IllustrationENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON. WHEN VEHICLE IS IN PARK, AND IT IDLES AT 1500 RPMS. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE 14 TIMES, AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
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 →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all 4RUNNER years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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
What owners actually said
78 reportsROD THROWN, ENGINE DESTROYED. WARRANTY HEAD WORK DONE LAST OCTOBER AFTER RECALL POSSIBLY RELATED. MASSIVE OIL LOSS SOMETIME IN LAST WEEK, POSSIBLY AT TIME OF ENGINE FAILURE.
WHILE DRIVING WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON. TAPPED BRAKES TO RELEASE CRUISE CONTROL. VEHICLE MAINTAINED SPEED. AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. THIS CAUSED ENGINE TO REV UP RPMS. SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL CAUSED REVVING. FLOORED PEDAL & CRUISE CONTROL WAS RELEASED. WILL BE TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER. *AK
THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING TRUCK, AND SHE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS NO PRESSURE WHEN SHE HIT THE GAS PEDAL AND SHE SMELLED FUEL. ALSO SHE HAD A NEW ENGINE PUT IN JULY, THE MILEAGE WAS 75000 ON THE TRUCK. THE SHORT BLOCK WAS REPLACED . THEN THE TRUCK BURST INTO FLAMES. THE CAR WA STOWED TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. *…
Read full complaint
THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING TRUCK, AND SHE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS NO PRESSURE WHEN SHE HIT THE GAS PEDAL AND SHE SMELLED FUEL. ALSO SHE HAD A NEW ENGINE PUT IN JULY, THE MILEAGE WAS 75000 ON THE TRUCK. THE SHORT BLOCK WAS REPLACED . THEN THE TRUCK BURST INTO FLAMES. THE CAR WA STOWED TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. *AK
BRAKES FAILED CAUSING ACCIDENT. OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT.
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION RESULTING IN A VEHICLE COLLISION.
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ABOUT 20 MPH AND APPYLING BRAKE PRESSURE 2 OUT OF 3 BRAKE LINES BROKE, CAUSING NO BRAKING ABILITY. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO AVOID A CRASH. THE BRAKE LINES HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY DEALERSHIP. *AK
POWER DOOR LOCKS FAILED, ALSO DOORS COULD NOT BE OPENED MANUALLY, PASSENGERS WERE TRAPPED.
ENGINE THERMOSTAT FAILED TWICE, ENGINE FAILED DUE TO COLLANT LEAK.
DRIVETRAIN CONSTANTLY JUMPS IN AND OUT OF OVERDRIVE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL.
Official recalls
105V389000 · 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
4DP02002 · 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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