Toyota 4Runner Engine Problems by Year
By CarWhere Research · Updated
Not unusually. 70 of the 1,182 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2008–2025 Toyota 4Runner (5.9%) name the engine, below the 19.4% median share across the 152 models we track. We have no published sales figures for this model, so there is no per-1,000 rate. The worst year is 2008.
Engine complaints
70
Filed with NHTSA, 2008–2025 models
Per 1,000 sold
No sales data
Not computed without a published sales figure
Share of all complaints
5.9%
of 1,182 complaints for this model
Engine recalls
2
NHTSA campaigns, all years
Toyota 4Runner engine complaints by model year
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA whose component list includes Engine and Engine Cooling. Worst years are highlighted.
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of all complaints | Crash / fire / injury | Engine recalls | Engine TSBs* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008WORST | 9 | 9.4% | 1 | — | 16 |
| 2009 | 4 | 18.2% | 1 | — | 16 |
| 2010 | 3 | 2% | 0 | 16V57700015V515000 | 29 |
| 2011 | 6 | 3.7% | 1 | 16V57700015V515000 | 28 |
| 2012 | 5 | 5.2% | 1 | 16V57700015V515000 | 16 |
| 2013 | 3 | 8.3% | 0 | 16V57700015V515000 | 12 |
| 2014 | 6 | 7.8% | 0 | 16V57700015V515000 | 0 |
| 2015 | 8 | 9.3% | 1 | 16V57700015V515000 | 0 |
| 2016 | 6 | 7.4% | 0 | — | 8 |
| 2017 | 2 | 5.6% | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2018 | 5 | 8.3% | 0 | — | 7 |
| 2019 | 6 | 9.1% | 1 | — | 7 |
| 2020 | 0 | 0% | 0 | — | 6 |
| 2021 | 0 | 0% | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2022 | 2 | 5.1% | 1 | — | 0 |
| 2023 | 2 | 6.1% | 1 | — | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 | 10% | 1 | — | 3 |
| 2025 | 2 | 3.1% | 0 | — | 2 |
- Older model years have had more time on the road to collect complaints, so compare neighboring years, not 2010 against 2024.
- Crash / fire / injury = complaints where the owner reported a crash, a fire or an injury.
- *Technical service bulletins in the year's leading TSB categories that name the engine.
Common Toyota 4Runner engine problems owners describe
We searched the narratives of all 70 engine complaints for symptom keywords. One complaint can mention several, so the shares don't add up to 100%.
Toyota 4Runner years to avoid for the engine
2008 Toyota 4Runner
9 engine complaints (9.4% of the year's 96). Most often described: stalling or shutting off while driving.
Worst years are those with at least 10 engine complaints and at least 1.5 times the model's median year. For every year's overall verdict, including other systems, see the Toyota 4Runner years to avoid.
Toyota 4Runner engine recalls
NHTSA recall campaigns filed under Engine for any Toyota 4Runner model year. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check a specific car by VIN on NHTSA's site.
- 16V577000 · 2016-08-03 · 2010–2015 models
The affected vehicles may be equipped with accessory exhaust tips installed by SET or SET dealers that may contact people and possibly burn them while they are standing behind the vehicle.
- 15V515000 · 2015-08-13 · 2010–2015 models
The affected vehicles may be equipped with accessory exhaust tips installed by SET or SET dealers that may contact people and possibly burn them while they are standing behind the vehicle.
Related research
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2008 Toyota 4Runner have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 9 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2008 Toyota 4Runner, 9.4% of all 96 complaints for that year. The most common description is "stalling or shutting off while driving" (1 complaints). 1 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Which Toyota 4Runner years have the most engine complaints?
2008 (9), 2015 (8) and 2011 (6), by owner complaints filed with NHTSA that name the engine. Raw counts favor older and higher-selling years, so treat them as a signal, not a rate.
What are the most common Toyota 4Runner engine problems?
In the 70 engine complaints, owners most often describe stalling or shutting off while driving (18.6%), misfire or check-engine light (12.9%) and loss of power or limp mode (11.4%). One complaint can mention several symptoms.
Is this a engine failure rate?
No. These are complaints owners chose to file with NHTSA. Many failures are never reported, and one complaint is not a confirmed defect. Without sales figures, a high count can simply mean a high-selling model.
How we count
Counts are unique owner complaints (by NHTSA ODI number) filed with NHTSA for each Toyota 4Runner model year, from NHTSA's public complaints data fetched July 2026 to November 2026. A complaint counts as a engine complaint when NHTSA's component list for it includes Engine and Engine Cooling.
Per 1,000 sold divides complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales for that year. A year needs at least 5,000 sales to get a rate, and a model needs at least 3 such years for its overall rate. The comparison median covers every model with at least 50 engine complaints that clears those floors.
These are complaint rates, not failure rates. Owners report some problems more than others, and a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
Sources
- NHTSA complaints by vehicle (owner complaints API) — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Report a vehicle safety problem — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration