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1998 Toyota 4RUNNER

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most 4RUNNER years

Owner complaints for the 1998 Toyota 4RUNNER are substantially higher than the model-year median of 58.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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

105 reports with mileage · 25 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 72 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 43 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports2 fire reports1 injury reports

Unknown Or Other complaints

14 reports
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270,395 miles · Aug 23, 2015
Unknown Or Other

FRAME IS ROTTING AWAY ON RIGHT SIDE OF VEHICLE. I HAVE NOTICED THIS ON MULTIPLE TOYOTA 4RUNNERS OF THIS ERA. THIS MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SERVICE THE VEHICLE AS WELL SINCE IT IS NO LONGER SAFE TO RAISE WITH A VEHICLE LIFT THAT LIFTS AT THE FRAME. WHEN ACCELERATING TO 20-25 MPH AND LETTING OFF THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE SWAYS TREMEND…

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FRAME IS ROTTING AWAY ON RIGHT SIDE OF VEHICLE. I HAVE NOTICED THIS ON MULTIPLE TOYOTA 4RUNNERS OF THIS ERA. THIS MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SERVICE THE VEHICLE AS WELL SINCE IT IS NO LONGER SAFE TO RAISE WITH A VEHICLE LIFT THAT LIFTS AT THE FRAME. WHEN ACCELERATING TO 20-25 MPH AND LETTING OFF THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE SWAYS TREMENDOUSLY AND IS GREATLY AMPLIFIED WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE BACK UP TO SPEED.

NHTSA ODI #10758655

217,476 miles · Jul 20, 2015
Unknown Or Other

FRAME ROT/RUST AND MECHANIC WON'T WORK ON IT TO REMOVE, REBALANCE TIRES. UNDER FRAME IS RUSTED OUT. NOT SAFE.

NHTSA ODI #10735134

189,175 miles · May 15, 2015
Unknown Or Other

RUSTED FRAME MULTIPLE AREAS. REAR STABILIZER BAR RUSTED OFF WHILE PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC LEAVING MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT. I HEARD A NOISE, PULLED OVER AND LOOKED BUT DIDNT SEE THE PROBLEM. WHILE HOME I LOOKED AGAIN AND FOUND THE STABILIZER BAR HANGING RUSTED OFF OF THE FRAME. I HAD SOMEONE LOOK FURTHER AND THEY FOUND MULTIPLE…

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RUSTED FRAME MULTIPLE AREAS. REAR STABILIZER BAR RUSTED OFF WHILE PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC LEAVING MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT. I HEARD A NOISE, PULLED OVER AND LOOKED BUT DIDNT SEE THE PROBLEM. WHILE HOME I LOOKED AGAIN AND FOUND THE STABILIZER BAR HANGING RUSTED OFF OF THE FRAME. I HAD SOMEONE LOOK FURTHER AND THEY FOUND MULTIPLE AREAS WITH RUST INCLUDING THE OPPOSITE SIDE LOOKS READY TO DO EXACT THING AND LOSE THE STABLIZER BAR TO RUST

NHTSA ODI #10716721

180,000 miles · Jul 20, 2012
Unknown Or Other

I WAS GETTING OFF 385 ONTO WOODRUFF ROAD. I NEEDED TO GET OVER INTO THE OTHER LANE BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO TURN DOWN ORDHIRD PARK ROAD AND THERE IS ONLY ONE LANE THAT ALLOWS YOU TOO. I PUT ON MY BLINKER AND GOT OVER. ONCE I HAD GOTTEN OVER THIS MAN STARTED TO HONK HIS HORN AND DROVE UP TO THE REAR OF MY CAR AND A VERY FAST PACE. …

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I WAS GETTING OFF 385 ONTO WOODRUFF ROAD. I NEEDED TO GET OVER INTO THE OTHER LANE BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO TURN DOWN ORDHIRD PARK ROAD AND THERE IS ONLY ONE LANE THAT ALLOWS YOU TOO. I PUT ON MY BLINKER AND GOT OVER. ONCE I HAD GOTTEN OVER THIS MAN STARTED TO HONK HIS HORN AND DROVE UP TO THE REAR OF MY CAR AND A VERY FAST PACE. HE KEPT HONKING SO I PULLED INTO THE SHOPPING CENTER RIGHT BESIDE THE KANGAROO GAS STATION. I WAS THEN ABOUT TO TURN ONTO ORCHIRD PARK WHEN THE WHITE CHRYSLER CAME BY AND STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME AND STARTED HONKING AND FLICKING ME OFF. HE FINALLY GOT OUT OF THE WAY AND SO I PULLED ONTO ORCHIRD PARK. HE THEN PROCEEDED TO STICK HIS FINGERS OUT OF THE WINDOW AND FLICK ME OFF AND KEEP SLAMMING ON HIS BRAKES. HE WAS AND OLDER WHITE MALE. HE SHOULD BE TAKEN OFF THE ROAD FOR THIS TYPE OF BEHAVIOR. IN NO WAY DID I CUT HIM OFF. AT ALL TIMES I FOLLOWED THE ROAD SAFETY RULES. THE VEHICLE WAS A WHITE CHRYSLER 300 WITH CHROME ALL AROUND THE TRIM. THEN MAN HAD SOME TYPE OF BANDAGE ON HIS HAND. AND HER WORE GLASSES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10466775

Official recalls

1

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.

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.