VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. ONCE CAR WAS STARTED WHITE STEAM CAME OUT OF TAIL PIPE DUE TO A BLOWN ENGINE GASKET. HEADGASKET REPAIRS WERE DONE IN 1997.*AK *SLC
1992 Toyota 4RUNNER
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1992 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: 12 of 53 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 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
53 reportsVEHICLE LEAKING, POSSIBLY DUE TO FAILURE OF ENGINE HEAD. *JB
TOYOTA ISSUED A SPECIAL RECALL ON HEAD GASKET WAS TO BE NO CHARGE. I HAD TO PAY. ENGINE BLEW BLUE SMOKE AGAIN NO OIL PRESSURE VEHICLE CAN'T ACCERTERATE WHEN NEEDED QUICKLY . TOLD THE DEALER I WOULD PAY FOR A NEW ENGINE AND DID. ENGINE BLOWS BLEW SMOKE AGAIN DEALER INSTALLED 5-6 ENGINES ALL RECALLED JUNK. THEY STILL REFUSE TO…
Read full complaint
TOYOTA ISSUED A SPECIAL RECALL ON HEAD GASKET WAS TO BE NO CHARGE. I HAD TO PAY. ENGINE BLEW BLUE SMOKE AGAIN NO OIL PRESSURE VEHICLE CAN'T ACCERTERATE WHEN NEEDED QUICKLY . TOLD THE DEALER I WOULD PAY FOR A NEW ENGINE AND DID. ENGINE BLOWS BLEW SMOKE AGAIN DEALER INSTALLED 5-6 ENGINES ALL RECALLED JUNK. THEY STILL REFUSE TO FIX THIS ENGINE TOYOTA CALLS THIS A SPECIAL CAMPAIGN V06 ON ALL V6 'S '1990-1996 YET I HAD TO PAY OVER 10,000. IN CASH . I HAVE BRIDGESTONE DEULER AND THEY ARE CRACKING AND THE SAME DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO TALK TO US THE TIRES ARE NEW. PLEASE HELP. *AK (TIRESIZE: 31 X 10.50)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 31 X 10.50 )
TREAD SEPARATION - SUDDEN FAILURE - PEELED TREAD RIGHT OFF CARCASS (DOT NUMBER: UNKNOWN TIRESIZE: 31X10.5-15)
WHEN VEHICLE IS IN FRIST GEAR IT WILL POP OUT OF GEAR INTERMITTENTLY. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
CONSUMER PUSHED ON BRAKES AND PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, EVENTUALLY DOWNSHIFTED AND USED EMERGENCY BRAKE. MECHANIC SAID BRAKE LINE HAD ROTTED THROUGH.*AK
ALTERNATOR FAILED. YH
HAD TO REPLACE BATTERY, ALTERNATOR WAS NOT CHARGING. ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACE ON OCT. 13,1997 BECAUSE OF MY EXTRA CARE WARRENTY. AGAIN HAD TO REPLACE BATTERY ON DEC. 6,1999. I WAS TOLD BY STRAUSS AUTO WHO REPLACE BATTERY THAT THE ALTERNATOR WAS NOT CHARGING ENOUGH. TOOK CAR BACK TO B&L TOYOTA AT 3333 BOSTON ROAD BX, NY AND THEY SA…
Read full complaint
HAD TO REPLACE BATTERY, ALTERNATOR WAS NOT CHARGING. ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACE ON OCT. 13,1997 BECAUSE OF MY EXTRA CARE WARRENTY. AGAIN HAD TO REPLACE BATTERY ON DEC. 6,1999. I WAS TOLD BY STRAUSS AUTO WHO REPLACE BATTERY THAT THE ALTERNATOR WAS NOT CHARGING ENOUGH. TOOK CAR BACK TO B&L TOYOTA AT 3333 BOSTON ROAD BX, NY AND THEY SAID EVERYTHING WAS FINE. BUT MY CAR IS STILL GIVEN ME PROBLEMS, THE VOLTMETER KEEP SHAKING ALL THE TIME BACK AND FORTH FROM HIGH TO AND JUST BEFORE THE DANGER PART OF THE VOLTMETER. ON OCT. 5,1998, HEADGASKETS WERE REPLACE BECAUSE OF A RECALL. BUT ON OCT. 19,1999 MY CAR WAS LEAKING OIL, SO I TOOK CAR TO GET SERVICE FOR BRAKES AND TO CHECK OIL LEAK, AIR CONDITION WHICH WAS HAD NOT BEING WORKING. B&L TOYOTA, DID THE BRAKES AND THEY CLAIMED THAT THERE WAS NOTING WRONG WITH THE AIR CONDITION AND THAT THE OIL LEAK WAS JUST A LOOSE BOLT. THE NEXT DAY I FOUND OIL LEAKING FROM MY CAR AGAIN AND THE AIR WAS NOT THROWING COOL AIR. I TOOL THE CAR BACK AND THEY FOUND THAT THE HEADGASKEST WERE DAMAGE AND THAT THE AIR CONDITION VALVE WAS NO GOOD AND KEPT THE CAR FROM OCT. 27,1999 TO NOV. 10,1999 TO REPLACE THE PARTS. IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING THE PARTS THEY CUT WIRES FROM AN EXTRA CUT OFF SWITCH THAT I HAVE IN THE CAR. THEY TRIED TO FIX THE SWITCH AND HAD BIG PROBLEMS TRYING TO GET MY CAR TO STAR. THEY FIX THE SWITCH DIFFERENT FROM THE ORIGINAL WAY IT WAS DONE BY SOMEONE ELSE. MY BRAKES ARE STILL MAKING THE SAME SOUND THAT THEY WERE MAKING FROM THE TIME THEY REPLACED THEM. IT COST ME $366.60 TO FIX MY FRONT BRAKES AND TO REPLACE STEERING STOPS THAT ONLY COST $3.26 EACH. THEY HAVE NOT CHECK TO SEE IF IS SOMETHING ELSE OTHER THEM THE BRAKES. ALL I KNOW IS THAT SINCE THEY REPLACED SOME PARTS AND DID THE BRAKES, PATCHED UP THE WIRES FROM THE EXTRA CUT OFF SWITCH MY CAR HAS NOT BEING WORKING FINE. NOW I HAVE ENCOUNTER ANOTHER PROBLEMS WERE DRIVING HOME ON CHRISTMAS, MY CHESH ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND IS STILL ON. I SPOKE TO THE CUSTOMER RELATIONS MANAGER DIANE.
WHILE DRIVING AT 60 TO 65 MPH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE ENGINE PISTON BLEW OUT, AND THE ENGINE BLOCK CRACKED. *AK
DEALER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT HEADER MALFUNCTION BEFORE WARRANTY EXPIRATION AND CLAIMED THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. NOW THE VEHICLE IS WELL OVER THE WARRANTY AND PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN WORSE. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO GET AN ESTIMATE TO GET THE EXHAUST HEADERS REPLACED, THEY QUOTED ME AT OVER $800.00 TO FIX THE PROBLEM.
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
2DP02002 · 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
Illustration