TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE DEFROSTER WAS ACTIVATED WHEN THE REAR WINDOW EXPLODED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION IN THE DEFROSTER. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN REPAIRED WITH NEW COMPONENTS IN THE DEFROSTER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 98,488.
2002
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM
1) STOPPED AT STOP SIGN WITH SNOW ON THE GROUND. THEN ACCELERATE TURNING ONTO ANOTHER ROAD. 2) VEHICLE CAN ACCELERATE AND MOVE A FEW FEET BEFORE THE TRAC (TRACTION CONTROL) SYSTEM ACTIVATES. THE POWER TO THE ENGINE IS THEN CUT OFF. AT THIS POINT YOU ARE UNABLE TO MOVE, STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. THERE IS A FEW SECOND DELAY BEFORE YOU CAN GET ANY POWER BACK TO THE ENGINE. ULTIMATELY, YOU ARE LEFT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION WITH NO POWER TO THE WHEELS WAITING TO SEE IF ANOTHER VEHICLE IS GOING TO T-BONE YOU. I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE, VERY CLOSE CALLS. FAILURE OCCURS EVERY SINGLE TIME YOU TRY TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP AND THE SYSTEM SENSES EVEN A TINY LOSS OF TRACTION. THE COMPLETE LOSS OF ACCELERATOR FUNCTION AND DELAY UNTIL THE RETURN OF POWER IS VERY DANGEROUS. 3) THERE IS NO FIX. I WAS TOLD THERE IS NO WAY TO DISABLE THE TRAC SYSTEM THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE A SAFETY FEATURE WHEN IN REALITY IT IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SYSTEM. TOYOTA MUST THINK A LITTLE WHEEL SPIN IS MORE DANGEROUS THAN COMPLETELY TAKING AWAY THE DRIVER'S ABILITY TO CONTROL THEIR OWN VEHICLE I HAVE DRIVEN VEHICLES THAT HAVE TRAC AND IT DOES NOT FUNCTION LIKE IT DOES ON THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. THE SYSTEM IS SEVERELY OVERLY SENSITIVE AND OVERLY CONTROLLING. *TR