CarComplaints.com Notes: Although it has a stellar record in terms of vehicle problems, initially the 4th generation (2003 - 2009) 4Runner didn't earn our top "Seal of Awesome" rating because it received poor crash test ratings for rear impacts. However it's proven to have one of the lowest driver death rates out of all vehicles (not just SUVs), so we've bumped it back up to our top award.
2.0
hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
78,615 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
The cable on the spare tire lift mechanism freyed and became stuck. The spare tire would not come down all the way. When I did get it down, I inspected the cable and it was badly damaged by the retraction mechanism. Cable could have easily failed and dropped the spare tire onto the road while driving. Toyota has recalled a similar mechanism on the sienna model, however, they told me it was not on recall for the Toyota 4runner. Failure of that cable on the expressway could cause a serious accident. Toyota wants $250 to replace the mechanism which is a poor design and will fail again.
2005 Toyota 4 runner sr 5 spare tire bracket/ holder severely prematurely rusted. Dealer unable to remove spare tire. Lubricant applied by dealer to no avail. Bracket/holder defect makes spare tire unavailable for use and can lead to bracket/holder failure. Dealer unable to remedy leaving vehicle owner with no spare and potential for catastrophic event while vehicle in use.
- Putnam Valley, NY, USA
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- Midland, MI, USA