MODELYEARINDEX

Which Toyota 4RUNNER years to avoid

Across 11 scored model years, the 2015, 2018 and 2019 model years carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Toyota 4RUNNER Full report
F
Grade 2010–2021
2015 vs model median 1.9×
Model median3× median
Airbags & Restraints 14
Electrical 8
Body & Interior 7
Avoid

2015 · 2018

Best

2012 · 2021

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2010
1.00× 40 C
2011
0.62× 31 C
2012
0.51× 24 C
2014
0.84× 31 C
2015
1.94× 73 F
2016
0.97× 56 C
2017
0.82× 33 C
2018
1.52× 57 D
2019
1.47× 60 D
2020
1.18× 41 C
2021
1.09× 47 B
2022 P
1.22× 55 C
2023 P
1.22× 42 C
2024 P
0.30× 11 A
2025 P
1.31× 64 C

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2015 F 73 reports · median 27,000 mi

  1. Airbags & Restraints 14

    Vehicle is brand new with 600 miles on it. Wife driving at speed of 40 MPH, major side impact damage with over $9000 damage and side air bags did not deploy.. Wondering why?? owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Electrical 8

    Rodent chewed through injector 3 wire. 4 days later, after I paid for the first repair...several other wires were chewed through. The previous connector repaired with "rodent deterrent tape" was not damaged. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Body & Interior 7

    At almost all speeds an especially at highway speeds my hood bounces up and down / flexes excessively like its going to rip off the car. I have had 12 cars in my life and I have never seen this before. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

12 crash · 10 injuries

2018 D 57 reports · median 21,500 mi

  1. Steering 9

    The contact owns a 2018 toyota 4runner. While driving approximately 60 MPH, the steering wheel started to vibrate as the vehicle pulled to the right. There were no warning indicators illuminated. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Airbags & Restraints 7

    New vehicle discovered to have rusting seat rails and seat belt attachments. Local toyota service center said they have never seen such a problem on a new vehicle and recommended immediately replacing all seats. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Body & Interior 6

    Totaled vehicle repaired after vehicle reported totaled - vehicle not repaired adequately and is unsafe as a result of a hit and run accident. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

8 crash · 1 injuries

The best year for the 4RUNNER

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2021 is the best-scoring 4RUNNER model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 70.3 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations. On complaint rate alone the lowest is 2012 at 0.51× this model’s median, against 1.09× for 2021.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2021 1.09× 47 B
2012 0.51× 24 C
2020 1.18× 41 C

Recalls

34 campaigns on record.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
20V012000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP 2014, 2015 1,830,752
16V340000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010, 2011 1,754,517
20V682000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP 2018, 2019 1,525,742
19V005000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010–2016 1,299,448
19V741000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010–2016 928,220
18V024000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010 628,018
25V595000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL 2025 591,377
17V006000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2012 577,875
10V035000 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS 2010 271,417
10V036000 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS 2010 153,418
24V548000 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS 2024 33,848
16V396000 SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER 2010, 2011 7,749

+ 22 further campaigns

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2015 were reported at a median of 27,000 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Toyota 4RUNNER years should you avoid?
2015, 2018, 2019 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Toyota 4RUNNER model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Toyota 4RUNNER?
2021 is the best-scoring Toyota 4RUNNER model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 70.3 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Toyota 4RUNNER have?
34 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Toyota 4RUNNER model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2015 4RUNNER
Complaints in window
73
Severity-weighted
121.5
Model median (weighted)
63
vs model median
1.94×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
9
Open investigations
1
Score 33.1 F