2017 Toyota 4runner problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Service Brakes (9) · Electrical System (3) · Fuel/Propulsion System (2)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Toyota 4runner model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
23 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (5)
Equipment:other:labels 2018-10-25 · campaign 18V753000 · 1,295 vehicles
Defect: Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Toyota 4Runner vehicles that SET modified to be equipped with a TRD wheel package. The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) on the certification label may be incorrect, possibly resulting in the vehicle being overloaded. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk: An overloaded vehicle can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: SET will notify owners and mail them corrected certification labels, free of charge. The recall began November 28, 2018. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET18A.
Equipment:other:labels 2017-12-20 · campaign 17V831000 · 649 vehicles
Defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Toyota 4Runner and Tundra, 2018 Toyota Highlander, RAV4 and Lexus GX460 and 2017 Toyota Sienna and Tacoma vehicles. These vehicles may have incorrect load carrying capacity modification labels. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk: An incorrect load information label can result in the operator overloading the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners and provide them with corrected labels, free of charge. The recall began on January 23, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are H0Z for Toyota vehicles, and HLF for Lexus vehicles.
Structure:body:hood 2017-11-29 · campaign 17V763000 · 431 vehicles
Defect: Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Toyota 4Runner vehicles equipped with an accessory Billet Grille Overlay installed by SET or provided by SET and installed by SET dealers. The U-nut that secures the overlay grille may fracture, allowing the Billet Grille Overlay to detach from the vehicle.
Risk: If the Billet Grille Overlay detaches while driving, it can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: SET will notify owners, and dealers will replace the securing U-nuts with upgraded hardware, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 26, 2018. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET17C.
Tires:temporary/Emergency Spare Tire 2017-05-02 · campaign 17V295000 · 409 vehicles
Defect: Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (Gulf States) is recalling certain 2017 4Runner , 86, Avalon, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Corolla, Corolla iM, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Prius, Prius C, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Sienna and Yaris vehicles. The spare tire air pressure was not adjusted to the proper pressure as stated on the Tire Pressure Label.
Risk: A spare tire that is not inflated to the proper value may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Gulf States will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the spare tires, adjusting their pressure as necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 15, 2017. Owners may contact Gulf States customer service at 1-800-444-1074. Toyota's number for this recall is 17R2.
Equipment 2017-05-01 · campaign 17V291000 · 1,019 vehicles
Defect: Gulf States Toyota, Inc (Gulf States) is recalling certain 2016-2017 4Runner vehicles equipped with the TFORCE accessory package. The fasteners for the aftermarket roof rack may have been improperly tightened.
Risk: If the roof rack fasteners loosen, the roof rack may detach from the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Gulf States will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, tighten the roof rack fasteners, free of charge. The recall began June 15, 2017. Owners may contact Gulf States customer service at 1-800-444-1074. Gulf States' number for this recall is 17R1.
Service bulletins (208)
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.
Unknown Or Other 2026-01-07 · T-SB-0055-24 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
some 2005 – 2026 toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. the purpose of this service bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures
Electrical System 2025-08-20 · T-TT-0790-25 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
some customers may experience echoing on the line calling the vehicle when using bluetooth hands free. this is caused by the phone hands free volume being too low.
Electrical System 2025-06-13 · T-SB-0058-23 Rev1 · Service Campaign
the air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air conditioning refrigerant leaks. the procedures outlined in this service bulletin aid in locating, inspecting, and repairing refrigerant leaks.
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
Showing the 6 most recent of 208 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-07-14 · Unknown Or Other · 💥 crash“the car was running while in park. our son got and and shifted the car into reverse from the passenger seat. the gear shift will engage without applying the brake or even without running and in park. the car crashed into one of our other vehicles parked behind the 4 runner. there is a malfunction with the automatic shift locking mechanism other…”
2026-03-08 · Electrical System“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. …”
2025-08-30 · Unknown Or Other“i was driving on the highway with no one around me. temperature was around 60 degrees at 7:15am. my sunroof glass shattered as if it was a gunshot and the glass was pointed outward. it terrified my special needs child and myself and took a while for her to calm down. i drove it home later and opened up the sunroof to shattered glass everywhere. i h…”
2025-05-27 · Fuel/Propulsion System“2017 toyota 4 runner sr5 while driving on the highway the vehicle stopped apparently the fuel pump stopped working and could not get going anymore. i had a mechanic come to the house with a pc and test it. he told me that’s a change that will need to take place in a garage. luckily i was able to stop on the side and paid someone to bring car home …”
2025-03-19 · Fuel/Propulsion System“throttle has a lag when depressing gas pedal (occasionally a dead petal symptom) research indicates a tsb t-sb-0166-10 exist that relates to this issue. lack of toyota dealer assistance with this issue when contacted (toyota of round rock texas 78664) this issues is a safety concern when operating vehicle due to lack of throttle response when ac…”
2024-12-18 · Suspension“front struts are leaking which are causing the vehicle to drive inconsistently. the struts should not have to be replaced this soon when the vehicle is being used on normal condition roads. after researching, it appears this is a manufacturer, toyota, issue, that is known, and toyota should be issuing a recall for replacement due to the number of i…”
2024-07-10 · Unknown Or Other“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 th…”
2022-04-19 · Vehicle Speed Control“text sent to toyota. copy to nhtsa. hello, my name is [xxx]. i am writing to both toyota and nhtsa with what i perceive as a safety problem. i have owned three toyotas including a 2017 4runner. i have been pleased with them except for one characteristic they all shared. the turn signal sound volume is just too low. my son's f-150 and my wif…”
2022-02-17 · Service Brakes“failed brake master cylinder, this is still a rather new vehicle and the mechanics said this is unlikely in a new low mileage vehicle. i did research and this has only happened a few times, seems like a safety recall should be put in place. …”
2021-11-02 · Service Brakes · 55,000 mi“while driving at full speed on the freeway, another vehicle stopped suddenly in front of me. my brake pedal was soft and went down almost to the floor. rapid pulsing of brakes, as would be expected with the abs (antilock brake system), did not occur. i pulled around to the shoulder and barely managed to stop in time to avoid a collision, which was…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.