Toyota 4Runner years to avoidWhat NHTSA complaint data does and doesn’t say
We compared 30 model years of the Toyota 4Runner by owner complaints to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. 2025, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2000, 2006 stand out with at least twice the typical complaint rate.
Complaints per year on the road
| Year | Complaints | Per year on road | Index | Recalls | Crashes | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 60 | 30 | 3.8 | 1 | 3 | Most complaints |
| 2024 | 10 | 3 | 0.4 | 1 | 2 | Fewest complaints |
| 2023 | 33 | 8 | 1.1 | 1 | 6 | Typical |
| 2022 | 39 | 8 | 1.0 | 3 | 5 | Typical |
| 2021 | 36 | 6 | 0.8 | 1 | 3 | Typical |
| 2020 | 33 | 5 | 0.6 | 1 | 4 | Typical |
| 2019 | 65 | 8 | 1.0 | 4 | 5 | Typical |
| 2018 | 60 | 7 | 0.9 | 5 | 7 | Typical |
| 2017 | 36 | 4 | 0.5 | 5 | 3 | Fewest complaints |
| 2016 | 81 | 7 | 0.9 | 8 | 6 | Typical |
| 2015 | 86 | 7 | 0.9 | 9 | 10 | Typical |
| 2014 | 77 | 6 | 0.8 | 7 | 5 | Typical |
| 2013 | 36 | 3 | 0.3 | 6 | 1 | Fewest complaints |
| 2012 | 96 | 6 | 0.8 | 8 | 5 | Typical |
| 2011 | 163 | 10 | 1.3 | 10 | 4 | Typical |
| 2010 | 147 | 9 | 1.1 | 12 | 6 | Typical |
| 2009 | 22 | 1 | 0.2 | 6 | 4 | Fewest complaints |
| 2008 | 96 | 5 | 0.6 | 5 | 10 | Typical |
| 2007 | 154 | 8 | 1.0 | 5 | 7 | Typical |
| 2006 | 381 | 18 | 2.3 | 5 | 28 | Most complaints |
| 2005 | 425 | 19 | 2.5 | 5 | 19 | Most complaints |
| 2004 | 678 | 29 | 3.8 | 2 | 28 | Most complaints |
| 2003 | 708 | 30 | 3.8 | 3 | 19 | Most complaints |
| 2002 | 251 | 10 | 1.3 | 3 | 22 | Typical |
| 2001 | 190 | 7 | 0.9 | 3 | 11 | Typical |
| 2000 | 493 | 18 | 2.3 | 2 | 31 | Most complaints |
| 1999 | 332 | 12 | 1.5 | 2 | 30 | Typical |
| 1998 | 264 | 9 | 1.2 | 4 | 19 | Typical |
| 1997 | 264 | 9 | 1.1 | 4 | 35 | Typical |
| 1996 | 165 | 5 | 0.7 | 5 | 17 | Typical |
- 202560 complaints · 1 recallMost complaints
- 202410 complaints · 1 recallFewest complaints
- 202333 complaints · 1 recallTypical
- 202239 complaints · 3 recallsTypical
- 202136 complaints · 1 recallTypical
- 202033 complaints · 1 recallTypical
- 201965 complaints · 4 recallsTypical
- 201860 complaints · 5 recallsTypical
- 201736 complaints · 5 recallsFewest complaints
- 201681 complaints · 8 recallsTypical
- 201586 complaints · 9 recallsTypical
- 201477 complaints · 7 recallsTypical
- 201336 complaints · 6 recallsFewest complaints
- 201296 complaints · 8 recallsTypical
- 2011163 complaints · 10 recallsTypical
- 2010147 complaints · 12 recallsTypical
- 200922 complaints · 6 recallsFewest complaints
- 200896 complaints · 5 recallsTypical
- 2007154 complaints · 5 recallsTypical
- 2006381 complaints · 5 recallsMost complaints
- 2005425 complaints · 5 recallsMost complaints
- 2004678 complaints · 2 recallsMost complaints
- 2003708 complaints · 3 recallsMost complaints
- 2002251 complaints · 3 recallsTypical
- 2001190 complaints · 3 recallsTypical
- 2000493 complaints · 2 recallsMost complaints
- 1999332 complaints · 2 recallsTypical
- 1998264 complaints · 4 recallsTypical
- 1997264 complaints · 4 recallsTypical
- 1996165 complaints · 5 recallsTypical
Fewest complaints for their age: 2009, 2013, 2024, 2017.
About this comparison
What Toyota 4Runner years have the most complaints?
Adjusted for years on the road, 2025, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2000, 2006 drew at least twice the typical rate of NHTSA owner complaints among the 30 model years compared.
Is this a reliability rating?
No. These are counts of unverified owner complaints to NHTSA. They are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so a popular year can collect more complaints. Use them to find patterns, then read the reports.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.