Problems · by component

2000 Toyota 4Runner service brakes, hydraulic problems

33 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2000 Toyota 4Runner cite service brakes, hydraulic, 7% of all 493 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
33
7% of all complaints
Crashes
6
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the service brakes, hydraulic

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I TOOK MY 4 RUNNER TO JOSEPH TOYOTA TO THE HAVE THE ROTORS CHECKED AND THE I WAS TOLD THEY FOUND RUST ON MY MAIN FRAME AND WOULD NOT SERVICE THE CAR. THEY SAID I NEEDED TO BUY A NEW CAR BECAUSE MINE WAS NOT SAFE. THIS IS THE ONLY CAR I HAVE AND I HAVE TAKEN GOOD CARE OF IT. I WAS SHOCKED THAT TOYOTA WOULD TURN ME AWAY AFTER PURCHASING 4 CARS FROM THEM. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE 4 RUNNER WASN'T COVERED BY THE RECALL FOR MAIN FRAME RUSTING LIKE THE TACOMA. I THINK WHEN TOYOTA KNOWS THIS PROBLEM EXIST THEY SHOULD HAVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEFECT. NOT EVERYONE CAN JUST GO BUY ANOTHER CAR. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 9, 2014Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10609426
“MY 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SHAKES AT SPEEDS ABOVE 60MPH. IT ALSO DOES THIS WHILE BRAKING. IT IS VISIBLY NOTICEABLE IN THE STEERING WHEEL, BUT ALL PASSENGERS IN THE CAR CAN FEEL THE SHAKING AND VIBRATION. IT BECOMES ALMOST VIOLENT AND ALARMING AROUND 70MPH. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO SEVERAL REPAIR SHOPS AND NO ONE CAN FIND A SOLUTION. I HAVE READ HUNDREDS OF POSTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM THAT RANGES FROM 96-08 MODELS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 18, 2008Steering, Suspension, Service brakes, hydraulic, Power trainODI 10231458
“ON FEBRUARY OF 2004 I JUST BOUGHT MY TOYOTA 4RUNNER. ON THE WAY HOME THE BRAKES WERE VIBRATING WHEN I WOULD PRESS ON THE BRAKES. SO I TURNED AROUND AND BROUGHT IT RIGHT BACK TO THE DEALER. (FAMILY TOYOTA) THEY IN TURN FIXED THE PROBLEM. ABOUT A MONTH LATER THE SAME THING HAPPENED THEY VIBRATED. I TOOK IT TO B&D AUTO FRIENDS OF MINE AND THEY TOLD ME I NEEDED TO GET MY ROTOR REPLACED SO I DID. $310 IN REPAIRS. NOW AFTER BEING TOTALLY IN LOVE WITH THIS 4RUNNER IT IS DOING IT AGAIN. DEC. 2005 I TOOK IT BACK TO B&D AUTO AND SAME PROBLEM NEEDED ROTORS AND THE BRAKES OR WEARING AT DIFFERENT ANGLES. SO I HAD IT REPLACED. ($310) AGAIN. THIS PAST WEEKEND 1/13/2007 I WAS OUT WITH MY FRIENDS CAMPING AND I HAD TO DO SOME DIRT DRIVING UP AND DOWN STEEP HILLS. THE BAKES UNDER HEAVY PRESSURE DIDN'T DO SO WELL. AS I WAS GOING DOWN THE HILL TO THE CAMP IT WAS VERY HARD TO STOP AND SCARED THE CRAP OUT OF ME AND MY FRIENDS. ON THE WAY HOME THE BRAKES KEEP VIBRATING AND I DON'T WANT TO THROW MORE MONEY INTO THIS ON GOING PROBLEM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. *NM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 18, 2007Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10179070
“IN COLD WEATHER BRAKES DO NOT WORK IMMEDIATELY AFTER STARTING ENGINE RESULTING IN CAR BACKING UP OR MOVING FORWARD WHEN PLACED IN GEAR. THIS OCCURS IN SPITE OF PRESSING HARD ON BRAKE PEDAL. THE BRAKES PEDAL FEELS LIKE YOU ARE SECURE BUT THEY ARE NOT WORKING. THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 28, 2005Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10108125
“EXPERIENCE HEAVY VIBRATION WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED ESPECIALLY WHEN GOING DOWN HILLS. I HAVE BEEN THROUGH 2 SETS OF ROTORS IN 2 YEARS. DEALER IS OF NO HELP. I AM A SINGLE MOM AND DRIVE MY CHILDREN AROUND IN THIS SUV DAILY. THIS SEEMS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE, JUST WANTED IT OUT THERE IN CASE ANYTHING EVER HAPPENS. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 17, 2004Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10103987
“I HAVE 49,000 MILES ON TOYOTA 4 RUNNER AND AM ON MY 4TH SET OF ROTORS. DEALER CLAIMS IT IS OUR DRIVING HABITS AND NOT THE FAULT OF THE DESIGN. THEY ARE 16" BRAKES ON 16" TIRES; TIRES ARE OEM FROM GOODYEAR. *LA”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 26, 2004Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10054947

Showing 6 of 33 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Other 2000 4Runner problem areas