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1999 Toyota 4RUNNER

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most 4RUNNER years

Owner complaints for the 1999 Toyota 4RUNNER are substantially higher than the model-year median of 58.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

180 reports with mileage · 40 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 111 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 61 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

12 crash reports2 fire reports6 injury reports

Unknown Or Other complaints

34 reports
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220,000 miles · Mar 25, 2016
Fuel/propulsion SystemUnknown Or Other

LOW FUEL LIGHT COMES ON WITH AROUND 5-6 GALLONS OF FUEL REMAINING AND GAS HAND GOES FROM FULL TO HALF AFTER ONLY 70 MILES.

NHTSA ODI #10851627

Mileage unknown · Nov 14, 2015
Unknown Or Other

FRAME RUST, REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF INSIDE FRAME IN FRONT OF REAR WHEEL HAS A HOLE RUSTED THROUGH THE FRAME, SIGNS OF RUST OVER ENTIRE FRAME. MY MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THIS IS A SAFTY HAZARD AND COULD BE LIFE THREATENING.

NHTSA ODI #10790383

220,000 miles · Sep 22, 2015
Unknown Or Other

THERE IS EXTENSIVE RUST ON THE FRAME JUST LIKE THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE TOYOTA TACOMAS THAT WERE RECALLED WITH FRAME RUST ISSUES. THE AREAS OF RUST ARE SIMILAR TO THE TACOMAS AS WELL. SOME PLACES THERE ARE HOLES WHERE YOU CAN FIT YOUR HAND THROUGH. I HAVE HAD OLDER VEHICLES THAT HAD MORE MILEAGE THAT DOES NOT HAVE FRAME RUST THIS…

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THERE IS EXTENSIVE RUST ON THE FRAME JUST LIKE THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE TOYOTA TACOMAS THAT WERE RECALLED WITH FRAME RUST ISSUES. THE AREAS OF RUST ARE SIMILAR TO THE TACOMAS AS WELL. SOME PLACES THERE ARE HOLES WHERE YOU CAN FIT YOUR HAND THROUGH. I HAVE HAD OLDER VEHICLES THAT HAD MORE MILEAGE THAT DOES NOT HAVE FRAME RUST THIS BAD.

NHTSA ODI #10767554

215,675 miles · Sep 18, 2015
SuspensionUnknown Or Other

THE 3RD GENERATION 4RUNNER FRAME IS FALLING APART DUE TO RUST ISSUES AND IS MAKING VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. DRIVERS SIDE TRAILING ARM MOUNT RUSTED THROUGH AND WAS DISCONNECTED FROM VEHICLE. I HAD TO HAVE THE FRAME PATCH WELDED AT GREAT EXPENSE TO MYSELF.

NHTSA ODI #10765185

199,900 miles · Sep 1, 2015
Unknown Or Other

I BOUGHT MY 1999 4RUNNER LESS THAN A YEAR AND A HALF AGO AT 150,000 MILES ON IT. MY SISTER WAS DRIVING IT ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 60-70 MPH AND SUDDENLY THE CAR STARTED SWERVING LEFT SO SHE IMMEDIATELY GOT OFF AND WENT TO OUR MECHANIC WHO THEN TOLD US THAT MY FRAME IS COMPLETELY CRACKED, HE SAID THAT I COULD NOT DRIVE MY CAR HOME A…

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I BOUGHT MY 1999 4RUNNER LESS THAN A YEAR AND A HALF AGO AT 150,000 MILES ON IT. MY SISTER WAS DRIVING IT ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 60-70 MPH AND SUDDENLY THE CAR STARTED SWERVING LEFT SO SHE IMMEDIATELY GOT OFF AND WENT TO OUR MECHANIC WHO THEN TOLD US THAT MY FRAME IS COMPLETELY CRACKED, HE SAID THAT I COULD NOT DRIVE MY CAR HOME AND THAT THE FRAME WAS TOO RUSTED SO THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO SO ITS TOTALED. I BARELY GOT TO 200,000 MILES AND HAD IT FOR SUCH A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT THE CAR COULD HAVE FLIPPED AT ANY SECOND MY MECHANIC SAID "ONE MORE BUMP AND IT WOULD HAVE FLIPPED". I AM 19 YEARS OLD AND A NANNY SO I CONSTANTLY HAVE KIDS IN MY CAR, WE COULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY HURT OR DIED!! I CALLED TOYOTA BUT THEY HAVE NO RECALL AND CANT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT SO NOW I HAVE TO BUY A NEW CAR. DISAPPOINTING TO SAY AT THE LEAST, I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT TOYOTA'S LASTED FOR AN EXTREMELY LONG AMOUNT OF TIME.

NHTSA ODI #10760890

130,000 miles · Jul 29, 2015
Unknown Or Other

THE FRAME ON THESE VEHICLES RUST EXCESSIVELY, EVEN WITH CONTINUED MAINTENANCE AND CLEANING AND RUST PROOFING. OTHER TOYOTA TRUCKS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR SUCH ISSUE (RUSTING OUT QUICKLY) BUT THESE HAVE NOT TO DATE. I MAINTAIN VEHICLE CAREFULLY SO IT RUNS AND OPERATES WELL INTO HIGH MILEAGE; HOWEVER, THE FRAME RUSTING CREATES AN U…

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THE FRAME ON THESE VEHICLES RUST EXCESSIVELY, EVEN WITH CONTINUED MAINTENANCE AND CLEANING AND RUST PROOFING. OTHER TOYOTA TRUCKS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR SUCH ISSUE (RUSTING OUT QUICKLY) BUT THESE HAVE NOT TO DATE. I MAINTAIN VEHICLE CAREFULLY SO IT RUNS AND OPERATES WELL INTO HIGH MILEAGE; HOWEVER, THE FRAME RUSTING CREATES AN UNKNOWN SAFETY CONCERN. TOYOTA BUILT A VEHICLE THAT IS DESIRED BY ITS CLIENTS, OPERATES FOR A LONG LIFE, BUT APPARENTLY PROVIDED A FRAME COMPONENT THAT FAILS OR PREMATURELY FAILS. TOYOTA SHOULD PROVIDE SOME ASSISTANCE TO PURCHASERS (I'M ORIGINAL OWNER) TO ADDRESS IF THERE IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND TO ADDRESS IT. OPTIONS INCLUDE FRAME AMENDEMENT, DISPOSING OF VEHICLE, ASSISTING IN HOW TO RESOLVE FRAME RUST, FRAME/SAFETY DIAGNOSIS, ETC.. OTHERWISE, IT IS AN UNKNOWN. A MOTOR FAILING IS ONE THING A FRAME OR STRUCTURE COMPONENT FAILING IS SOMETHING ELSE.

NHTSA ODI #10744834

200,100 miles · Jul 13, 2015
Unknown Or Other

FRAME IS ROTTED THROUGH ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE INTERIOR OF THE FRAME NEAR THE REAR LOWER CONTROL ARM ATTACHMENT. THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN INCIDENT, JUST A VERY BAD CONDITION EXISTS THAT I WILL HAVE TO REPAIR BEFORE DRIVING AGAIN. IT IS AN UNSAFE CONDITION. WHY DID THIS PART OF THE FRAME ROT THROUGH BUT NOT THE REST OF IT, NOT…

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FRAME IS ROTTED THROUGH ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE INTERIOR OF THE FRAME NEAR THE REAR LOWER CONTROL ARM ATTACHMENT. THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN INCIDENT, JUST A VERY BAD CONDITION EXISTS THAT I WILL HAVE TO REPAIR BEFORE DRIVING AGAIN. IT IS AN UNSAFE CONDITION. WHY DID THIS PART OF THE FRAME ROT THROUGH BUT NOT THE REST OF IT, NOT EVEN CLOSE TO THE AMOUNT THAT THIS PART OF THE FRAME IS ROTTED, SEEMS LIKE A DESIGN FLOW TO ME. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE IN THE EXACT SAME PLACE ON THE FRAME.

NHTSA ODI #10733801

165,000 miles · Jun 29, 2015
Unknown Or Other

MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE FRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTED BEYOND REPAIR. HE ALSO SUGGESTED NOT DRIVING IT BECAUSE IT IS SO UNSAFE.

NHTSA ODI #10730941

218,756 miles · Jun 14, 2015
Unknown Or Other

THE FRAME IS RUSTING INTO ON MY 4RUNNER. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD FOR MY FAMILY.

NHTSA ODI #10725149

176,000 miles · Jun 1, 2015
Unknown Or Other

PER MECHANIC FRAME IS RUSTED THROUGH

NHTSA ODI #10722694

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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.