROTORS, PROBLEM NOT FIXED. I THEN REPLACED THE FRONT ROTORS & PADS MYSELF. VIBRATION STILL OCCURING. I HAVE SPENT $800.00 TO FIX THE VIBRATION. TALKED TO TOYOTA ABOUT IT THERE IS A SERVICE BULITTEN ABOUT THIS COMPLANT, IT SHOULD BE FIXED FREE OF CHARGE. BUT THE CAR IS AT 41000 MI NOW. THE WARRANTY IS 36000 MILES.TOYOTA REFUSED TO MAKE NECESSARY REPAIRS UNDER WARRANTY, EVEN THOUGH COMPLAINT WAS ORIGINALLY PLACED DURING WARRANTY PERIOD. REPAIR COST APPROX $2000.00 PER SERVICE WRITER. I WILL NEVER DEAL WITH TOYOTA AGAIN! *AK
2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA BRAKES VIBRATE SEVERELY. VSC SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT FREQUENTLY COMES ON. PROBLEM HAS EXISTED SINCE CAR HAD 10,000 MILES, NOW HAS 36,000 AND DEALER AND TOYOTA CLAIM IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. TOYOTA CLAIMS THAT CAR HAS NO BRAKE PROBLEMS, NO SAFETY PROBLEMS AT ALL, AND THAT ORIGINAL BRAKES ARE NOT DEFECTIVE IN DESIGN. I AM INFORMED THAT TOYOTA ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN, ALTHOUGH TOYOTA DENIED THIS THE DEALER ADMITTED THAT IT EXISTED, BUT I HAD TO SPECIFICALLY COMPLAIN ABOUT THE SPECIFIC BRAKE PROBLEM, OR THEY WOULD NOT AND DID NOT ADVISE ME OF THE REMEDY. THESE BRAKE ISSUES ARE A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM.*AK
WHILE DRIVING BRAKES FAILED WITHOUT WARNING, RESULTING IN A CRASH. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY FORTY FIVE MINUTES AND WITHOUT WARNING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE RELEASED AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. (MODEL/MR2 SPYDER) SCC *JB
VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN AN INCLINED SPOT. PARKING BRAKE ENGAGED. PARKING BRAKE FAILED AND CAR ROLLED OVER A CURB INTO A METAL POLE ABOUT 10-15 MINUTES AFTER THE CAR WAS PARKED. *PH (2002 TOYOTA MR2) *JB **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS**768022