2005 TOYOTA 4RUNNER Electrical System Problems

I was driving my 4Runner and the rear glass exploded and shattered. This is a known issue with Toyota and documented in T-SB-0189-17 and warranty enhancement ZG7. There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the glass shattering. Toyota refuses to cover the repair costs and the estimate provided by the dealer is $1,200. Photos were taken in my garage when I got home immediately after the explosion occurred.

THE REAR WINDOW EXPLODED ON IT'S OWN WITH GLASS SHATTERING EVERYWHERE WHILE THE DEFROST FUNCTION WAS ON. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND DESIGN FLAW THAT SHOULD BE REMEDIED BEFORE IT HAPPENS. TOYOTA ACKNOWLEDGES THE DESIGN FLAW YET ALLOWS THIS DANGEROUS OCCURRENCE TO HAPPEN WITH CONSUMERS BEFORE DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THEY SAY TO BRING IT IN FOR INSPECTION BUT NOTHING THAT THEY CAN SEE UNTIL IT HAS EXPLODED. TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE NAMED RYAN INFORMED ME TODAY THERE IS NOTHING TOYOTA CAN DO FOR ME. THEY NEED TO REIMBURSE CONSUMERS FOR REPLACEMENT NO MATTER THE TIME FRAME BECAUSE IT IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND IT IS A DESIGN FLAW!

AFTER MY REAR WINDOW SHATTERED WHILE SITTING IN A PARKING LOT FOR A FEW MINUTES, I HAD IT REPLACED. THE TECHNICIAN FOUND THAT THE CONNECTIONS FOR THE REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER WERE BURNED. THIS CAUSED GREAT HEAT TO BUILD UP, CAUSING THE WINDOW TO SHATTER.

DEFROST CABLES CONNECTED TO THE REAR WINDOW MALFUNCTION AND CAUSE THE REAR WINDOW TO EXPLODE. INITIAL SIGN IS THE SMELL OF BURNING PLASTIC A SHORT WHILE BEFORE THE WINDOW EXPLODED. THIS OCCURRED WITH THE DEFROST BEING OFF IN 74 DEGREE WEATHER. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND PARKED IN DRIVEWAY FOR 2 MINUTES BEFORE IT SHATTERED. BASED ONLINE SEARCHES, MANY OTHER 4RUNNER OWNERS HAVE HAD THEIR REAR WINDOWS EXPLODE DUE TO THE SAME PROBLEM, BOTH WHILE DRIVING AND PARKED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, AN ELECTRICAL BURNING ODOR WAS PRESENT. AFTER STOPPING TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE, THE REAR WINDOW SUDDENLY SHATTERED. WHILE REPLACING THE WINDOW, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED MELTED AND CHARRED HEATER WIRES THAT WERE CONNECTED TO THE REAR WINDOW. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 216,000.

THE VEHICLE RPMS WOULD GO UP BUT THE CAR WOULD BARLEY MOVE, OR WHILE DRIVING GOING TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO FASTER TO ENGAGE IN TRAFFIC, CORROSION OF PINS IN THE TRANSMISSION WIRING HARNESS THAT CONNECTS TO THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS. THIS HARNESS IS ALSO TIED TO THE ABS, TRACTION CONTROL. IT CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO BECOME UNSAFE WHEN DRIVING AS IF IT ACTS UP YOU CANNOT ACCELERATE AND SORT OF CHUGS ALONG. DANGEROUS IN ON RAMP AND TRAFFIC SITUATIONS. THIS ALSO CAUSED THE SOLENOID IN THE TRANSMISSION TO SHORT OUT AS IT WAS HANGING UP ON THE SHIFT WHICH CAUSED A CLUNKING SOUND. THE TRANSMISSION WIRE HARNESS WAS REPLACED WHICH SHOWED 3 CORRODED PINS. THE SOLENOID IN THE TRANSMISSION WAS ALSO REPLACED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON, THE LIGHT DISABLED THE AIR BAGS. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH TOYOTA AND THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE AIR BAG SENSOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A LOCAL DEALER WAS ABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AFTER ONE YEAR. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 19,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,310. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALER AFTER THE FIRST DEALER WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AFTER SEVERAL VISITS. THE SECOND DEALER INSTALLED A NEW SENSOR. THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED. UPDATED 03/26/10