Toyota 4RUNNER Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 362 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the Toyota 4RUNNER across 16 model years. The 1995 model year has the most (107). The words owners use most often: “head gasket” (25% of reports).
- 362engine and engine cooling complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 5mention a crash
- 11mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $4,700typical repair cost reported by owners
- 34%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.
- Head gasket: mentioned in 92 of 362 complaints (25%)
- Sulfur smell: mentioned in 30 of 362 complaints (8%)
- Rotten egg: mentioned in 25 of 362 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine and engine cooling repair on the Toyota 4RUNNER at $4,700, and half of them between $3,600 and $9,900.
Based on 23 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2000–2011), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 189 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 362 complaints, 5 mention a crash, 6 a fire, 11 an injury.
Toyota 4RUNNER engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 4RUNNER | 1 | 3% | 47,000 |
| 2009 4RUNNER | 2 | 9% | 39,901 |
| 2008 4RUNNER | 2 | 2% | 23,711 |
| 2007 4RUNNER | 7 | 5% | 7,600 |
| 2006 4RUNNER | 11 | 3% | 24,000 |
| 2005 4RUNNER | 10 | 2% | 13,550 |
| 2004 4RUNNER | 25 | 4% | 1,826 |
| 2003 4RUNNER | 89 | 13% | 500 |
| 2002 4RUNNER | 12 | 5% | 76,000 |
| 2001 4RUNNER | 13 | 7% | 112,000 |
| 2000 4RUNNER | 13 | 3% | 125,000 |
| 1999 4RUNNER | 15 | 5% | 97,250 |
| 1998 4RUNNER | 16 | 6% | 58,250 |
| 1997 4RUNNER | 14 | 5% | 130,000 |
| 1996 4RUNNER | 25 | 16% | 113,413 |
| 1995 4RUNNER | 107 | 62% | 119,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
Model years: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
Problem: 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 behind the vehicle.
Risk: Contact with an exhaust tip may result in personal injury.
Fix: 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. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET16D.
Engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
Model years: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
Problem: 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 the vehicle.
Risk: Contact with an exhaust tip may result in personal injury.
Fix: 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. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for the recall is SET15D.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2022 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed on the freeway, the vehicle lost motive power. The 4WD error and various other unknown warning lights and messages were illuminated. The contact managed to pull over and stated that smoke was seen…
I bought my 2003 toyota 4runner less than a year ago from an auto group (toyota, honda, ect) and had them perform a safety inspection. Since it was used i knew there would be some issues, the only problem it had was the recommended service wasn't completed at 90k miles (timing belt, water pump…
Hi, i have a 2000 toyota 4 runner. It has a little over 200k miles and i took it in for service to have the timing belt and water pump replaced. I drive the vehicle daily. The mechanic did not perform the work because he noticed the frame had rusted through and recommended to not drive the vehicle…
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 toyota 4runner. The contact stated that the frame was severely rusted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the technician diagnosed that the frame was entirely corroded. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure…
While in process of replacing serpentine belt and idler pulleys on engine, i noticed (after removing lower engine shield under vehicle) significant rust damage to front frame segment under radiator support. The right side tow hook and corner of frame it was mounted to fell off in my hand when i…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Toyota 4RUNNERs have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 362 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the Toyota 4RUNNER. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Toyota 4RUNNER engine and engine cooling?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list engine and engine cooling. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix engine and engine cooling problems on the Toyota 4RUNNER?
Owners report a typical cost of $4,700 (half paid between $3,600 and $9,900), from 23 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the Toyota 4RUNNER?
The most frequent phrase is “head gasket”, in 92 of 362 complaints, followed by “sulfur smell” (30).
Other Toyota 4RUNNER problems
- Structure problems (1,789)
- Suspension problems (905)
- Air Bags problems (523)
- Power Train problems (405)
- Steering problems (310)
- Service Brakes problems (285)
- Electrical System problems (248)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (238)
See all Toyota 4RUNNER problems.