What to Look for (3rd/4th Gen)

Hey guys, my first post here!

I'm looking to buy a third or fourth gen 4Runner for college. I know I'm going to do some light off-roading and definitely got to handle snow, so I think a 4Runner would be perfect. I'm willing to do most maintenance and repair work, however I am not quipped to do frame repair/welding. With that in mind, what are the common problems in these two generations of 4Runner to look for?

 

3rd gen overview:
Rust like every car over 10 years old. These vehicles aren't known for major issues like the seconds gen with head gaskets but there is still plenty to look out for. The V6 should its timing belt changed around 90,000 miles and you should also look to make sure the water pump is replaced too. Small things like the clock not working is common but not a deal breaker for anyone (if it is don't look this far back). Dashboards tend to crack, seats rip, window motors burn out or start to squeak. Your only other worry of mention depends on the transmission you get. Manual transmissions don't tend to have issues, they are zippier, and more fun to drive imo. The automatics are easier to drive, and are reliable as long as it doesn't have the pink milkshake issue (transmission fluid looks like a pink milk shake).

4th gens probably also have rust issues but I don't know as much about those

TLDR: Watch out for rust and condition of automatic transmission fluid on third gens. Look at general things like oil, OBDII, and get it checked out by a mechanic

 

Welcome! You'll love whichever one you get. I've owned both gens but I'll mention some 4th gen stuff. This is by no means a comprehensive list, just some items off the top of my head.

4th gens can have some major rust issues so watch out for ones from the East Coast. Inspect the frame closely. A typical area for them to rust out early is the radiator support.

Early 4th gens with the V6 had some head gasket issues. They weren't widespread, however I have a family member that had a V6 head gasket fail on their '03 4Runner so just keep that in mind when looking. The V6 has a timing chain so not much to worry about there and aside from the HG issue a good V6 can go for a long time.

The V8 in the 4th gen is a fantastic motor but still has a couple of things to watch out for. The V8 is an interference engine with a timing belt, so see if you can get one where you know the belt has been replaced. If not then plan on getting it replaced ASAP. Some V8's have issues with the exhaust manifolds cracking, my '08 at 230k miles is fine but my dad's '06 V8 at 190k miles does have this issue. If you get a later model V8 the secondary air pump for the emissions control system can fail; there are bypass kits available to avoid the issue. People have literally put a million miles on this V8 motor so it'll go for forever if you take care of it.

For both engines the transmission can have torque converter shuddering issues in 5th gear. When driving at highway speeds if you feel a sort of 'rumble strip' shuddering coming from it when in 5th gear that goes away when you downshift then it likely has this issue. That's how mine presented itself anyway. To fix it I had the transmission fluid replaced and added a tube of Shudder Stop and it went way.

Don't get one with a sunroof. They all rattle and it's expensive to fix as you have to replace the entire glass. I've lined my sunroof opening with several layers of thick electrical tape which has helped some but it still rattles annoyingly on rough roads.

4th gen front brake calipers are notorious for seizing up and needing replacement. The brakes were shot on mine when I bought it so I replaced them with 2010 5th gen 4Runner rotors and calipers. The 2010 calipers bolted right on, no modifications necessary and they're a different design so I'm hoping they won't have that same issue. So far so good.