1989 Toyota 4Runner Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1989 Toyota 4Runner, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine233.3%
- Body & structure116.7%
- Brakes116.7%
- Seat belts116.7%
- Tires & wheels116.7%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
HEAD GASKET FAILED, RECALL ON COMPONENT HOWEVER NO NOTIFICATION SENT TO OWNER, RECALL DENIED DUE TO EXPIRATION. MJS
EXPERIENCING HEAD GASKET FAILURE. VEHICLE WAS RIDING ROUGH. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
FRAME:LEFT UPPPER CONTROL ARM MOUNT TORN OUT OF FRAME, FRAME CRACKED. *AK *NLM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE BRAKE LIGHT BULBS BURN OUT OFTEN (SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR.) THE LENSES ARE EXTREMELY FADED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE ANCHOR THAT SUPPORTS THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SHOULDER HARNESS POPPED OUT. WILL BE TAKEN TO DEALER TO CORRECT. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
LAST YEAR I REPLACED A FIRESTONE ATX TIRE BECAUSE IT STARTED SEPARATING. FIRESTONE REIMBURSEMENT POLICY DOESN'T INCLUDE THIS TIRE BECAUSE IT WAS REPLACED BEFORE JAN. 2000. HAD THE TIRE NOT SEPARATED, IT WOULD STILL BE ON MY VEHICLE AND BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I DIDN'T KNOW WHO TO CONTACT BUT I FEEL THIS IS UNFAIR. THANKYOU.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235-75R15 )
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .