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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 →
122Owner complaints

Model-year median: 96.5

0Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
52
1994125
199589
1996122
1997120
1998110
1999104
2000
Compare all 4 Runner years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Suspension
30Service Brakes, Hydraulic
22Tires
15Power Train
14Engine And Engine Cooling
11
All reported categories
Air Bags
8Structure
7Equipment
6Electrical System
5Seat Belts
5Wheels
5Steering
4Unknown Or Other
4Vehicle Speed Control
4Latches/locks/linkages
3Visibility
3Exterior Lighting
2Seats
2Interior Lighting
1Parking Brake
1

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

Vehicle Speed Control complaints

4 reports
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96,300 miles · Jan 23, 2003
Vehicle Speed Control

THE GAS PEDAL ON MY WIFE'S 1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER LTD STUCK, AND ALMOST CAUSED HER TO CRASH. SHE WAS DRIVING BETWEEN 30 AND 40MPH WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN WHEN LETTING OFF THE GAS PEDAL, INSTEAD IT SPED UP AFTER LETTING OFF OF THE GAS PEDAL. SHE TRIED THE BRAKES, THEY GRABBED, BUT THE VEHICLE STILL CONTI…

Read full complaint

THE GAS PEDAL ON MY WIFE'S 1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER LTD STUCK, AND ALMOST CAUSED HER TO CRASH. SHE WAS DRIVING BETWEEN 30 AND 40MPH WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN WHEN LETTING OFF THE GAS PEDAL, INSTEAD IT SPED UP AFTER LETTING OFF OF THE GAS PEDAL. SHE TRIED THE BRAKES, THEY GRABBED, BUT THE VEHICLE STILL CONTINUED TO SPEED UP. SHE THEN APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, AGAIN, THE VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN. FINALLY SHE PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO PARK AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MOVE UNTIL SHE TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE. I FEEL LIKE THIS NEEDS TO BE REPORTED TO SOMEONE, TO MAKE MY WIFE AND MYSELF FEEL THAT WE DID OUR PART BY REPORTING SUCH AN UNACCEPTABLE OCCURANCE.

NHTSA ODI #10003284

Mileage unknown · Feb 23, 2000
Vehicle Speed ControlCrash

WHILE PULLING VEHICLE INTO A PARKING SPACE AND SHIFTING GEAR INTO PARK, VEHICLE JUMPED OUT OF GEAR, AND SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. RAN INTO NEXT PARKED VEHICLE. NO INJURIES REPORTED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #857430

Mileage unknown · Oct 13, 1998
Vehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury

WHILE DRIVING AT 60-65 MPH, USING CRUISE CONTROL, WHEN TAKING CRUISE CONTROL OFF, IT WOULDN'T GO OFF. USED BRAKES, BRAKES DIDN'T WORK, VEHICLE WOULDN'T SLOW DOWN. VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY VIBRATED AND ROLLED OVER DOWN A 25 FOOT EMBANKMENT. DEALER NOT AWARE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #828830

Mileage unknown · May 5, 1998
Vehicle Speed ControlCrash

VEHICLE WAS IN AN INSIDE PARKING LOT. OWNER WAS PARKING AND HAD FOOT ON THE BRAKE THE TRUCK JUMPED BACK AND ACCELERATED FORWARD, THEN HIT A CONCRETE WALL. *AK

NHTSA ODI #823051

Official recalls

0

No 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.