IllustrationVALVE COVER GASKET FAILED HEAD GASKET FAILED, 3RD CYL AFFECTED. *TR
1999 Toyota 4RUNNER
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most 4RUNNER years
Owner complaints for the 1999 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
00–25K
225–50K
750–75K
1475–100K
46100–150K
111150K+
180 reports with mileage · 40 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 111 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 61 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 17 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 reports6 injury reports
Engine complaints
3 reportsWENT TO GET AND OIL CHANGE, WHEN MY CAR WAS RETURNED THE CAR STARTED TO VIBRATE VERY TIME I WAS AT A STOP SIGN, THEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME OVER 12-13 TIMES ALL WITH DIFFERENT CODES... MY CAR KEEPS STALLING AND RESTARTING... THE BRAKES IS MAKING A GRINDING SOUND JUST GOT THE BRAKES DONE... FUEL INJECTION CLEANING ... AND TH…
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WENT TO GET AND OIL CHANGE, WHEN MY CAR WAS RETURNED THE CAR STARTED TO VIBRATE VERY TIME I WAS AT A STOP SIGN, THEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME OVER 12-13 TIMES ALL WITH DIFFERENT CODES... MY CAR KEEPS STALLING AND RESTARTING... THE BRAKES IS MAKING A GRINDING SOUND JUST GOT THE BRAKES DONE... FUEL INJECTION CLEANING ... AND THE RIGHT REAR LIGHT KEEPS MALFUNCTIONING EVEN AFTER I'VE CHANGE THE BULBS ON SEVERAL TIMES...
THE VEHICLE STALLS, INCOSISTENTLY, BUT, ON A FREQUENT BASIS, AT ANY GIVEN TIME, THEN WILL BE FINE FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. IT EATS BATTERIES. I'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY EVERY YEAR. A LOCAL AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRICAL SPECIALIST REPLACED THE B+ CABLE FROM THE BATTERY TO THE STARTER, AND THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY FOR A YEAR, BUT,…
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THE VEHICLE STALLS, INCOSISTENTLY, BUT, ON A FREQUENT BASIS, AT ANY GIVEN TIME, THEN WILL BE FINE FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. IT EATS BATTERIES. I'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY EVERY YEAR. A LOCAL AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRICAL SPECIALIST REPLACED THE B+ CABLE FROM THE BATTERY TO THE STARTER, AND THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY FOR A YEAR, BUT, HAS SINCE RETURNED. I RECENTLY UPGRADED TO A BATTERY WITH MORE CRANKING WATTS, AND HAVE EEN IMPROVEMENT. HOWEVER. THERE'S THE ISSUE OF THE HESITATION, JERKING, AND LOSS OF POWER, WHEN TAKING OFF AFTER 1ST START OF THE DAY, REPLACED PLUGS, AND BATTERY AND DID A TUNE - UP, BUT, IT MADE NO DIFFERENCE. VERY DANGEROUS AND HAVE ALMOST BEEN INVOLVED IN ACCIDENTS MULTIPLE TIMES, AS A RESULT, INCLUDING DYING WHILE TOWING A TRAILER, SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF A 4-WAY INTERSECTION OF A TRAFFIC - CHOKED COASTAL HIGHWAY IN THE MIDDLE OF A POPULAR BEACH RESORT, FEATURING OVER 200 OUTLET SHOPS AND MALLS, MID-DAY, ON THE 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND, AND A SATURDAY AT THAT,, AND HAVING TO CONTACT ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE 5 TIMES, TO GET IT GOING AGAIN, TO GET TO MY DESTINATION, LESS THAN 6 MILES AWAY, AND HAVING TO DRIVE ON THE ROAD'S SHOULDER THE WHOLE WAY, IN CASE OF ANOTHER BREAK-DOWN,
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.