IllustrationHAPPENED TO NOTICED FLUID AROUND RIM. REPEATED REAR AXLE SEAL LEAK. BELIEVE BACK SPACING OF SEAL AGAINST THE ABS RING IS OF A QUARTER OF INCH. CAUSING VEHICLE TO VIBRATE AND CREATE LOUD GRINDING HUM. BRAKES HAVE BECOME SOAKED IN GEAR OIL. CAUSING BRAKES TO LOCK UP AND SMOKE PROFUSELY. BELIEVETOYOTA IS AWARE OF ISSUE. *AK
1996 Toyota 4 Runner
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1996 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: 9 of 89 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 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
12 crash reports0 fire reports7 injury reports
Suspension complaints
16 reportsRECALL 02V021000 CONCERNING REAR SUSPENSION. CONSUMER HAD RECALL REPAIRS DONE ONCE, BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK
AFTER MAKING AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE REAR SUSPENSION RECALL 02V021000 PERFORMED THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE . THIS HAS OCCURRED ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS.*AK *NM
CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL REGARDING THE REAR SUSPENSION. *AK *JB
PER THE CONSUMER THE DEALERSHIP IS REFUSING TO HONOR THE RECALL FOR THE REAR SUSPENSION 02V-021, TOYOTA MOTOR, CLEVELAND OH, 216-321-9100 .*JB
CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 02 V 021 000. CONTACTED DEALER, AND PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE.*AK
CONSUMER HAD REAR SUSPENSION REPAIRS PRIOR TO RECALL SSC20A NOTIFICATION. DEALER REPACKED AND ADJUSTED REAR AXLE AND REPLACED BEARINGS. CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR EXPENSES INCURRED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE. *TT
WHEN CARRYING MORE WEIGHT VEHICLE GRINDS AND FISHTALES IN BACK. WEIGHT IS ON SHOCKS INSTEAD OF SPRINGS WHICH CAUSES SHOCKS TO WEAR OUT.*AK
AFTER VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER RECALL 02 V021 000, AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS REAR OF VEHICLE LOST DIRECTIONAL STABILITY, RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL/COLLISION. *AK
THIS ACCIDENT HAS BEEN REFERRED TO A LAWYER AND AN ENGINEERING EXPERT TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE AXLE FAILED DUE TO A MECHANICAL DEFECT. ON WITNESS FOLLOWING THE VEHICLE SAID THE VEHICLE DROPPED.
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.