2004 Toyota 4runner recalls and problems

The 2004 Toyota 4runner has 2 recalls and 678 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is structure.

How the 2004 compares
Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Highest complaint count among 27 4runner model years — 2nd most.

2recalls
678complaints
28crashes
3fires
20injuries
121,000median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.
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2 recalls

Air Bags

Feb 5, 2016 · NHTSA campaign 16V065000 · 320,409 vehicles

Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Toyota Land Cruiser and Lexus LX470, 2005-2006 Toyota Tundra and Sequoia, 2004-2006 Toyota 4Runner and Lexus GX470 vehicles equipped with side curtain-shield-air bags. The affected vehicles have an air bag control module that may be improperly programmed, causing the side curtain-shield-air bags to deploy inadvertently.

Risk: If the side curtain-shield-air bags deploy unexpectedly, it can increase the risk of occupant injury.

Remedy & notes

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag control module with one that has improved programming, free of charge. The recall began on December 1, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-271-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is G0C and GLB.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Vehicle Speed Control

Feb 24, 2011 · NHTSA campaign 11V113000 · 1,363,244 vehicles

Problem: Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 through 2011 Lexus LX570, 2003 through 2009 Toyota 4RUNNER, and 2006 through 2010 RAV4 vehicles. The accelerator pedal can get stuck in the wide open position due to its being trapped by an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat.

Original NHTSA wording

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 THROUGH 2011 LEXUS LX570, 2003 THROUGH 2009 TOYOTA 4RUNNER, AND 2006 THROUGH 2010 RAV4 VEHICLES. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CAN GET STUCK IN THE WIDE OPEN POSITION DUE TO ITS BEING TRAPPED BY AN UNSECURED OR INCOMPATIBLE DRIVER'S FLOOR MAT.

Risk: A stuck open accelerator pedal May result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death.

Original NHTSA wording

A STUCK OPEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL MAY RESULT IN VERY HIGH VEHICLE SPEEDS AND MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STOP THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH, SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.

Remedy & notes

The remedy is now available. The safety recall began early April 2011. The remedy will involve modification or replacement of the accelerator pedal and replacement of any Toyota all-weather floor mat. Owners May contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331 or Lexus at 1-800-255-3987.

Toyota's recall campaign numbers are 90L (Toyota) and 90LG (Lexus).customers May contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.safercar.gov.this recall is an expansion of safety recalls 09V-388 and 10V-023.

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

2006: 6 complaints20062007: 10 complaints2008: 9 complaints20082009: 16 complaints2010: 34 complaints20102011: 26 complaints2012: 21 complaints20122013: 17 complaints2014: 34 complaints20142015: 30 complaints2016: 46 complaints20162017: 35 complaints2018: 80 complaints20182019: 98 complaints982020: 54 complaints20202021: 32 complaints2022: 26 complaints20222023: 18 complaints2024: 11 complaints20242025: 10 complaints2026: 1 complaints20262003: 3 complaints2004: 46 complaints20042005: 15 complaints200515

NHTSA investigations

Frame corrosion

DP18002 · opened Aug 17, 2018 · closed Mar 18, 2022
Summary

On August 7, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a defect petition from Mr. Gary Weinreich alleging premature frame corrosion failure in model year (MY) 2002 - 2006 Toyota 4Runner vehicles. The petitioner based his request upon a corrosion-related front suspension failure he experienced in his MY 2005 Toyota 4Runner, a class action lawsuit settlement involving other Toyota products, and other complaints of underbody corrosion in Toyota 4Runner vehicles that he found in NHTSA?s online complaint database. The petitioner submitted a complaint to NHTSA documenting his experience (NHTSA ID 11098055). On August 17, 2018, ODI opened DP18-002 to evaluate the petitioner?s request. ODI?s evaluation included information provided by the petitioner regarding his vehicle, facts related to the class action lawsuit cited by the petitioner, and consumer complaint data received by NHTSA regarding underbody corrosion in third and fourth-generation Toyota 4Runner vehicles.The undercarriage of the petitioner?s vehicle exhibited severe corrosion damage indicative of seawater immersion. The vehicle?s service history shows that concerns with underbody corrosion were first noted by a Toyota dealer in a multi-point vehicle inspection performed on April 28, 2011. The invoice for that inspection noted ?severe and excessive amount of rust on the undercarriage and on the drive shaft transmission.? Two years later, on October 21, 2013, another multi-point inspection by a Toyota dealer …

Unintended and Uncontrolled Acceleration

RQ10003 · opened Feb 16, 2010 · closed Mar 1, 2011 · led to recall 11V112000
Summary

On February 16, 2010, NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened RQ10-003 to determine whether the scope of prior Toyota recalls relating to potential unintended acceleration were sufficiently broad, including, among others, Toyota recalls 07E-082, 09V-388, 10V-017, and 10V-023.NHTSA also requested information regarding potential electronic causes of unintended acceleration in Toyota and Lexus vehicles.I. Pedal Interference from Floor mats, Carpet Covers and Plastic Pads in Carpets.During the RQ10-003 investigation, ODI reviewed a large volume of documents to assess whether additional vehicles should be recalled.Following the agency's analysis, NHTSA requested that Toyota recall additional vehicles.Toyota complied with the agency's request.The details of these recalls are set forth more fully in Toyota's reports to NHTSA pursuant to 49 CFR Part 573.These recalls are as follows:Recall 11V-112: (1) model year (MY) 2004-2006 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid; and, (2) MY 2004-2007 Lexus RX330,RX350, and RX400h (hybrid model). The total estimated population under this recall is 769,379 vehicles.This recall remedies potential accelerator pedal entrapment caused by a loose floor carpet cover (trim panel). Recall 11V-113: (1) MY 2003-2009 through 2009 Toyota 4Runner; (2) MY 2006-2010 Toyota RAV4; and, (3) MY 2008-2011 Lexus LX570.The total estimated population under this recall is 1,381,000 vehicles.This recall supplements recall 09V-388 and remedies potential accele…

2004 vs. other Toyota 4runner years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2004. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2004 Toyota 4runner have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns covering the 2004 Toyota 4runner, the latest from Feb 5, 2016 (air bags). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2004 Toyota 4runner?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention structure (309), unknown or other (115), suspension (113). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.