Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2025 Toyota 4Runner owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
On August 29, 2026, I was stopped at a red light with my foot on the brake when I noticed the vehicle moving forward even though I was pressing the brake pedal. I immediately entered a nearby parking lot at very low speed. I had significant difficulty stopping and used the electronic parking brake to help keep the vehicle stopped. While still inside, I noticed a strong burning smell and smoke. After exiting, I saw smoke coming from the passenger side. I walked to that side and saw flames coming from the area near the passenger-side tire. I attempted to extinguish the fire with a small amount of water. I then opened the hood and observed fire in the same general passenger-side area, including near the tire and around the battery area. The heat/fire was severe enough to crack and damage the windshield. I called 911, and the fire department responded and extinguished the fire. …
The contact owns a 2025 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated while reversing at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound while the brake pedal was depressed, and the vehicle shuddered. No warning lights were illuminated. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The dealer made the contact aware that the failure was a known issue. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to another dealer, Servco Toyota Honolulu (2850 Pukoloa St #200, Honolulu, HI 96819); to be diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 5.
The contact owns a 2025 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse, the contact heard a scratching sound coming from the brakes. No warning light was illuminated. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the diagnostic result was unknown. The brake pads were replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and was working on the issue, and opened a case. The case number was not provided. The approximate failure mileage was 1,150.
The contact owns a 2025 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal squealing coming from the rear brakes. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the driver's and passenger's side rear brake pads. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 400.
My 2025 Toyota 4Runners brakes have a very high pitched squeal. This is most noticeable when backing up but sometimes when applying the brakes going forward, especially in wet conditions. I feel the brakes may fail at some point causing an accident. Twice I've had other vehicles slam their brakes on or attempt evasive action thinking I was going to hit them because the noise was so loud they heard it inside their vehicle. This did happen in a parking lot and not on the road. It is my understanding Toyota had a service bulletin to fix the issue under T-SB-0046-25 which was issued in July 2025, however to date, Toyota has not repaired my vehicle. It is my understanding that some vehicles were repaired under the bulletin but the fix did not correct the problem. …
The brake system emits a high-pitched noise, which seems to be worn down to the discs when used in drive mode and reverse mode. At any moment, they could stop working or cause an accident. The problem was reported to the dealership on October 28, 2025, when the vehicle had only 3,171 miles. The vehicle is still under warranty. It has been inspected by the dealership. To date, it has not been repaired. The dealership reports that this problem has occurred in most of these vehicles. There were no warning lights or warning messages. The situation first occurred when the vehicle had approximately 3,100 miles and was reported to the dealership at 3,171 miles.
2025 Toyota 4Runner straight from the factory and it is defective. All four brakes shriek going forward and reverse. Although Toyota admits they are aware of the issue as other vehicles have them too, they say they cannot do anything until there is a recall on that model. We have taken it in twice for service as the noise is getting worse and nothing gets done. They say they cannot find anything wrong with it. Yet, they say they cannot do more than inspect it until a fix is found by Toyota itself. They pass around from one service tech to the next and the service department supervisor is always unavailable to give us a better explanation.
This vehicle's brakes loudly squeal when in reverse and when just stopping at a stop sign. After a few weeks of purchase I brought it to the Toyota service team in St. Peter's to fix since it's under warranty. They said they do not have a fix for the issue! Driving this vehicle scares me and I don't feel safe. Please help. This is a major safety hazard. Supposedly, these vehicle was brought in and "fixed" for the same brake issue. It clearly has not been fixed. I have video evidence but your platform won't allow me to upload a video.
I bought this 2025 toyota 4runner on March 3rd. Less than a week the brakes have been no stop making noise. It's loud and noisy. I'm scared that my brakes or rotors will mess up. We taking it to the dealership but they said they can't do anything unless Toyota places a recall on that certain part or issue. I believe this is a serious is for someone especially for my family and anyone's family as I'm driving on the road. I'm very disappointed as much money as I spent on this new vehicle. I just want to be safe.
I've owned a 2025 4runner for 1 month. The brakes are screaming and squalling like a 20 year old car when the car is a cold start everyday especially in reverse. This cant be safe, and Toyota says there is nothing they can do. I hope this doesn't wear out the brake pads faster and cause an accident. We were told by Toyota we cant fix the problem, because it would void the warranty and there is no recall on this issue.
Brake complaints in other 4Runner years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2025 Toyota 4Runner?
NHTSA has 26 complaints about the brakes of the 2025 Toyota 4Runner, 43% of the model year's 60 complaints. The component named most often is foundation components › disc › pads (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2025 Toyota 4Runner brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2025 Toyota 4Runner, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2025 Toyota 4Runner brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 0 miles, and 100% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 0 injuries to brakes problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.