REPLACED ENGINE WITH A REBUILT ON, BECAUSE ENGINE BAD DESIGN. OIL PASSAGES TOO SMALL . NO HELP FROM TOYOTA WHO DESIGNED AND MADE THE ENGINE. DAMAGED OCCURRED OVER TIME: SLUDGE BUILD UP, GRITTY SLUDGE.
2000 Toyota 4RUNNER
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most 4RUNNER years
Owner complaints for the 2000 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
308 reports with mileage · 71 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 255 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 97 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Engine complaints
4 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE BEING DIAGNOSED BY A MECHANIC FOR A UNRELATED ISSUE, THE MECHANIC INFORMED THAT THERE WAS RUST COMING FROM THE REAR END OF THE FRAME. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE BEING DIAGNOSED BY A MECHANIC FOR A UNRELATED ISSUE, THE MECHANIC INFORMED THAT THERE WAS RUST COMING FROM THE REAR END OF THE FRAME. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE EXHAUST PIPE, THE CADILLAC CONVERTER AND THE PASSENGER SIDE FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.
MY 2000 4RUNNER ENGINE BROKE DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY, IT STARTED MAKING A LOUD CLANKING NOISE AND WE PULLED OVER AND IT DIED AND WOULDN'T START AGAIN , WE HAD TO GAVE IT TOWED HOME AND THE MECHANIC INFORMED US AFTER REPLACING THE STARTER , ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY THAT IT NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. WE HAVE ALWAYS KEPT UP WITH OIL CHANGES …
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MY 2000 4RUNNER ENGINE BROKE DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY, IT STARTED MAKING A LOUD CLANKING NOISE AND WE PULLED OVER AND IT DIED AND WOULDN'T START AGAIN , WE HAD TO GAVE IT TOWED HOME AND THE MECHANIC INFORMED US AFTER REPLACING THE STARTER , ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY THAT IT NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. WE HAVE ALWAYS KEPT UP WITH OIL CHANGES AND TUNE UPS SO THIS WAS A SHOOK TO US. WE WILL BE CONTACTING TOYOTA TO SEE WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THESE 2000 4RUNNERS SINCE I HAVE READ THAT MANY CONSUMERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 142,130 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 144,133. UPDATED 11/27/12 *CN…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 142,130 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 144,133. UPDATED 11/27/12 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONATACTED A CLAIM WAS FILED, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE VEHICLED WAS SOLD AS SALVAGE. THE CONSUMER NO LONGER OWNS THE VEHICLE. SEVERAL TIMES THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START LAEVING THE CONSUMER STRANDED. IT WOULD STALL IN TRAFFIC. A NEW CLUTCH AND SAFETY CLUTCH WERE INSTALLED, NEW STARTER ALSO. THE VEHICLE STILL WOULD STALL. THE VEHICLE DID NOT COME WITH AN ALARM BUT THE LOCKS WOULD FAIL AS WELL, LOCKING THE CONSUMER EITHER IN OR OUT OF THE CAR. UPDATED 12/10/2012 *JS
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.
Illustration