1990 Toyota 4Runner SR5 from North America - Comments

14 years old 300000 kilometers and minus 20 equals hard to start. period. If it does start without the block heater plugged in at -20 C your doing well. It's likely that without an engine rebuild your just going to have to plug it in. If it is hard to start when it is plugged in, but runs fine otherwise, and the starter is turning it over well, try adding a bottle of gas line antifreeze and maybe a bottle of injector cleaner (some aditives do both). Replacing the fuel filter might do it. I once had moisture build up in the filter and it would freeze up regardless of the antifreeze. You mention that it is not the battery, which makes me think that the starter sounds weak in cold weather, if this is the case, and the starter is still original, that could be your problem. On a vehicle with that many kms, it is often better to plug it in for even mildly cold -20C weather and leave it at that rather than spending money on a number of things that may not fix the problem and may also aggravate an engine that has found its stride 100000 kms after many engines would be biting the dust.

P.S. I am assuming you have a block heater, if you don't this is an easy fix.

Oh, one last thing -20 isn't very cold. Move to Winnipeg, we just had a week of -50C weather, That is very cold.

I have a 1988 four runner with 140,000 miles. It is the best vehicle I ever owned. Before that I had a 1978 Land Cruiser, much stiffer ride, but just as dependable.I'll always stick with Toyota and I agree with some of the comments about people having problems due to a poorly maintained vehicle more than anything else. As I've passed Dodges, Chevys and Fords on the side of the road with the hood up, all I can say is that my Toyotas have never left me walking. I bought a new 2002 Tundra V8 for towing a larger boat and at 60,000 I'm just as pleased.

I just bought a 1990 4 Runner. 4 wheel drive. v6. anyways. I filled it up and hit the little mile button to zero. the full tank only took me about 200 miles. I did the math and that's about 11 miles to the gallon. (it's a 17.2 gallon tank).

This can't be right!!! Anyone have any suggestions on what could be wrong with it?

Any help appreciated!

-bryan.

I have the same truck... what size tires do you have? Was the mileage in town or highway? Are you sure the tank in 17.2 gallons? There are a lot of variables.

In response to the comment before with the gas mileage, I have a 1991 4runner, and get about 15 mpg-highway. That's with big tires too. Toyota isn't known for having vehicles with great gas mileage. You are averaging what you should for a 4X4. If you are that bothered by it, try looking into new filters or fuel injectors. (Don't know if the 1990 was fuel-injected or not.)

I have a 1990 Toyota 4Runner, SR5, 3.0 Liter V6, Auto Transmission, 4x4. I have never had a problem until recently. The battery is being drained. I can't pinpoint the problem and don't have the $ to take it to a dealer. Recently the dash lights have been staying on after the car is started and while it is in motion. And most recently, my radio shuts on and off while the car is being driven. The headlights are very dim and the windshield wipers move very slowly. Tried to start the car yesterday and the battery was dead. It was 2 weeks old. Any suggestions or similar problems?

You have probably got it fixed by now, but that was your alternator going out. It took a while for mine to die, but yep everything will just shut down and the dash lights will start coming on.

I have a 1990 Toyota 4Runner, love it to death thinking about selling or just spending a lot of money to have it refurbished for winter, that's including new timing belt, heater fixed, tires, shocks and springs... the whole nine yards, and even a tune up and brakes.