IllustrationCONSUMER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE AND SHE WAS AT A STOP LIGHT WHEN VEHICLE IN BACK OF HER HIT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, AND PUSHED IT INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE, RESULTING IN A SEVEN CAR COLLISION. CONSUMER'S RIGHT REAR WHEEL WAS DEFECTIVE. SHE NOTIFIED THE DEALERSHIP. *AK
1994 Toyota 4 Runner
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1994 Toyota 4 Runner do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 96.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all 4 Runner years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 6 of 52 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
8 crash reports1 fire reports6 injury reports
What owners actually said
52 reportsVEHICLE ROLLOVER DUE TO INSTABILITY DESIGN OF STRUCTURE, ROOF FRAME/ROLL BAR INSUFFICIENT FOR VEHICLE DURING COLLISION CAUSING DEATH OF OCCUPANT WHEN FRAME SEVERLY CRUSHED INTO PASSENGERS HEAD. MJS
CRUISE CONTROL SHIFTS DOWN TO GO UP HILL BUT THEN FAILS TO SHIFT BACK UPON REACHING SET SPEED UNTILL IT IS ABOUT 5-10 MPH OVER SET SPEED.
THE WHEEL ADHERES TO THE HUB AND CANNOT BE SAFELY REMOVED BY THE DRIVER.
OIL GAUGE READINGS WOULD FREQUENTLY DROP TO LOW DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. DEALER NOTIFIED SOON AFTER PURCHASE. OWNER WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO PROBLEM IF NO EXCESSIVE OIL USAGE WAS NOTICED. FINALLY, ENGINE COMPLETELY SEIZED UP DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS.
TRANSMISSION FAILURE.
BRAKES EXPERIENCE SKIDING AND LOSS OF CONTROL. REPLACED BRAKES HOWEVER CONTINUED TO LOOSE CONTROL.
MOISTURE ENTERED THE ENGINE BLOCK, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BECOME INOPERATIVE. ALSO CAUSING LOSS OF VISIBILTY DUE TO THE THICK SMOKE WHICH CAME FROM THE ENGINE. *AK
WHEN IN GEAR AND IN MOTION THE TRUCK STOPS. THE DEALER HAS SEEN IT 4 TIMES AND DOESNT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. *AK
THE FRONT BUMPER OF THIS VEHICLE APPERAS TO BE LESS SUBSTANTIAL THAN MOST PASSENGER VEHICLES. *AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.