2013 Toyota 4RUNNER

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Average

Quick Summary

The 2013 Toyota 4RUNNER has 48 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.6x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is air bags problems (23% of all complaints), specifically: takata recall i am [xxx] and i own a 2013 4runner. i just received a recall letter for a takata front passenger airbag inflator (zone a) i am very upset that i am just now receiving this letter when other owners of the same vehicle received letters in 2017 and had their vehicle held by a t.

1 crash report 3 injuries

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

0.6x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

AIR BAGS

11 complaints

23%

• TAKATA RECALL I AM [XXX] AND I OWN A 2013 4RUNNER. I JUST RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER FOR A TAKATA FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG INFLATOR (ZONE A) I AM VERY UPSET THAT I AM JUST NOW RECEIVING THIS LETTER WHEN OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME VEHICLE RECEIVED LETTERS IN 2017 AND HAD THEIR VEHICLE HELD BY A T
• TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V024000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT DID NOT CALL THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS
• 2013 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO RECALL FOR DEFECTIVE AIRBAG REPLACEMENT, AND IF TOWING SERVICES WILL BE AVAILABLE. *AS *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“TAKATA RECALL I AM [XXX] AND I OWN A 2013 4RUNNER. I JUST RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER FOR A TAKATA FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG INFLATOR (ZONE A) I AM VERY UPSET THAT I AM JUST NOW RECEIVING THIS LETTER WHEN OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME VEHICLE RECEIVED LETTERS IN 2017 AND HAD THEIR VEHICLE HELD BY A T”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

10 complaints

21%

• THE PISTON(S) THAT HOLD THE HATCH UP HAVE FAILED, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. SINCE THE HATCH CAN NOT STAY UP, I CAN NOT TELL WHETHER IT IS ONE OR BOTH. LUCKILY, THIS OCCURRED WHILE THE HATCH WAS BEING LIFTED AND NOT AFTERWARDS WITH AN INDIVIDUAL UNDER THE HATCH. AFTER THE FAILURE, I HAVE
• 1) THE GUY WHO COMPLAINED ABOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL BEING TOO CLOSE TO THE GAS PEDAL IS RIGHT. MY FOOT GETS CAUGHT UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN I'M TRYING TO TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE GAS AND GO FOR THE BRAKES. I GUESS I'M STILL USED TO MY '99 4RUNNER. HE ALSO COMPLAINED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSES SO FA
• THIS INVOLVES THE BACK UP CAMERA. IT SEEMS TO WORK WHEN IT WANTS TOO. MOST OF THE TIME IT DOES NOT WORK. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. SOMETIMES WHEN YOU OPEN AND CLOSE THE LIFT GATE IT WILL WORK FOR A SHORT TIME PERIOD.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“THE PISTON(S) THAT HOLD THE HATCH UP HAVE FAILED, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. SINCE THE HATCH CAN NOT STAY UP, I CAN NOT TELL WHETHER IT IS ONE OR BOTH. LUCKILY, THIS OCCURRED WHILE THE HATCH WAS BEING LIFTED AND NOT AFTERWARDS WITH AN INDIVIDUAL UNDER THE HATCH. AFTER THE FAILURE, I HAVE ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

5 complaints

10%

• INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). I HAVE EXPERIENCED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, UPON BREAKING, HAVING SUDDEN UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION. THIS OCCURS WHEN I AM BRAKING FOR A STOP ON CITY STREETS, STOPPING IN TRAFFIC, STOPPING IN A DRIVEWAY. I
• I HAVE A 2013 4 RUNNER SR5, THAT JUST TURNED 80K, DRIVEN BY AN OLDER WOMAN. WHILE SITTING IN A FAST FOOD LANE THE BRAKE, ABS AND VSC TRACK LIGHTS CAME ON ALONG WITH AN BEEPING ALARM THAT WOULD NOT STOP. I TURNED THE TRUCK OFF AND WAITED A FEW MINUTES AND TURNED BACK ON AND STILL HAD THE PROBLEM. W
• 1) THE GUY WHO COMPLAINED ABOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL BEING TOO CLOSE TO THE GAS PEDAL IS RIGHT. MY FOOT GETS CAUGHT UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN I'M TRYING TO TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE GAS AND GO FOR THE BRAKES. I GUESS I'M STILL USED TO MY '99 4RUNNER. HE ALSO COMPLAINED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSES SO FA

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). I HAVE EXPERIENCED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, UPON BREAKING, HAVING SUDDEN UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION. THIS OCCURS WHEN I AM BRAKING FOR A STOP ON CITY STREETS, STOPPING IN TRAFFIC, STOPPING IN A DRIVEWAY. I ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

4 complaints

• THIS INVOLVES THE BACK UP CAMERA. IT SEEMS TO WORK WHEN IT WANTS TOO. MOST OF THE TIME IT DOES NOT WORK. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. SOMETIMES WHEN YOU OPEN AND CLOSE THE LIFT GATE IT WILL WORK FOR A SHORT TIME PERIOD.
• THE CLOCK SPRING IS FAULTY AND THE HORN DOESN'T WORK. THERE WAS A MASSIVE RECALL ON OTHER TOYOTA CARS FOR FAULTY CLOCK SPRINGS.
• I PURCHASED MY TOYOTA 4 RUNNER SR5 AND HAVE AROUND 89K MILES ON IT. I'VE SEVERAL ARTICLES ABOUT THE HORN CLOCK SPRING BEING FAULTY. MY DEALERSHIP IS QUOTING ALMOST $1K TO HAVE IT REPLACED. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER A RECALL. PLEASE ADVISE *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“THIS INVOLVES THE BACK UP CAMERA. IT SEEMS TO WORK WHEN IT WANTS TOO. MOST OF THE TIME IT DOES NOT WORK. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. SOMETIMES WHEN YOU OPEN AND CLOSE THE LIFT GATE IT WILL WORK FOR A SHORT TIME PERIOD.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

4 complaints

• MY VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES, BUT IT WOULD ONLY CONTINUE RUNNING FOR 5 TO 60 SECONDS. AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES THE VEHICLE STARTED AND DROVE TO MY DESTINATION (HOME). THE PROBLEM PERSISTED FOR 3 DAYS, WITH ONLY ONE SUCCESSFUL SHORT
• THE VEHICLE HAS STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY THREE TIMES IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS MOST RECENTLY ON 2/15/2020. EACH TIME THE GAS GAUGE WAS SHOWING APPROXIMATELY A QUARTER TANK OF GAS. IN NONE OF THE CASES WAS THE LOW FUEL LIGHT ON.
• OUR FUEL PUMP AND A GASKET WENT OUT AT SAME TIME. NO WARNING IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, LUNGED FORWARD 5 FEET AND THEN DIED. GOING TO COST $1,000 TO FIX. IT LOOKS LIKE TOYOTA HAS RECALLS ON FUEL PUMPS BUT IT DOESN'T COVER OUR YEAR YET.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“MY VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES, BUT IT WOULD ONLY CONTINUE RUNNING FOR 5 TO 60 SECONDS. AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES THE VEHICLE STARTED AND DROVE TO MY DESTINATION (HOME). THE PROBLEM PERSISTED FOR 3 DAYS, WITH ONLY ONE SUCCESSFUL SHORT”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 48 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
AIR BAGS: TAKATA RECALL I AM [XXX] AND I OWN A 2013 4RUNNER. I JUST RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER FOR A TAKATA FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG INFLATOR (ZONE A) I AM VERY UPSET THAT I AM JUST NOW RECEIVING THIS LETTER WHEN OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME VEHICLE RECEIVED LETTERS IN 2017 AND HAD THEIR VEHICLE HELD BY A T
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: THE PISTON(S) THAT HOLD THE HATCH UP HAVE FAILED, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. SINCE THE HATCH CAN NOT STAY UP, I CAN NOT TELL WHETHER IT IS ONE OR BOTH. LUCKILY, THIS OCCURRED WHILE THE HATCH WAS BEING LIFTED AND NOT AFTERWARDS WITH AN INDIVIDUAL UNDER THE HATCH. AFTER THE FAILURE, I HAVE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). I HAVE EXPERIENCED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, UPON BREAKING, HAVING SUDDEN UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION. THIS OCCURS WHEN I AM BRAKING FOR A STOP ON CITY STREETS, STOPPING IN TRAFFIC, STOPPING IN A DRIVEWAY. I
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: THIS INVOLVES THE BACK UP CAMERA. IT SEEMS TO WORK WHEN IT WANTS TOO. MOST OF THE TIME IT DOES NOT WORK. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. SOMETIMES WHEN YOU OPEN AND CLOSE THE LIFT GATE IT WILL WORK FOR A SHORT TIME PERIOD.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)