1997 Toyota 4RUNNER Suspension Problems
Owners have filed 95 complaints with NHTSA about suspension problems on the 1997 Toyota 4RUNNER, 36% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 170,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “rear suspension” (17% of reports).
- 95suspension complaints
- 170,000median miles at failure
- 10mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 40%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Rear suspension: mentioned in 16 of 95 complaints (17%)
- Frame rusted: mentioned in 9 of 95 complaints (9%)
- Ball joint: mentioned in 6 of 95 complaints (6%)
- Trailing arm: mentioned in 5 of 95 complaints (5%)
At what mileage do suspension problems happen?
Based on 59 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 95 complaints, 10 mention a crash, 2 an injury.
Toyota 4RUNNER suspension complaints by model year
| Model year | Suspension complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 4RUNNER | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2023 4RUNNER | 2 | 6% | — |
| 2022 4RUNNER | 6 | 15% | — |
| 2021 4RUNNER | 10 | 28% | 350 |
| 2020 4RUNNER | 4 | 12% | 28,650 |
| 2019 4RUNNER | 7 | 11% | 18,750 |
| 2018 4RUNNER | 4 | 7% | 22,000 |
| 2017 4RUNNER | 2 | 6% | 45,000 |
| 2016 4RUNNER | 9 | 11% | 18,445 |
| 2015 4RUNNER | 10 | 12% | 39,489 |
| 2014 4RUNNER | 3 | 4% | 50,000 |
| 2013 4RUNNER | 1 | 3% | 55,821 |
| 2012 4RUNNER | 2 | 2% | 1,300 |
| 2011 4RUNNER | 3 | 2% | — |
| 2010 4RUNNER | 5 | 3% | 149,500 |
| 2009 4RUNNER | 2 | 9% | 99,500 |
| 2008 4RUNNER | 11 | 11% | 83,600 |
| 2007 4RUNNER | 14 | 9% | 104,500 |
| 2006 4RUNNER | 65 | 17% | 125,000 |
| 2005 4RUNNER | 77 | 18% | 127,500 |
| 2004 4RUNNER | 113 | 17% | 138,000 |
| 2003 4RUNNER | 114 | 16% | 149,000 |
| 2002 4RUNNER | 49 | 22% | 128,265 |
| 2001 4RUNNER | 27 | 15% | 130,500 |
| 2000 4RUNNER | 102 | 21% | 165,000 |
| 1999 4RUNNER | 66 | 20% | 181,800 |
| 1998 4RUNNER | 60 | 24% | 170,000 |
| 1997 4RUNNER | 95 | 36% | 170,000 |
| 1996 4RUNNER | 39 | 24% | 184,000 |
| 1995 4RUNNER | 2 | 1% | 163,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I have had this vehicle since 12/1997 and it had always been garaged. The body is in very good condition. I live in northern Wisconsin and road salt is prevalent during the harsh winters. At the first part od April I was driving on Hwy, 47 toward Minocqua and suddenly the steering felt vague. I…
Purchased a used 1997 4-runner with ca. 258000 miles early in 2020. Engine and whole body was good. However, 6 month later the car started to shake violently in the rear at highway speeds swinging like a boat, which i though was due to a broken shock, springs were newly installed in 2020. I noticed…
Rear fram stabilizer brace rusted out and broke away from frame, so axle to frame stalizer does not stabilize rear axle
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1997 Toyota 4RUNNERs have suspension problems?
No. NHTSA has 95 owner complaints about suspension for the 1997 Toyota 4RUNNER (36% of the 261 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Toyota 4RUNNER suspension?
Yes: 1 safety recall list suspension. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do suspension problems start?
The median reported mileage is 170,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about suspension problems on the 1997 Toyota 4RUNNER?
The most frequent phrase is “rear suspension”, in 16 of 95 complaints, followed by “frame rusted” (9).
Other 1997 Toyota 4RUNNER problems
- Structure problems (76)
See all 1997 Toyota 4RUNNER problems or suspension problems across all 4RUNNER years.