2005 Toyota 4RUNNER problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
409 owner complaints analyzed
5 distinct recall campaigns
109,345 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2005 model year. Data snapshot: . 291 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Structure:Body is the most frequently named component, appearing in 163 of 409 complaints (39.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 56 | 13.7% |
| Steering behavior | 26 | 6.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 14 | 3.4% |
| Fuel system concerns | 8 | 2.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 5 | 1.2% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 0.2% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Structure:Body | 163 |
| Suspension | 72 |
| Unknown Or Other | 67 |
| Steering | 27 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 22 |
| Engine | 20 |
| Air Bags | 15 |
| Power Train | 15 |
Structure:Body: 163; Suspension: 72; Unknown Or Other: 67; Steering: 27; Vehicle Speed Control: 22; Engine: 20; Air Bags: 15; Power Train: 15
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 21 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 30 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 33 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 40 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 72 |
| 150,000 and above | 95 |
Under 25,000: 21; 25,000 to 49,999: 30; 50,000 to 74,999: 33; 75,000 to 99,999: 40; 100,000 to 149,999: 72; 150,000 and above: 95
150,000 and above miles has the most reports with usable mileage (95). 118 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 10 |
| 2007 | 8 |
| 2008 | 6 |
| 2009 | 13 |
| 2010 | 31 |
| 2011 | 12 |
| 2012 | 13 |
| 2013 | 14 |
| 2014 | 9 |
| 2015 | 12 |
| 2016 | 31 |
| 2017 | 33 |
| 2018 | 64 |
| 2019 | 50 |
| 2020 | 37 |
| 2021 | 33 |
| 2022 | 16 |
| 2023 | 6 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 7 |
| 2026 | 2 |
2006: 10; 2007: 8; 2008: 6; 2009: 13; 2010: 31; 2011: 12; 2012: 13; 2013: 14; 2014: 9; 2015: 12; 2016: 31; 2017: 33; 2018: 64; 2019: 50; 2020: 37; 2021: 33; 2022: 16; 2023: 6; 2024: 2; 2025: 7; 2026: 2
Pattern summary
Structure:Body leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 56 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 26 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 14 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 10157132 · 2006-05-09 (May 9, 2006)
STEERING WHEEL PULLS TO THE RIGHT WHEN BRAKES APPLIED ,AT RANDOM TIMES( A FEW TIMES IT HAS DONE SAME TO THE LEFT) THIS DOSE NOT OCCUR ALL THE TIME,BUT NEVER GIVES YOU WARNING(ALMOST HIT ANOTHER CAR LAST WEEK IT PULLED SO HARD) THIS VERY SELDOM HAPPENS TWICE IN A ROW ,I KNOW THIS IS A VERY HARD PROBLEM TO FIND BUT I'M AFRAID THIS WILL CAUSE A ACCIDENT SOONER OR LATER ??? THERE MUST BE SOMEONE WHO HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM OR CAN FIND A ANSWER ????*JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10157132 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10182811 · 2007-02-16 (February 16, 2007)
V8, 4WD. IDLE RPM IS WAY TOO HIGH. WHEN A/C COMPRESSOR KICKS IN IDLE CAN BE AS HIGH AS 1500 RPM. HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL PULLING INTO GARAGE, AS THE BRAKE IS VERY DIFFICULT TO MODULATE AT THAT RPM. TWICE INTO DEALER FOR THIS AND TOLD "...IT IS NORMAL". WIFE AFRAID TO DRIVE INTO THE GARAGE AND I HAVE TO BE VERY AWARE WHEN A/C IS ON. HAVE NEVER SEEN A VEHICLE IDLE AT THIS HIGH AN RPM. DIFFICULT TO HOLD AT STOP SIGN AND WILL IDLE AWAY AT A GOOD PACE WITH NO ACCELERATOR APPLIED. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 10 miles reported. Look up ODI 10182811 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10265651 · 2009-04-16 (April 16, 2009)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL ALWAYS TURNED TO THE LEFT. HE THEN HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE NEAR THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WAS PLACED INTO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE STABILIZER BAR SNAPPED AND THE METAL APPEARED TO BE CRYSTALLIZED. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE STABILIZER BAR AND THE RACK AND PINION. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT PROVIDE REIM…
Owner-reported narrative. 53,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10265651 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10200404 · 2007-08-21 (August 21, 2007)
CRUISE CONTROL GOES CRAZY ON HILLS. IT WAITS TOO LONG TO ACCELERATE AND THEN IT FLOORS THE GAS AND THE AUTO TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS AT LEAST TWO GEARS AND RACES THE ENGINE WAY PAST THE SPEED YOU WANT AND THEN IT FINALLY LETS UP AND THE SPEED DROPS TOO LOW AND EVERYTHING REPEATS. DANGEROUS AND ABSOLUTELY WORTHLESS! HAS BEEN HAPPENING EVER SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW IN 2005. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10200404 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11121289 · 2018-08-21 (August 21, 2018)
SEVERE FRAME RUST TO THE POINT OF HOLES. THE FRAME INTEGRITY WILL SOON BE COMPROMISED; IF NOT ALREADY. TWO REAR BODY MOUNTS ARE RUSTING AWAY, THE BOTTOM OF BOTH MOUNTS IS NON EXISTENT. ONE MID MOUNT, THE SHEET METAL SIDE IS NEARLY RUSTED THROUGH. ONE FRONT MOUNT AREA IS RUSTED AWAY ON THE SHEET METAL SIDE. THE GAS TANK IS CURRENTLY ONLY HELD IN PLACE BY WHAT IS LEFT OF THE PROTECTION SHIELD UNDER THE TANK .
Owner-reported narrative. 78,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11121289 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11141370 · 2018-10-18 (October 18, 2018)
THE REAR AXLE RUSTED SO BADLY THAT IT STARTED FLAKING APART. THE FRAME IS RUSTED SEVERELY IN THE AREAS WHERE THE REAR SUSPENSION COMPONENTS ATTACH. THE GAS TANK SKID PLATE RUSTED UNTIL IT BEGAN TO FALL OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND ALL OF THE AREAS WHERE IT WAS BOLTED TO THE FRAME COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. THE EXHAUST ALSO RUSTED THROUGH BEHIND THE MUFFLER CAUSING IT TO FALL OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THERE ARE HOLES IN MULTIPLE AREAS OF THE FRAME. I HAD TO GRIND,CHIP, AND WIRE BRUSH THE FRAME WITH THE VEHICLE ON JACK STANDS IN ORDER …
Owner-reported narrative. 100,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11141370 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10303344 · 2010-01-30 (January 30, 2010)
I HAVE A 2005 TOYOTA ROADRUNNER. ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, I HAD EXPERIENCE WHERE THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO WANT TO ACCELERATE WHILE I WAS 'BRAKING' TO A STOP. ON THE 1ST OCCURRENCE, I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A 'FLOOR MAT' ISSUE. I KNOW FOR SURE IT WAS NOT!!. THE OTHER TWO OCCURRENCES HAPPENED ON THE SAME DAY, FLOOR MATS WERE NOT EVEN CLOSE TO PEDAL AND THE PEDAL WAS NOT STICKING. I PUT THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL TO STOP, AND IT GAVE ME BACK CONTROL. I BELIEVE THIS IS AN ECM (ENGINE CONTROL MODULE) COMPUTER PROBLEM OR SENSOR PROB…
Owner-reported narrative. 52,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10303344 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10328140 · 2010-04-29 (April 29, 2010)
THE VEHICLE RPMS WOULD GO UP BUT THE CAR WOULD BARLEY MOVE, OR WHILE DRIVING GOING TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO FASTER TO ENGAGE IN TRAFFIC, CORROSION OF PINS IN THE TRANSMISSION WIRING HARNESS THAT CONNECTS TO THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS. THIS HARNESS IS ALSO TIED TO THE ABS, TRACTION CONTROL. IT CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO BECOME UNSAFE WHEN DRIVING AS IF IT ACTS UP YOU CANNOT ACCELERATE AND SORT OF CHUGS ALONG. DANGEROUS IN ON RAMP AND TRAFFIC SITUATIONS. THIS ALSO CAUSED THE SOLENOID IN THE TRANSMISSION TO SHORT OUT AS IT WAS HANGING…
Owner-reported narrative. 90,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10328140 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11041539 · 2017-10-31 (October 31, 2017)
SECONDARY AIR PUMP FAILURE DUE TO DEFECTIVE DESIGN. TOYOTA HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THIS AS A DEFECTIVE INSTALLATION ON THE SEQUOIA AND TUNDRA MODELS WITH AN IDENTICAL ENGINE INSTALLATION AS THE 4RUNNER; BUT REFUSES TO REPAIR/RETROFIT THE 4RUNNER DEVICE. RESULT IS LOSS OF POWER WHICH COULD RESULT ON VEHICLE ACCIDENT
Owner-reported narrative. 150,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11041539 at NHTSA ↗