2013 Toyota 4Runner Problems & Owner Complaints

Unknown Or Other 10

“Recalls I have not done myself and have had the vehicle since March 2020”
NHTSA complaint #11742866, 2026

“1) The failed component is the door locks. Or more precisely, the motor for the electrical operation of the door locks. When failed, the door remains locked even when pulling on the interior handle to open the door or when trying to unlock the door using the interior latch. You are essentially locked inside your car. I believe the door should always unlock when the handle is pulled, and the interior lock lever should always unlock the door as well. Both of these function "normally" when the actuator is not failed. The failure first appeared in late 2018/early 2019. I noticed that when I lock…”
NHTSA complaint #11507971, 2023

“CONSTANT BAD MOLDY/MILDEW SMELL COMING FROM THE A/C SYSTEM”
NHTSA complaint #11373257, 2020

Air Bags 9 1 crash 2 injury

“DURING AN ACCIDENT, BOTH SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED (FRONT AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY). FRONT RIGHT PASSENGER INJURED BY SIDE AIRBAG -- BLEEDING PUNCTURE WOUNDS (APPROX 3) ON UPPER RIGHT WRIST, SEVERE RAISED GOUGES (BELOW THE SKIN) FROM THAT POINT UP THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE ARM (MORE SEVERE ON FOREARM). PASSENGER RECALLS SOMETHING SHOOTING OUT FROM "A" POST. PASSENGER WENT VIA AMBULANCE TO ER. LATER, FOUND BROKEN JAGGED PIECE OF WHITE HARD PLASTIC IN THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. PIECE IS IN OUR POSSESSION AS WELL AS PHOTOS AND MEDICAL RECORDS.”
NHTSA complaint #11361272, 2020 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“2013 TOYOTA RAV4. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO BRAKE FAILURE *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION CAUSING A CRASH INTO AN UNOCCUPIED PARKED VEHICLE AND A LIGHT POLE. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *JS”
NHTSA complaint #11161588, 2018 · 1 injury(ies)

“The component that failed is the air back clock spring. It’s preventing the horn form functioning properly. In turn can result in an accident from lack of warning other drivers and/or air bag might not go off. It seems to be a known problem on the 13 model year of the 4Runners. It has not been inspected as I’m not knowledgeable on what to do in that situation and the dealer says that I’d have to pay for it anyway. No warnings just one day the horn didn’t want to work anymore and seems to be a problem that’s pretty consistent. People have reported that it has gone bad with as little as a 100k m…”
NHTSA complaint #11554026, 2023

Service Brakes 5

“AT ABOUT 28000 MILES, WITHOUT WARNING THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALMOST TO THE FLOOR DURING A ROUTINE STOP. THE BRAKE PEDAL HAS BEEN SOFT LIKE THAT EVER SINCE. THE DEALER SAID THAT IT MIGHT BE FIXED BY A BRAKE FLUID FLUSH AND REPLACE. I HAD ITHAT DONE AT THE DEALER AND IF ANYTHING, IT'S SLIGHTLY WORSE. APPARENTLY THE MECHANIC TOLD THE SERVICE WRITER THAT IT'S JUST A FLAW IN THE VEHICLE ANDNOT A FLUID CHANGE OR ANYTHING ELSE WOULD HELP THAT HE WAS AWARE OF, BUT THEY DID IT ANYWAY AND CHARGED ME OF COURSE. THE BRAKES FUNCTION BUT THEY ARE SUBSTANDARD TO WHAT IS EXPECTED IN A 2013 AUTOMOBILE. THE…”
NHTSA complaint #11089974, 2018

“PARTIAL BRAKE FAILURE IN HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURE. DRIVING ON INTERSTATE I5 THROUGH NEVADA. AMBIENT TEMPERATURE 100 DEGREES F. ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE READ NORMAL. STOPPED FOR GAS. ON RESTARTING ENGINE THE BRAKE BOOSTER SYSTEM DID NOT RECHARGE THE HYDRAULIC ACCUMULATOR. BRAKES WERE FUNCTIONAL BUT PEDAL POSITION WAS HALFWAY TO FLOOR AND EXCESSIVE PRESSURE REQUIRED TO ACTIVATE BRAKES. ALMOST COLLIDED WITH KERB BECAUSE OF THE SURPRISE. NO LOCAL SERVICE AVAILABLE SO CONTINUED TO DRIVE. NEXT MORNING AT 70 DEGREES F TEMPERATURE THE SYSTEM HAD RECOVERED AND OPERATED NORMALLY. SUBSEQUENT CHECK B…”
NHTSA complaint #11031720, 2017

“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 FAR THAT HE SOMETIMES ALSO HITS THE GAS. HE'S RIGHT ON THAT TOO. THE DEALER SAYS FOR SOME REASON AFTER A WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL JUST GOES REALLY SOFT, PRETTY DRAMATICALLY, IN MY CASE FROM THE PREVIOUS DAY. I HAVE ABOUT 27000 MILES. DEALER SAYS ONLY REMEDY IS A $125-$150 BRAKE FLUID CHANGE. 2) THE O…”
NHTSA complaint #11020556, 2017

Electrical System 4

“TOYOTA 4RUNNER 2013 VIN# [XXX] LP# XXX The gas needle will be above the half (middle line), and the fuel range on top of the dash would read anywhere from 160-213 miles, going 45 mph up a hill or 70 mph on the freeway, all of a sudden starts to stall and completely shut off while still driving. I would then only have a few seconds to try to pull over due to losing all power, and not being able to shift into neutral because it's a push/start button. The car will only turn back on after putting some gas into it, so I make sure to never let the gas needle go below the middle line or have the ga…”
NHTSA complaint #11700686, 2024

“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”
NHTSA complaint #11325929, 2020

“THE CLOCK SPRING IS FAULTY AND THE HORN DOESN'T WORK. THERE WAS A MASSIVE RECALL ON OTHER TOYOTA CARS FOR FAULTY CLOCK SPRINGS.”
NHTSA complaint #11172147, 2018

Fuel/Propulsion System 4

“TOYOTA 4RUNNER 2013 VIN# [XXX] LP# XXX The gas needle will be above the half (middle line), and the fuel range on top of the dash would read anywhere from 160-213 miles, going 45 mph up a hill or 70 mph on the freeway, all of a sudden starts to stall and completely shut off while still driving. I would then only have a few seconds to try to pull over due to losing all power, and not being able to shift into neutral because it's a push/start button. The car will only turn back on after putting some gas into it, so I make sure to never let the gas needle go below the middle line or have the ga…”
NHTSA complaint #11700686, 2024

“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.”
NHTSA complaint #11408130, 2021

“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.”
NHTSA complaint #11316073, 2020

Engine 3

“TOYOTA 4RUNNER 2013 VIN# [XXX] LP# XXX The gas needle will be above the half (middle line), and the fuel range on top of the dash would read anywhere from 160-213 miles, going 45 mph up a hill or 70 mph on the freeway, all of a sudden starts to stall and completely shut off while still driving. I would then only have a few seconds to try to pull over due to losing all power, and not being able to shift into neutral because it's a push/start button. The car will only turn back on after putting some gas into it, so I make sure to never let the gas needle go below the middle line or have the ga…”
NHTSA complaint #11700686, 2024

“Make: Toyota Model: 4Runner Year: 2013 Mileage: 76,200 Description of Incident While driving on [XXX] at night, the vehicle experienced a sudden and catastrophic engine failure, leaving it immobilized in the middle of the highway. This presented an immediate and severe safety risk to both the vehicle occupants and other motorists. The failure was later determined to be caused by a malfunction in the Variable Valve Timing (VVT) oil control system, specifically an Exhaust Cam Gear failure. This led to a broken timing chain and subsequent engine failure. Inspection and Diagnosis The vehicle was…”
NHTSA complaint #11605962, 2020

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE AND TRACK OFF 4 LOW INDICATORS APPEARED. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION ERRONEOUSLY SWITCHED INTO THE NEUTRAL POSITION AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE. ALSO, WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD NOT INDICATE THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN THE NEUTRAL OR DRIVE POSITIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GRAHAM AUTO MALL (1515 WEST 4TH ST, MANSFIELD, OH) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED.…”
NHTSA complaint #11176328, 2019

Structure 2

“Recalls I have not done myself and have had the vehicle since March 2020”
NHTSA complaint #11742866, 2026

“Rust appeared on the hatch of my 4Runner approximately 2 years after I purchased it new. My complaints to 2 different dealerships were ignored and left undocumented. I was told this wasn't covered under warranty. In 2019, the rust was finally documented by Toyota and I was told that this would have been covered under warranty, but now it's too late. At that point the rust was just an eyesore. Sometime in August 2021, while driving on a bumpy dirt road, my "open door" indicator illuminated and a warning chime went off. When I checked my doors, I discovered that the hatch wasn't fully secure. U…”
NHTSA complaint #11432699, 2021

Vehicle Speed Control 2 1 injury

“2013 TOYOTA RAV4. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO BRAKE FAILURE *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION CAUSING A CRASH INTO AN UNOCCUPIED PARKED VEHICLE AND A LIGHT POLE. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *JS”
NHTSA complaint #11161588, 2018 · 1 injury(ies)

“THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES. ONCE AT STOP SIGN, TWICE ON HIGHWAY SLOWING DOWN FOR RED LIGHT AND ONCE IN A DRIVE THRU. ALL WAS IN MOTION. HAVEN'T HAD TO DEALER YET BECAUSE OF CORONAVIRUS SCARE. DATE BELOW IS ESTIMATE OF LAST TIME IT HAPPENED. NOTHING TO BACK THIS PROBLEM UP BUT MY WORD.”
NHTSA complaint #11319234, 2020

Wheels 2

“ONE OF THE WHEELS HAS A CRACK IN IT. IT IS A STRANGE LOOKING CRACK WHICH I FOUND WHEN WASHING THE CAR. THE WHEEL IS NOT DAMAGED, IT DOES NOT HAVE ANY SCUFFING OR DINGS AND DENTS IN IT. THE CRACK IS ABOUT 1 1/8" LONG THEN TURNS 90 DEGREES AND ABOUT 1/2" LONG AT THAT END.”
NHTSA complaint #11057259, 2017

“LUG NUT STUDS BROKE WHEN TIGHTENING ON DIVER REAR SIDE AND ON PASSENGER SIDE FRONT 100 FT LBS. THEY JUST STRETCHED, AND BROKE. VEHICLE WAS ON JACK STANDS.”
NHTSA complaint #10914976, 2016

Power Train 1

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE AND TRACK OFF 4 LOW INDICATORS APPEARED. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION ERRONEOUSLY SWITCHED INTO THE NEUTRAL POSITION AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE. ALSO, WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD NOT INDICATE THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN THE NEUTRAL OR DRIVE POSITIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GRAHAM AUTO MALL (1515 WEST 4TH ST, MANSFIELD, OH) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED.…”
NHTSA complaint #11176328, 2019

Steering 1

“THE KEY IS GETTING BENT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH - EITHER NOT ALLOWING THE KEY TO BE REMOVED. HAS BEEN RE-KEYED BY THE DEALERSHIP ONCE AND THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED AGAIN IN LESS THEN A MONTH.”
NHTSA complaint #11074477, 2017

Suspension 1

“I WENT INTO MY TOYOTA DEALER FOR A STATE INSPECTION. SERVICE WRITER COMES OUT AND TELLS ME THE VEHICLE FAILED DUE TO A BROKEN RIGHT REAR LEAF. AT A COST OF 1026.18 TO REPLACE 1 LEAF . I SAY WELL ISN'T THAT GOING TO CHANGE MY RIDE HEIGHT HAVING ONLY 1 REPLACED . SHE SAYS YES BUT I ONLY QUOTED FOR THE BROKEN 1 . THAT BEING SAID I STILL HAVE TO PAY FOR THE INSPECTION . THE CASHIER SAYS WOULD YOU LIKE TO TALK TO THE SHOP MANAGER AND WAS QUITE ADAMANT ABOUT IT . SO I STARTED THINKING I'M NOT THE ONLY 1 WITH THIS ISSUE. SO THEY GET THE SHOP MANAGER HE SAYS YOU GOT A MINUTE. AND LEAVES COMES BACK AFT…”
NHTSA complaint #11063708, 2018

Tires 1

“I was traveling on [XXX] returning home and felt the steering wheel pulling strongly to the right so I immediately pulled off to the side of the road and noted the right front passenger tire was deflated. This tire is a 245/60 R20 107HSL BSW Procontrol Cooper tire. The tire at the top portion was bulging out in several areas. Within a couple minutes a truck with 3 men stopped to help and they removed the flat tire and put on the spare. I drove back to Lubbock and took the tire to Discount tire where we had bought them July of 2024. We were told the tire was defective and that they were able t…”
NHTSA complaint #11655165, 2024