Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 1988 Toyota 4RUNNER
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Tires
325.0%
Lights
216.7%
Transmission & Drivetrain
216.7%
Engine & Cooling
216.7%
Other & Unspecified
18.3%
Seat Belts
18.3%
Body & Structure
18.3%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Mar 1997peak 2Jan 2002
Recalls on the 1988 Toyota 4RUNNER
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 1988019837 units in Canada
Fuel System
DUE TO A POSSIBLE IMPROPER ROUTING DURING INSTALLATION, THE FUEL HOSE MAY HAVE INADEQUATE CLEARANCE TO THE EGR PIPE. IN THE MOST SEVERE CASES, THE HEAT FROM THE EGR PIPE MAY CAUSE THE HOSE TO CRACK AND RESULT IN FUEL LEAKAGE AND A POSSIBLE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. CORRECTION: FUEL HOSE WILL BE REROUTED AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACED.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Kearney, NE2 injured
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
BUMPER IS LOCATED TOO HIGH CAUSING DAMAGE DURING A COLLISION; SEAT BELT UNLATCHED IN ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #530357 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Kearney, NE2 injured
STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS
BUMPER IS LOCATED TOO HIGH CAUSING DAMAGE DURING A COLLISION; SEAT BELT UNLATCHED IN ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #530357 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
SAN Jose, CA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING. VEHICLE RAN POORLY, AND THERE WAS LITTLE HESITATION.
NHTSA complaint #8001897 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Westchester, PA
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
WHEN USING HIGH BEAMS OR TURN SIGNALS HEADLIGHTS WILL TURN OFF. CONSUMER MUST WIGGLE/TOGGLE SWITCH FOR HEADLIGHTS TO TURN BACK ON.
NHTSA complaint #875470 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Westchester, PA
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:SWITCH
WHEN USING HIGH BEAMS OR TURN SIGNALS HEADLIGHTS WILL TURN OFF. CONSUMER MUST WIGGLE/TOGGLE SWITCH FOR HEADLIGHTS TO TURN BACK ON.
NHTSA complaint #875470 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Venice, CA
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TREAD SEPARATION ON LEFT REAR TIRE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: VOYTAXC124 TIRE SIZE: 3211.5015 )
NHTSA complaint #732411 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Venice, CA
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TREAD SEPARATION ON LEFT REAR TIRE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: VOYTAXC124 TIRE SIZE: 3211.5015 )
NHTSA complaint #732411 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Austin, TX
TIRES
DRIVING TO WORK ON THE HIGHWAY ABOUT 9 AM, THE TIRE TORE ITSELF OPEN WITHOUT WARNING. I HAD NOTICED THE NIGHT BEFORE THAT IT WAS SLIGHTLY UNDERINFLATED, AS IF FROM A SLOW LEAK -- BUT NOTHING SUBSTANTIAL. WHAT WAS ASTONISHING WAS THE SHEER DEGREE OF DESTRUCTION. IT WAS AS IF SOMEONE HAD INSERTED A SAW AND RIPPED THE SIDEWALL OPEN THROUGH 180 DEGREES OF ARC. THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN AND STOP WITHOUT SERIOUS INCIDENT.( DOT NUMBER: W2HHAWB505 TIRE SIZE: P225/75R15 )
NHTSA complaint #728219 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sarasota, FL
POWER TRAIN
NOT SURE I ANSWERED ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS PROPERLY. SO TO SUMMARIZE, I JUST HAD MY 5TH SPEEDOMETER CABLE INSTALLED IN MY VEHICLE. THEY LAST 2 YEARS (HAVE A 1 YEAR WARRANTY). THIS TIME I ALSO REPLACED THE SPEEDOMETER HEAD. DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT TO ME AND TOYOTA WAS OF NO HELP.
NHTSA complaint #704850 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Washington, DC
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH, VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER
NHTSA complaint #780330 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Danville, KY
NO SUMMARY
NHTSA complaint #540223 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Kearney, NE2 injured
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
BUMPER IS LOCATED TOO HIGH CAUSING DAMAGE DURING A COLLISION; SEAT BELT UNLATCHED IN ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #530357 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Kearney, NE2 injured
STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS
BUMPER IS LOCATED TOO HIGH CAUSING DAMAGE DURING A COLLISION; SEAT BELT UNLATCHED IN ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #530357 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Merrimack, NH
POWER TRAIN:AXLE HUBS
4-WHEEL DRIVE LOCKING HUBS FAIL, CAUSING VEHICLE TO JERK/GRAB.
NHTSA complaint #515426 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.