U.S. public vehicle records

2000 Toyota 4RUNNER problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

379 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

145,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2000 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 307 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Structure:Body is the most frequently named component, appearing in 177 of 379 complaints (46.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	18	4.7%
Steering behavior	10	2.6%
Transmission and shifting	8	2.1%
Fuel system concerns	6	1.6%
Engine operation	3	0.8%
Electrical and battery issues	2	0.5%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Structure:Body

177

Suspension

Unknown Or Other

Structure:Frame And Members:Underbody Shields

Structure:Frame And Members

Power Train

Steering

Structure

Structure:Body: 177; Suspension: 94; Unknown Or Other: 56; Structure:Frame And Members:Underbody Shields: 41; Structure:Frame And Members: 31; Power Train: 19; Steering: 18; Structure: 14

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

127

150,000 and above

146

Under 25,000: 5; 25,000 to 49,999: 4; 50,000 to 74,999: 6; 75,000 to 99,999: 19; 100,000 to 149,999: 127; 150,000 and above: 146

150,000 and above miles has the most reports with usable mileage (146). 72 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2006: 1; 2007: 4; 2008: 5; 2009: 7; 2010: 25; 2011: 23; 2012: 18; 2013: 36; 2014: 47; 2015: 55; 2016: 46; 2017: 36; 2018: 27; 2019: 26; 2020: 10; 2021: 5; 2022: 4; 2023: 4

Pattern summary

Structure:Body leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 18 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 10 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 8 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10169936 · 2006-10-04 (October 4, 2006)

CONTINUING PROBLEMS WITH EXCESSIVE VIBRATION WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. ENTIRE VEHICLE VIBRATES. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 2,001 miles reported. Look up ODI 10169936 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10179070 · 2007-01-18 (January 18, 2007)

ON FEBRUARY OF 2004 I JUST BOUGHT MY TOYOTA 4RUNNER. ON THE WAY HOME THE BRAKES WERE VIBRATING WHEN I WOULD PRESS ON THE BRAKES. SO I TURNED AROUND AND BROUGHT IT RIGHT BACK TO THE DEALER. (FAMILY TOYOTA) THEY IN TURN FIXED THE PROBLEM. ABOUT A MONTH LATER THE SAME THING HAPPENED THEY VIBRATED. I TOOK IT TO B&D AUTO FRIENDS OF MINE AND THEY TOLD ME I NEEDED TO GET MY ROTOR REPLACED SO I DID. $310 IN REPAIRS. NOW AFTER BEING TOTALLY IN LOVE WITH THIS 4RUNNER IT IS DOING IT AGAIN. DEC. 2005 I TOOK IT BACK TO B&D AUTO AND SAME PROBLEM NEEDED ROTO…

Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10179070 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10231458 · 2008-06-18 (June 18, 2008)

MY 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SHAKES AT SPEEDS ABOVE 60MPH. IT ALSO DOES THIS WHILE BRAKING. IT IS VISIBLY NOTICEABLE IN THE STEERING WHEEL, BUT ALL PASSENGERS IN THE CAR CAN FEEL THE SHAKING AND VIBRATION. IT BECOMES ALMOST VIOLENT AND ALARMING AROUND 70MPH. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO SEVERAL REPAIR SHOPS AND NO ONE CAN FIND A SOLUTION. I HAVE READ HUNDREDS OF POSTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM THAT RANGES FROM 96-08 MODELS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 98,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10231458 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10368852 · 2010-11-29 (November 29, 2010)

I HAVE A 2000 4RUNNER WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN MAINTAINED. THERE IS EXCESSIVE RUST UNDERNEATH THE CARRIAGE/FRAME TO THE POINT WHERE TIRE TECH WOULD NOT TRY TO REMOVE THE SPARE. THE POWER STEERING WHEEL FLUID IS NOW LEAKING FROM THE LINE DUE TO THE RUST. TOYOTA HAS RECALLED 2000 TACOMAS AND TUNDRAS FOR RUST PROBLEMS IN THEIR FRAMES BUT NOT 4RUNNERS OF SAME YEAR. I HAVE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD SINCE THERE IS NO RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES THEY WILL GLADLY INSPECT MY FRAME FOR A CHARGE. MY RUSTED SPARE TIRE MOUNT IS A SAFETY HAZARD ITSELF LE…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10368852 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10226857 · 2008-05-06 (May 6, 2008)

A CONTROL VALVE WITHIN THE RADIATOR BURST, CAUSING ENGINE COOLANT TO GET INTO THE TRANSMISSION AND SEIZE IT. MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM. INDICATED THAT TRANSMISSION WAS TO BE REMOVED, SYSTEM FLUSHED, NEW RADIATOR INSTALLED, TRANSMISSION EITHER REBUILT OR REPLACED AND FOR THE WHOLE SYSTEM TO BE ROAD TESTED. APPROXIMATE COSTS VARY FROM $1700.00 TO OVER $3000.00. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 142,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10226857 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10276408 · 2009-07-11 (July 11, 2009)

2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER - SR5 4WD - MANUAL TRANSMISSION: REAR DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING RUST-OUT WITH PINHOLE LEAKS CAUSING GEAR OIL TO LEAK. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 139,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10276408 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10253685 · 2009-01-03 (January 3, 2009)

WE HAVE A 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER, PURCHASED BRAND NEW FROM A MAINE DEALER. THIS VEHICLE RECENTLY FAILED STATE INSPECTION DUE TO RUST HOLES IN THE FRAME. THE MILEAGE READ 88,600 AND IT WAS DECLARED UNSAFE FOR THE ROAD BY OUR LOCAL GARAGE AND THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, SHEPARD TOYOTA, ROCKLAND, MAINE. WE CALLED TOYOTA AND INQUIRED ABOUT A BUY BACK PROGRAM FOR 4RUNNERS, AS IT HAS THE SAME FRAME AS A TACOMA. TACOMAS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR FRAME RUST. TOYOTA INFORMED US THAT THE 4 RUNNER WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL PROGRAM,AND THAT THEY WOULD N…

Owner-reported narrative. 88,624 miles reported. Look up ODI 10253685 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10460915 · 2012-06-07 (June 7, 2012)

BROUGHT MY 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SR5 TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TO REPAIR MY REAR DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLY THAT WAS LEAKING. ONCE THE TRUCK WAS PUT ON THE LIFT IT WAS QUICKLY DISCOVERED BY THE MECHANIC I HAD MUCH GREATER PROBLEMS THAN A LEAKING REAR DIFFERENTIAL, HE INFORMED ME THAT MY FRAME WAS "JUNK". HE TOLD ME THERE WAS SUBSTANTIAL ROT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FRAME RAIL STARTING FROM WHERE THE REAR SUSPENSION TIES IN ALL THE WAY TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. HE SAW NO POINT IN REMOVING GAS TANK ON THE OTHER SIDE TO INVESTIGATE HOW BAD IT MAY BE THERE,…

Owner-reported narrative. 128,880 miles reported. Look up ODI 10460915 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10204039 · 2007-09-25 (September 25, 2007)

VEHICLE STALLS AND DIES ON FREEWAY ALMOST CAUSING WRECK. FIND OUT THERE IS NO FUEL IN TANK EVEN THOUGH FUEL GAUGE READS 1/2. TOYOTA SAYS TSB EL010-00 ADDRESSES KNOWN DEFECTIVE 1999 AND 2000 FUEL GAUGES AND ALSO ADDRESSES SOME GAUGES INACCURATELY READING EMPTY WHEN 4 GALLONS REMAIN, VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 104,962 miles reported. Look up ODI 10204039 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10232577 · 2008-06-28 (June 28, 2008)

I RECENTLY BOUGHT THIS CAR AND NOTICED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE IS READING FULL TANK. AFTER DRIVING THE CAR FOR ABOUT 00 MILES, MY CAR STALLED ON ME IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY HIGHWAY. ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT I WAS OUT OF GASOLINE. I WAS LUCKY, I DID NOT GET HIT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 138,335 miles reported. Look up ODI 10232577 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10588693 · 2014-05-15 (May 15, 2014)

MY 2000 4RUNNER ENGINE BROKE DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY, IT STARTED MAKING A LOUD CLANKING NOISE AND WE PULLED OVER AND IT DIED AND WOULDN'T START AGAIN , WE HAD TO GAVE IT TOWED HOME AND THE MECHANIC INFORMED US AFTER REPLACING THE STARTER , ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY THAT IT NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. WE HAVE ALWAYS KEPT UP WITH OIL CHANGES AND TUNE UPS SO THIS WAS A SHOOK TO US. WE WILL BE CONTACTING TOYOTA TO SEE WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THESE 2000 4RUNNERS SINCE I HAVE READ THAT MANY CONSUMERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 210,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10588693 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11514242 · 2023-03-28 (March 28, 2023)

The contact owns a 2000 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that after disconnecting the battery from the vehicle, it was later discovered that the both the driver’s and passenger’s side doors and the hatch door could not be opened manually or remotely. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 200,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 200,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11514242 at NHTSA ↗