26 of the
6,496 complaints filed about the Toyota 4RUNNER
are about the doors, latches and locks —
100% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2003.
The contact owns a 2023 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that the driver's side door failed to lock using the key fob or the buttons on the door. The doors had to be manually locked and unlocked. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was confirmed to be a known issue, and the locks were replaced. Shortly after the vehicle was repaired, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the failure was confirmed; however, the warranty coverage only provided a repair for the driver's side door. The failure had occurred on the passenger door and the rear driver’s side door, and the repairs were not covered under recall or warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 77,000. The VIN was not provided.
NHTSA complaint #11762125 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The power door lock actuators on both front doors of my 2021 Toyota 4Runner have failed. The problem developed progressively. The front door locks initially began working intermittently and became less reliable over time. Eventually, both front door lock actuators stopped operating. They have now been inoperative for more than six months. The front doors will not reliably lock or unlock using the vehicle's power locking system or key fob, while the rear power door locks continue to operate normally. I discussed the problem with a Toyota dealership and was told by dealership personnel that they have seen this door lock actuator failure happen countless times. Despite the apparent frequency of the problem, I am not aware of a recall covering my vehicle. I am concerned about the safety implications of multiple door lock actuators failing prematurely. The failure prevents the vehicle's power locking system from reliably securing or unlocking the front doors and could cause difficulty quickly unlocking a front door for a passenger or occupant in an emergency. There were no warning lights or dashboard messages before the failures. The primary warning was the progressively intermittent operation of each front door lock before it stopped functioning entirely. Both front doors experienced the same progressive malfunction. I am reporting this because the failure has affected multiple actuators on the same vehicle, has persisted for more than six months, and a Toyota dealership indicated that it has encountered this problem many times.
NHTSA complaint #11759381 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
After adjusting the vehicle lock sound level in the settings, it completely disabled my key fobs and the panic function on the key fob. Had to take to dealer to fix. Dealer had never seen the issue before. Been reported online many many times. Dealers and Toyota refuse to acknowledge a known issue.
NHTSA complaint #11680482 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My vehicle: 2003 4Runner SR5 2WD VIN: [XXX] Issue: Front driver's side door will not open. Electronic locks are operating, but the door release is not functioning. Safety Concern: What if I was in a situation where I did need to get out of the vehicle immediately? Such as a high-water incident, fire, etc. Especially for a person [XXX], as myself, this would be a big issue. When attempting to exit the car after pulling into the driveway, I could not open the driver's door. The locks would release, but the door latch would not. I had to crawl over the console to get out through the passenger side. This was not easy as I had back fusion surgery and 8 disc replaced, fused. I had to open the sunroof to help with get over and out. After I did get out, I tried the key in the driver's door, it would actuate the door locks on all doors, but the driver's side door latch would still not release. I even disconnected the battery and reconnected. No help. And after knowing more, it was not an electrical issue, but mechanical failure. I now have it at the repair shop after talking with Toyota Service manage who admitted it was a poor design as the repair for this is to destroy the door panel to get to the actuator to attempt to release the door latch. The estimate for this work is 1,150.00. I am beyond frustration, and especially when I see there is no recall for this issue. There are penty of conversations on this same issue on 4Runner forums as well as all over YouTube. Thank you for looking into this. You can reach me at: [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11662305 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I have owned my vehicle since 2017 and since then I have had to change the locks over 10 times. this has been ongoing since purchasing my car. Some were originally covered with the warranty but since it expired, i have paid dealerships out of pocket. I have a lock give out almost yearly. Right now my car has 3 of the 4 door locks not working and the 4th just started acting up as well. I have checked for recalls because it doesn't make sense that they would go out yearly and the dealerships have even told me there should be recalls because my year 4runner always has lock issues. my safety concern is my locks either have to stay unlocked or i risk locking my car completely and it not opening because the key will not unlock it. I have tried contacting Toyota and they have stated they cannot help so I am wanting to reach out to see if there is anything that can be done or if you can point me in the right direction on who i can reach out to . thank you
NHTSA complaint #11600914 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The door lock actuators have failed on both the driver side and passenger side front doors. Unfortunately this is a know issue across this model along with others and can be found in several forums. The problem is that the actuator gets stuck and at one point I was locked inside my car and once I was locked outside my car. If there was an emergency it could put mine and others safety at risk if the lock fails. The vehicle was inspected by Toyota who stated the actuators need to be replaced at $805 a piece and will not fix it themselves even though it is a known problem. This happened within the last month.
NHTSA complaint #11557501 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2000 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that after disconnecting the battery from the vehicle, it was later discovered that the both the driver’s and passenger’s side doors and the hatch door could not be opened manually or remotely. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 200,000.
NHTSA complaint #11514242 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2002 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated while pulling the door handle to unlock the doors, the auto unlock function failed to unlock the doors. The contact had to press the unlock button to unlock the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed and the dealer stated that a failure was not found. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 150,000.
NHTSA complaint #11511032 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that while attempting to lock the doors with the key fob, the front passenger’s side door failed to lock as desired. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who diagnosed that the actuator failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had been repaired. Shortly after the repair, the front passenger’s side window failed to lower and raise. The contact returned the vehicle to the dealer and reattached the window’s wiring harness due to the harness detaching. Shortly after the second repair, the same window failed again and the lock on the driver’s door failed to lock. The contact had not taken the vehicle to the dealer yet. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000.
NHTSA complaint #11490943 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TAILGATE FAILED DUE TO CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TAILGATE LATCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.
NHTSA complaint #10904276 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRUNK FAILED TO REMAIN CLOSED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE LATCH MECHANISM WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS EXTENSIVE RUST UNDER THE HOOD, WHICH PREVENTED THE INSTALLATION OF THE TWO BOLTS TO SECURE THE BUG VISOR ON THE HOOD. THE FRONT CALIPERS WERE RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000.
NHTSA complaint #10638503 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
HANDLE/LOCK ON REAR HATCH IS FAULTY. MECHANISM ON THE HANDLE/LOCK OF THE REAR HATCH OF 2007 TOYOTA 4RUNNER WILL NO LONGER ENGAGE TO ALLOW HATCH TO BE OPENED. PROBLEM HAD BEEN INTERMITTENT, NOW IS MORE PROBLEMATIC. CANNOT OPEN REAR HATCH TO ACCESS THE CARGO AREA OF VEHICLE. DEALER SERVICE DEPT ACKNOWLEDGES THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE. LOTS OF SIMILAR ISSUES FOUND ONLINE. THIS HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL ISSUE YET.
NHTSA complaint #10554769 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DRIVERS DOOR LATCH MECHANISM WOULD NOT PERMIT DRIVER TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK, THOUGH ALL ELECTRIC AND MANUAL ACTIONS TO UNLOCK THE DOOR APPEAR TO WORK, LATCH HANDLE WOULD NOT MOVE. THIS CONDITION WAS NORMAL FOR THE VEHICLE WHEN NEW IF THE DOOR WAS LOCKED. ALL OTHER DOORS IN THE VEHICLE WOULD OPEN FROM THE INSIDE IF LOCKED. DRIVERS DOOR LATCH FAILED PROHIBITING DRIVER FROM EXITING THE CAR AND WAS REPLACED. REPLACEMENT LATCH WOULD PERMIT EMERGENCY EXIT FROM THE VEHICLE IF THE LOCK WAS ACTIVATED.
NHTSA complaint #10509381 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE FIRST OF MY 2007 4RUNNER DOOR LOCK ASSEMBLIES FAILED JUST AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. FOR THE SECOND ONE, MY DEALERSHIP. THE VEHICLE HAS JUST OVER 80,000 MILES AND THE 3RD OF 4 DOOR LOCKS HAS JUST FAILED AND BEEN REPLACED. I BELIEVE THIS DOOR LOCK ASSEMBLY IS OBVIOUSLY A DESIGN FLAW AND IS NOT AN ITEM I WOULD EXPECT TO FAIL AT ALL OVER THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE, EVEN ONE, MUCH LESS THREE OUT OF THE FOUR. MY CAR IS GARAGE-KEPT AND DOES NOT EVEN COME CLOSE TO RECEIVING ABNORMAL USE.
NHTSA complaint #10371172 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAFETY RELATED TO 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SPORT EDITION SUV. DRIVER'S DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM FROZE UP FOR THE THIRD TIME IN TWO YEARS. THIS TIME, COULD NOT OPEN DRIVER SIDE DOOR BY ANY MEANS. 63-YEAR OLD DRIVER HAD TO EXIT OVER CONSOLE, THEN THROUGH PASSENGER DOOR. DRIVER LATER HAD TO RE-ENTER FROM PASSENGER SIDE, OVER THE CONSOLE IN ORDER TO DRIVE VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND WAS CHARGED OVER $500 FOR REPAIRS. POTENTIAL OF NOT BEING ABLE TO EXIT VEHICLE. THIS IS A FLAW OR DEFECT IS COMMONLY NOTED ON THE WORLD-WIDE WEB. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A SAFETY RECALL ISSUE WITHOUT CHARGE FOR REPAIRS.
NHTSA complaint #10360532 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE REAR DOOR OPENING HANDLE HAS MATERIAL THAT HAS MELTED MAKING IT ALMOST ALWAYS IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN THE DOOR. I MOVED LAST AUGUST FROM TEXAS TO SOUTH CAROLINA AND APPARENTLY THE MATERIAL TOYOTA USED IN IT'S 2007 4-RUNNERS CANNOT HOLD UP TO THE TEXAS HEAT. THE INSURANCE COMPANY FOR TOYOTA WHICH COVERS THE EXTENDED WARRANTY I PURCHASED DENIED PAYING FOR THE REPAIR STATING THAT MY REAR DOOR CAN BE OPENED SOME OF THE TIME!! THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION & I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET MY DOGS OUT OF THE REAR DOOR ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS..FORTUNATELY NONE OF THEM LIFE THREATENING YET.
NHTSA complaint #10313529 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK WITH REMOTE, KEY, INSIDE LATCH, ETC. DOOR WILL MAKE SOUNDS WHEN ELECTRICAL LOCKS ARE PUSHED, SO IT IS NOT LIKELY THE ACTUATOR (WHICH HAS ALSO BEEN A PROBLEM IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL). INTERNET RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THERE IS A COMPONENT WITHIN THE LATCH, A SPRING OF SOME VARIETY, THAT BREAKS AND/OR FALLS DOWN INTO THE DOOR COMPARTMENT. CONTACTED DEALER WHO WAS VERY BUSY AND HAD NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A PROBLEM, BUT WE COULD BRING IT IN AND FOR 85 DOLLARS/HR, THEY WOULD LOOK AT IT AND SEE. WELL, WE ARE NOT EVEN ABLE TO GET THE DOOR OPEN. IF A CRASH WERE TO HAPPEN, SOMEONE COULD GET STUCK INSIDE, AS CURRENTLY ONE HAS TO CRAWL FROM DRIVER SIDE TO PASSENGER SIDE TO EXIT VEHICLE. I FEEL THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE NUMEROUS SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ONLINE, THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED AND FIXED AT THE MANUFACTURER'S EXPENSE.
NHTSA complaint #10307425 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
1-THIRD ROW SEAT SLAMMED DOWN DURING RELEASE FROM HOOK AND BROKE UNDERSEAT COVER 2-IT HAPPENED ONCE AND COULD HAPPEN IF SOMEONE UNFAMILIAR WITH SEAT TRIES TO LOWER THE THIRD ROW TO SEATING POSITION. UPON RELEASE FROM THE OVERHEAD HOOK, THE SEAT, DUE TO ITS OWN UNSUPPORTED WEIGHT, COULD PIVOT FREELY AND FALL ON THE OPERATOR'S HAND OR ARM, CAUSING INJURY. 3-THE BROKEN PART WAS REPLACED BY DEALER UNDER "GOODWILL". THE BROKEN PIECE OF THE UNDER SEAT COVER IS AVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10291159 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM ON 2003 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER MALFUNCTIONS AND LOCKS VEHICLE WHILE RUNNING WITH THE INABILITY TO EXIT VEHICLE FROM INSIDE. TOYOTA WAS NOTIFIED OF THIS SAFETY ISSUE AND IS IGNORING THE PROBLEM (COPIES OF E-MAILS FROM TOYOTA CAN BE PROVIDED). CUSTOMER MESSAGE BOARDS INDICATE THIS MAY BE A SYSTEMIC SAFETY ISSUE. I HOPE THIS COMPLAINT INITIATES AN INVESTIGATION. THE INABILITY TO EXIT A VEHICLE COULD POSE AN EXTREME HAZARD TO DRIVER/PASSENGERS. THANK YOU
NHTSA complaint #10231575 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.