IllustrationVEHICLE WAS PARKED BUT TURNED ON, HAD JUST SHIFTED INTO REVERSE WITH FOOT ON BRAKES WHEN IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED BACKWARDS. HIT 2 PARKED VEHICLES. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. HAVE NOT CONTACTED DEALERSHIP.*AK
1990 Toyota 4RUNNER
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1990 Toyota 4RUNNER do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 58.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all 4RUNNER 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: 15 of 78 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 38 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
10 crash reports6 fire reports6 injury reports
Vehicle Speed Control complaints
5 reportsVEHICLE WAS AT A LIGHT AND CONSUMER STEPPED ON CLUTCH AND HEARD A SNAP. VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD, AND HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. CONSUMER PUT VEHICLE IN PARK POSITION, AND GOT UNDER THE DASHBOARD. NOTICED BRACKET THAT HOLDS THE CLUTCH PEDAL WAS BROKEN. DEALER DIDN'T WANT TO SEE THE VEHICLE UNLESS CONSUMER WAS PAYING TO REP…
Read full complaint
VEHICLE WAS AT A LIGHT AND CONSUMER STEPPED ON CLUTCH AND HEARD A SNAP. VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD, AND HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. CONSUMER PUT VEHICLE IN PARK POSITION, AND GOT UNDER THE DASHBOARD. NOTICED BRACKET THAT HOLDS THE CLUTCH PEDAL WAS BROKEN. DEALER DIDN'T WANT TO SEE THE VEHICLE UNLESS CONSUMER WAS PAYING TO REPAIR IT.*AK
ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON. WHEN VEHICLE IS IN PARK, AND IT IDLES AT 1500 RPMS. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE 14 TIMES, AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON. TAPPED BRAKES TO RELEASE CRUISE CONTROL. VEHICLE MAINTAINED SPEED. AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. THIS CAUSED ENGINE TO REV UP RPMS. SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL CAUSED REVVING. FLOORED PEDAL & CRUISE CONTROL WAS RELEASED. WILL BE TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER. *AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION RESULTING IN A VEHICLE COLLISION.
Official recalls
105V389000 · Steering:linkages:rod:relay:connecting
Sep 6, 2005
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, IF THE STEERING WHEEL IS REPEATEDLY TURNED UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS WHERE HIGH STEERING EFFORT AND POWER ASSIST ARE REQUIRED, FOR INSTANCE, WHEN FULLY TURNING THE WHEEL WHILE THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED, A FATIGUE CRACK MAY DEVELOP IN THE STEERING RELAY ROD.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE VEHICLE IS CONTINUED TO BE OPERATED IN THIS CONDITION, THE RELAY ROD MAY FRACTURE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STEERING RELAY ROD. THE RECALL BEGAN OCTOBER 5, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
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
4DP02002 · Rear Seat Belt Routing
Opened Mar 26, 2002 · Closed Aug 26, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:rear/other
No summary supplied.
SQ99003 · Corroded Brake Lines
Opened Jan 27, 1999 · Closed Apr 22, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
TOYOTA IS CONDUCTING A SAFETY RECALL IN CANADA 98-253. CORRODED BRAKE LINES COULD FAIL RESULTING IN A PARTIAL BRAK SYSTEM LOSS AND INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES
EA92011 · Loss Of Brk Effectiveness
Opened Mar 24, 1992 · Closed Jan 21, 1993
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
There is no summary currently available
PE91147 · Loss Of Brake Effectivenes
Opened Nov 6, 1991 · Closed Mar 24, 1992
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
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