Toyota 4RUNNER Engine Problems
Owners have filed 150 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the Toyota 4RUNNER across 27 model years. The 2005 model year has the most (21). The words owners use most often: “head gasket” (15% of reports).
- 150engine complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 5mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $3,700typical repair cost reported by owners
- 43%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 23 of 150 complaints (15%)
- Engine vsc: mentioned in 8 of 150 complaints (5%)
- Secondary air: mentioned in 8 of 150 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the Toyota 4RUNNER at $3,700, and half of them between $3,000 and $5,100.
Based on 9 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2015–2024), 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 problems happen?
Based on 106 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 150 complaints, 5 mention a crash, 5 a fire, 3 an injury.
Toyota 4RUNNER engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 4RUNNER | 2 | 3% | 11,000 |
| 2024 4RUNNER | 1 | 11% | — |
| 2023 4RUNNER | 2 | 6% | — |
| 2022 4RUNNER | 1 | 3% | — |
| 2019 4RUNNER | 6 | 9% | 18,500 |
| 2018 4RUNNER | 5 | 9% | 24,700 |
| 2017 4RUNNER | 2 | 6% | 120 |
| 2016 4RUNNER | 6 | 8% | 4,867 |
| 2015 4RUNNER | 8 | 9% | 24,000 |
| 2014 4RUNNER | 6 | 8% | 63,480 |
| 2013 4RUNNER | 3 | 8% | 96,837 |
| 2012 4RUNNER | 5 | 5% | 47,100 |
| 2011 4RUNNER | 6 | 4% | 121,000 |
| 2010 4RUNNER | 3 | 2% | 69,000 |
| 2009 4RUNNER | 2 | 9% | 39,619 |
| 2008 4RUNNER | 7 | 7% | 119,000 |
| 2007 4RUNNER | 3 | 2% | 126,500 |
| 2006 4RUNNER | 7 | 2% | 124,101 |
| 2005 4RUNNER | 21 | 5% | 120,000 |
| 2004 4RUNNER | 18 | 3% | 136,500 |
| 2003 4RUNNER | 10 | 1% | 155,000 |
| 2002 4RUNNER | 5 | 2% | 120,000 |
| 2001 4RUNNER | 5 | 3% | 112,000 |
| 2000 4RUNNER | 4 | 1% | 171,065 |
| 1999 4RUNNER | 3 | 1% | 265,000 |
| 1996 4RUNNER | 1 | 1% | 205,000 |
| 1995 4RUNNER | 8 | 5% | 158,000 |
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.
So first off I had a Ford Escape and one day it wouldnât crank up and started beeping loud so I called and got it towed it sat in the shop for 3 days and they told me it was fixed they fixed the abs lights and was told it was ready and I didnât even make it out of shop and the car was running…
The vehicle was involved in an accident resulting in a roll-over (1.5 times) stopping inverted, on the roof. All the airbags deployed but the engine continued to run until manually shut off approximately 5 minutes after the accident.
Head gasket failure. 2005 toyota 4runner generation are notorious for head gasket failure. Due to the poor manufacturing of the gasket it has been deteriorating and has allowed coolant to leak into the cylinder causing misfires and possibly more damage internally. including permanent mechanical…
I am reporting what I believe is a design defect involving the Secondary Air Injection (SAI) System on my 2014 Toyota 4Runner. My vehicle illuminated the Check Engine Light and stored Diagnostic Trouble Code P2440 (Secondary Air Injection System Switching Valve Stuck Open). During my inspection, I…
We were traveling north on hwy 23 in southern Minnesota pulling a 5000 lb trailer in the rain and it was windy. When the road split to 4 lane I stepped on the gas to speed up from 55 to 65 and the vehicle studderd and lost all power. Many warning lights cam on and I think it said stop within .3…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Toyota 4RUNNERs have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 150 owner complaints about engine 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?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list engine. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the Toyota 4RUNNER?
Owners report a typical cost of $3,700 (half paid between $3,000 and $5,100), from 9 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the Toyota 4RUNNER?
The most frequent phrase is “head gasket”, in 23 of 150 complaints, followed by “engine vsc” (8).
Other Toyota 4RUNNER problems
- Structure problems (1,789)
- Suspension problems (906)
- Air Bags problems (524)
- Power Train problems (405)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (363)
- Steering problems (311)
- Service Brakes problems (286)
- Electrical System problems (248)
See all Toyota 4RUNNER problems.