IllustrationTHE FRAME ON MY TOYOTA 4RUNNER HAS RUSTED THROUGH AND IS NO LONGER STRUCTURALLY SOUND. THE FRAME SHOULD BE REPLACED.
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
Unknown Or Other complaints
34 reportsFRAME HAS EXTENSIVE RUST INSIDE AND OUT . SUSPENSION AND ROCKER PANELS ARE AFFECTED ALSO. I WAS WONDERING ABOUT A FRAME RECALL SINCE THEY HAVE DONE SO WITH OTHER TOYOTA FRAMES
THE MOUNTING POINT FOR THE REAR-AXEL STABILIZER BAR RUSTED THROUGH AND SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME. ON MY DRIVE TO WORK (ON THE HIGHWAY) NOTICED A KNOCKING SOUND WHEN DOWN-SHIFTING, AND THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE SWAYED BADLY WHENEVER I WOULD BRAKE OR HIT A BUMP. WHEN I GOT TO WORK AND LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE THE REAR BRACKET HAD BRO…
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THE MOUNTING POINT FOR THE REAR-AXEL STABILIZER BAR RUSTED THROUGH AND SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME. ON MY DRIVE TO WORK (ON THE HIGHWAY) NOTICED A KNOCKING SOUND WHEN DOWN-SHIFTING, AND THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE SWAYED BADLY WHENEVER I WOULD BRAKE OR HIT A BUMP. WHEN I GOT TO WORK AND LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE THE REAR BRACKET HAD BROKEN AWAY FROM THE FRAME. THE VEHICLE HAS 155,000 MILES AND HAS VERY LITTLE INDICATIONS OF RUST, BUT UPON CLOSER INSPECTION THE INSIDE OF THE BOX FRAME ALONG THE GAS TANK IS RUSTED VERY BADLY. THE VEHICLE IS SINGLE OWNER AND HAS BEEN MAINTAINED WITH GREAT CARE, SO I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED TO FIND OUT THE FRAME IS RUSTING OUT FROM UNDER THE CAR. NOT TO MENTION THE WAY IN WHICH THIS FAILED AT THE ATTACH POINT FOR THE REAR AXEL IS A SEVERE SAFETY CONCERN. MY WIFE DRIVES THIS CAR WITH MY KIDS IN IT! FROM THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE, AND PICTURES ONLINE, TOYOTA SHOULD BE DOING SOMETHING TO INFORM 4RUNNER OWNERS OF THIS SIGNIFICANT SAFETY RISK. WHEN I VISITED THE TOYOTA DEALER THERE WERE RACKS AND RACKS OF TUNDRA FRAMES THAT WERE BEING REPLACED (SEE PICTURES). WHAT IS TOYOTA DOING FOR 4RUNNER OWNERS?
I HAD JUST BOUGHT A USED TOYOTA 4RUNNNER FROM A DEALERSHIP AS MY FIRST VEHICLE FOR COLLEGE. BEFORE I WAS ABOUT TO LEAVE FOR MY FRESHMAN YEAR OF COLLEGE I HAD TO GET IT INSPECTED AND CAME TO FIND OUT THE FRAME OF THE SUV WAS RUSTING AWAY. NOW I AM $7000 DOLLARS IN THE HOLE AND NO VEHICLE TO GO TO SCHOOL WITH AND NOW FORCED TO STA…
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I HAD JUST BOUGHT A USED TOYOTA 4RUNNNER FROM A DEALERSHIP AS MY FIRST VEHICLE FOR COLLEGE. BEFORE I WAS ABOUT TO LEAVE FOR MY FRESHMAN YEAR OF COLLEGE I HAD TO GET IT INSPECTED AND CAME TO FIND OUT THE FRAME OF THE SUV WAS RUSTING AWAY. NOW I AM $7000 DOLLARS IN THE HOLE AND NO VEHICLE TO GO TO SCHOOL WITH AND NOW FORCED TO STAY HOME. I DID MY RESEARCH AND CAME TO FIND OUT THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES AND THAT ALL OF THE 1999 TOYOTA TACOMA TRUCKS HAD RECALLS FOR THEIR FRAME BUT NOT THE 4RUNNERS. PLEASE HELP BECAUSE THAT JUST ISNT RIGHT...
THE BALL JOINT ON MY 1999 TOYOTA 4RUNNER BROKE WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE. BY THE GRACE OF GOD, I STOPPED AT MCDONALD'S BEFORE MY LONG JOURNEY ONTO THE FREEWAY, WITH MY 9 MONTH OLD BABY IN THE CAR, AND THAT SAVED US FROM A VERY BAD CRASH THAT MAY HAVE TAKEN OUR LIVES HAD WE BEEN GOING 60-70 MPH. HOW DOES A BALL JOINT BREA…
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THE BALL JOINT ON MY 1999 TOYOTA 4RUNNER BROKE WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE. BY THE GRACE OF GOD, I STOPPED AT MCDONALD'S BEFORE MY LONG JOURNEY ONTO THE FREEWAY, WITH MY 9 MONTH OLD BABY IN THE CAR, AND THAT SAVED US FROM A VERY BAD CRASH THAT MAY HAVE TAKEN OUR LIVES HAD WE BEEN GOING 60-70 MPH. HOW DOES A BALL JOINT BREAK IN HALF???
TAKATA RECALL FRAME RIOT AND BUSY RUST
I PURCHASED A 1999 USED TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE FRAME IS ROTTED AND WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION. MY STATE DOES NOT HAVE A LEMON LAW SO I AM STUCK WOTH THIS TRUCK THAT I CAN NOT DRIVE. IT IS ROTTED AROUND THE REAR AXLE AND DOWN THE SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. I KNOW THAT TOYOTA HAS BEEN SUED BY TOCOMA OWNERS AND THEY ARE BEING COMPENSATED HOW…
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I PURCHASED A 1999 USED TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE FRAME IS ROTTED AND WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION. MY STATE DOES NOT HAVE A LEMON LAW SO I AM STUCK WOTH THIS TRUCK THAT I CAN NOT DRIVE. IT IS ROTTED AROUND THE REAR AXLE AND DOWN THE SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. I KNOW THAT TOYOTA HAS BEEN SUED BY TOCOMA OWNERS AND THEY ARE BEING COMPENSATED HOWEVER CANT NOT GET ANY INFO ON 4RUNNER OWNERS. PLEASE HELP US. THERE ARE ALOT OF US OUT HERE.
FRAME CRACKED ON REAR PASSAGER SIDE NEED HELP!MY DAUGHTER AND MY GRAND DAUGHTER IN THE CAR WHEN HAPPEND GOD WAS LOOKING OUT FOR THEM!
TAKATA RECALL FRAME IS RUSTED EXTREMELY BAD ALMOST IN SAFE TO DRIVE REAR STABILIZER BAR THAT GOES TO FRAME RUSTED OFF REALLY BAD PLAN ON CONTACTING TOYOTA TOMORROW TO SEE IF QUALIFIES FOR RECALL
1999 TOYOTA 4RUNNER REAR FRAME RUSTED DRIVER SIDE
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.