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
What owners actually said
220 reports
235,000 miles · Jan 8, 2016
Structure
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE FRAME EXHIBITED EXCESSIVE RUST CORROISION NEAR THE CONTROL ARM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FRAME WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE M…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE FRAME EXHIBITED EXCESSIVE RUST CORROISION NEAR THE CONTROL ARM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FRAME WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 235,000.
NHTSA ODI #10818869
Mileage unknown · Dec 10, 2015
Structure
I BROUGHT MY RECENTLY PURCHASED 1999 TOYOTA 4RUNNER INTO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TO BRING MY SERVICES UP TO DATE AND WAS LATER INFORMED THERE'S AN APPROXIMATELY 3 FOOT SECTION OF THE RIGHT REAR FRAME THAT IS ROTTED THROUGH. IN ADDITION, THEY TOLD ME THAT THE LEFT REAR SECTION OF THE FRAME BY THE SPRING MOUNT IS ALSO RUSTED TH…
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I BROUGHT MY RECENTLY PURCHASED 1999 TOYOTA 4RUNNER INTO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TO BRING MY SERVICES UP TO DATE AND WAS LATER INFORMED THERE'S AN APPROXIMATELY 3 FOOT SECTION OF THE RIGHT REAR FRAME THAT IS ROTTED THROUGH. IN ADDITION, THEY TOLD ME THAT THE LEFT REAR SECTION OF THE FRAME BY THE SPRING MOUNT IS ALSO RUSTED THROUGH IN MULTIPLE PLACES. THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD MADE A REPAIR ATTEMPT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE THAT NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED AGING. THERE ARE ALSO A FEW MORE SPOTS THAT ARE RUSTED ALL THE WAY THROUGH AND I WAS ADVISED TO NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA ODI #10809544
Mileage unknown · Nov 14, 2015
Unknown Or Other
FRAME RUST, REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF INSIDE FRAME IN FRONT OF REAR WHEEL HAS A HOLE RUSTED THROUGH THE FRAME, SIGNS OF RUST OVER ENTIRE FRAME. MY MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THIS IS A SAFTY HAZARD AND COULD BE LIFE THREATENING.
NHTSA ODI #10790383
175,000 miles · Nov 10, 2015
Structure
DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND THE REAR END STARTED TO SWAY BACK AND FORTH. HAD TO EXIT AND TOOK THE CAR TO THE MECHANIC WHO SAID THE BRACKET WAS ROTTED AS WELL AS THE FRAME WHERE IT WAS ATTACHED TO. SAID HE HAS NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE.
NHTSA ODI #10789569
225,000 miles · Nov 6, 2015
Structure
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION, THE MECHANIC NOTICED COROSSION ON THE SUBFRAME OF THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE SUB FRAME NEEDED TO BE WELDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 225,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
NHTSA ODI #10788904
220,000 miles · Sep 22, 2015
Unknown Or Other
THERE IS EXTENSIVE RUST ON THE FRAME JUST LIKE THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE TOYOTA TACOMAS THAT WERE RECALLED WITH FRAME RUST ISSUES. THE AREAS OF RUST ARE SIMILAR TO THE TACOMAS AS WELL. SOME PLACES THERE ARE HOLES WHERE YOU CAN FIT YOUR HAND THROUGH. I HAVE HAD OLDER VEHICLES THAT HAD MORE MILEAGE THAT DOES NOT HAVE FRAME RUST THIS…
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THERE IS EXTENSIVE RUST ON THE FRAME JUST LIKE THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE TOYOTA TACOMAS THAT WERE RECALLED WITH FRAME RUST ISSUES. THE AREAS OF RUST ARE SIMILAR TO THE TACOMAS AS WELL. SOME PLACES THERE ARE HOLES WHERE YOU CAN FIT YOUR HAND THROUGH. I HAVE HAD OLDER VEHICLES THAT HAD MORE MILEAGE THAT DOES NOT HAVE FRAME RUST THIS BAD.
NHTSA ODI #10767554
215,675 miles · Sep 18, 2015
SuspensionUnknown Or Other
THE 3RD GENERATION 4RUNNER FRAME IS FALLING APART DUE TO RUST ISSUES AND IS MAKING VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. DRIVERS SIDE TRAILING ARM MOUNT RUSTED THROUGH AND WAS DISCONNECTED FROM VEHICLE. I HAD TO HAVE THE FRAME PATCH WELDED AT GREAT EXPENSE TO MYSELF.
NHTSA ODI #10765185
Mileage unknown · Sep 17, 2015
Structure
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD EXCESSIVE FRAME RUST AND A HOLE IN THE FRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 02/23/16*LJ UPDATED 02/23/16.*JB
NHTSA ODI #10764732
199,900 miles · Sep 1, 2015
Unknown Or Other
I BOUGHT MY 1999 4RUNNER LESS THAN A YEAR AND A HALF AGO AT 150,000 MILES ON IT. MY SISTER WAS DRIVING IT ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 60-70 MPH AND SUDDENLY THE CAR STARTED SWERVING LEFT SO SHE IMMEDIATELY GOT OFF AND WENT TO OUR MECHANIC WHO THEN TOLD US THAT MY FRAME IS COMPLETELY CRACKED, HE SAID THAT I COULD NOT DRIVE MY CAR HOME A…
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I BOUGHT MY 1999 4RUNNER LESS THAN A YEAR AND A HALF AGO AT 150,000 MILES ON IT. MY SISTER WAS DRIVING IT ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 60-70 MPH AND SUDDENLY THE CAR STARTED SWERVING LEFT SO SHE IMMEDIATELY GOT OFF AND WENT TO OUR MECHANIC WHO THEN TOLD US THAT MY FRAME IS COMPLETELY CRACKED, HE SAID THAT I COULD NOT DRIVE MY CAR HOME AND THAT THE FRAME WAS TOO RUSTED SO THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO SO ITS TOTALED. I BARELY GOT TO 200,000 MILES AND HAD IT FOR SUCH A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT THE CAR COULD HAVE FLIPPED AT ANY SECOND MY MECHANIC SAID "ONE MORE BUMP AND IT WOULD HAVE FLIPPED". I AM 19 YEARS OLD AND A NANNY SO I CONSTANTLY HAVE KIDS IN MY CAR, WE COULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY HURT OR DIED!! I CALLED TOYOTA BUT THEY HAVE NO RECALL AND CANT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT SO NOW I HAVE TO BUY A NEW CAR. DISAPPOINTING TO SAY AT THE LEAST, I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT TOYOTA'S LASTED FOR AN EXTREMELY LONG AMOUNT OF TIME.
NHTSA ODI #10760890
180,000 miles · Jul 31, 2015
Fuel/propulsion System
THE FUEL GAUGE DOES NOT READ CORRECTLY AND WILL INDICATE FULL AT TIMES AND EMPTY AT OTHERS LEADING TO RISK OF RUNNING OUT OF FUEL. I FINALLY REAILZED THIS AND SO DON'T USE THE GAUGE ANYMORE. CREATED RISK OF RUNNING OUT OF GAS ON THE HIGHWAY IF I HADN'T SEEN IT.
NHTSA ODI #10745417
Official recalls
0
No 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
0
No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
1999 Toyota 4RUNNER Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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