FaultScore

2000 Toyota 4 Runner transmission problems

12 of the 118 complaints about the 2000 Toyota 4 Runner are about the transmission — 10% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 82,000 miles.

F

12

Complaints

2

Crashes

0

Fires

2

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Automatic Transmission 2 16.7%
Manual Transmission 1 8.3%
Pedal/Hand Lever(Motorcycle) 1 8.3%
Axle Assembly 1 8.3%
Column Shift 1 8.3%
Driveshaft 1 8.3%
Axle Shaft 1 8.3%
Clutch Assembly 1 8.3%
Seal 1 8.3%
Constant Velocity Joint 1 8.3%

Transmission & Drivetrain across every Toyota 4 Runner year

1995 13 18.8%
1997 15 21.7%
2000 12 17.4%
2003 19 27.5%
2004 10 14.5%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 82,000 miles Katy, TX

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

I HAD A COMPLETE FAILURE OF MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IN MY 2000 4RUNNER SR5. I WAS TRAVELING AT ABOUT 65 MPH WHEN I COMPLETELY LOST POWER. THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS OF A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THIS. THE MOTOR WAS RACING BUT NO POWER WAS GETTING TO THE WHEELS. IT WAS A SUDDEN AND TOTAL LOSS OF POWER TRANSMISSION. I HAD TO COAST ACROSS THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC TO GET TO THE RIGHT AND WAS FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO EXIT THE FREEWAY. I THEN TRIED ALL GEARS INCLUDING REVERSE BUT NONE WORKED THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. A USED TRANSMISSION WAS USED (REBUILT WAS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR CONSIDERABLY MORE MONEY). NO REAL DIAGNOSIS WAS MADE OF THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE VEHICLE AND TRANSMISSION HAD ABOUT 82000 MILES USAGE AT THE TIME. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS PERIODICALLY CHECKED AND ALWAYS WAS FINE BUT HAD NEVER BEEN REPLACED (THE OWNERS MANUAL SAYS TO CHECK IT EVERY 30000 MILES, BUT DOESN'T SAY TO REPLACE IT UNLESS OPERATING UNDER SPECIAL CONDITIONS LIKE TOWING WHICH I NEVER DID).

NHTSA complaint #10163897 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 85,254 miles Redding, CA

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT

LOUD NOISE IN REAR END OF VEHICLE. TOYOTA DEALERSHIP KEPT SAYING IT WAS MY TIRES. UNTIL, I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC. REAR DIFFERENTIAL FAILURE AT 85,000 MILES. FRONT & REAR BEARINGS WERE GAULDED. "NEVER" DROVE 4 RUNNER UNDER SPECIAL CONDITIONS! VEHICLE MAINTENANCE WAS ALWAYS KEPT UP TO DATE. HAVE "ALL" RECORDS. REAR DIFFERENTIAL PINION BEARINGS, CARRIER BEARINGS, CRUSH SLEEVE, PINION SEAL, DIFFERENTIAL GASKET, SPACER AND GEAR OIL ALL HAD TO BE REPLACED AND REPAIRED. WHEN ASKED TO SEE OLD PARTS. WE WERE TOLD THEY WERE SENT BACK TO TOYOTA!

NHTSA complaint #10154494 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 91,000 miles Osterville, MA

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT

THE CV JOINT BOLT AND CLIP ON MY 2000 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER FELL OFF CAUSING THE SPINDLE TO BEND, THE AXLE AND CV JOINT TO BE DESTROYED. THE CLIP COULDN'T BE FOUND, ONLY THE BOLT. LUCKILY WE WERE IN A PARKING LOT OR SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. WE MET A MECHANIC WHO HAD JUST SEEN THE SAME PROBLEM W/ ANOTHER 4 RUNNER AND WE LIVE IN A SMALL COMMUNITY.

NHTSA complaint #10147507 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 91,000 miles Osterville, MA

POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT:SEAL

THE CV JOINT BOLT AND CLIP ON MY 2000 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER FELL OFF CAUSING THE SPINDLE TO BEND, THE AXLE AND CV JOINT TO BE DESTROYED. THE CLIP COULDN'T BE FOUND, ONLY THE BOLT. LUCKILY WE WERE IN A PARKING LOT OR SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. WE MET A MECHANIC WHO HAD JUST SEEN THE SAME PROBLEM W/ ANOTHER 4 RUNNER AND WE LIVE IN A SMALL COMMUNITY.

NHTSA complaint #10147507 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Parsippany, NJ 1 injured

POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT

THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BENT TO THE RIGHT, OUT OF CONTROL, THEN HIT THE DIVIDER AS A RESULT OF A BROKEN AXLE. *BF IT WAS FOUND THAT THE AXLE CENTER WAS TOTALLY BROKEN AS A RESULT OF THE TIRE GOING OUT. THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCE EMOTIONAL STREES AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #10109397 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 46 miles Littlestown, PA

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT

VEHICLE MAKES A "CLUNK" OR "BUMP" IN THE REAR AFTER COMING TO A STOP AND RELEASING THE BRAKE. SHIFTER ALSO JUMPS FORWARD DURRING THE "CLUNK".

NHTSA complaint #10033250 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 40,000 miles Kamuela, HI

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

MY 2000 TOYOTA FOUR RUNNER TRANSMISSION MAKES A LOUD WHINING NOISE AND WHEN I PUSH THE CLUTCH PEDAL DOWN IT GETS STUCK . I AM UNABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE OUT OF GEAR AND THE VEHICLE KEEPS ROLLING. THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE TURNED OFF TO STOP FROM GETTING INTO ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #10025327 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 40,000 miles Kamuela, HI

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

MY 2000 TOYOTA FOUR RUNNER TRANSMISSION MAKES A LOUD WHINING NOISE AND WHEN I PUSH THE CLUTCH PEDAL DOWN IT GETS STUCK . I AM UNABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE OUT OF GEAR AND THE VEHICLE KEEPS ROLLING. THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE TURNED OFF TO STOP FROM GETTING INTO ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #10025327 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Sugar Land, TX Crash 1 injured

POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY

REAR AXLE BROKE CAUSING VEHICLE TO ROLLOVER 3 TIMES. MR

NHTSA complaint #767768 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Vallejo, CA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT

TRANSFER CASE EXPLODED OFF THE VEHICLE AT 75 MPH WHILE TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. THE TRANSFER CASE NO LONGER EXISTS, DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION, FRONT AND REAR DRIVE SHAFTS AND MUFFLER.

NHTSA complaint #766800 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Crockett, VA Crash

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #748353 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Baltimore, MD

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE)

THERE IS NOISE COMING FROM CLUTCH PEDAL WHICH CAUSED PREMATURE FAILURE OF CLUTCH.

NHTSA complaint #878180 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2000 Toyota 4 Runner problems

← Full 2000 Toyota 4 Runner report