2023 Toyota 4RUNNER: problems, recalls and reliability
1 recall and 30 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is exterior lighting (14% of complaints).
Data updated weekly · latest recall Oct 2023
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 30 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“I was driving the vehicle and suddenly the steering wheel started to getting hard to turn it and the dash board doesn't show any failure I went right away to dealership close by they inspected the vehicle they states there is a power steering failure but the car never showed any failure on dashboard or safety system”Owner report · Steering · Feb 2026
“New, strange noise started in Dec'25 (41K miles; 2yrs 9 months). No warning lights. Diagnosed as failed brake accumulator (first at an independent shop, later at the dealer). Apparently the accumulator is part of the full master cylinder assembly which must be replaced. Toyota has quoted $3,200 to complete this repair and is telling me it must be out of pocket.”Owner report · Service Brakes · Dec 2025
“Started driving on the freeway when we heard something on the roof of the car and when I opened the moonroof cover from inside the car I could see that the entire moonroof had shattered. All the glass was flying off the car and onto the freeway.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Aug 2025
Show 7 more owner reports
“After adjusting the vehicle lock sound level in the settings, it completely disabled my key fobs and the panic function on the key fob. Had to take to dealer to fix. Dealer had never seen the issue before. Been reported online many many times. Dealers and Toyota refuse to acknowledge a known issue.”Owner report · Latches/Locks/Linkages · Aug 2025
“The car just accelerated while during into parking lot. I used brake but did work and hit on to the pole. It accelerated pretty fast. The parking lot store has a video of me coming in slow and the the car accelerated.”Owner report · Vehicle Speed Control · May 2025
“My vehicle is rear-ended by a large earth mover branded as a Kenworth. My vehicle was then pushed into another. After the initial impact, my engine went racing above 5,000 RPM. It was disengaged from the transmission. I switched my car into neutral, shut my car off and the engine was no longer racing when I restarted the car. Because of an engine racing, I am concerned about the potential that somebody's transmission would be engaged and it could cause serious further injury.”Owner report · Engine · Feb 2025
“We had made collision accident with a brand new 4runner as it appears in the uploaded pictures, the airbags didn't deploy and never show any notification on the dashboard that there is a problem in the airbag system,after the accident a notification came to the screen that the airbag system malfunctioned and i have to visit dealer And now the insurance company wants to fix that car and give it bag to me however i don't feel safe anymore to drive that car again.”Owner report · Air Bags · Nov 2024
“A new 4Runner over a year old has an OEM windshield safety concern. The dealership has been polite with my concerns. With normal use, the windshield has been compromised by what appears to have been the slightest road debris. I'm up to 7 repairs. All repairs at dealership except 1. I love this vehicle out of my many vehicles since 1988, even the Toyotas (i.e. Tundra, Camry, CHR, and FJ cruiser [12 years, 2 chips with 150K miles]) yet this 2023 4Runner's windshield is defective by any logical reasoning. I'm concerned with the potential of it shattering.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · May 2024
“November 2023, my 13 year old daughter and I were involved in a car accident. A vehicle made a left hand turn in front of us and we collided (t-boned) the passenger side of the other vehicle. There were no warning lights, notifications of car crossing in in front of us, the assisted brake system did not activate, the air bags did not deploy, the on car assistance showed no accident reported. Other than the seat belts in the vehicle, no other safety features engaged. We have not been able to locate anyone who can confirm why no of the safety features did not work. Why did none of the safety features work and who can I contact. We no longer feel safe in this vehicle .”Owner report · Forward Collision Avoidance · Nov 2023
“The contact owned a 2023 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that while the husband was driving approximately 35 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed but the pedal became stiff and did not slow down as intended. As a result, the contact collided with two vehicles. The air bags deployed. The driver sustained shoulder, back, and forearm injuries. Medical attention was needed. The contact stated that the two other vehicles involved needed medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was taken to a wrecking lot. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 9,000.”Owner report · Service Brakes · Oct 2023
When filing, owners marked a crash in 6 of these complaints and injuries in 5 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 1 campaign
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2023 Toyota 4Runner vehicles. The load carrying capacity modification label states the incorrect load carrying capacity, which can result in an overloaded vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Remedy: Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC will mail a new modified label, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 1, 2023. Owners may contact SET's customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET23A.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2023 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact 4RUNNER by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2023 Toyota 4RUNNER reliable?
NHTSA has 30 owner complaints and 1 recall campaign on record for the 2023 Toyota 4RUNNER. The most complained-about area is exterior lighting (14% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2023 Toyota 4RUNNER problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 10,000 miles or less.
Does the 2023 Toyota 4RUNNER have open recalls?
1 recall campaign has been issued, the latest concerning equipment:other:labels. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.