Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
40–25K
325–50K
1550–75K
1375–100K
57100–150K
54150K+
146 reports with mileage · 46 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 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
75,000 miles · Jul 24, 2008
Tires
6/9/08 AFTER LEAVING THE CAR PARKED AT A STORE FOR 20 MINUTES, THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE WAS TOTALLY FLAT. HAD CAR TOWED TO NORTH SHORE FIRESTONE AND TIRES INC ..THEY SAID THE VALVE FAILED. ON THE TIRE...I HAD THE SHOP REPLACE THE VALVE AND REBALANCE THE TIRE.........7/16/2008 I WAS ABOUT TO GO TO WORK AND FOUND THE FRONT LEFT T…
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6/9/08 AFTER LEAVING THE CAR PARKED AT A STORE FOR 20 MINUTES, THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE WAS TOTALLY FLAT. HAD CAR TOWED TO NORTH SHORE FIRESTONE AND TIRES INC ..THEY SAID THE VALVE FAILED. ON THE TIRE...I HAD THE SHOP REPLACE THE VALVE AND REBALANCE THE TIRE.........7/16/2008 I WAS ABOUT TO GO TO WORK AND FOUND THE FRONT LEFT TIRE. MISSING HALF OF THE AIR...I TOOK OUT MY CORDLESS AIR PUMP ,,ATTACHED IT TO THE VALVE AND FELT AIR COMING OUT OF THE VALVE, AT THE STEM...HAD IT TOWED TO MY MECHANIC ,HUNTINGTON DIAGNOSTIC IN HUNTINGTON AND HAD THE FRONT AND BACK 2 VALVES REPLACED ..I ALSO HAD THE SERVICE STATION KEEP THE 3 VALVES FOR ME TO PICK UP WHEN THE WORK WAS COMPLETED.........THE TIRES WERE ORIGINALLY REPLACED ALONG WITH THE 4 VALVES AUGUST /2006 THE CAR HAD 55K FROM NYS DISCOUNT TIRE 1765 NY AVE HUNTINGTON STATION NY 11746 631-423-8473 RONNIE/OWNER AT THE TIME OF THE 2 FLATS I HAD 75K AND 77K ON THE CAR.....NINGBO YINZHOU HAIXIN TIRE VALVE CO LTD----MAKES THE VALVES. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10235660
60,000 miles · Mar 31, 2008
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
WHEN TURNING TO EITHER SIDE THE VSC LIGHT COMES ON AND THE ABS SYSTEM ACTIVATES. TIS IS IN DRY ROAD ON THE HIGHWAY. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10222967
Mileage unknown · Mar 20, 2008
Tires
BRENT BROWN TOYOTA IN OREUM UTAH PERFORMED A 60,000 MILE CHECK UP ON OUR 2002 4-RUNNER, THE STAFF WERE GREAT AND THE WORK ACCOMPLISHED CORRECTLY. AFTER DRIVING HOME OVER FIVE HOURS FROM THE DEALERSHIP TO OUR HOME, I THOUGHT THAT THE 4-RUNNER SEEMED TO BE RIDING ROUGH. UPON CHECKING THE TIRE PRESSURE, I FOUND EACH TIRE TO BE O…
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BRENT BROWN TOYOTA IN OREUM UTAH PERFORMED A 60,000 MILE CHECK UP ON OUR 2002 4-RUNNER, THE STAFF WERE GREAT AND THE WORK ACCOMPLISHED CORRECTLY. AFTER DRIVING HOME OVER FIVE HOURS FROM THE DEALERSHIP TO OUR HOME, I THOUGHT THAT THE 4-RUNNER SEEMED TO BE RIDING ROUGH. UPON CHECKING THE TIRE PRESSURE, I FOUND EACH TIRE TO BE OVER INFLATED AT 70 POUNDS PER TIRE. I HAD A LOCAL TIRE SHOP, "CANYON LANDS TIRE" CONFIRM THE OVER INFLATED TIRES AT MORE THAN 70 POUNDS IN EACH TIRE. CANYON LANDS TIRE DID VERIFY THAT INDEED THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS AT 70 POUNDS AND MORE. THIS OVERSIGHT ENDANGERED MY WIFE AND I. THE TIRES COULD HAVE RUN OFF THE RIMS RESULTING IN INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE. I HAVE CONTACTED THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHO SAID THEY WILL BE CALLING BACK. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10221881
138,000 miles · Sep 19, 2007
Suspension
VEHICLE IS NOT HANDLING RIGHT; BODY FEELS VERY LOOSE AND UNSTABLE GOING OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD. TOOK IT TO A TOYOTA REPAIR SHOP WHO INDICATED THAT FRONT, RIGHT LOWER BALL JOINT WAS LOOSE, WORN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THAT BALL JOINT WAS ALREADY REPLACED BY THE DEALER WHEN PURCHASED IN 8/05 AS PART OF THE MANUFACTURER'S RECA…
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VEHICLE IS NOT HANDLING RIGHT; BODY FEELS VERY LOOSE AND UNSTABLE GOING OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD. TOOK IT TO A TOYOTA REPAIR SHOP WHO INDICATED THAT FRONT, RIGHT LOWER BALL JOINT WAS LOOSE, WORN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THAT BALL JOINT WAS ALREADY REPLACED BY THE DEALER WHEN PURCHASED IN 8/05 AS PART OF THE MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THE WORK WAS ORIGINALLY DONE AND AFTER 3 HOURS THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE BALL JOINT DID NEED REPLACING. HOWEVER THERE IS ONLY A 1 YEAR WARRANTY ON THE REPLACEMENT AND THEY WANTED OVER $400 TO REPLACE IT. SO YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT I GET OVER 4 YEARS ON AN ALLEGEDLY DEFECTIVE BALL JOINT BUT ONLY 2 YEARS ON THE SUPPOSEDLY GOOD ONE? *TR UPDATED 09/28/07. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10203430
Mileage unknown · May 30, 2007
Suspension
2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER RECALL- LOWER BALL JOINT CUSTOMER WANTS TO KNOW IF TECHS ARE REQUIRED TO BE CERTIFIED MECHANICS AND HAVE CERTIFICATION FROM TOYOTA ON THE DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR OF TOYOTA VEHICLES**CC *TR
NHTSA ODI #10193169
72,000 miles · Feb 13, 2007
Visibility
TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA FOUR RUNNER AND THE SEAL AROUND ALL FOUR WINDOWS PEELED OFF. TOOK VEHICLEC TO THE CAR DEALERSHIP,AND THEY REPLACED AND REGLUED THE SEALS BACK TOGETHER MORE THAN ONCE, BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. THEWINDOWS HAVE BEEN REPAIRED ON FIVE OCCASIONS. THIS HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR THE LAST FIVE YEA…
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TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA FOUR RUNNER AND THE SEAL AROUND ALL FOUR WINDOWS PEELED OFF. TOOK VEHICLEC TO THE CAR DEALERSHIP,AND THEY REPLACED AND REGLUED THE SEALS BACK TOGETHER MORE THAN ONCE, BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. THEWINDOWS HAVE BEEN REPAIRED ON FIVE OCCASIONS. THIS HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THEY COULD DO, AND THE WINDOWS WERE STILL COMING UNGLUED. EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR MAINTENANCE TO THE DEALER THE CONTACT WOULD ASK THEM TO REGLUE THE WINDOWS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WERE 72000.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10182507
60,000 miles · Nov 1, 2006
Air BagsCrashInjury
2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN A FRONTAL COLLISION THAT BENT THE FRAME & TOTALED THE VEHICLE. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10172387
Mileage unknown · Nov 1, 2006
Suspension
I RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE FROM TOYOTA CONCERNING A DEFECT WITH THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINT IN 2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNERS (REF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 05V225000). I CONTACTED TOYOTA ON 9 MAY 2006 TO BEGIN THE PROCESS TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PARTS. MY SITUATION IS UNIQUE. I'M IN THE MILITARY AND CURRENTLY STA…
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I RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE FROM TOYOTA CONCERNING A DEFECT WITH THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINT IN 2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNERS (REF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 05V225000). I CONTACTED TOYOTA ON 9 MAY 2006 TO BEGIN THE PROCESS TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PARTS. MY SITUATION IS UNIQUE. I'M IN THE MILITARY AND CURRENTLY STATIONED IN SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA. THERE ARE NO TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS IN SOUTH KOREA, HOWEVER, LEXUS (OWNED BY THE SAME PARENT COMPANY) IS LOCATED IN SEOUL. IT TOOK THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE FOLKS TIL AUG TO NOTIFY ME THAT MY ISSUE HAD BEEN FORWARDED TO TOYOTA HQ IN JAPAN FOR RESOLUTION. IN SEPTEMBER I FOLLOWED UP SINCE NO ONE HAD CONTACTED ME ABOUT THE SITUATION. I WAS TOLD BY TOYOTA THAT TOYOTA HQ HAD UP TO 4 MONTHS TO WORK THE ISSUE. TOYOTA WOULD ALSO NOT PROVIDE THE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE OFFICE IN JAPAN HANDLING THE ISSUE AND ALSO WOULD NOT PROVIDE THE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE VENDOR THAT WOULD ACCOMPLISH THE RECALL WORK. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AS I'M DRIVING MY WIFE AND ONE YEAR OLD CHILD IN THIS VEHICLE WITH AN IDENTIFIED DEFECT IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION. ANY ASSISTANCE YOU CAN PROVIDE TO HAVE TOYOTA QUICKLY RESOLVE THIS MATTER WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10172326
Mileage unknown · Sep 29, 2006
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
2002 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER. BRAKE ROTORS ARE WEARING UNEVENLY, CAUSING SHAKING WHEN SLOWING DOWN. DEALER SAID THE BRAKE PADS HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN USED 50%. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10169572
50,000 miles · Aug 17, 2006
Suspension
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE RECALL WORK FOR NHTSA RECALL # 05V225000, PERTAINING TO THE LOWER BALL JOINT, WAS UNABLE TO BE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE WITHIN THE NOTED 24 HOURS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE REPAIR WOULD TAKE 2 DAYS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER REFUSED TO PROVIDE A LOANER …
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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE RECALL WORK FOR NHTSA RECALL # 05V225000, PERTAINING TO THE LOWER BALL JOINT, WAS UNABLE TO BE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE WITHIN THE NOTED 24 HOURS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE REPAIR WOULD TAKE 2 DAYS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER REFUSED TO PROVIDE A LOANER VEHICLE DURING THAT TIME. THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS CONSULTED, WHO WAS UNABLE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONSULTED, WHO OFFERED TO SEND OUT PAPERWORK FOR AN INVESTIGATION.
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
1
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
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