Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 172 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1995 Toyota 4Runner. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Showing 1–25 of 172 · page 1 of 7
Engine, no sign of overheating ... Overheated within 3 months of ownership on my way to work with my wife's Conclude the headgaskets were blown. Toyota doesn't acknowledge recall. . Plus send a recall for v6 4runners headgaskets
BLOWN HEAD GASKET ON 3.0 V-6
MAY 2015 ON WAY TO DRS AND THEN OIL CHANGE AT PEP BOYS. HEAD GASKET ON CAR BLEW FOR 2ND TIME (6000 AND 2 YEARS, SINCE FIRST TIME). DRIVING ON FREEWAY PROCEEDED TO OVERPASS AND IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS EXTREMELY HIGH, CURVED OVERPASS, BRIDGING THE 23 TO THE 101, DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE CAR "FARTED", CLOUD OUT BACK SIDE AND SPEED JUST DROPPED. COASTED DOWN OTHER SIDE AND CAR "LIMPED ALONG SLOWLY" FROM THERE. MOST TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE. PRAYED NO ONE WOULD HIT ME AND SEND ME FLYING OFF THE CONNECTOR TO FREEWAY BELOW. I HAD NO PROBLEM WITH CAR PRIOR, RUNNING BEAUTIFUL. TOOK THE GRADES, HIGHWAY, PASSING STREET DRIVING. NO PROBLEM. BACK TO ISSUE: LUCKILY, NO CARS IMMED. BEHIND ME AND THOSE COMING WERE FAR ENOUGH TO AND COULD USE L LANE. WAS ABLE TO GET OFF FREEWAY. CAR,DIED AT EVERY LIGHT, BUT MADE IT SLOWLY, TO PEP BOYS. THEY SAID HEAD GASKET BLEW. PLEASE NOTE THIS WAS A RELATIVELY NEWLY REPAIRED HEAD GASKET. REPAIRED 2/16/2013 DONE @ 160,227. WAS GIFTED CAR IN NOV 2013 BY FAMILY MEMBER WITH METICULOUS RECORDS AND SPOT ON REG MAINTENANCE OF THIS VEHICLE. HERE I AM AT THE 166,265 AND FOR SOME REASON AGAIN THE HEAD GASKET IS INCAPABLE OF FUNCTION WITH THE SPECS OF THE VEHICLE. WENT WITH A RE-MANUFACTURED ENGINE, BY CERTIFIED ENGINE REPAIR ONLY FACILITY, BUT SINCE THE BIG BANG. THE CAR HAS AN UNIDENTIFIABLE SPEED ISSUE. CAN HIT UP TO 80- 85 ON HWY, (RUNS ALMOST BEAUTIFULLY, AGAIN BUT PASSING POWER, VARIES, DOES HILL AND THEN, IT DOESN'T. LOOSING SPEED/POWER FOOT TO THE FLOOR. THEN RUNNING BEAUTIFULLY. HAD 39 POINT INSPECTION AAA. 4/1/16 PASSED SHIFTING/ENGINE CRANKING/ HANDLING ETC, DOES NOT FOLLOW ANY, IF THEN, YOU WILL NOTICE, NO ENGINE, OD, WARNING LIGHTS. LOSS OF DASH FUNCTION, RPM , SPEEDOMETER, GAGE FUNCTIONS...CAME HERE AND FOUND OUT NOT ONLY ONE WHO'S ENGINE BLEW WAY BEFORE ITS TIME, AGAIN HAVE COMPLETE CARE REPAIR HISTORY AND MAINTENANCE RECORDS.
TOYOTA 4RUNNER 1995 BLOWN HEAD GASKETS
MY HEAD GASKET IS BLOWN. THE DUMMY PANEL DID NOT SHOW OVERHEATING BUT STEAM OR SMOKE WAS VISIBLE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. COOLANT WAS LEAKING WHEN PARKED BUT THE RADIATOR IS FULL. TOYOTA SAYS MY VIN SAYS IT WAS MANUFACTURED IN NOV 1995 MY REGISTRATION PAPERWORK SAYS IT WAS FIRST REGISTERED OCTOBER 1995. AS WITH MANY OTHERS, TOYOTA SAYS IT IS NOT INCLUDED. HOW MANY REPORTS MUST BE MADE BEFORE IT IS A COVERED PROBLEM? OR IS THERE NO CHANGE TIL LAWYERS GET INVOLVED? *TR
ENGINE EXHAUST SMOKY. COOLANT LEVEL DROPS. STEAM AND WATER EMITTED FROM EXHAUST PIPE. CAUSE SEEMS TO BE DUE TO A FAILED HEAD GASKET(S) OR FAILURE OF ALUMINUM CYLINDER HEADS TO MATE TO CAST IRON ENGINE BLOCK. OTHER POSSIBILITY IS CRACKING IN WATER JACKET OF HEADS. THIS IS A 3.0 LITER V6 ENGINE AND HAS HAD PRESS RELEASES ABOUT GASKET FAILURES. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW BY CUSTOMER AND HAS NEVER HAD THE ENGINE OVERHEAT OR HAS IT BEEN RUN WHILE LOW ON ENGINE LUBRICATING OIL.
BLOWN ROD . BAD MOTOR .. THE 4 RUNNER HAD A 4 WHEEL DRIVE ENGINE IN IT THAT CAME STOCK IN A 2 WHEEL DRIVE 4 RUNNER? IT BLEW OUT A ROD ON ME AND THESE SR5 MOTORS ARE SUPPOSE TO LAST A LONG TIME? 98,432 IS LOW FOR ME. *TR
I DO NOT OWN THIS VEHICLE ANYMORE AS I NEEDED A RELIABLE VEHICLE TO MAKE IT TO ARIZONA FROM IOWA. I ALSO HAD A COBALT I HAD TO GET RID OF WITH BAD TRANSMISSION AND STEERING RACK (PRIOR TO RECALL OF STEERING RACKS). I DO NOT HAVE STORAGE CAPABILITY FOR JUNK VEHICLES. THIS TOYOTA HAD A BLOWN HEAD GASKET AT 90000 MILES LIKE ALL THE OTHER 10 YEARS WORTH OF RECALLED 4RUNNER 3VZ-E ENGINES. BUT CONVENIENTLY FOR TOYOTA THEY FORGOT TO INCLUDE 95. THERE IS NO WAY A CAR COMPANY REDESIGNS AN ENGINE THEY WERE PHASING OUT IN 4 MONTHS. NEEDED GASKET REPLACED BUT NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL. TOYOTA SAID TOO BAD, SO SAD, OUR REPUTATION RELIES ON QUALITY VEHICLES. BBB SAID IT IS UP TO THE CAR COMPANY TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR VEHICLES, I.E. WE DO NOT CARE. I GOT $0.00 FOR TRADE IN ON IT. THE COBALT I ALSO TOOK A $1000 LOSS SINCE I ONLY HAD IT 4 MONTHS AND TRADED IT IN WITH 42000 MILES (BOUGHT AT 37000). *JS
THE HEAD GASKET IS GOING OUT THERE IS A RECALL FOR OTHER MFG DATES BUT MINE WAS 1 MONTH TOO LONG AND OTHER PEOPLE COMPLAINING ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THEIR 95 4RUNNERS WITH BLOWN HEAD GASKETS AND TOYOTA TELLING THEM TO GO POUND SAND.TOYOTA IS EVEN HAVING LATER MODEL V6S WITH FAILING HEAD GASKETS THE MOTOR ITS SELF IS THE PROBLEM THE DESIGN IS NOT PERFECT IT'S COOLING PROBLEM IS THE CAUSE OF THE SLEDGE RECALLS THEY HAVE GOING ON. BUT IF THEY ADMIT THAT THE MOTOR IS BAD IT WOULD COST THEM A ARM AND A LEG SO ME AND A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE ARE LEFT HOLDING THE CRAPPY CARS TAIL PIPE WHAT WORRIES ME IS IT STOPPING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY THEN GETTING REAR ENDED. *JS
I BOUGHT A REGULARLY MAINTAINED, USED 1995 4 RUNNER WITH 119,000 MILES. WITHIN A MONTH, IT BEGAN RUNNING POORLY AND THE REPAIRS BEGAN. HAD TO HAVE THE TRUCK TOWED NUMEROUS TIMES AFTER IT LEFT ME STRANDED WITH MY INFANT CHILD. I HAVE REPLACED EVERYTHING POSSIBLE BUT NOW THE MECHANIC TELLS ME I HAVE A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. THERE WAS NO INCIDENT OF OVERHEATING. I HAVE SEEN ENOUGH COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE TO UNDERSTAND THAT TOYOTA IS AWARE AND REFUSES TO RECTIFY THIS SITUATION. I WAS TOLD BY TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT MY TRUCK IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST. WHY NOT? EVERY OTHER YEAR WAS RECALLED FOR THE VERY SAME PROBLEM. I CANNOT AFFORD THIS REPAIR AND SINCE THIS VEHICLE HAS 'NICKEL AND DIMMED' ME TO DEATH, IT SITS IN THE DRIVEWAY. I CAN'T FIX IT, CAN'T SELL IT, CAN'T TRADE IT IN. IT WAS A WASTE. MY HUSBAND'S CAR HAS BEEN A REAL TROOPER BUT IT NEEDS REPAIRS. THE 4 RUNNER HAS TAKEN SO MUCH, WE CAN'T EVEN FIX THE BASICS ON HUBBY'S CAR. JUST WANT TO KNOW WHEN TOYOTA IS GOING TO ADMIT THE PROBLEM AND HELP US ALL THAT ARE STUCK WITH THEIR MESS! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE TAIL PIPE AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN DRIVING ERRATICALLY. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF BUT WOULD NOT RESTART AFTER FOUR TO FIVE ATTEMPTS. WHEN RESTARTED, THERE WAS THICK WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE TAIL PIPE ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC AND AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS FRACTURED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 179,000.
CLUTCH PEDAL STICKING TO FLOOR TRUCK WOULD NOT SHIFT TILL YOU PULL PEDAL BACK UP. THEN IT FINE TILL IT WOULD DO IT AGAIN. IT HAD NEW CLUTCH PUT IN AFTER NOTHING HELPED. IT WAS NOT THE CLUTCH. IT STILL DONE IT .LINES BLEED MANY TIMES. DIFFERENT WEIGHTS OF FLUID DID NOT HELP .PEDAL ASSEMBLY TAKEN APART CLEANED AND GONE OVER .DID NOT HELP .NEW SLIEVE DID NOT HELP .IT MIGHT BE 2 MINUTRS OR 2 MONTHS BETWEEN STICKING.IF TRUCK WAS IN GEAR WHEN PEDAL STUCK IT WOULD TAKE OFF LIKE BAT OUT OF HALL. STANDING ON BRAKE WITH BOTH FEET WOULD NOT STOP TRUCK.HAD TO TURN MOTOR OFF TO STOP TRUCKTHEN PULL PEDAL BACK UP .THEN I SAW ONE DAY THE PEDAL SUCKED ITSELF TO THE FLOOR.IT WAS PULLING ITSELF TO THE FLOOR THEN TAKE OFF IF IN GEAR.MAYBE OTHER PEOPLE WHO THINK PEDAL IS STICKING MAY BE WRONG MINE SUCKED ITSELF TO THE FLOOR.I BUT DANGEROUS I ALMOST REAR ENDED PEOPLE AT STOP LIGHTS BEFORE I COULD GET MOTOR TURNED OFF. *TR
VEHICLE WITH 3.0L V6 HAS BLOWN TWO HEAD GASKETS IN 135,000 MILES. VIN IS JUST OUTSIDE OF THE "SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGN". GASKET FAILED (AGAIN) WITH NO WARNING, VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, DRIVER LOST CONTROL
I'VE TALKED WITH TOYOTA ABOUT THE HEAD GASKET RECALL ON THIS 4RUNNER , AND I'VE BEEN TOLD YES THEY WILL FIX THE HEAD GASKET BUT ONLY IF I PAY FOR ANY OTHER REPAIRS TO THE ENGINE AND THEY TELL ME THEY WILL ONLY DO IT UNDER THESE CONDITIONS. IS THIS TRUE OR ARE THESE DEALERSHIPS TRYING TO EXTORT MONEY FROM ME . I JUST WANT THE HEAD GASKET FIXED ALL OTHER IS MY RESPONSIBILITY AND I WILL REPAIR THE OTHER MYSELF.
I HAVE READ HUNDREDS OF STORIES SIMILAR TO MINE - YET TOYOTA IS TELLING ME MY VIN DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR THE SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGN AKA: RECALL. ALTHOUGH I DO HAVE AN OFFICIAL LETTER STATING THAT ALL TOYOTA 3VZ-E ENGINES QUALIFY. . MY STORY: LAST WEEK, I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND MY 1995 V6 3.0L EFI (3VZ-E ENGINE) BEGAN TO OVERHEAT. SUDDENLY A CLOUD OF WHITE SMOKE EMERGED FROM BENEATH THE HOOD AND I LOST ALL POWER. I PULLED OVER ON THE SHOULDER, LIFTED THE HOOD TO FIND THE RADIATOR CAP SEVERED FROM THE RADIATOR AND ANTIFREEZE/BOILING WATER SPRAYING EVERYWHERE - I LET IT COOL BUT HAD A DIFFICULT TIME STARTING IT. EVENTUALLY I WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO A MECHANIC SHOP ABOUT 7 MILES AWAY.. BLOWN HEAD GASKETS #6 CYLINDER IS NOT FIRING. THIS IS CLEARLY A CLASS ACTION SUIT IN THE MAKING! *TR
1995 TOYOTA 4RUNNER FRONT DRIVESHAFT DISCONNECTED FROM TRANSMISSION WHILE DRIVING IN FREEWAY. *TR
PROPERLY CARED FOR 1995 4RUNNER BLEW HEAD GASKETS. LOOKING AT APPROX. $2K REPAIR. TOYOTA RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM ENDS AT MAN. DATE OF 10-94. THEY WON'T COVER THE SAME PROBLEM THAT HAS APPARENTLY HAPPENED TO HUNDREDS OF 95 OWNERS. *TR
TIRES BOUGHT FROM SEARS AUTO CENTER 31X10.50X15 GENERAL ALL TRAIN L/TS WERE BROUGHT IN FOR ROTATION & BALANCE REGULAR (2X) .TIRES ARE WEATHER CRACKING IN THE TREADS , TIRES WERE 2 YEARS OLD WHEN BOUGHT NEVER TOLD NOW THEY WON'T DO NOTHING HALF TREAD ON TIRES IT IS ALL WAY'S PARKED IN GARAGE. NEED YOUR HELP! *TR
I BELIEVE, THOUGHT, SWEAR I SET MY 1995 TOYOTA 4RUNNER IN THE PARK POSITION. I RECEIVED A CALL FROM SECURITY INFORMING ME IT ROLLED AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. I FOUND MY VEHICLE AND OBSERVED THAT THE SUV WAS NOT IN PARK, BUT THE DRIVE. HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? I SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO TAKE THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION WHILE THE LEVER IS IN THE DRIVE POSITION. ACCORDING TO THE MANUAL, "ON VEHICLES WITH AUTO TRANSMISSION, THE SELECTOR LEVER MUCH BE PUT IN THE "P" POSITION BEFORE TURNING THE KEY TO "LOCK" POSITION. "LOCK" - ENGINE IS OFF AND THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED. THE KEY CAN BE REMOVED ONLY AT THIS POSITION." THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME I'VE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION WHILE THE LEVER IS IN DRIVE POSITION. I MAKE A CONSCIOUS EFFORT TO MAKE SURE IT'S IN PARK BEFORE REMOVING THE KEY. *TR
I HAVE A 1995 TOYOTA 4-RUNNER THAT HAS FRAME RUST SO BAD THAT THE WHEEL FELL OFF WHILE MY SON WAS DRIVING IT. AT THAT TIME WE WERE ADVISED BY A MECHANIC THAT THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. WE ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS, IT WAS GARAGED AND WELL MAINTAINED THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. I HAVE CONTACTED A LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AS WELL AS THE CORPORATE OFFICES SINCE THEY HAVE A BUY BACK PROGRAM FOR THE SAME YEAR TRUCK WITH THE SAME RUST PROBLEM BUT HAVE GOTTEN NOWHERE. *TR
BLOWN HEAD GASKET ON 1995 TOYOTA 4RUNNER 4X4 WITH V-6 ENGINE. I SEE RECALL INFORMATION FOR 91,92, 93, 94, AND 96. WHAT ABOUT 95. I HAVE TALKED WITH OTHERS THAT HAVE HAD SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR. *TR
BLOWN HEAD GASKET ON 1995 4 RUNNER. HAPPENED IN 2/2009. TOYOTA HAS HAD RECALLS ON HEAD GASKETS FOR 1995 4 RUNNERS BUT HAS CLAIMED THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED. MANY MANY OTHER OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM SEE: HTTP://WWW.CARSURVEY.ORG/VIEWCOMMENTS_REVIEW_45660.HTML REQUIRES HEAD GASKET REPLACEMENT - TOYOTA WON'T COVER IT. *TR
I OWN A 1995 4 RUNNER # WITH ONE OF YOUR 3.0 MOTORS IN IT AND IT ONLY HAS 107,000. MILES ON IT. THE HEAD GASKET BLOW OUT ON IT, IT STARTED EATING COOLANT. I HAVE CALLED YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT CASE # 200812190092 WITH NO REGARDS TO MY PROBLEM, I WAS BLOWN OFF JUST LIKE THE HEAD ON THIS MOTOR, BLOWN OFF. I HAVE OWNED 4 TOYOTA?S INCLUDING NEW CAMRY'S, MY PARENTS BOTH DRIVE TOYOTA'S. THE 4RUNNER IS NOW SITTING IN MY DRIVE WHILE THE SNOW IS PILING UP AROUND IT, I BOUGHT IT TO DRIVE IN THE WINTER, I'M LEFT DRIVING MY CAR. I WANT THIS FIXED BY YOU ( TOYOTA) YOU KNOW YOU HAVE A DESIGN FLAW WITH THIS MOTOR. CONTACT ME ASAP TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM THAT YOU CAN WALK AWAY FROM, THERE ARE TO MANY OCCURRENCES. I WILL LET THIS TRUCK SET IN MY YARD WITH A SIGN ON IT THAT TELLS ALL WHO DRIVE BY IT THAT TOYOTA WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS-BLOWN HEAD GASKET AT 107000 MILES. I WANT AN ANSWER AS TO WHEN YOU WILL GET MY TRUCK REPAIRED AT YOUR COST, NOT MINE. CALL TODAY IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO RESOLVE THIS MATTEROR THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. HAVE A GREAT DAY. KB *TR
1995 TOYOTA 4RUNNER LOSSES ELECTRICAL POWER AND STRANGE TICKING NOISE UNDER THE FRONT END WHEN IT DOES IT. NO BRAKE LIGHTS. NO MOTOR POWERAND ETC........ *TR
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT 40 MPH AND CAR STARTED BLOWING WHITE SMOKE. WAS TOLD IT WAS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. CAR HAS 124,500 MILES. CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE MONEY TO REPAIR AND IS DRIVEN SPARINGLY. *TR
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.
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