224 of the
6,482 complaints filed about the Toyota 4RUNNER
are about the electrical system —
3% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2014.
The contact owns a 2026 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, after disconnecting the trailer wiring harness, the message Tow/Haul Mode or a Trailer Coverage Indicator appeared even though the vehicle was no longer hauling the trailer. The message "No Trailer Detected" was occasionally displayed. The contact stated that the indicator deactivated, and the lane assistance and emergency steering feature were displayed while driving. The Lane Assistance, and the wheel did not vibrate or jerk into the correct position. Additionally, the blind spot monitoring system failed to detect vehicles in the blind spot. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage was 300.
NHTSA complaint #11755992 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INTEGRATED TRAILER BRAKE CONTROL
The contact owns a 2026 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, after disconnecting the trailer wiring harness, the message Tow/Haul Mode or a Trailer Coverage Indicator appeared even though the vehicle was no longer hauling the trailer. The message "No Trailer Detected" was occasionally displayed. The contact stated that the indicator deactivated, and the lane assistance and emergency steering feature were displayed while driving. The Lane Assistance, and the wheel did not vibrate or jerk into the correct position. Additionally, the blind spot monitoring system failed to detect vehicles in the blind spot. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage was 300.
NHTSA complaint #11755992 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am a fire investigator for the Olathe (KS) Fire Department. On July 3, 2026 at 1255 hrs our crews were called to a vehicle fire for the above listed car. The vehicle was reportedly being driven when smoke entered the passenger compartment causing the driver to pull over. He opened the rear tailgate and saw flames coming from the base of the rear cargo area. He called 911. Olathe PD utilized a fire extinguisher and Olathe FD units extinguished the fire. I responded to conduct an origin and cause investigation. I determined that the fire originated at/near the battery/electronics bay of the rear cargo area. I did not conduct any destructive testing. The driver reported that this is a loaner car from the dealer while his vehicle is being serviced. There was no evidence of vehicle collision or other mechanical problems. The driver did not report noting an vehicle issues prior to the smoke.
NHTSA complaint #11753722 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2025 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that the message “Headlights On” was erroneously displayed. The fuel gauge indicated 71 percent. Additionally, the 12-volt charging system malfunctioned with the message “See the Dealer” displayed. Several unknown orange warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was restarted, and the warning lights turned off. The window on the passenger’s side was violently shaking. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure, but an undisclosed software was reprogrammed. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the fuel pump was replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The dealer was contacted and informed about a diagnostic test. The manufacturer was contacted, and a claim was filed. The failure mileage was unknown.
NHTSA complaint #11751751 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2018 Toyota 4Runner. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy per a Carfax report. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of the purchase, the vehicle mileage was 65,862. However, the Carfax report indicated that the mileage was 61,000 in April 2022; 90,000 in February 2023; and 54,000 towards the end of the month in February 2023. The contact stated that the current approximate mileage was 86,000.
NHTSA complaint #11750896 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DIAGNOSIS FOUND TRANS FLUID WICKING UP HARNESS TO ENGINE ECM CONTAMINATING HARNESS AND ECU GIVEN FALSE/ABNORMAL READINGS AT ECM. EXTENSIVE REPAIRS NECESSARY W/ INTERNAL TRANS WIRE REPLACEMENT, ENGINE HARNESS REPLACEMENT & ENGINE ECU REPLACEMENT. OTHER CLEANING MAY BE NECESSARY OR OTHER HARNESS REPLACEMENT NECESSARY [Other]: TRANSMISSION WIRE REPLACMENT [Other]: ENGINE HARNESS REPLACEMENT [Other]: ECM REPLACEMENT
NHTSA complaint #11724769 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
For the 2nd time in 5 weeks, the main wiring harness and knock sensor have been eaten and destroyed by rodents. This has caused thousands of dollars worth of damage, and it's due to the soy based wiring used in the wiring harness. I cannot keep this vehicle outside for any period of time without the threat of the harnesses getting chewed.
NHTSA complaint #11722858 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2005 Toyota 4Runner. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 217,000, and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 342,912.
NHTSA complaint #11714323 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact was a police officer calling on behalf of the owner of a 2025 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that while the owner was attempting to park the vehicle in a parking spot, the vehicle began to independently accelerate up a hill. The owner then placed the vehicle into reverse(R) as the vehicle continued to accelerate while in reverse. The contact stated that the owner had their foot firmly pressed on the brake pedal as the vehicle continued to accelerate. The owner then struck two parked vehicles and another moving vehicle that was entering the parking lot. The vehicle continued to accelerate in reverse(R), crossed a side street, and entered a grassy area before the vehicle abruptly shut off. The contact was unaware if any warning lights had appeared on the instrument panel during the failure. The air bags did not deploy at any time during the failure. The officer stated that no injuries were reported and no medical attention was given. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed from the scene to an unknown location. The contact was unaware whether the matter was reported to the dealer or the manufacturer. The whereabouts of the vehicle were unknown. The failure mileage was unknown.
NHTSA complaint #11711250 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:CONNECTORS/PLUGS:ACCESORY POWER OUTLET/JACK/PORT/USB/SAE/CIGARETTE LIGHTER
The contact owns a 2025 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that the AC outlet in the cargo area had an open ground. The contact became aware of the AC outlet failure while on a road trip, when the heated mat for the dog's crate failed to heat after being plugged into the AC outlet. The contact tested the AC outlet with a continuity tester, which showed an open ground fault. The contact was concerned that the failure could cause an electrical shock and fire hazard. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the AC outlet was replaced, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 700.
NHTSA complaint #11709851 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Several door lock actuators have prematurely failed. The first to do so was front passenger door in summer 2024; front driver door lock failed a few months after. Most recently, approximately 4 months ago, the lock actuator for liftgate failed. This poses safety hazard in easily exiting vehicle and/or entering it if in dangerous situation. I have been communicating with local Toyota dealership for months about repairing these defective items, They have acknowledged awareness of an issue with the actuators, but have offered no help. I have read there is a class action lawsuit pending about this issue. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11702645 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TOYOTA 4RUNNER 2013 VIN# [XXX] LP# XXX The gas needle will be above the half (middle line), and the fuel range on top of the dash would read anywhere from 160-213 miles, going 45 mph up a hill or 70 mph on the freeway, all of a sudden starts to stall and completely shut off while still driving. I would then only have a few seconds to try to pull over due to losing all power, and not being able to shift into neutral because it's a push/start button. The car will only turn back on after putting some gas into it, so I make sure to never let the gas needle go below the middle line or have the gas range reading go below anything around 160-200 miles since the vehicle has shut down at a different amount each time, and there's been multiple times. Also, the fuel level needle never matches with how many miles is shown on the range, displaying inaccurate readings. It has poor acceleration, poor mileage, and now making a loud whining noise that is heard from outside the vehicle near gas tank. I have tried looking up the VIN and it does not show that it falls under the recall, despite it having all the symptoms of a faulty fuel pump/sending unit. I love my 4Runner but I am in fear for my life whenever I drive it and not showing accurate fuel levels. I pray that nobody runs into me if the vehicle stalls out in the roadway, while going 30-80 mph (it has done it on regular roads and on the highway). There are no warning lights or check engine light. It's at about 208,000 miles, with the issue slowly getting worse over time. I am requesting for it to be inspected free of charge, as well as getting the necessary repairs that the recall is for free of charge. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11700686 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Odometer Fraud. The contact investigated a 2003 Toyota 4 Runner. The contact stated that during the investigation, he discovered a fraudulent scheme of approximately 15 vehicles with odometer fraud. The contact stated that the suspects targeted Facebook Marketplace victims by spraying oil on the engine prior to test-driving the vehicle, and when the vehicle began smoking, the suspects would ask for a discount for the vehicle. The contact added that after the vehicle was purchased, the odometer was rolled back and the vehicle was resold. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 150,000, and at the time of the vehicle being sold, it was discovered that the mileage was 306,000.
NHTSA complaint #11696425 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Intermittently, the center console (navigation) screen and system crash at random. All audio stop and the screen turns black for a few seconds, before resetting to the default view and disconnecting all previously connected devices. This has happened at least 10-20 times while driving during my ownership of the vehicle. I can confirm that it happens when my iPhone is connected to the vehicle via wireless Apple CarPlay, but I am unsure about other circumstances where this may happen. It had happened regardless of which phone is connected or what operating system version is in use - that is, this issue has persisted across several different iPhones and versions of iOS, so it does not appear to be related to the mobile device. When this issue occurs while driving it is very jarring and can be disorienting, as any navigation or other audio ceases. The issue has not been reproduced by a dealer, and the components have not yet been inspected. There were no warnings or other symptoms of this problem. The problem first appeared within 1-2 months of purchasing the vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11692577 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Brakes- when reversing the brakes make loud grinding / squealing noise. I'm worried at times it will give out by not braking. Electrical- my display panel with the reverse camera turns off which at times can cause an accident.
NHTSA complaint #11691668 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the instrument cluster displayed a blank screen. The contact stated that the failure also occurred while reversing. In addition, the radio volume independently adjusted up and down independently, and independently powered off independently. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
NHTSA complaint #11690854 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the instrument cluster displayed a blank screen. The contact stated that the failure also occurred while reversing. In addition, the radio volume independently adjusted up and down independently, and independently powered off independently. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
NHTSA complaint #11690854 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Saturday morning July 12th after starting my vehicle, a warning was presented “SRS AIRBAG SYSTEM MALFUNCTION”. I immediately took it to the dealership where they ran diagnostics. The service advisor admitted he nor his mechanic had ever seen anything like that before. They were unable to detect the issue that day. We planned to return the vehicle Thursday July 17. I dropped it off at 10am and never heard from the dealership again that day. Friday, July 18th I contacted the service advisor around 10 am to get an update in which he said they were looking into it. Friday afternoon, I received a call from the service advisor letting me know that the front passenger Occupant ECU had malfunctioned, costing approximately $1000. After researching this, I learned that Toyota has issued many recalls on this issue with other models. I called Toyota headquarters to see how they would rectify this but ended the conversation with no solution other than it is the consumer’s liability. This is a safety issue that should fall back on the manufacturer, especially given the history of recalls issued on this specific defect.
NHTSA complaint #11674658 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
when turning the steering wheel several things happen. channels change, phone hangs up, GPS stops, air bag light comes on. Dealership inspected and said need to change spiral cable. $1200 dollars
NHTSA complaint #11673568 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.