IllustrationWHEN IT RAINS WATER COMES IN THE VENT ON THE BACK OF THE HOOD AT WINDSHIELD KEEPS MY CARPET SOAKED HOW CAN THIS BE FIXED? ALSO MY HOOD LATCH IS NOT TIGHT ENOUGH MY HOOD GOES UP 2 INCHES WHEN IM AT TOP SPEEDS (55 OR 65). *JB
1997 Toyota 4 Runner
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 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: 21 of 122 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.
- Suspension. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Tires. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
23 crash reports0 fire reports10 injury reports
Latches/locks/linkages complaints
3 reportsWHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY THE TRUCK HAS A THUMPING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*JB THE RIGHT REAR SEAT WILL NOT FOLD. THE BRACKETS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE AND THE SEAT IS STILL HALF WAY FOLDED. ALSO THE DOOR INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATES AND DOES NOT GO OFF AND THE LOCKS WILL NOT L…
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WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY THE TRUCK HAS A THUMPING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*JB THE RIGHT REAR SEAT WILL NOT FOLD. THE BRACKETS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE AND THE SEAT IS STILL HALF WAY FOLDED. ALSO THE DOOR INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATES AND DOES NOT GO OFF AND THE LOCKS WILL NOT LOCK. THEY WERE INSPECTED AND NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND. THE DRIVER SIDE MIRROR IS FALLING. THE BRAKES NEEDED REPAIRS PERFORMED. THE FRONT ROTORS HAD EXCESSIVE ROUT OUT. *JG
DRIVING VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH AND HOOD ON VEHICLE FLEW UP WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING DAMAGE. CONTACTED MINOT CHRYSLER & TOYOTA CENTER, MINOT, ND PHONE 1-800-735-4483 WHARE THE VEHICLE IS AT RIGHT NOW. A TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE WAS THERE AT TIME. DEALER AND TOYOTA REP STATED THAT THESE THINGS JUST HAPPEN. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED O…
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DRIVING VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH AND HOOD ON VEHICLE FLEW UP WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING DAMAGE. CONTACTED MINOT CHRYSLER & TOYOTA CENTER, MINOT, ND PHONE 1-800-735-4483 WHARE THE VEHICLE IS AT RIGHT NOW. A TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE WAS THERE AT TIME. DEALER AND TOYOTA REP STATED THAT THESE THINGS JUST HAPPEN. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON A BUSY HIGHWAY ETC. AND A HIGHER SPEED SOMEONE WOULD HAVE BEEN HURT OR KILLED. *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.