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2021 Toyota 4Runner
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Overview
Our database contains 34 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2021 Toyota 4Runner, most frequently naming the steering, suspension and brakes categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 127 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaint activity over time
When owners filed reports about this model year
View as table
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 2020 | 1 | 1 |
| Jan 2021 | 1 | 2 |
| May 2021 | 3 | 5 |
| Jun 2021 | 2 | 7 |
| Jul 2021 | 2 | 9 |
| Aug 2021 | 1 | 10 |
| Sep 2021 | 2 | 12 |
| Oct 2021 | 1 | 13 |
| Jan 2022 | 1 | 14 |
| Feb 2022 | 1 | 15 |
| Aug 2022 | 1 | 16 |
| Nov 2022 | 1 | 17 |
| Dec 2022 | 1 | 18 |
| Feb 2023 | 1 | 19 |
| May 2023 | 1 | 20 |
| Jul 2023 | 1 | 21 |
| Jan 2024 | 2 | 23 |
| Feb 2024 | 1 | 24 |
| Mar 2024 | 1 | 25 |
| Feb 2025 | 1 | 26 |
| Jul 2025 | 1 | 27 |
| Dec 2025 | 3 | 30 |
| Jan 2026 | 1 | 31 |
| Mar 2026 | 1 | 32 |
| May 2026 | 1 | 33 |
| Jun 2026 | 1 | 34 |
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
- Steering1224.0%
- Suspension1020.0%
- Brakes612.0%
- Driver assistance48.0%
- Other / unspecified48.0%
- Visibility36.0%
- Electrical36.0%
- Exterior lighting36.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Safety recalls
1 campaign cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govRecent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
The interior of both headlights have the interior coating peeling in the first 20k miles
- NHTSA ID
- 11745613
- Incident
- Jun 10, 2026
I just had the tires road force balanced on a haweka with lug-centric balance, and the steering wheel persists shaking from 55-65 mph. From what I have seen is this is a design flaw on this generation of 4 runners called the shimmy. For a newer vehicle this is not only dangerous, but unacceptable to not be considered for a recall when it is this widespread.
- NHTSA ID
- 11741081
- Incident
- May 28, 2026
Today while I was driving home from work, in a snow storm, suddenly a low braking power notification and ABS malfunction popped up on my console with loud beeping and my brakes completely stopped working. In order to avoid hitting the car in front of me I had to swerve to the shoulder and come to a stop.
- NHTSA ID
- 11722616
- Incident
- Mar 6, 2026
My backup camera does not work consistently. It will sometimes come on and show objects behind me; other times it is a black screen. I have read where Toyota models from 2022 to newer, but not including the 4 Runner, are having major issues with the back up camera and are under recall. I believe this recall should include the Toyota 4 Runner, as mine seems to be having issues which affect my safety and others. I called the nearest Toyota dealership to verify if my car was under recall and they said no. I have not taken the vehicle to be inspected by the dealership. This issue started about 6 -8 months ago. No lights or warning messages appear on the dashboard. I thought maybe my camera was dirty, but wash the car and it still is inconsistently working. It fails more than it works.
- NHTSA ID
- 11712755
- Incident
- May 1, 2025
Rear backup camera has been failing or intermittently working, it is available for insp[ection upon request. This has created a situation upon reversing in driveway where I expect it to be on and dont see a vehicle or trailer behind me. I have hit a parked car because I was expecting it to work as I check rearview mirrors. This is now a habit and I did not realize it wasn't working at the time until i collided with the vehicle. The dealership will not confirm it or inspect it unless payment is rendered. No one has inspected it except for Virginia. Which I am unsure that is even something they inspect. They may have just inspected other things that allow for use on highway. No lamps or other warnings when it began in april 2023. I have not tried to get it fixed as this is a new vehicle and I wasn't willing to pay the dealer to diagnose and most likely decline my warranty coverage.
- NHTSA ID
- 11707218
- Incident
- Oct 15, 2025
Vehicle was diagnosed from a mechanic with no fuel pressure due to not starting. Vehicle has approximately 135,000 miles and had no warnings or indications of problem. It appears when VIN was ran on gov. recall that Honda had issues with fuel pump. Vehicle will be inspected by Toyota dealer.
- NHTSA ID
- 11704362
- Incident
- Dec 10, 2025
Several door lock actuators have prematurely failed. The first to do so was front passenger door in summer 2024; front driver door lock failed a few months after. Most recently, approximately 4 months ago, the lock actuator for liftgate failed. This poses safety hazard in easily exiting vehicle and/or entering it if in dangerous situation. I have been communicating with local Toyota dealership for months about repairing these defective items, They have acknowledged awareness of an issue with the actuators, but have offered no help. I have read there is a class action lawsuit pending about this issue. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
- NHTSA ID
- 11702645
- Incident
- Jul 16, 2024
Saturday morning July 12th after starting my vehicle, a warning was presented “SRS AIRBAG SYSTEM MALFUNCTION”. I immediately took it to the dealership where they ran diagnostics. The service advisor admitted he nor his mechanic had ever seen anything like that before. They were unable to detect the issue that day. We planned to return the vehicle Thursday July 17. I dropped it off at 10am and never heard from the dealership again that day. Friday, July 18th I contacted the service advisor around 10 am to get an update in which he said they were looking into it. Friday afternoon, I received a call from the service advisor letting me know that the front passenger Occupant ECU had malfunctioned, costing approximately $1000. After researching this, I learned that Toyota has issued many recalls on this issue with other models. I called Toyota headquarters to see how they would rectify this but ended the conversation with no solution other than it is the consumer’s liability. This is a safety issue that should fall back on the manufacturer, especially given the history of recalls issued on this specific defect.
- NHTSA ID
- 11674658
- Incident
- Jul 12, 2025
Manufacturer communications
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
OBSOLETE NOTICE January 30, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0001-26.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Some 2018 – 2024 model year Toyota vehicles equipped with a Premium Audio with Dynamic Navigation System require a Special Service Tool (SST) USB flash drive to update the map, points of interest, and system software.
Some 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Service Bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures for odor remediation. This Service Bulletin provides a guide on how to prepare and treat the interior of the vehicle for odor remediation. Refer to the applicable model and model year Repair Manual and the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) website for the most up-to-date safety and precautionary guidelines.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air conditioning refrigerant leaks. The procedures outlined in this Service Bulletin aid in locating, inspecting, and repairing refrigerant leaks.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
To assist with the early detection and early resolution of audio related concerns you may be asked to recover MMR data from the head unit. The following steps are instructions on how to retrieve the data from the system and are only to be used when requested by FTS and/or FPE.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
To assist with the early detection and early resolution of audio related concerns you may be asked to recover MMR data from the head unit. The following steps are instructions on how to retrieve the data from the system and are only to be used when requested by FTS and/or FPE.
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Compare model years
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Issue Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 7 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 2025 | 54 | 1 | 0 | 49.7 |
| 2024 | 8 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 2023 | 30 | 1 | 0 | 51.7 |
| 2022 | 39 | 3 | 0 | 58.8 |
| 2021Viewing | 34 | 1 | 0 | 51.1 |
| 2020 | 31 | 1 | 0 | 44.0 |
| 2019 | 64 | 4 | 0 | 58.1 |
| 2018 | 58 | 5 | 0 | 56.9 |
| 2017 | 36 | 5 | 1 | 63.7 |
| 2016 | 78 | 8 | 1 | 65.4 |
| 2015 | 86 | 9 | 1 | 59.1 |
| 2014 | 77 | 7 | 1 | 59.4 |
| 2013 | 36 | 6 | 1 | 57.3 |
| 2012 | 96 | 8 | 1 | 58.8 |
| 2011 | 163 | 10 | 1 | 57.4 |
| 2010 | 145 | 12 | 1 | 56.6 |
| 2009 | 22 | 6 | 1 | 60.0 |
| 2008 | 96 | 5 | 1 | 58.6 |
| 2007 | 154 | 5 | 1 | 53.2 |
| 2006 | 380 | 5 | 2 | 60.0 |
| 2005 | 424 | 5 | 2 | 56.6 |
| 2004 | 678 | 2 | 2 | 53.0 |
| 2003 | 695 | 3 | 2 | 53.5 |
| 2002 | 224 | 3 | 1 | 55.7 |
| 2001 | 185 | 3 | 0 | 49.9 |
| 2000 | 483 | 2 | 0 | 49.0 |
| 1999 | 330 | 2 | 0 | 51.2 |
| 1998 | 250 | 4 | 0 | 52.1 |
| 1997 | 261 | 4 | 0 | 55.1 |
| 1996 | 161 | 5 | 0 | 54.3 |
| 1995 | 172 | 4 | 1 | 59.2 |
| 1994 | 64 | 4 | 2 | 63.2 |
| 1993 | 51 | 3 | 2 | 59.9 |
| 1992 | 53 | 3 | 2 | 60.1 |
| 1991 | 43 | 2 | 4 | 55.7 |
| 1990 | 78 | 2 | 4 | 65.1 |
| 1989 | 6 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 1988 | 9 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1987 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1986 | 8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1985 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1984 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.