IllustrationWHILE DRIVING 70 MPH CONSUMER NOTICED THICK SMOKE COMING FROM STEREO. CAUSE OF PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED BY DEALER AT THIS TIME.*AK *YD
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
What owners actually said
122 reportsWHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE GREASE LEAKS ON TO THE BRAKE PAD CAUSING BRAKE TO MALFUNCTION. NLM
WHEN DRIVING IN WET CONDITIONS VEHICLE SLIDES ERRATICALLY. CONSUMER HAS HAD FIVE ACCIDENTS DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
METAL WHERE BOLTS CONNECT TO THE SEATS HAVE COME THROUGH, CAUSING SEAT TO WOBBLE WHEN ACCELERATING. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK
CONSUMERS CHILD WAS PLAYING IN VEHICLE WHEN THE SEAT BELT WRAPPED AROUND HIS NECK, WHEN HE TRIED TO REMOVE IT, IT WOULD NOT RELEASE AND JUST KEPT RETRACTING, CONSUMER STATES THAT HER SON TURNED PURPLE AND COULD NOT CATCH HIS BREATH BECAUSE THE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RELEASE. *SLC
RIGHT REAR (PASSENGER SIDE) TIRE "LET GO" WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE SOUTH OF PUEBLO, CO. THE TIRE DID NOT BLOW OUT. TREAD SEPARATION WAS THE OUTER SIDE OF THE TREAD AND SIDEWALL. TIRE FAILURE WAS NOT CAUSED BY LOW AIR PRESSURE AS ALL HAD BEEN CHECKED THAT MORNING (34LBS). NO NAILS OR OTHER PUNCTURES WERE OBSERVED BY M…
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RIGHT REAR (PASSENGER SIDE) TIRE "LET GO" WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE SOUTH OF PUEBLO, CO. THE TIRE DID NOT BLOW OUT. TREAD SEPARATION WAS THE OUTER SIDE OF THE TREAD AND SIDEWALL. TIRE FAILURE WAS NOT CAUSED BY LOW AIR PRESSURE AS ALL HAD BEEN CHECKED THAT MORNING (34LBS). NO NAILS OR OTHER PUNCTURES WERE OBSERVED BY ME OR THE DEALER. THIS TIRE FAILED BECAUSE IT WAS FAULTY. THE LOCAL FIRESTONE REP ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PRODUCT FAILURE. ALL 4 TIRES WERE NEW AND HAD ABOUT 30,000MI ON THEM.*AK (DOT NUMBER: W272WL1499 TIRESIZE: P265/70R18)
INITIALLY, BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT REAR AXLE SEALS LEAKED. AXLE FLUID SOAKED REAR BRAKES, CAUSING DANGEROUS BRAKING AND EXCESSIVE WEAR TO THE FRONT BRAKES. AFTER 11 REPAIR VISITS, INCLUDING NUMEROUS AXLE SEAL REPLACEMENTS, BRAKE REPLACEMENTS, AND AXLE REPLACEMENT, THIS DANGEROUS DEFECT PERSISTS. I.E. FLUID STILL VISIBLY LEAKING ON…
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INITIALLY, BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT REAR AXLE SEALS LEAKED. AXLE FLUID SOAKED REAR BRAKES, CAUSING DANGEROUS BRAKING AND EXCESSIVE WEAR TO THE FRONT BRAKES. AFTER 11 REPAIR VISITS, INCLUDING NUMEROUS AXLE SEAL REPLACEMENTS, BRAKE REPLACEMENTS, AND AXLE REPLACEMENT, THIS DANGEROUS DEFECT PERSISTS. I.E. FLUID STILL VISIBLY LEAKING ONTO REAR BRAKE (PASSENGER SIDE), CAUSING CAR TO VEER TO THE RIGHT WHEN BRAKING, CAUSING EXCESSIVE HEATING OF FRONT BRAKES, AND CAUSING VIBRATION.
WE HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA AND THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY ARE UNWILLING TO SEE ANY OF THESE THINGS AS SAFETY HAZARDS. ESPECIALLY DOOR LOCKS, TIRES, SEATBELTS. AND WE WERE NEVER TOLD THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BEFORE WE PURCHASED IT "BRAND NEW" IN 1997. WE FOUND THAT OUT IN ERROR AT THE DEALERSHIP (AL HENDRICKSON TOYOTA) WHEN THEY ACCU…
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WE HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA AND THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY ARE UNWILLING TO SEE ANY OF THESE THINGS AS SAFETY HAZARDS. ESPECIALLY DOOR LOCKS, TIRES, SEATBELTS. AND WE WERE NEVER TOLD THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BEFORE WE PURCHASED IT "BRAND NEW" IN 1997. WE FOUND THAT OUT IN ERROR AT THE DEALERSHIP (AL HENDRICKSON TOYOTA) WHEN THEY ACCUSED US OF NOT SERVICING OUR VEHICLE. THE SUV WAS CLEARLY A LEMON ALL ALONG. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO BE SERVICED BUT THE DEALERSHIP CONVENIENTLY HAS NO RECORDS OF US, EVEN WHEN PROVIDED WITH DOCUMENTED PROOF (RECEIPTS). THERE COMPUTER SAYS "WE DID NOT COME INTO SERVICE OUR VEHICLE." THE 1997 4-RUNNER IS A SAFETY HAZARD. (DOT NUMBER: N/A TIRESIZE: P265/70R16)
PREMATURE FAILURE OF HEAD GASKETS, TOYOTA REFUSED TO COVER REPLACEMENT. *AK
CONSUMER STATED ECM/STARTER FAILED. *JB
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.