1996 Toyota 4 Runner Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 4 Runner years
- More complaints than other years 13th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 161 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Toyota 4 Runner. That ranks 13th out of 32 4 Runner model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is structure (42 complaints, 26%), typically at around 185,000 miles. Complaints mention 17 crashes, 1 fire, 16 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 161owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 17complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 Toyota 4 Runner problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structure | 42 | 26% | 185,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 39 | 24% | 184,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 25 | 16% | 113,413 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 16 | 10% | 84,500 | — | — |
| Tires | 14 | 9% | 162,600 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 11 | 7% | 202,500 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 9 | 6% | 75,001 | — | — |
| Visibility | 6 | 4% | 256,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 5 | 3% | 155,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 3% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 4 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Electrical System | 3 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 2% | 205,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 3 | 2% | 138,000 | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 1% | 138,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 1% | 205,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1% | 150,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 1% | 179,300 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 Toyota 4 Runner recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Suspension
Problem: On certain 2-wheel-drive (2wd) and 4-wheel-drive (4wd) 4runner sport utility vehicles, a combination of heavy loading (simultaneous loading to rear gross axle weight rating and gross vehicle weight rating) and severe steering maneuvers could cause the 2wd 4runner to lose directional stability.
Risk: This may result in a loss of control and could increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace rear suspension parts. Although the 4wd 4runners do not exhibit the handling condition, toyota will recall these vehicles to avoid any public confusion as to which vehicles should receive the replacement parts. Owner notification began february 28, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Equipment:other:labels
Problem: The sticker required by part 575, "consumer information regulations" to alert the driver of "the particular handling and maneuvering characteristics of utility vehicles" was not affixed to the driver's side sun visor.
Risk: Consequence of non-compliance: owners may not be aware of the handling and manuevering characteristics of this vehicle increasing the risk of a vehicle accident.
Fix: Dealers will replace the sun visors on the affected vehicles with visors containing the correct labels.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
I have noticed that my vehicle doesnât seem to be balance and most of the time i am afraid the tires will fall off by the movement of the vehicle. And the metal parts that attachment part it looks very bad on the metal parts like it rusted so bad. I hope they will be able to figure out whats…
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 toyota 4runner. The contact stated while driving 70 mph, the sun roof detached and flew off the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure…
My vehicle has been slipping a lot causing me to lose control of the vehicle it's not the first time it has happened just recently it happened again and i was told to check if there was a recall on the vehicle but there wasn't but after researching my 4runner i've read there was some recalls on the…
The rear axle/suspension is completely rusted out. Just took it to my auto shop for an oil change and they will not put it up for an oil change because they are afraid it will collapse.
The axel support rusted off causing it to separate from the frame. This results in a dangerous condition
Other Toyota 4 Runner years
← 1995 4 Runner · 1997 4 Runner →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 4 Runner | 7 | 2 |
| 2025 4 Runner | 60 | 1 |
| 2024 4 Runner | 9 | 1 |
| 2023 4 Runner | 32 | 1 |
| 2022 4 Runner | 39 | 3 |
| 2021 4 Runner | 36 | 1 |
| 2020 4 Runner | 33 | 1 |
| 2019 4 Runner | 65 | 4 |
| 2018 4 Runner | 58 | 5 |
| 2017 4 Runner | 36 | 5 |
| 2016 4 Runner | 79 | 8 |
| 2015 4 Runner | 86 | 9 |
| 2014 4 Runner | 77 | 7 |
| 2013 4 Runner | 36 | 6 |
| 2012 4 Runner | 96 | 8 |
| 2011 4 Runner | 163 | 10 |
| 2010 4 Runner | 146 | 12 |
| 2009 4 Runner | 22 | 6 |
| 2008 4 Runner | 96 | 5 |
| 2007 4 Runner | 154 | 5 |
| 2006 4 Runner | 381 | 5 |
| 2005 4 Runner | 425 | 5 |
| 2004 4 Runner | 678 | 2 |
| 2003 4 Runner | 695 | 3 |
| 2002 4 Runner | 225 | 1 |
| 2001 4 Runner | 185 | 1 |
| 2000 4 Runner | 483 | 0 |
| 1999 4 Runner | 330 | 0 |
| 1998 4 Runner | 250 | 1 |
| 1997 4 Runner | 261 | 1 |
| 1996 | 161 | 2 |
| 1995 4 Runner | 172 | 1 |
See all Toyota 4 Runner problems by year, every Toyota model, or the Toyota VIN decoder.
Similar Toyota models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Toyota 4 Runner?
Owners most often report structure, suspension, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, structure, accounts for 42 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Toyota 4 Runner?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1996 Toyota 4 Runner a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 4 Runner model years, the 1996 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.