IllustrationDOOR LOCKS FAILED DUE TO FAILED RELAY IN DOOR CONTROL MODUAL, UNABLE TO UNLOCK DOORS MANUALLY OR ELECTRICALLY. *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
What owners actually said
78 reportsBRACKET HOLDING PEDAL ASSEMBLY TO INTERIOR BODY BROKEN AT POINT OF ATTACHMENT TO CLUTCH PEDAL - PEDAL IS NOW TWISTED AND TOO CLOSE TO THE FLOOR WHEREBY CLUTCH WILL NO LONGER RELEASE. BRACKET IS DESIGNED FLIMSILY WITH HOLES DRILLED AT MAJOR STRESS POINTS. BRACKET CRACKED BETWEEN SAID HOLES. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, BUT…
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BRACKET HOLDING PEDAL ASSEMBLY TO INTERIOR BODY BROKEN AT POINT OF ATTACHMENT TO CLUTCH PEDAL - PEDAL IS NOW TWISTED AND TOO CLOSE TO THE FLOOR WHEREBY CLUTCH WILL NO LONGER RELEASE. BRACKET IS DESIGNED FLIMSILY WITH HOLES DRILLED AT MAJOR STRESS POINTS. BRACKET CRACKED BETWEEN SAID HOLES. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, BUT NO REPLY HAS BEEN RECEIVED.
WHITE SMOKE AND LOSS OF POWER. WHEN PARTS WERE ORDERED, WE WERE TOLD THEY WERE UNAVAILABLE IN COMPLETION DUE TO RECALL. *AK
THIS IS THE 4TH TIME THE GASKET HAS FAILED. GASKET WAS INSTALLED BY A CERTIFIED TOYOTA MECHANIC IN 1996. 3/97 WHITE SMOKE POURED OUT OF THE EXHAUST. TOYOTA REPLACED THE TOP OF THE ENGINE. 11/97 ENGINE FAILED - 600MILES FROM HOME, AFTER 3 MONTHS AT THE DEALERSHIP ON 2/98 THE BOTTOM & TOP OF THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED. NOW 12/99 SAM…
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THIS IS THE 4TH TIME THE GASKET HAS FAILED. GASKET WAS INSTALLED BY A CERTIFIED TOYOTA MECHANIC IN 1996. 3/97 WHITE SMOKE POURED OUT OF THE EXHAUST. TOYOTA REPLACED THE TOP OF THE ENGINE. 11/97 ENGINE FAILED - 600MILES FROM HOME, AFTER 3 MONTHS AT THE DEALERSHIP ON 2/98 THE BOTTOM & TOP OF THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED. NOW 12/99 SAME PROBLEM - GASKET NEEDS TO BE REPLACED -OIL BLEW ALL OVER THE ENGINE, THE REAM MAIN SEAL IS GONE. TOYOTA SAYS ITS OUR PROBLEM NOW. *AK
NO SUMMARY.
TRUCK BURNS A QUART OF OIL EVERY 15 MILES. CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NEW ENGINE HEAD GASKETS. TOOK CAR TO THE DEALER, REPAIRED THE HEAD GASKET . THEN DISCOVERED A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE BLOCK. DEALER WOULD HAVE TO SEND THAT PART OUT. EVERY SINCEVEHICLE WAS FIXED, TRUCK HAS JUST BEEN BURNING OIL TOO FAST. CON…
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TRUCK BURNS A QUART OF OIL EVERY 15 MILES. CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NEW ENGINE HEAD GASKETS. TOOK CAR TO THE DEALER, REPAIRED THE HEAD GASKET . THEN DISCOVERED A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE BLOCK. DEALER WOULD HAVE TO SEND THAT PART OUT. EVERY SINCEVEHICLE WAS FIXED, TRUCK HAS JUST BEEN BURNING OIL TOO FAST. CONSUMER FEELD IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE TRUCK BECAUSE THE FEAR OF BREAKING DOWN DUE TO LACK OF OIL. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILED DUE TO THE COOLANT WHICH GOT INSIDE AND RUINED ENGINE. *AK
THE REAR AXLE BROKE AT 70MPH, RESULTING IN A COLLISION WHICH CAUSED MINOR INJURIES.*AK *ML
TOYOTA ISSUES AN "EXTENDED WARRANTY" FOR THE FAULTY HEAD GASKETS IN 1998-1994 4RUNNERS. WHEN THE HEAD GASKETS FAILED THEY WERE REPLACED UNDER THIS WARRANTY. HOWEVER, THE DAMAGE CASUED BY THE FAULTY HEAD GASKETS IS EXTENSIVE. AFTER INITAIL REPLACEMENT--TOYOT ADEALERSHIP CONTINUED TO FIND OIL FOULED PLUGS WHICH LET TO REPLACE…
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TOYOTA ISSUES AN "EXTENDED WARRANTY" FOR THE FAULTY HEAD GASKETS IN 1998-1994 4RUNNERS. WHEN THE HEAD GASKETS FAILED THEY WERE REPLACED UNDER THIS WARRANTY. HOWEVER, THE DAMAGE CASUED BY THE FAULTY HEAD GASKETS IS EXTENSIVE. AFTER INITAIL REPLACEMENT--TOYOT ADEALERSHIP CONTINUED TO FIND OIL FOULED PLUGS WHICH LET TO REPLACEMENT OF LOWER ENGINE BLOCK (DECEMBER 1998). ENGINE FAILED AGAIN IN JANUARY 5 1999-- AT WHICH POINT 2 CYLINDER HEADS, CAMSHAFTS, ENGINE GASKET, AND KNOWCK SENSOR WERE REPLACED. ENGINE HAS NOT OPERATED PROPERLY SINCE ORIGINAL HEAD GASKET FAILURE-- SLUGGISH, POOR ACCELERATION, INCONSISTENT IDLING SPEEDS... ENGINE HAS BEEN LOOKED AT AND WORKED ON AT AUTHORIZED TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS 12 TIMES TO DATE FOR HEAD GASKET RELATED ENGINE PROBLEMS. STILL UNRESOLVED, FOR THESE SYMPTOMS OIL GOULED PLUGS
PUT 5000 MILES ON USED PURCHASED VEHICLE AND ENGINE BLEW
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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