← New search

1996 Toyota 4RUNNER

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1996 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

Other model years Selected 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

55 reports with mileage · 17 unknown

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.

  • Structure. Review the 38 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports1 fire reports2 injury reports

What owners actually said

72 reports
100,000 miles · Jan 3, 2011
Structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR BUMPER AND FRAME WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR INSPECTION WHERE THE INSPECTOR STATED THAT THE FRAME WAS SEVERELY CORRODED AND EXHIBITED MANY HOLES IN THE MIDSECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO PASS INSPECTION AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR BUMPER AND FRAME WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR INSPECTION WHERE THE INSPECTOR STATED THAT THE FRAME WAS SEVERELY CORRODED AND EXHIBITED MANY HOLES IN THE MIDSECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO PASS INSPECTION AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED IN REGARDS TO THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ODI #10373974

116,000 miles · Nov 18, 2010
Structure

I CONTACTED TOYOTA ABOUT A RECALL ON MY 1996 LIMITED 4RUNNER. THERE WAS A REAR COIL SPRING RECALL. I TOOK MY 4RUNNER TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE SPRINGS REPLACED AND WAS INFORMED BY THEIR MECHANIC THAT THE FRAME WAS SO RUSTY WITH HOLES THAT THEY WOULD NOT WORK ON IT AND IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THEY STATED THAT …

Read full complaint

I CONTACTED TOYOTA ABOUT A RECALL ON MY 1996 LIMITED 4RUNNER. THERE WAS A REAR COIL SPRING RECALL. I TOOK MY 4RUNNER TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE SPRINGS REPLACED AND WAS INFORMED BY THEIR MECHANIC THAT THE FRAME WAS SO RUSTY WITH HOLES THAT THEY WOULD NOT WORK ON IT AND IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THEY STATED THAT THEY NEEDED TO HAVE A SERVICE REP LOOK AT THIS ISSUE. I WAS TOLD TO BRING THE 4RUNNER BACK AT A LATER DATE. I WAS NOT GIVEN A LOANER CAR EVEN AFTER I WAS TOLD IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. A FEW WEEKS LATER I DROVE THE 4RUNNER BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION BY A TOYOTA SERVICE REP AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING. HE STATED THAT THE 4RUNNER WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND TOYOTA WAS NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THEY THEN PERFORMED THE COIL SPRING RECALL AFTER THEY STATED IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS I MADE MANY CALLS TO TOYOTA WITH NO HELP. TO STOP ME FROM CALLING THEY STATED THEY WOULD GIVE ME $1000 TOWARDS A NEW OR USED TOYOTA PURCHASED FROM A TOYOTA DEALER. MUCH DOCUMENTATION WAS DONE ON THIS PROBLEM AND NO ONE FROM TOYOTA HAS EVER CONTACTED ME ABOUT MY UNSAFE 4RUNNER BEING REMOVED FROM SERVICE BECAUSE OF THE RUST HOLES IN THE FRAME. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10366697

90,000 miles · Jul 21, 2010
Engine And Engine CoolingVehicle Speed Control

CAR LURCHES FORWARD WHEN AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR ENGAGES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10344517

90,000 miles · Jul 21, 2010
Vehicle Speed Control

ACCELERATOR STICKS. WHEN DEPRESSING ACCELERATOR PEDAL, IT STICKS WITHOUT MOVING. THE ONLY WAY TO GET IT TO MOVE IS BY PUTTING EVER INCREASING PRESSURE ON THE PEDAL UNTIL IT SUDDENLY BREAKS FREE AND THE CARE LURCHES FORWARD. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10344515

48,948 miles · Feb 4, 2010
Vehicle Speed Control

I HAVE A TOYOTA 4 RUNNER AND HAVE COMPLAINED TO THE TOYOTA DEALER ABOUT MY GAS PEDAL STICKING. THEY DID NOTHING TO FIX IT AND SAID NOTHING IS WRONG! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10305229

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 2010
Vehicle Speed ControlCrash

I HAVE A 1996 4RUNNER THAT WAS IN GOOD CONDITION UNTIL SEPTEMBER 4, 2009 WHEN IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL, BECAME A RUNAWAY VEHICLE, AND STRUCK A GAS STATION BUILDING, RESULTING IN SEVERE PROPERTY DAMAGE. I PAID $7800.00 TO FIX THE TRUCK AND INSURANCE COMPANY PAID TO FIX DAMAGES TO THE GAS STATION. I HAVE POLICE REPOR…

Read full complaint

I HAVE A 1996 4RUNNER THAT WAS IN GOOD CONDITION UNTIL SEPTEMBER 4, 2009 WHEN IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL, BECAME A RUNAWAY VEHICLE, AND STRUCK A GAS STATION BUILDING, RESULTING IN SEVERE PROPERTY DAMAGE. I PAID $7800.00 TO FIX THE TRUCK AND INSURANCE COMPANY PAID TO FIX DAMAGES TO THE GAS STATION. I HAVE POLICE REPORT FOR THE ACCIDENT AND NO LONGER FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SINCE MEDIA REPORT OF WORN/DEFECTIVE GAS PEDAL CAUSING SIMILAR ACCIDENTS. PLEASE ADVISE ASAP. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10303722

188,000 miles · Jan 25, 2010
Structure

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME ON THE VEHICLE WAS RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC TO HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED WHO STATED THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTING JUST LIKE THE TOYOTA TACOMA RECALL. THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED THAT HIS YEAR, MAKE AND MOD…

Read full complaint

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME ON THE VEHICLE WAS RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC TO HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED WHO STATED THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTING JUST LIKE THE TOYOTA TACOMA RECALL. THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED THAT HIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE WAS NOT A RECALL SINCE BOTH VEHICLES SHARE THE SAME STRUCTURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 188,000.

NHTSA ODI #10302139

Mileage unknown · Jan 11, 2010
Visibility

I-26 ROCKS EVERYWHERE FLYING UP CRACKING WINDSHIELD. HAVE A CRACK HALLWAY ACROSS FRONT WINDSHIELD WITH 5-7 CHIPS IN VARIOUS PLACES. CORRECTION SHOULD BE ROAD SEALED AND ROAD SWEPT. HAVE TO REPLACE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10298944

165,200 miles · Oct 4, 2009
Tires

WITHIN A ONE WEEK PERIOD, I EXPERIENCED SEPARATION IN TWO TIRES. THE DEALER REPLACED BOTH TIRES PRIOR TO FAILURE, HOWEVER A SEVERE VIBRATION WAS DETECTED PRIOR TO REPLACEMENT. THE TIRES IN QUESTIONS WERE MANUFACTURED BY DEAN TIRE AND RUBBER. WILDCAT RADIAL LT. 265/75R16. DESIGN 8126. OTHER NUMBERS ON THE TIRE ARE 14589-2…

Read full complaint

WITHIN A ONE WEEK PERIOD, I EXPERIENCED SEPARATION IN TWO TIRES. THE DEALER REPLACED BOTH TIRES PRIOR TO FAILURE, HOWEVER A SEVERE VIBRATION WAS DETECTED PRIOR TO REPLACEMENT. THE TIRES IN QUESTIONS WERE MANUFACTURED BY DEAN TIRE AND RUBBER. WILDCAT RADIAL LT. 265/75R16. DESIGN 8126. OTHER NUMBERS ON THE TIRE ARE 14589-2 AND R5512. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10286237

Mileage unknown · May 31, 2007
Steering

TOYOTA 4RUNNER LIMITED 1996 VINTAGE...STEERING WHEEL SHAKES BIGTIME *TR

NHTSA ODI #10192195

Official recalls

2

02V021000 · Suspension

Jan 18, 2002

ON CERTAIN 2-WHEEL-DRIVE (2WD) AND 4-WHEEL-DRIVE (4WD) 4RUNNER SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, A COMBINATION OF HEAVY LOADING (SIMULTANEOUS LOADING TO REAR GROSS AXLE WEIGHT RATING AND GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING) AND SEVERE STEERING MANEUVERS COULD CAUSE THE 2WD 4RUNNER TO LOSE DIRECTIONAL STABILITY.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE REAR SUSPENSION PARTS. ALTHOUGH THE 4WD 4RUNNERS DO NOT EXHIBIT THE HANDLING CONDITION, TOYOTA WILL RECALL THESE VEHICLES TO AVOID ANY PUBLIC CONFUSION AS TO WHICH VEHICLES SHOULD RECEIVE THE REPLACEMENT PARTS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 28, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

96V098000 · Equipment:other:labels

Jun 12, 1996

THE STICKER REQUIRED BY PART 575, "CONSUMER INFORMATION REGULATIONS" TO ALERT THE DRIVER OF "THE PARTICULAR HANDLING AND MANEUVERING CHARACTERISTICS OF UTILITY VEHICLES" WAS NOT AFFIXED TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: OWNERS MAY NOT BE AWARE OF THE HANDLING AND MANUEVERING CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS VEHICLE INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SUN VISORS ON THE AFFECTED VEHICLES WITH VISORS CONTAINING THE CORRECT LABELS.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.