Car Defect Radar
Built from NHTSA complaints and recalls collected for this model, generated September 22, 2026. Totals reflect what has been collected, not every complaint ever filed.

Recalls

0 total

Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.

No recalls on record for this model

No safety recalls were found in this dataset. It is still worth entering the exact VIN on NHTSA before purchase, since recalls can be added at any time.

Owner complaints by system

33 total

Unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA, grouped by the part of the car. Useful for spotting patterns. Open a group to read recent examples.

Engine & powertrain

Minor
3

Most reports here involve sudden stalling.

sudden stalling 1software faults 1
A recent report: I BOUGHT MY 4RUNNER BRAND NEW LAST YEAR. TO CHANGE THE DIFFERENTIAL FROM H4F TO H4L, I STOP THE CAR AND CHANGE THE SHIFTER INTO NEUTRAL POSITION. ONCE IN NEUTRAL POSITION, I CHANGE THE DIFFERENTIAL…
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I BOUGHT MY 4RUNNER BRAND NEW LAST YEAR. TO CHANGE THE DIFFERENTIAL FROM H4F TO H4L, I STOP THE CAR AND CHANGE THE SHIFTER INTO NEUTRAL POSITION. ONCE IN NEUTRAL POSITION, I CHANGE THE DIFFERENTIAL KNOB H4F TO H4L. THEN I START DRIVING AGAIN. MY EXPECTATION IS THE WHEN SHIFTING THE DIFFERENTIAL FROM H4F TO H4L, THE DASHBOARD LIGHT WILL CHANGE FROM YELLOW TO GREEN JUST LIKE MY PREVIOUS 4RUNNER. BUT THIS MODEL DOES NOT CHANGE FROM YELLOW TO GREEN TO IDENTIFY SUCCESSFUL TRANSFER OF GEAR FROM HIGH TO LOWER GEAR. THE DASHBOARD COLOR STAYS YELLOW. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DEFECT. I BELIEVE THERE IS A DEFECT IN DIFFERENTIAL LOCKING MECHANISM OR AT THE VERY LEAST THE LELECTRONICS THAT UPDATES THE DASHBOARD. THE NEW MODELS ALSO HAVE SAME ISSUE. I BELIEVE ANYTIME YOU SEE A YELLOW LIGHT IN THE DASHBOARD, IT IS A WARNING MESSAGE THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG OR WILL BE WRONG IN THE FUTURE. TOYOTA DEALERS SAID THIS IS A STANDARD COLOR BUT I DONT BELIEVE BECAUSE THEIR MANUAL SAYS YELLOW COLOR MEANS WARNING.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11405873 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Electrical & infotainment

Minor
6

Most reports here involve software faults.

software faults 3electrical shorts 1
A recent report: The door actuator have been replaced a minimum of eight times. Huge safety risk involved since we never know if the vehicle is going to lock. Toyota continues to replace them but not addressing the…
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The door actuator have been replaced a minimum of eight times. Huge safety risk involved since we never know if the vehicle is going to lock. Toyota continues to replace them but not addressing the underlying issue. Not sure if this is all related but the blower motor has been replaced 3- 4 times and the battery has been replaced 4 times

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11760224 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Brakes

Minor
6

Most reports here involve loss of braking.

loss of braking 3software faults 1
A recent report: System malfunction—the ‘brake’ alert flashed and chirped when there was NO obstacle on the road. Safety issue—I was about to hit the brakes but I realized in time there was no need. Confirmed? No not…
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System malfunction—the ‘brake’ alert flashed and chirped when there was NO obstacle on the road. Safety issue—I was about to hit the brakes but I realized in time there was no need. Confirmed? No not at this time. Possibly have it reviewed at next maintenance. No inspection yet. This has occurred infrequently in the past

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11533113 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Steering, suspension & tires

Minor
7

Most reports here involve premature wear.

premature wear 1loss of steering 1
A recent report: The contact owns a 2020 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, she became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring increased effort to…
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The contact owns a 2020 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, she became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the front timing cover and found that the part was leaking fluid. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 88,000.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11587722 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Airbags & seat belts

Worth reading
6

Most reports here involve airbags not deploying. Of these, 4 mention a crash, 4 mention an injury.

airbags not deploying 5
A recent report: Whenever I strap my child into their car seat and tighten down the straps, the straps will not lock into place and I am able to pull them back out with my hands.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11499209 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Structure & body

Minor
5

Most reports here involve corrosion.

corrosion 1
A recent report: While driving down a road a mango fruit fell from a tree and hit the front glass causing it to break. The glass also broke toward the inside there were pieces of glass on the dash inside the vehicle…
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While driving down a road a mango fruit fell from a tree and hit the front glass causing it to break. The glass also broke toward the inside there were pieces of glass on the dash inside the vehicle. This could of cause me injuries.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11480820 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Is 33 complaints a lot? They were filed between 2020 and 2026, roughly 5 a year, which is more than the typical model in this dataset. We do not have sales figures for this model, so treat this as a rough volume, not a rate per car on the road. Popular, high-volume models naturally collect more complaints over time.