FaultScore

1998 Toyota 4 Runner engine problems

15 of the 135 complaints about the 1998 Toyota 4 Runner are about the engine — 11% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 57,000 miles.

D

15

Complaints

1

Crashes

1

Fires

1

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Gasoline 8 53.3%
Engine 5 33.3%
Exhaust System 1 6.7%
Emission Control 1 6.7%

Engine & Cooling across every Toyota 4 Runner year

1994 23 8.6%
1995 83 31.1%
1996 25 9.4%
1997 11 4.1%
1998 15 5.6%
1999 13 4.9%
2003 78 29.2%
2004 19 7.1%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 57,000 miles Conroe, TX

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

I WAS DRIVING ON HWY. 45 ABOUT 65 MPH. MY SISTER AND NEPHEW WERE IN THE VEHICLE WITH ME. ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE HEARD A LOUD POP. I FELT THE POWER GO OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND PROCEEDED TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE FREEWAY - ALMOST HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE. MY NEPHEW SAID IT SOUNDED LIKE WE GOT A FLAT TIRE. THEN WE NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN WE GO TOUT, WE NOTICED OIL ON THE GROUND -UNDER THE VEHICLE. WE LIFTED THE HOOD - AND NOTICED A HOLE IN THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO A GAS STATION, AND THEN PICKED UP THE NEXT DAY BY THE REPAIR SHOP. THE VEHICLE IS UNDER WARRANTY WITH GAP INSURANCE. THE REPAIR SHOP IS TELLING ME THE WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER IT, AND THAT IT IS NOT A MANUFACTURE MALFUNCTION. I ALSO HAD JUST WITHIN LESS THAN A MONTH AGO, HAD TO HAVE THE STARTER REPLACED, PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING.

NHTSA complaint #10122412 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 51,700 miles Houston, TX

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

WITH 50 000 MILES, CONNECTING ROD BROKE WHILE DURING NORMAL USE, SHOT OUT THE ENGINE BLOCK, FLUID SPILLED, ENGINE SEIZED AND CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE TO ENGINE BLOCK; NEW ENGINE REQUIRED.

NHTSA complaint #10110703 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 59,500 miles Marietta, GA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

WE WERE ON VACATION DRIVING FROM ATLANTA, GA TO DAMARISCOTTA, ME. ON THE MORNING OF SATURDAY AUGUST 7, WE BEGAN OUR SECOND DAY OF TRAVEL JUST OUTSIDE OF HARRISBURG, PA. WE WERE ENTERING THE INTERSTATE WHEN WE HEARD A LOUD POP AND THE CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE BADLY. WE IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR, A 1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER WITH FEWER THAN 60,000 MILES ON IT, TO HARRISBURG TOYOTA. THE DEALER EVENTUALLY TOLD US WE HAD A BROKEN ROD AND NEED A SHORT BLOCK REPLACEMENT, FOR WHICH WE WERE CHARGED $5500, INCLUDING $3900 IN PARTS.

NHTSA complaint #10090768 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Plainville, MA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

CONSUMER STATED WHILE TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE WOULD STALL. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, TECHNICIAN NOTICED A MOUSE HAD CRAWLED INTO THE MASS AIR FLOW .

NHTSA complaint #10038120 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Walnut, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

THERE WAS AN UNFAMILIAR RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. *DT

NHTSA complaint #10009528 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LAS Vegas, NV

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING EXHAUST FUMES INSIDE THE VEHICLE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

NHTSA complaint #8022538 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Beverly Hills, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON DUE TO OXYGEN SENSOR FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #567514 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Huntington Beach, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON A MOUNTAIN/COMING DOWN AND EXITING, VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTDOWN, THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE. CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT VEHICLE WAS FINE. IT JUST NEEDS TO GET USED TO MOUNTAIN DRIVINGB (NOTE: THE VEHICLE HAS A SUPERCHARGER THAT THE DEALER ADDED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS NEW, ITS A TRD SUPERCHARGER). *AK

NHTSA complaint #8016777 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Severn, MD

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

WHILE ACCELERATING 55 MPH ENGINE SEIZED UP, LOSING COMPLETE POWER. OWNER DRIFTED TRUCK OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. DEALERSHIP STATED THAT ENGINE THREW A ROD. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.

NHTSA complaint #8015623 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Port Washington, NY

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

THE VEHICLE WAS GOING 15MPH ON WET PAVEMENT AND SUDDENLY BROKE INTO A 360 SPIN. THE ENGINE STALLED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSE ALL POWER, LOCKING THE BRAKES UP. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. NLM

NHTSA complaint #8007847 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Odessa, LA Crash

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

ENGINE FAILED TWICE WITHIN TWO MONTHS FOR NO REASON. BOTH TIMES SLOWING DOWN WHEN GOING TO TURN. NO ONE WAS HURT./// LOST CONTROL OF 4 RUNNER WHILE SLOWING DOWN FOR EXIT RAMP AT 35 MPH AND WET ROAD. SPEED WAS NOT EXCESSIVE FOR CONDITIONS. CAR SPUN HIT GUARD RAIL AND THEN HIT AND DID A 360. 4 DAYS LATER, DRY FREEWAY AT 70 MPH CAR SUDDENLY VEERED TO LEFT, SPUN 360 THEN INTO GRASS MEDIAN 360 , THEN 360 BACK ONTO FREEWAY AND CAME TO STOP, ONLY GOD COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS FROM BEING A DISASTER. TWO PASSENGERS, NO ONE WAS HURT. CAR COVERED WITH GRASS. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 16 )

NHTSA complaint #720858 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Riverside, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

VEHICLE EXPERIENCING ENGINE KNOCKING AND STALLING. YH

NHTSA complaint #609026 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LOS Lamos, NM

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER, ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN, AND THE INSTRUCTMENT PANEL LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.

NHTSA complaint #843349 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Homestead, FL

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

ENGINE STALLS WHILE DRIVING ,LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE DEFECT.

NHTSA complaint #831318 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Meadow BRI, WV Fire 3 injured

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

VEHICLE IN HEAD ON COLLISION, FIRE ERRUPTED IMMEDIATELY. (QCAW)

NHTSA complaint #538192 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1998 Toyota 4 Runner problems

← Full 1998 Toyota 4 Runner report