FaultScore

1999 Toyota 4 Runner engine problems

13 of the 134 complaints about the 1999 Toyota 4 Runner are about the engine — 10% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 79,000 miles.

A

13

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Gasoline 7 53.8%
Engine AND Engine Cooling 2 15.4%
Engine 1 7.7%
Emission Control 1 7.7%
Belts AND Associated Pulleys 1 7.7%
Catalytic Convertor 1 7.7%

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 111,000 miles Goleto, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STALLS AND THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO RESOLVE. THE CONTACT IS UNSURE IF THIS IS THE ENGINE AND THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE ALSO HAS A CONTINUOUS KNOCKING SOUND, AND A INTERMITTENT STALLING PROBLEM. ALSO THE VEHICLE HAS A VIBRATION WHEN IT IS ACCELERATING OVER 50 MILES PER HOUR.

NHTSA complaint #10164245 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 83,500 miles Omaha, NE

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS

(1) HIGH PITCHED ENGINE SQUEAK; ASSUMED WORN BELT. (2) MAIN PULLEY KEY LOCKING MAIN PULLEY TO CRANK SHAFT HAD SHEARED INTO TWO PIECES. ONE PIECE LOST. PULLEY MOVED OUT OF POSITION, STRESSING BELT AND CAUSING NOISE. REMAINING PIECE OF THE KEY WAS EMBEDDED AND FUSED INTO THE CRANK SHAFT. PULLEY KEY IS $ PART. OBVIOUSLY, NOT DURABLE ENOUGH FOR CRITICAL ENGINE PART, WHICH WHEN FAILS CAN RUIN THE ENTIRE ENGINE. EVEN 500 X THE $ COST WOULD BE WORTH HAVING TITANIUM OR TUNGSTEN STEEL PART THAT WOULD NEVER FAIL. TOYOTA IS CUTTING CORNERS, SACRIFICING QUALITY IN THE NAME OF PROFIT. I RISKED HAVING TO REPLACE THE ENGINE -- A $9,000 CONSIDERATION. (3) FORTUNATELY OLD MILL TOYOTA (OMAHA, NEBRASKA. WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE FUSED PART AND SAVE THE ENGINE. A PROPERLY ENGINEERED PART, EVEN AT MUCH GREATER COST, WOULD HAVE PROTECTED ME FROM THIS RISK.

NHTSA complaint #10148479 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 79,000 miles Burnsville, MN

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

1999-TOYOTA 4-RUNNER STARTED TO CONVULSE,SEIZE, AND SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY, OIL WAS POURING OUT ALL OVER THE FREEWAY. THE CAR WAS NOT CONTROLLABLE IN FREEWAY TRAFFIC AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. THE CAR WAS PERFECTLY MAINTAINED. TOYOTA REFUSED TO EVALUATE THE PROBLEM. INDEPENDENT EXPERT DIAGNOSED A "HOLE IN THE BLOCK FROM A DEFECTIVE CONNECTING ROD WHICH HAD SHOT THROUGH THE ENGINE WALL" TOYOTA REFUSES ANY RESPONSIBILITY!!

NHTSA complaint #10143577 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 74,000 miles Indianapolis, IN

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

"THREW A ROD" WHILE HWY DRIVING. ENGINE SEIZED. ALL SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE ON TIME INCLUDING OIL CHANGES. LAST OIL CHANGE 2 MONTHS PRIOR. NO WARNING.

NHTSA complaint #10069378 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 48,000 miles Albuquerque, NM

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

VEHICLE STALLS AND DIES ON FREEWAY ALMOST CAUSING WRECK. FIND OUT THERE IS NO FUEL IN TANK EVEN THOUGH FUEL GAUGE READS 1/2. TOYOTA SAYS TSB EL010-00 ADDRESSES KNOWN DEFECTIVE 1999 AND 2000 FUEL GAUGES AND ALSO ADDRESSES SOME GAUGES INACCURATELY READING EMPTY WHEN 4 GALLONS REMAIN, BUT MY VEHICLE IS A FEW MONTHS AND MILES OUT OF WARRANTY SO TOY WILL NOT PAY FOR FIX. NO ENGINE, NO STEERING, NO BRAKES, LOTS OF TRAFFIC....

NHTSA complaint #10000216 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Farmington Hills, MI

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

CONSUMER STATES THAT THERE IS OIL ON THE ENGINE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. MR

NHTSA complaint #8020721 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Glendale, AZ

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING INTERMITTENT STALLING FROM 18,000 MILES UP TO THE PRESENT 22,000 MILES AT 25 MPH IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN DEALER'S SHOP FOR REPAIRS. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. *AK

NHTSA complaint #863147 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Powder Springs, GA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #858119 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

DES Allemands, LA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC VEHICLE STALLED UNEXPECTEDLY AND WON'T RESTART AFTER 4 TIMES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #857775 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Tampa, FL

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

THE VEHICLE STALLS AND DIES, GIVING THE DRIVER NO INDICATION. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #840898 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Panama City, FL

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

VEHICLE STALLS/QUITS WHEN BRAKING, USUALLY BETWEEN 0 AND 10 MPH. STARTED AFTER HAVING VEHICLE FOR 2 WEEKS. DEALER FIRST VISIT, THEY COULD FIND NO PROBLEMS. SECOND VISIT, CHANGED THROTTLE BODY, DID NOT SOLVE PROBLEM. SAID IT WAS PART OF A GROUP THAT NEEDS NEW COMPUTER, THAT DID NOT HELP EITHER, SAID IT MAY BE THE TRANSMISSION. PROBLEM STILL NOT SOLVED. TOYOTA TECH LINE TOLD THE LOCAL DEALER IT MUST BE A FLUKE JUST GIVE IT BACK TO THE CUSTOMER (ME). I GIVE A LOT OF CREDIT TO THE LOCAL DEALER SERVICE PERSONNEL, THEY TOLD ME THIS AND TOLD ME IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THEY ARE WORKING THE PROBLEM AND GAVE ME A LOANER CAR. PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE, AT FIRST IT WAS OCCASIONALLY, BUT NOW IT IS STILL INTERMITENT, BUT WILL OCCUR NUMEROUS TIMES A DAY, IF YOU DRIVE IT.

NHTSA complaint #707645 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Union City, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL

THE FOLLOWING WORK ORDER WAS GIVEN TO ME. FOUND DCT # PO420 INEFFECIENT CATALYTIC CONVERTER. TESTED A/F SENSOR IT WAS GOOD, IT MEASURED 1.8 OHMS. TESTED 02 SENSOR IT MEASURED 19.0 OHMS N@ 1800 DEGREES. DIAGNOSED SWITCHED GROUNDS AT E.C.U. E10 # 8 AND # 17 . REMOVED AND SWITCHED WIRES TO THE CORRECT POSITIONS. ERACED CODE IN ECU MEMORY.

NHTSA complaint #707446 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Union City, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR

THE FOLLOWING WORK ORDER WAS GIVEN TO ME. FOUND DCT # PO420 INEFFECIENT CATALYTIC CONVERTER. TESTED A/F SENSOR IT WAS GOOD, IT MEASURED 1.8 OHMS. TESTED 02 SENSOR IT MEASURED 19.0 OHMS N@ 1800 DEGREES. DIAGNOSED SWITCHED GROUNDS AT E.C.U. E10 # 8 AND # 17 . REMOVED AND SWITCHED WIRES TO THE CORRECT POSITIONS. ERACED CODE IN ECU MEMORY.

NHTSA complaint #707446 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1999 Toyota 4 Runner problems

← Full 1999 Toyota 4 Runner report