What breaks most · 1990 to 2018 model years
Toyota 4Runner problems by year
Owners have filed 3,514 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Toyota 4Runner across model years 1990 to 2018. Three years stand out: 2004 for body and structure complaints, 2003 for body and structure complaints and 2000 for body and structure complaints. The quietest years are 1994, 2009 and 2013.
- Years to check closely: 2004, 2003, 2000
- Fewest complaints: 1994, 2009, 2013
- Complaints on file
- 35141990 to 2018, all trims
- Worst year
- 2004417 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 19838 fires · 148 injuries · 7 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 120kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 142Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78 | 10 | 2 | Engine and cooling (38) | |
| 43 | 3 | 2 | Engine and cooling (20) | |
| 53 | 6 | 3 | Engine and cooling (18) | |
| 51 | 4 | 3 | Engine and cooling (20) | |
| 11 | 2 | 4 | Engine and cooling (6) | |
| 46 | 3 | 4 | Engine and cooling (30) | |
| 69 | 5 | 5 | Body and structure (38) | |
| 132 | 10 | 4 | Body and structure (67) | |
| 115 | 5 | 4 | Body and structure (64) | |
| 197 | 11 | 2 | Body and structure (100) | |
| 348 | 8 | 2 | Body and structure (238) | |
| 138 | 7 | 3 | Body and structure (69) | |
| 158 | 12 | 3 | Body and structure (68) | |
| 370 | 14 | 3 | Body and structure (174) | |
| 417 | 19 | 2 | Body and structure (183) | |
| 285 | 16 | 5 | Body and structure (110) | |
| 247 | 23 | 5 | Body and structure (78) | |
| 129 | 5 | 5 | Body and structure (31) | |
| 81 | 7 | 5 | Powertrain and transmission (24) | |
| 18 | 2 | 6 | Powertrain and transmission (10) | |
| 129 | 5 | 12 | Air bags (90) | |
| 145 | 4 | 10 | Air bags (110) | |
| 84 | 2 | 8 | Air bags (66) | |
| 21 | 0 | 6 | Air bags (7) | |
| 37 | 3 | 7 | Electrical system (16) | |
| 49 | 7 | 9 | Air bags (12) | |
| 32 | 1 | 8 | Electrical system (9) | |
| 17 | 1 | 5 | Brakes (7) | |
| 14 | 3 | 5 | Steering (4) |
What fails on the 2004 Toyota 4Runner
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 44% |
183 | 2 | Shop body and structure parts for the 2004 Toyota 4Runner |
| Unknown or other | 16% |
65 | 0 | — |
| SuspensionStruts, springs and control arms | 13% |
53 | 1 | Shop suspension parts for the 2004 Toyota 4Runner |
| BrakesBrake pads, rotors and calipers | 11% |
44 | 3 | Shop brakes parts for the 2004 Toyota 4Runner |
| Air bags | 7% |
31 | 11 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 7% |
30 | 4 | Shop speed control and throttle parts for the 2004 Toyota 4Runner |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 6% |
25 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 5% |
19 | 2 | Shop steering parts for the 2004 Toyota 4Runner |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
Frame and underneath of vehicle excessively rusting with holes completely through entire frame like swiss cheese. Will not pass inspection because of this problem. Deemed unsafe to use vehicle any more.
-
Our 2003 toyota 4runner has an unsafe frame from completely rusting through. The rear end of the vehicle, after being involved in a minor accident completely collapsed in on itself, bending the 1/4 inch steel support bracket. The frame shows the same type of rust throughout.
-
Frame rust there are areas where the frame is completely rusted through. This is rusting from the inside out and it's been told to me it was due to toyota not rust proofing the inside of the frames or coating them at all.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 30, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Toyota 4Runner years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2004, 2003, 2000 carry the most filings on the Toyota 4Runner. The 2004 alone has 417 complaints, led by body and structure.
What is the most common Toyota 4Runner problem?
On the 2004 model year, the most-reported component is body and structure with 183 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Toyota 4Runner problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Toyota 4Runner complaints that include mileage is about 120,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.