Engine complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | 3% | 11,000 miles |
| 2024 | 1 | 11% | — |
| 2023 | 2 | 6% | — |
| 2022 | 2 | 5% | 47,000 miles |
| 2019 | 6 | 9% | 22,000 miles |
| 2018 | 5 | 8% | 25,000 miles |
| 2017 | 2 | 6% | 0 miles |
| 2016 | 6 | 8% | 5,000 miles |
| 2015 | 9 | 10% | 28,000 miles |
| 2014 | 6 | 8% | 63,000 miles |
| 2013 | 3 | 8% | 97,000 miles |
| 2012 | 5 | 5% | 47,000 miles |
| 2011 | 6 | 4% | 121,000 miles |
| 2010 | 3 | 2% | 83,000 miles |
| 2009 | 4 | 18% | 67,000 miles |
| 2008 | 9 | 9% | 104,000 miles |
| 2007 | 10 | 6% | 20,000 miles |
| 2006 | 18 | 5% | 49,000 miles |
| 2005 | 31 | 7% | 109,000 miles |
| 2004 | 43 | 6% | 55,000 miles |
| 2003 | 99 | 14% | 1,000 miles |
| 2002 | 17 | 8% | 100,000 miles |
| 2001 | 18 | 10% | 112,000 miles |
| 2000 | 17 | 4% | 129,000 miles |
| 1999 | 18 | 5% | 132,000 miles |
| 1998 | 16 | 6% | 60,000 miles |
| 1997 | 14 | 5% | 130,000 miles |
| 1996 | 26 | 16% | 113,000 miles |
| 1995 | 115 | 67% | 119,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that the vehicle would not start. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact waited an hour and was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact stated that while her mother was driving 5 MPH, she heard abnormal grinding sounds, and the vehicle inadvertently stalled. An unknown warning light was illuminated. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The contact also stated that she had smelled a strong burning odor while driving and the subframe of the vehicle was corroded. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 15,000.
My 2019 Toyota 4Runner was inhabited by a rat that chewed the wiring harness in at least 3 different areas. The damage occurred between 8pm and 7am. The vehicle started with lights on the dash illuminated. The car was out into drive and was jerking. Reverse had the same result. After inspecting under the hood of the car wires were seen chewed partially and a few completely severed. A rat was seen under the manifold cover. I used an air hose to evict it and had the car towed to dealership. The bill was just under $1000 to repair. I was warned it could have been worse ($6000) if harness needed changing. I was told "I was lucky". After researching I discovered this is a problem because of soy based wiring. It's an attractant for rodents.
The dealership Direct Motor, located in Manassas, Virginia, sold me this car in poor condition. On Sunday the 22nd, I picked up the car around 10 PM. They didn't show me any information about the car. When I picked it up, I saw that the front bumper and rear door were damaged, and the airbag lights were on, which is dangerous. I returned the car first thing Monday morning and asked them to exchange it. They refused. I asked for my money back, which is $3,000, and they refused again. Then I went back on Wednesday and filled out a form explaining why I returned the car. They said they would return my money, but now they're not responding. They're trying to scam me.
Two transfer case seals failed at 64,000 miles. Caused excessive oil to leak out of transfer case and onto the exhaust. Safety was put as risk by potential full failure of transfer case which can cause loss of power at speed or leaking oil on exhaust causing a fire. Problem was verified by Armstrong Automotive and repaired. No warning lights were present. Problem found after smelling burning oil and noticing smoking coming from underneath vehicle.
Bought a used 2016 4runner. Had it 3 weeks and a rodent chewed the wires on the main wiring harness. Toyota (that I have 2 warranties through) does not cover rodent damage even though the material that they use attracts rodents apparently from my research. I have $3500-$5500 in damage and my car has been at the dealership waiting for repair for 3 weeks now. The insurance company is fighting them on the repair and I am stuck without the vehicle. I do not have that kind of money to repair it myself. Toyota should be responsible for repairing and replacing the wires that they used since it is encouraging the damage! The vehicle was sitting in my carport. I live in the nicer part of a large town.
2016 Toyota 4runner with less than 5000 miles every once in a while I have noticed a lack of response to throttle when making a right hand turn. By this I mean no increase in engine RPM's proportional to throttle position. I have shrugged it off as my imagination. Now I have had two occasions where after coming to a stop at a stop sign on a steep incline where when I released the brake pedal and stepped on gas the vehicle rolled back even though I had at least 1/4 throttle applied. Not a good situation if there is a vehicle behind you.
The contact owns a 2015 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that while braking from 40 MPH, the instrument panel flickered until the vehicle completely stalled. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V659000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure by phone. The failure mileage was approximately 199,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that on four occasions while diving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was restarted after approximately 10 minutes after each failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 143,400.
Related recalls (2)
Engine and engine cooling › Exhaust system › Manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2015 Toyota 4Runner vehicles manufactured September 3, 2009, to December 1, 2014. The affected vehicles may be equipped with accessory exhaust tips installed by SET or SET dealers that may contact people and possibly burn them while they are standing…
Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will install a re-designed exhaust tip that is smaller in diameter and is more recessed behind the bumper, free of charge. The recall began September 15, 2016.
Engine and engine cooling › Exhaust system › Manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2015 Toyota 4Runner vehicles manufactured March 29, 2010, to July 30, 2015. The affected vehicles may be equipped with accessory exhaust tips installed by SET or SET dealers that may contact people and possibly burn them while they are standing behind…
Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will install a re-designed exhaust tip that is smaller in diameter and is more recessed behind the bumper, free of charge. The recall began on September 22, 2015.
Frequently asked questions
Which Toyota 4Runner years have engine problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1995 (115), 2003 (99), 2004 (43), 2005 (31) and 1996 (26) model years. Engine complaints make up 67% of all complaints for the 1995.
Is there a recall for Toyota 4Runner engine problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 16V-577 (manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe, Aug 3, 2016); 15V-515 (manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe, Aug 13, 2015). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Toyota 4Runner engine problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 73,000 miles; 38% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the engine (122 mentions), followed by the exhaust system (53).
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.