2001 Toyota 4RUNNER Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 4RUNNER years
- More complaints than other years 10th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 185 complaints with NHTSA about the 2001 Toyota 4RUNNER. That ranks 10th out of 32 4RUNNER model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is structure (81 complaints, 44%), typically at around 129,000 miles. Complaints mention 10 crashes, 1 fire, 12 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 185owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 10complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2001 Toyota 4RUNNER 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 problems | 81 | 44% | 129,000 | “frame rusted” (19%) | — |
| Power Train | 32 | 17% | 121,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 27 | 15% | 130,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 23 | 12% | 169,500 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 13 | 7% | 112,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 8 | 4% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 8 | 4% | 120,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 7 | 4% | 18,517 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 6 | 3% | 109,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 6 | 3% | 110,500 | — | — |
| Engine | 5 | 3% | 112,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 3% | 135,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 3 | 2% | 115,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 1% | 123,500 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 2 | 1% | 120,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 1% | 98,005 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 1% | 67,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1% | 198,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2001 Toyota 4RUNNER recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint
Problem: On certain sport utility vehicles, due to a manufacturing issue in the front suspension lower ball joint, there is a possibility that the surface of the ball of the joint may have been scratched. The ball joint may eventually experience excessive wear and looseness, resulting in increased steering effort.
Risk: The lower ball joint may separate from the knuckle causing loss of steering control and a crash could occur.
Fix: Dealers will replace the front suspension lower ball joints free of charge. The recall began on july 5, 2005. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
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.
The contact owns a 2001 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH, there was a thumping and clicking sound coming from the front of the vehicle before the front passengerâs side of the vehicle unintendedly lowered. The vehicle was stopped and inspected, and the…
I bought my 4Runner in 2021 and am just now getting ready to sell it. Did a carfax report and it shows a possible odometer rollback that the previous owner did in 2020. When I bought the vehicle it was my understanding that the vehicle had only 160,000 miles on it but it apparently had 236,900…
Rusted Frame Cracked by back driver side tire
Frame has rotted out along with a lot more rust problems
The contact owns a 2001 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that he noticed a swaying while driving the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who stated that the sub frame was severely rusted between the sway bar and the differential. The certified mechanic referred the contact to…
Other Toyota 4RUNNER years
← 2000 4RUNNER · 2002 4RUNNER →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 4RUNNER | 7 | 2 |
| 2025 4RUNNER | 60 | 1 |
| 2024 4RUNNER | 9 | 1 |
| 2023 4RUNNER | 32 | 1 |
| 2022 4RUNNER | 39 | 3 |
| 2021 4RUNNER | 36 | 1 |
| 2020 4RUNNER | 33 | 1 |
| 2019 4RUNNER | 65 | 4 |
| 2018 4RUNNER | 58 | 5 |
| 2017 4RUNNER | 36 | 5 |
| 2016 4RUNNER | 79 | 8 |
| 2015 4RUNNER | 86 | 9 |
| 2014 4RUNNER | 77 | 7 |
| 2013 4RUNNER | 36 | 6 |
| 2012 4RUNNER | 96 | 8 |
| 2011 4RUNNER | 163 | 10 |
| 2010 4RUNNER | 146 | 12 |
| 2009 4RUNNER | 22 | 6 |
| 2008 4RUNNER | 96 | 5 |
| 2007 4RUNNER | 154 | 5 |
| 2006 4RUNNER | 381 | 5 |
| 2005 4RUNNER | 425 | 5 |
| 2004 4RUNNER | 678 | 2 |
| 2003 4RUNNER | 695 | 3 |
| 2002 4RUNNER | 225 | 1 |
| 2001 | 185 | 1 |
| 2000 4RUNNER | 483 | 0 |
| 1999 4RUNNER | 330 | 0 |
| 1998 4RUNNER | 250 | 1 |
| 1997 4RUNNER | 261 | 1 |
| 1996 4RUNNER | 161 | 2 |
| 1995 4RUNNER | 172 | 1 |
See all Toyota 4RUNNER 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 2001 Toyota 4RUNNER?
Owners most often report structure, power train, suspension problems. The top one, structure, accounts for 81 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2001 Toyota 4RUNNER?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2001 Toyota 4RUNNER a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 4RUNNER model years, the 2001 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.