IllustrationWHILE DRIVING HEARD A LOUD BANG AND VEHICLE GOT SQUIRMY AND OUT OF CONTROL WAS ABOUT A MILE FROM MY HOUSE LUCKILY. GOT HOME AND LOOKED UNDER VEHICLE AND REALIZED THE FRAME HAS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AS COMPONENTS TO KEEP AXLE IN PLACE ARE ROTTED OUT. ISSUE WILL GET SOMEONE KILLED ONE DAY.
1997 Toyota 4RUNNER
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most 4RUNNER years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Toyota 4RUNNER are substantially higher than 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
40–25K
025–50K
150–75K
175–100K
25100–150K
87150K+
118 reports with mileage · 21 unknown
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.
- Structure. Review the 69 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 65 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
12 crash reports2 fire reports5 injury reports
Suspension complaints
65 reportsRIGHT REAR UPPER SHOCK MOUNT RUSTED OUT AND SHOCK BROKE THROUGH FRAME WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET (BRACKET SUB ASSEMBLY REAR - RIGHT REAR). HAD TO REMOVE SHOCK SO IT WOULD NOT BUST THROUGH CAUSING RIDE INSTABILITY.
MY 1997 4RUNNER HAS A LOT OF RUST ON THE CHASSIS FRAME. THE REAR SHOCKS CANNOT BE INSTALLED BECAUSE THE METAL WAS EATEN BY THE RUST.
WHEN BRAKING ON A CURVE ON A COUNTY HIGHWAY {55 MPH} THE VEHICLE JUMPED AND HOPPED UNCONTROLLABLY AND ALMOST LEFT THE ROAD. AFTER SLOWLY GETTING IT HOME, I INSPECTED THE SUSPENSION AND FOUND THE MOUNT FOR THE REAR TRAILING ARM BROKE OFF THE FRAME FROM RUST. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 155,000 MILES AND THE REST OF THE VEHICLE IS IN VAR…
Read full complaint
WHEN BRAKING ON A CURVE ON A COUNTY HIGHWAY {55 MPH} THE VEHICLE JUMPED AND HOPPED UNCONTROLLABLY AND ALMOST LEFT THE ROAD. AFTER SLOWLY GETTING IT HOME, I INSPECTED THE SUSPENSION AND FOUND THE MOUNT FOR THE REAR TRAILING ARM BROKE OFF THE FRAME FROM RUST. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 155,000 MILES AND THE REST OF THE VEHICLE IS IN VARY GOOD CONDITION. I BOUGHT THE TOYOTA FOR ITS KNOWN LONGEVITY AND DID NOT EXPECT THIS FROM TOYOTA. IF THIS HAD BEEN A STATE HWY {70 MPH} I'M SURE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A CRASH, INJURY AND POSABLE FATALITY.
MY 4RUNNER FRAME IS ROTTED OUT. CRACKED FRAME UNSAFE TO DRIVE.
FRAME IS RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT CONTROL ARMS FELL OFF THE CAR. FRAME BUSTED IN HALF.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE FROM THE REAR AND FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. AFTERWARDS, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. AN INSPECTOR WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE SW…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE FROM THE REAR AND FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. AFTERWARDS, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. AN INSPECTOR WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE SWAY BAR DETACHED FROM THE FRAME. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 200,000.
FRAME RUSTED OUT WHERE THE REAR AXLE ARM ATTACHES. ARM MOUNT BROKEN LOOSE FROM FRAME. VEHICHLE IS UNDRIVEABLE AND VIRTUALLY NOT REPAIRABLE. (FRAME REPLACEMENT) RIDICULOUS TOYOTA!!! YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, MAKE IT RIGHT TO YOUR CUSTOMERS!. MYSELF AND FMAILY OWN 7 TOYOTAS. MIGHT RECONSIDER EVER BUYING ANOTHER!
THE FRAME IS SO RUSTY THAT THREE SUSPENSION ATTACHMENTS HAVE RUSTED (BROKEN) OFF. THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE.
THE FRAME ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE RUSTED THROUGH JUST IN FRONT OF THE REAR AXLE. THE BRACKET THAT HOLDS THE FRONT OF THE TRAILING ARM SUDDENLY SEPARATED FROM THE DISINTEGRATED FRAME CAUSING THE AXLE TO MOVE FORWARD AND BACKWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS ON THE INTERSTATE AT SPEED AND BECAME WILDLY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL.
Official recalls
102V021000 · Suspension
Jan 18, 2002
ON CERTAIN 2-WHEEL-DRIVE (2WD) AND 4-WHEEL-DRIVE (4WD) 4RUNNER SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, A COMBINATION OF HEAVY LOADING (SIMULTANEOUS LOADING TO REAR GROSS AXLE WEIGHT RATING AND GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING) AND SEVERE STEERING MANEUVERS COULD CAUSE THE 2WD 4RUNNER TO LOSE DIRECTIONAL STABILITY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE REAR SUSPENSION PARTS. ALTHOUGH THE 4WD 4RUNNERS DO NOT EXHIBIT THE HANDLING CONDITION, TOYOTA WILL RECALL THESE VEHICLES TO AVOID ANY PUBLIC CONFUSION AS TO WHICH VEHICLES SHOULD RECEIVE THE REPLACEMENT PARTS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 28, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.