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1990 Toyota 4RUNNER

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1990 Toyota 4RUNNER do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 58.

About this comparison →
78Owner complaints

Model-year median: 58

1Recall campaigns

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4Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
5
19879
19886
198978
199043
199153
199251
1993
Compare all 4RUNNER years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Engine And Engine Cooling
38Power Train
14Structure
8Service Brakes, Hydraulic
7Vehicle Speed Control
5
All reported categories
Latches/locks/linkages
2Service Brakes
2Steering
2Tires
2Unknown Or Other
2Electrical System
1Engine
1Fuel System, Gasoline
1Seat Belts
1Suspension
1Visibility
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 15 of 78 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 38 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

10 crash reports6 fire reports6 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

1 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Apr 20, 2000
Electrical SystemPower Train

THIS VEHICLE BEHAVES IN A VERY "LEMON" LIKE WAY. NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL FAILURES SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE. MAIN PROBLEM IS VEHICLE JUMPING IN AND OUT OF OVERDRIVE AT HIGHWAY CRUISING SPEEDS. (A CONSTANT PROBLEM.) TOYOTA SEEMS TO NOT WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM, ALTHOUGH I KNOW OF AT LEAST ONE OTHER OWNER LOCALLY WHO H…

Read full complaint

THIS VEHICLE BEHAVES IN A VERY "LEMON" LIKE WAY. NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL FAILURES SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE. MAIN PROBLEM IS VEHICLE JUMPING IN AND OUT OF OVERDRIVE AT HIGHWAY CRUISING SPEEDS. (A CONSTANT PROBLEM.) TOYOTA SEEMS TO NOT WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM, ALTHOUGH I KNOW OF AT LEAST ONE OTHER OWNER LOCALLY WHO HAS EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. AT ONE TIME, A WIRING HARNESS WAS BLAMED AND A FIX WAS MADE THAT CURED THE PROBLEM FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. VEHICLE CONSTANTLY LEAKS OIL, EVEN THOUGH THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP "FIXED" THESE PROBLEMS AS PART OF A RECALL IN LATE 1997. (PROBLEM NEVER STAYED FIXED.) ELECTRICAL SHORTS IN WIRING ALSO CAUSED SEVERAL INSTANCES OF BATTERY LOSS OF POWER SO BADLY THAT BATTERY HAD TO BE REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES. TRANSMISSION HAS ALWAYS BEHAVED POORLY, ENGINE ALWAYS LEAKS OIL, AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ARE ABUNDANT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #721731

Official recalls

1

05V389000 · Steering:linkages:rod:relay:connecting

Sep 6, 2005

ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, IF THE STEERING WHEEL IS REPEATEDLY TURNED UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS WHERE HIGH STEERING EFFORT AND POWER ASSIST ARE REQUIRED, FOR INSTANCE, WHEN FULLY TURNING THE WHEEL WHILE THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED, A FATIGUE CRACK MAY DEVELOP IN THE STEERING RELAY ROD.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE VEHICLE IS CONTINUED TO BE OPERATED IN THIS CONDITION, THE RELAY ROD MAY FRACTURE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STEERING RELAY ROD. THE RECALL BEGAN OCTOBER 5, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

4

DP02002 · Rear Seat Belt Routing

Opened Mar 26, 2002 · Closed Aug 26, 2002

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:rear/other

No summary supplied.

SQ99003 · Corroded Brake Lines

Opened Jan 27, 1999 · Closed Apr 22, 1999

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic

TOYOTA IS CONDUCTING A SAFETY RECALL IN CANADA 98-253. CORRODED BRAKE LINES COULD FAIL RESULTING IN A PARTIAL BRAK SYSTEM LOSS AND INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES

EA92011 · Loss Of Brk Effectiveness

Opened Mar 24, 1992 · Closed Jan 21, 1993

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic

There is no summary currently available

PE91147 · Loss Of Brake Effectivenes

Opened Nov 6, 1991 · Closed Mar 24, 1992

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic

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