2008 Toyota 4Runner Brakes Problems

The actuator in the transfer case went bad in such a way as to not allow the vehicle either move (under its own power) or to be in a parked state; though the shifter and indicator lights indicated PARK and although you could turn off the vehicle and also remove the key, the vehicle was actually in a NUETRAL state that allowed the vehicle to freely roll. I put something behind the tire THANK GOODNESS I noticed! Anyway, Toyota wants more than the vehicle is worth to fix it so my mechanic replaced the transfer case with a used one. I've heard of others having this problem and it seems like it could be a safety-related concern. And an expensive concern, as well.

NHTSA ID

11505214

Incident

Jan 27, 2023

VEHICLE DISPLAYED A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DUE TO A NON SEALING GAS CAP. THIS CONDITION ALSO DISABLES THE STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM. VEHICLE LOST CONTROL ON WET CONDITIONS AND WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER DUE TO ALL TRACTION AND STABILIZATION SYSTEMS BEING TURNED OFF DUE TO A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT (FAULTY GAS CAP). I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR 6 YEARS AND HAVE PUT OVER 80,000 MILES ON IT WITHOUT INCIDENT. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION TRAVELING THE SPEED LIMIT ON A RAINY ROAD.*DT *TR

NHTSA ID

11383082

Incident

Dec 11, 2020

Mileage

163,000 mi

ENTIRE UNDERBODY OF CAR IS RUSTING OUT, TAIL GATE ALREADY HAD 2 BODY REPAIRS BUT KEEPS RUSTING OUT. MANY PARTS AT JUST 150K WERE ALREADY REPLACED DUE TO SEVERE RUST- MOST SUSPENSION PARTS, TRANSMISSION COOLING LINES, EXHAUST , SKID PLATES ALL FAILED. BRAKE CALIPERS FAILED 4 TIMES IN IN 6 YEARS.

NHTSA ID

11341782

Incident

Jul 15, 2020

I HAVE GONE THROUGH 2 SETS OF FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS ON MY 2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. IT IS A COMMON ISSUE WHERE OVER TIME, THE CALIPERS WILL SEIZE UP AND STICK ON. THE ONLY WAY TO TELL THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE IS EITHER BY TOUCH, SMELL, OR FEEL. TOUCH, BECAUSE THE ROTORS GET TO BE OVER 250 DEGREES AND THEY CANNOT BE TOUCHED. SMELL, BECAUSE THE SMELL OF BURNING BRAKE PADS IS PRESENT FEEL, BECAUSE THERE IS A LOSS OF BRAKING. OTHER THAN THESE INDICATIONS, THERE IS NO NOTICE OF SEIZED CALIPERS UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE. THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE AND HAS HAPPENED WITH MOST 4RUNNER OWNERS THAT I TALK TO. I'M SURPRISED THAT THIS HAS NOT BECOME AN ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

11190068

Incident

Mar 17, 2019

Mileage

103,000 mi

TAMARA RECALL PREV OWNED VEH, BOUGHT FROM DEALERSHIP AS "SAFE" TO OPERATE,110,000 MI ON 11072016. PREV OWNER AND CURRENT OWNER HAD VE HAD VEH SERVICED REGULARLY. UNDERCARRIAGE AND BRAKING NOISE WHILE IN MOTION ON HWY. REAR DOOR NOT ABLE TO OPEN, MANUALLY OR WITH REMOTE. MAINT LIGHT AND TIRE LIGHT CAME ON. POST NOISE INSPECTION BY MECHANIC, LEFT (?)FRONT AXLE BOOT IS SPLIT. FRONT NOISE UNDETERMINED (SWAY BAR LINKS OR STRUTTS?) AT THIS TIME. REAR LEFT DRIVER'S SIDE AXLE BEARING AND SEAL LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID(?) INTO BRAKES. BRAKES AFFECTED BY LEAKING FLUID AND WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED DUE TO DAMAGE BY FLUID, WHICH COULD CAUSE BRAKE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. REAR DOOR LOCK FAILURE DUE TO INTERIOR CORROSION/RUST. MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

11165443

Incident

Dec 28, 2018

Mileage

158,790 mi

WHEN BRAKING, ANY BUMP OR POTHOLE WILL CAUSE THE SYSTEM TO LOSE BRAKE POWER FOR ABOUT ONE (1) SECOND, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CONTINUE AT THE SAME SPEED FOR TENS OF FEET FURTHER THAN EXPECTED. HIDDEN POTHOLES BY STANDING WATER CAN CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO TRAVEL INTO AN INTERSECTION OR OTHER VEHICLE. THIS IS THE THIRD 4-RUNNER THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. PREVIOUS VEHICLES WERE FROM 1994 AND 1998, AND I HAD THREE REAR-END ACCIDENTS, WHICH CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE OTHER VEHICLES.

NHTSA ID

10877014

Incident

Jun 16, 2016

Mileage

163,000 mi

DURING A MAINTENANCE VISIT TO EAST COAST TOYOTA OF CARLSTADT, NJ AN "UPDATE" TO THE ECU COMPUTER SYSTEM WAS PERFORMED. AFTER THIS "UPDATE" I NOTICED THE ENGINE STALLING, THEN RECOVERING AND AUTO THEN SURGING FORWARD. THIS WAS EXPLAINED BY TOYOTA AS "SMART TECHNOLOGY" TO MODIFY ENG/ECT SYSTEM. IN MY OPINION THIS IS A DANGEROUS "FIX": EXAMPLE --WHEN TRYING TO ENTER A TRAFFIC LANE FROM A DEAD STOP, WITH FOOT ON BREAK IF YOU ATTEMPT TO ACCELERATE THE ENGINE CUTS OUT- SENDING YOU INTO TRAFFIC WITH A LAG INSTEAD OF A POWER BOOST. I ATTEMPTED TO HAVE THIS MODIFICATION UNDONE BY TOYOTA BUT THEY EXPLAINED THEIR POSITION AS BELOW: WE APOLOGIZE FOR YOUR CONCERNS WITH THE SMART STOP TECHNOLOGY INSTALLED IN YOUR 2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. AS WE PREVIOUSLY INDICATED, IN RESPONSE TO CUSTOMER'S CONCERNS WITH THEIR VEHICLES, TOYOTA WORKED WITH THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA) TO COME UP WITH THIS REMEDY, WHICH IS THE INSTALLATION OF THE SMART STOP TECHNOLOGY. BECAUSE THIS REMEDY WAS MANDATED BY THE GOVERNMENT (NHTSA), WE ARE UNABLE TO REMOVE THE SMART STOP TECHNOLOGY. YOUR EMAIL HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED AT OUR NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS. IN MY OPINION THIS CHANGE DOESN'T FIX ANYTHING - IT IS DANGEROUS- YOU CAN'T ACCELERATE FROM A "HOLDING" BREAK POSITION (FOOT ON BREAK AND GAS) AS RECOMMENDED BY SOME DEFENSIVE DRIVING INSTRUCTORS.. I AM REQUESTING THAT THE NTSB LOOKED INTO THIS TOYOTA MODIFICATION (BEFORE UPDATE CODE 33562000,AFTER UPDATE 3356200) , DETERMINE IT'S EFFICACY (OR LACK OF ) AND DEVISE A BETTER FIX THAN THEIR SO CALLED "SMART TECHNOLOGY". *TR

NHTSA ID

10649497

Incident

May 8, 2014

SUDDEN ACCELERATION OF ENGINE WHICH DID NOT RESPOND TO BRAKING. HIGH SPEED, TURNED OFF ENGINE IN AN ATTEMPT TO STOP, BUT CAR DID NOT STOP UNTIL IT COLLIDED WITH A TREE. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10513512

Incident

May 20, 2013

Mileage

21,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE TRACTION CONTROL OFF BUTTON ILLUMINATED AS WELL AS THE ABS LIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DIAGNOSED DUE TO THE WARNING LIGHTS NOT BEING ILLUMINATED AT THE TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 92,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 94,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10495238

Incident

Jan 16, 2013

Mileage

92,000 mi

THERE IS CORROSION IN THE FRAME AND DRIVE-TRAIN COMPONENTS. THERE IS PITTING, RUSTING THROUGHOUT THE FRAME UNDERCARRIAGE AND THE SUSPENSION AND DIFFERENTIAL COMPONENTS. THIS BARELY 4YR OLD VEHICLE IS A SOUTHERN VEHICLE. REGARDLESS, THIS CORROSION IS A SAFETY ISSUE IN ANY VEHICLE LET ALONE IN A 4RUNNER WITH A SERVICE INCEPTION DATE OF 11/30/2008 WITH 19K MILES. THIS IS TOTALLY IRRESPONSIBLE OF THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY CLAIM IT IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. YES, IT (SHOULD BE) COVERED BY WARRANTY AND MORE IMPORTANTLY IT IS MANUFACTURER'S LIABILITY TO CORRECT SAFETY/QUALITY ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10485047

Incident

Oct 1, 2012

Mileage

18,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 30 MPH WITH THE BRAKES APPLIED THEY FAILED TO ENGAGE AND MADE A LOUD POPPING NOISE. THE CONTACT THEN RELEASED AND APPLIED THE BRAKES AGAIN WITH EXTREME PRESSURE UNTIL THE VEHICLE FINALLY STOPPED. THE DEALER WAS INFORMED ABOUT THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED . THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 33971.

NHTSA ID

10358772

Incident

Aug 15, 2010

Mileage

32,500 mi

APPROX 1 WEEK PRIOR TO 6/15 I STARTED HEARING AN INTERMITTENT SQUEAK WHEN DRIVING MY CAR. I TOOK MY 4 RUNNER IN TO HAVE TOYOTA LOOK AT IT, 2 DAYS LATER THEY DETERMINED IT "MUST BE" THE BRAKE PUMP. MY CAR IS 4,000 MILES PAST WARRANTY. NO ONE CAN TELL ME IF IT IS SAFE TO KEEP DRIVING UNTIL I GET IT FIXED AND WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IF IT GOES OUT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10339711

Incident

Jun 15, 2010

Mileage

40,870 mi

2008 TOYOTA RAV4 BEGAN RACING BADLY, TOOK THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE, THE TOYOTA DEALER CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. WE WERE DRIVING INTO OUR GARAGE, WAITED FOR THE DOOR TO OPEN WHEN THE CAR STARTED RACING VERY BADLY. I AM AFRAID TO USE THE CAR, WHAT CAN WE DO? *TR

NHTSA ID

10312026

Incident

Feb 8, 2010

Mileage

13,677 mi

I HAVE A 2008 TOYOTA 4-RUNNER, SR5, 4WD. IT HAS APPROXIMATELY 31,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW. I HAVE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL INCIDENTS WHERE THE VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY APPLIES WHAT FEELS LIKE THE FRONT LEFT BRAKE. THIS OCCURS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS TRAVELING AT 30-50 MPH ON DOWNHILL GRADES. I AM APPLYING MILD BRAKING WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURS TO CONTROL THE DOWNHILL SPEED. THE AUTOMATIC BRAKING IS INTERMITTENT AND EACH TIME A LOUD BEEP IS HEARD FROM THE DASH AREA. THE EFFECT TENDS TO PULL THE VEHICLE STRONGLY TO THE LEFT. IT CREATES A VERY HAZARDOUS CONDITION THAT IS DIFFICULT TO REACT TO AND COMPENSATE FOR. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO PREDICT OR ANTICIPATE THAT THE INCIDENT WILL OCCUR. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER IN LATE JANUARY 2009 FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REPLICATE AN INCIDENT OR LOCATE ANYTHING ABNORMAL. I REMAIN VERY CONCERNED ABOUT DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN DOWNHILL CONDITIONS. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT HAZARD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10307760

Incident

Jan 15, 2010

Mileage

31,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNINTENTIONALLY WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH. SHE HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH SUCH FORCE THAT SHE DESTROYED THE ENTIRE BRAKING SYSTEM. THE DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE BRAKING SYSTEM BECAUSE THE BRAKES WERE SO HOT THAT THEY DESTROYED THE ROTORS AND THE PADS. THE VEHICLE IS STILL AT THE DEALER AND THE CONTACT DOES NOT WANT TO PICK IT UP. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,000.

NHTSA ID

10280119

Incident

Aug 6, 2009

Mileage

16,000 mi