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2001 Toyota 4RUNNER

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most 4RUNNER years

Owner complaints for the 2001 Toyota 4RUNNER are substantially higher than the model-year median of 58.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

134 reports with mileage · 20 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 79 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

7 crash reports1 fire reports7 injury reports

Electronic Stability Control (esc) complaints

3 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jun 20, 2016
Electronic Stability Control (esc)SteeringWheels

MY 4 RUNNER SHAKES WHILE ON FREEWAY GOING PASSED SPEED LIMIT OF 50MPH IT FEELS LIKE I CAN TIP OVER IF GOING TO FAST. SOME OF THE ELECTRICAL THINGS WORK THEN NOT WORK. IT IS MOSTLY THE SHAKING BACK AND FORTH. I HAVE TO HOLD FIRMLY TO GET IT UNDER CONTROL SOMEWHAT. PEOPLE NOTICE IT WHEN DRIVING BEHIND ME. I AM SCARED FOR MY CHILDR…

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MY 4 RUNNER SHAKES WHILE ON FREEWAY GOING PASSED SPEED LIMIT OF 50MPH IT FEELS LIKE I CAN TIP OVER IF GOING TO FAST. SOME OF THE ELECTRICAL THINGS WORK THEN NOT WORK. IT IS MOSTLY THE SHAKING BACK AND FORTH. I HAVE TO HOLD FIRMLY TO GET IT UNDER CONTROL SOMEWHAT. PEOPLE NOTICE IT WHEN DRIVING BEHIND ME. I AM SCARED FOR MY CHILDREN AND I.

NHTSA ODI #10875414

140,000 miles · Jan 16, 2011
Electronic Stability Control (esc)

WHILE DRIVING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL GAVE OUT. MOTOR WAS STILLING RUNNING. I OPENED THE HOOD TO REV THE MOTOR FROM THE THROTTLE ITSELF AND NOTHNG HAPPENED. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED AND IT SEEMED TO RESET WHATEVER WAS WRONG . I BEGAN DRIVING AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE SAME THNG HAPPENED. I PRESSED THE PEDAL ALL THE WAY T…

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WHILE DRIVING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL GAVE OUT. MOTOR WAS STILLING RUNNING. I OPENED THE HOOD TO REV THE MOTOR FROM THE THROTTLE ITSELF AND NOTHNG HAPPENED. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED AND IT SEEMED TO RESET WHATEVER WAS WRONG . I BEGAN DRIVING AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE SAME THNG HAPPENED. I PRESSED THE PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND WAS ABLE TO GET SOME SPEED. THE NEXT DAY IT DID NOT HAPPENED. DAYS LATER IN TRAFFIC IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THE CAR LOSSES SPEED ALMOST INSTANTLY. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. IF I WERE NOT ABLE TO PRESS THE PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND GET SOME SPEED THE OUT SOME WOULD NOT BE GOOD. I FOUND OUT THAT THE ACCELERATOR POSITION SENSOR IS FAULTY AND IS THE REASON FOR THE INSTANT LOSE OF SPEED. IN SEARCHING THE INTERNET I FOUND THAT MANY, MANY PEOPLE HAVE THIS SAME ISSUE. TOYOTA SHOULD RECALL THIS PART...IT IS DEFINITELY A HAZARD! *LN

NHTSA ODI #10376878

90,000 miles · Feb 13, 2010
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ON THE EVENING OF 2-4-10, I WAS TRAVELING ON AN ANGLED, CURVED, ON-RAMP TO A FREEWAY, WHEN THE VSC (VEHICLE SKID CONTROL) SUDDENLY AND AUTOMATICALLY APPLIED THE VEHICLE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE SPEED WAS APPROX. THE RECOMMENDED SPEED FOR THE TURN. THE CONDITIONS WERE WET, AS IT HAD BEEN RAINING OFF AND ON ALL DAY. A BEEPING SOUND …

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ON THE EVENING OF 2-4-10, I WAS TRAVELING ON AN ANGLED, CURVED, ON-RAMP TO A FREEWAY, WHEN THE VSC (VEHICLE SKID CONTROL) SUDDENLY AND AUTOMATICALLY APPLIED THE VEHICLE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE SPEED WAS APPROX. THE RECOMMENDED SPEED FOR THE TURN. THE CONDITIONS WERE WET, AS IT HAD BEEN RAINING OFF AND ON ALL DAY. A BEEPING SOUND WAS HEARD, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY THE VEHICLE LOST TRACTION, AND TRAVELED IN A TANGENT/STRAIGHT DIRECTION TO THE CURVED ON-RAMP. I HAD ZERO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE FOR ~3 LONG SECONDS, AND ENDED UP SIDEWAYS ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. LUCKILY, NO ONE WAS HURT NOR CLOSE BY. THIS COULD EASILY HAPPEN ON A YIELD TURN, CAUSING A BLIND-SIDED T-BONE COLLISION, OR REAR-ENDED COLLISION. THIS FAULTY SYSTEM NEEDS IMMEDIATE FIXING, AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10310247

Official recalls

1

05V225000 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint

May 17, 2005

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, DUE TO A MANUFACTURING ISSUE IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINT, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE SURFACE OF THE BALL OF THE JOINT MAY HAVE BEEN SCRATCHED. THE BALL JOINT MAY EVENTUALLY EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE WEAR AND LOOSENESS, RESULTING IN INCREASED STEERING EFFORT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE LOWER BALL JOINT MAY SEPARATE FROM THE KNUCKLE CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 5, 2005. OWNERS MAY 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.