Structure. Review the 88 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Suspension. Review the 43 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 29 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 reports9 injury reports

What owners actually said

192 reports

91,500 miles · Jun 23, 2016

Electronic Stability Control (esc)

VSC COMES ON RANDLOMLY, AT INTERSECTIONS WHEN STARTING OUT I LOSE ALL POWER AND SOMETIMES SIT IN TRAFFIC, ESPECIALLY WHEN TURNING LEFT.

NHTSA ODI #10876069

76,500 miles · Jun 23, 2016

Suspension

FRAME IS RUSTING OUT

NHTSA ODI #10876064

215,000 miles · Apr 27, 2016

Structure

FRAME CRACKED/RUSTED DEALERSHIP REPORTED THAT THE FRAME (RIGHT REAR) WAS CRACKED.... CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE.

NHTSA ODI #10861724

172,568 miles · Mar 30, 2016

Power Train

REAR DIFFERENTIAL RUSTED THROUGH

NHTSA ODI #10852495

105,500 miles · Mar 21, 2016

Seats

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DRIVER'S SEAT LEFT FRONT MOUNTING BOLT ATTACHMENT HAS FAILED. PROBLEM WAS FIRST NOTICED ON 15 MARCH 2016. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. AS I WAS SHIFTING AROUND TO GET SEATED I NOTICED A GRINDING SOUND COMING FROM BENEATH THE DRIVER'S SEAT. EVENTUALLY I OBSERVED THE LEFT FRONT MOUNT LIFTING SLIGHTLY OFF THE FLOOR. LATER, INVESTIGATING FURTHER (REMOVING THE PLASTIC COVERING) I WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE MOUNTING BOLT'THERE IS NOTHING FOR THE BOLT TO ATTACH TO THAT I CAN SEE. WHATEVER HELD THE BOLT ORIGINALLY HAS BROKEN OFF AND IS NO LONGER VISIBLE OR SERVICEABLE. THIS IS A CRITICAL SAFETY CONCERN FOR ME; ALL THE MORE SO BECAUSE I WAS RECENTLY DIAGNOSED WITH THREE BULGING DISCS IN MY NECK AT THE SAN FRANCISCO VA MEDICAL CENTER ON 8 MARCH 2016. SHOULD I BE IN A COLLISION AND THE SEAT NOT PERFORM AS INTENDED, I COULD POTENTIALLY BE PARALYZED. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN. TOYOTA SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO PERFORM A SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #10850914

175,000 miles · Mar 21, 2016

Structure

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MY 2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER HAS A COUPLE QUARTER SIZED RUST HOLE ON THE REAR RIGHT SIDE OF THE FRAME. LOCATED ON THE INSIDE NEXT TO THE EXHAUST MUFFLER. THE ENTIRE REST OF THE FRAME IS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION, IT'S WEIRD TO ME THAT JUST THIS PARTICULAR SPOT IS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH, THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD AND I KNOW TOYOTA SHOULD STEP UP AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. I READ ONLINE MOST PEOPLE HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM IN THE SAME EXACT SPOT. SEEMS LIKE A DEFECT IN THE FRAME. I'M HOPING TO HAVE TOYOTA COVER THIS INCIDENT. THANKS FOR READING. BRANDON

NHTSA ODI #10850826

72,845 miles · Mar 16, 2016

Steering

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LESS THAN 70,000 MILES ON MY VEHICLE, BUT RECENTLY TOOK MY CAR IN FOR AN ALIGNMENT BECAUSE MY VEHICLE SLOWLY DRIFTS TO THE RIGHT, AND SOMETIMES THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES WHEN DRIVING BETWEEN 50-60 MILES. I WAS TOLD BY 2 DIFFERENT BODY SHOPS (1 OF WHICH WAS TOYOTA) THAT MY ENTIRE POWER STEERING WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AND IS CURRENTLY LEAKING. I WAS ADVISED THIS COULD BE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS IF MY POWER STEERING WERE TO STOP WORKING WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT FAST SPEEDS ON THE FREEWAY. I RECEIVED A FULL-POINT INSPECTION WHEN MY MILEAGE WAS AT THE 50,000 MARKER BUT THIS WAS NOT AN ISSUE AT THAT TIME.

NHTSA ODI #10849890

140,000 miles · Mar 7, 2016

Wheels

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE BACKING INTO THE DRIVEWAY, THE CONTACT HEARD A THUMPING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT WHEEL WAS DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE.…

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NHTSA ODI #10840247

100,000 miles · Mar 5, 2016

Structure

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FAME DETERIORATING PREMATURELY,SKID PLATE THAT PROTECTS FUEL TANK SHOWED SIGNS OF RUST. AFTER INSPECTING FOUND ROTTING FROM INSIDE OUT.WHEN REPLACING IN MAY OF 2014,FOUND THAT STRAP THAT HOLDS FUEL TANK RUSTED COMPLETELY AWAY,TWO BOLTS FROM THE RUSTED SKID PLATE ONLY THING HOLDING FUEL TANK IN PLACE.SAME CONDITIONS EXIST OVER ENTIRE FRAME,RUST FALLS OFF IN SHEETS WHEN FRAME IS TAPPED ON WITH HAMMER.BROUGHT MY CONCERNS TO DEALERSHIP IN JAN.OF 2015 OF RUST ISSUE, THEY INFORMED ME NOTHING WOULD BE DONE.

NHTSA ODI #10840033

138,000 miles · Feb 14, 2016

Power TrainSuspension

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I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE RECENTLY AND THE TECHNICIAN SAID THAT I HAVE SOME MAJOR RUST ISSUES ON MY REAR AXLE AND DRIVETRAIN. HE SHOULD ME WHEN IT WAS ON THE LIFT. HE EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THE BOLT AND CLIP THAN HOLDS THE BRAKE LINE DOWN ON THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL HAD RUSTED AND BROKEN OFF OF THE DIFFERENTIAL COVER. THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL IS NOW LEAKING GEAR OIL. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED ME THAT IT IS TOO RISKY TO ATTEMPT TO REPAIR AS IT MAY CAUSE THE ENTIRE DIFFERENTIAL TO BE DAMAGED AND THE WHOLE REAR AXLE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE TECHNICIAN ALSO SAID THAT IT IS A RISK TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AND IS POSSIBLY UNSAFE TO KEEP DRIVING. HE STATED THAT IT IS UNKNOWN HOW MUCH LONGER I WOULD BE ABLE TO DRIVE IT UNTIL THE REAR AXLE CEASES.

NHTSA ODI #10826027

Official recalls

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

DP18002 · Frame Corrosion

Opened Aug 17, 2018 · Closed Mar 18, 2022

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure:frame And Members

On August 7, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a defect petition from Mr. Gary Weinreich alleging premature frame corrosion failure in model year (MY) 2002 - 2006 Toyota 4Runner vehicles. The petitioner based his request upon a corrosion-related front suspension failure he experienced in his MY 2005 Toyota 4Runner, a class action lawsuit settlement involving other Toyota products, and other complaints of underbody corrosion in Toyota 4Runner vehicles that he found in NHTSA?s online complaint database. The petitioner submitted a complaint to NHTSA documenting his experience (NHTSA ID 11098055). On August 17, 2018, ODI opened DP18-002 to evaluate the petitioner?s request. ODI?s evaluation included information provided by the petitioner regarding his vehicle, facts related to the class action lawsuit cited by the petitioner, and consumer complaint data received by NHTSA regarding underbody corrosion in third and fourth-generation Toyota 4Runner vehicles.The undercarriage of the petitioner?s vehicle exhibited severe corrosion damage indicative of seawater immersion. The vehicle?s service history shows that concerns with underbody corrosion were first noted by a Toyota dealer in a multi-point vehicle inspection performed on April 28, 2011. The invoice for that inspection noted ?severe and excessive amount of rust on the undercarriage and on the drive shaft transmission.? Two years later, on October 21, 2013, another multi-point inspection by a Toyota dealer observed further progression of underbody corrosion damage, noting: ?rust on shocks/struts and other components,? ?rust on exhaust system,? ?both splash shields severely rusted,? and ?undercarriage very rusty.? On July 17, 2017, approximately 10 months prior to experiencing the suspension failure incident, an independent repair facility performing routine oil change and brake maintenance informed the Petitioner of a concern with ?excessive frame corrosion? on his vehicle. The service history, severe general corrosion damage, failure age, and environment do not support the petitioner?s allegation of premature corrosion failure.ODI?s analysis of NHTSA complaint data identified fifteen incidents of front lower control arm failure in fourth-generation Toyota 4Runner sport utility vehicles. Two of the failures, including the petitioner?s vehicle, involve vehicles operated in ocean front communities with continuous exposure to aerosolized marine salts and potential exposure to seawater immersion. The remaining thirteen failures all involved vehicles owned or previously registered in states with the greatest use of deicing salts to treat road surfaces in winter months (?Salt states?). On average, the front lower control arm failures occurred after 13.1 years in service in highly corrosive environments. The failure ages and environments do not support the petitioner?s allegation of premature corrosion failure. NHTSA is authorized to issue an order requiring notification and remedy of a defect if the Agency?s investigation shows a defect in design, construction, or performance of a motor vehicle that presents an unreasonable risk to safety. 49 U.S.C. ?? 30102(a)(9), 30118. Since the information before the Agency is not indicative of a vehicle-based defect, it is unlikely that any investigation opened because of granting this petition would result in an order concerning the notification and remedy of a safety-related defect. Therefore, upon full consideration of the information presented in the petition and the potential risks to safety, the petition is denied. The denial of this petition does not foreclose the Agency from taking further action if warranted or the p