2004 Toyota 4 Runner problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:emission Control:catalytic Convertor (6) · Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System (4) · Vehicle Speed Control (3)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Toyota 4 Runner model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
47 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (0)
No recalls on record for this model year (campaigns announced since 2010).
Service bulletins (235)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Structure:body 2024-12-06 · T-SB-0039-24 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
the condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. if these contaminants settle and remain on a painted vehicle surface, especially the horizonal areas of the hood, roof,
Structure:body 2024-12-06 · T-SB-0038-24 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
to prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. the purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and initial rust before the vehicle is delivered to the customer.
Structure:body 2024-12-06 · T-SB-0035-24 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. if these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood, roof, and decklid, significant damage to the painted surfa
Structure:body 2024-12-05 · T-SB-0061-23 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
toyota vehicles are currently protected with rapgardtm protective film designed to protect the horizontal painted surfaces. this material protects from acid rain, environmental fallout, and rail contamination. follow the removal procedure in this bulletin to remove the rapgardtm protective film wi
Structure:body 2024-12-03 · T-SB-0062-23 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad tracks, train wheels, exposure to heavy machinery facilities, grinding, welding, etc. this type of contamination can be identified by the presence of small, red or brown particles on the paint surfa
Structure:body 2024-07-12 · T-SB-0039-24 Rev1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
the condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. if these contaminants settle and remain on a painted vehicle surface, especially the horizonal areas of the hood, roof,
Showing the 6 most recent of 235 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2006-02-10 · Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System · 100 mi“strong sulfur smell (rotten eggs) when accelerating. can smell with all windows up. even worse if rear window is down. what's the point of having a rear window if you can't open it. i also own a 2000 4runner and it never smells this way. *nm…”
2006-02-10 · Interior Lighting · 100 mi“dash lights are on all the time making it hard to know if you headlights are on or not. have driven several times at night in lighted areas thinking my headlights were on when indeed they were not. *nm…”
2005-12-02 · Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System · 50 mi“almost constant sulpher smell. dealer states that they have no knowledge of problem, and no tsb's. they tell me to keep rear window closed. when my wife is a passenger she has her eyes burning all the time. if you need to step hard on the gas the whole cabin fills and is enough to make you noxious. toyota needs to remedy the problem asap, or a clas…”
2005-10-16 · Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:emission Control:catalytic Convertor · 6,000 mi“between june 04, and october 05. these problems still exist.. my truck is in the shop now. left side manifold catalytic converter assembly, one manifold stud broken, technician drilled and removed stud then retapped hole. new stud installed. c/s vsc light on engine light on, catalytic inefficiency. converters changed out. replaced catalytic convert…”
2005-08-18 · Visibility:windshield · 8,000 mi“windshield continue to crack starting each time mid way the wind shield wiper on driver side. i am my third windshield and it is cracked again also lots of tundra trucks are cracking the same identical place. *nm…”
2005-08-07 · Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:emission Control:catalytic Convertor · 100 mi“i have a 2004 toyota 4 runner. i noticed the extreme sulfur odor within the first 500 miles of driving the vehicle. i was told it was just a coating on the engine. naive as i am i believed them. i am at 20,000 miles and many complaints to toyota only to be told it was the gas. they have done the tsb but no avail. it is still there and not hea…”
2005-07-15 · Seats:front Assembly:recliner · 14,000 mi“dt: ontact states the driver's lumbart section of the seat is loose. when ydriving and stopping y can feel the front section of the seat moving. and when turning left or right can feel the seat moving. this happens all of the time. he has taken it to the dealership twice and both times they said it is worked as designed. he noticed this on 6-30-…”
2005-07-05 · Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System · 23,400 mi“upon acceleration the exhaust emits a very strong rotten egg smell into the cabin of the vehicle. this especially happens when the rear window is lowered.…”
2005-07-05 · Seats · 16,000 mi“the driver's seat moves (or rocks) while driving. the local dealer assures me that the defect is not a safety issue, yet i don't feel comfortable driving the car. this is an ongoing problem.…”
2005-06-27 · Seat Belts:front · 13,978 mi · 💥 crash“involved in accident,air bags did not deploy,seat belts did not hold resulting in hitting stearing wheel and fracturing my stearnum. collision repair center replaced computer that controls air bag and seat belts.…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.