Toyota 4Runner 2010–2024
5th generation · N280
NHTSA data through 12 August 20261,246 complaints, 541 with mileageMethod
On this generation, 31% of failures fall within the first 12,000 miles — a rate roughly 3 times higher than during the rest of the car's life.
- First 12,000 miles — 31% of all failures
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 8 complaints (1.5%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 640
- 25%
- 8,785
- Median
- 28,700
- 75%
- 57,500
- 90%
- 97,500
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 150 | 27.7% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 52 | 9.6% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 80 | 14.8% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 38 | 7.0% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 46 | 8.5% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 46 | 8.5% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 27 | 5.0% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 18 | 3.3% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 17 | 3.1% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 16 | 3.0% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 8 | 1.5% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 4 | 0.7% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 9 | 1.7% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 12 | 2.2% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 2 | 0.4% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 2 | 0.4% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 3 | 0.6% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 3 | 0.6% |
| 200,000+ | 8 | 1.5% |
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 1,246 complaints with NHTSA about the 2010–2024 Toyota 4Runner, and 541 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
31% of failures fall within the first 12,000 miles — a rate roughly 3 times higher than during the rest of the car's life. Failures clustered that early usually indicate a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear.
The most-reported areas are the airbag system (28.1% of complaints, typically around 57,000 miles), problems owners could not categorise (10.8% of complaints, typically around 32,000 miles), the electrical system (8.0% of complaints, typically around 36,000 miles).
33 recall campaigns cover this generation.
What fails, and when
- Airbag system57,000median 56,750 miles, middle half 20,000 to 75,000
- Problems owners could not categorise32,000median 32,000 miles, middle half 10,000 to 58,000
- Electrical system36,000median 36,000 miles, middle half 15,000 to 61,000
- Steering23,000median 22,906 miles, middle half 350 to 40,000
- Brakes21,000median 21,000 miles, middle half 6,000 to 45,000
- Suspension39,000median 38,977 miles, middle half 6,000 to 53,000
- Body structure30,000median 29,998 miles, middle half 11,000 to 53,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbag system | 350 | 28.1% | 57,000 | 20,000–75,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 134 | 10.8% | 32,000 | 10,000–58,000 |
| Electrical system | 100 | 8.0% | 36,000 | 15,000–61,000 |
| Steering | 80 | 6.4% | 23,000 | 350–40,000 |
| Brakes | 77 | 6.2% | 21,000 | 6,000–45,000 |
| Suspension | 67 | 5.4% | 39,000 | 6,000–53,000 |
| Body structure | 64 | 5.1% | 30,000 | 11,000–53,000 |
| Engine | 53 | 4.3% | 25,000 | 12,000–55,000 |
| Fuel and propulsion system | 42 | 3.4% | 44,000 | 24,000–100,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 36 | 2.9% | 34,000 | 6,000–55,000 |
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 28,700 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The airbag system accounts for 28.1% of complaints (350 reports, 68 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 56,750 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 20,000 and 75,000 miles.
A single system taking 28.1% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 10.8% of complaints (134 reports, 55 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 32,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 10,200 and 58,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 8.0% of complaints (100 reports, 64 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 36,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 15,000 and 61,000 miles.
The steering accounts for 6.4% of complaints (80 reports, 36 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 22,906 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 350 and 40,000 miles.
The brakes account for 6.2% of complaints (77 reports, 47 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 21,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 5,800 and 45,000 miles.
The suspension accounts for 5.4% of complaints (67 reports, 27 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 38,977 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 6,000 and 53,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2011 model year drew the most — 182 complaints — while 2023 drew the fewest at 42. The median year sits at 82.
That makes 2011 an outlier: roughly 2.2 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 33 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around equipment (16), the airbag system (6), seats (3). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
Of the 1,246 complaints filed against this generation, 104 reported a crash; 16 reported a fire; 95 reported an injury. Crash-involved reports represent 8.3% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
What this means if you are buying one
For a buyer, an early-failure pattern is comparatively good news on a used example: 31% of the reported failures occur in the first 12,000 miles, which on a car of this age means they have already happened or they were never going to. Service history matters more than mileage here.
On inspection, the airbag system and problems owners could not categorise are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. Problems owners could not categorise in particular shows a median failure mileage of 32,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Documented problems
Interior — Dashboard 2010–2013 most heavily reported
Dashboard cracking and surface melting/becoming sticky in hot, high-UV climates; a well-documented early-5th-generation complaint pattern.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 175 | 72 |
| 2011 | 182 | 60 |
| 2012 | 112 | 44 |
| 2013 | 48 | 25 |
| 2014 | 91 | 51 |
| 2015 | 116 | 75 |
| 2016 | 104 | 58 |
| 2017 | 48 | 31 |
| 2018 | 78 | 48 |
| 2019 | 87 | 33 |
| 2020 | 43 | 24 |
| 2021 | 54 | 7 |
| 2022 | 55 | 7 |
| 2023 | 42 | 5 |
| 2024 | 11 | 1 |
Recalls (33)
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 24V548000 | 2024-09-16 | Equipment:other:labels |
| 23V680000 | 2023-12-01 | Equipment:other:labels |
| 22V480000 | 2022-09-01 | Equipment:other:labels |
| 22V310000 | 2022-06-30 | Equipment:other:labels |
| 21V963000 | 2022-02-11 | Exterior Lighting:headlights |
| 20V682000 | 2021-01-21 | Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump |
| 20V012000 | 2020-05-01 | Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump |
| 19V741000 | 2019-11-20 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 19V670000 | 2019-10-28 | Suspension |
| 19V244000 | 2019-05-24 | Equipment:other:labels |
| 19V005000 | 2019-02-15 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 18V753000 | 2018-11-28 | Equipment:other:labels |
| 18V024000 | 2018-01-29 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 17V831000 | 2018-01-23 | Equipment:other:labels |
| 17V763000 | 2018-01-17 | Structure:body:hood |
| 17V425000 | 2017-09-01 | Equipment |
| 17V295000 | 2017-06-15 | Tires:temporary/Emergency Spare Tire |
| 17V291000 | 2017-06-15 | Equipment |
| 17V006000 | 2017-02-01 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 16V340000 | 2016-11-18 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 16V577000 | 2016-09-15 | Engine and Engine Cooling:exhaust System:manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe |
| 16V396000 | 2016-07-14 | Seats:front Assembly:seat Heater/Cooler |
| 16V236000 | 2016-06-03 | Equipment:other:labels |
| 16V228000 | 2016-06-01 | Equipment:other:labels |
| 15V515000 | 2015-09-22 | Engine and Engine Cooling:exhaust System:manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe |
What owners reported
Since i bought this Toyota 4Runner i've had nothing but problems with brakes not working right the front end shimmies at certain speeds.. I took it back to the dealer called tri county Toyota in limerick pa. They told me it's road characteristics.. Brought it back 3 or 4 times.. Never fixed this annoying problem..…
2010 · 46 miles · Brakes
There appears to be something dangerously wrong with the transmission. I have experienced this randomly, maybe a dozen times, over the last week since i have owned the car. It takes up to two seconds for the car to respond after pressing the gas pedal. This has happened when slowing down and then having to give the…
2010 · 100 miles · Transmission and driveline
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated the brake pedal felt loose and rattled whenever he applied the brakes. During the failure, the contact would also hear an abnormal hissing noise. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer on numerous occasions where the contact was told the vehicle was…
2010 · 100 miles · Hydraulic brake circuit
This complaint concerns the new 2010 Toyota 4Runner. There is an issue with the braking system and handling for this vehicle. Upon depressing the brakes, the pedal travels a considerable distance sounds squeaky and notchy and delays in stopping. The anti-lock brakes do not interact quickly and often times engaged…
2010 · 640 miles · Electrical system
Built from 541 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page