2018 Toyota 4RUNNER problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
58 owner complaints analyzed
5 distinct recall campaigns
20,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2018 model year. Data snapshot: . 36 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 11 of 58 complaints (19.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 14 | 24.1% |
| Braking behavior | 9 | 15.5% |
| Engine operation | 5 | 8.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 5 | 8.6% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 3.4% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 3.4% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Steering | 11 |
| Unknown Or Other | 9 |
| Air Bags | 7 |
| Service Brakes | 6 |
| Engine | 5 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 4 |
| Structure:Body | 4 |
Steering: 11; Unknown Or Other: 9; Air Bags: 7; Service Brakes: 6; Engine: 5; Fuel System, Gasoline: 4; Fuel/Propulsion System: 4; Structure:Body: 4
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 23 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 9 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 3 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 1 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 23; 25,000 to 49,999: 9; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (23). 22 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 |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 10 |
| 2019 | 8 |
| 2020 | 14 |
| 2021 | 8 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 7 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 | 3 |
2018: 10; 2019: 8; 2020: 14; 2021: 8; 2022: 3; 2023: 3; 2024: 7; 2025: 2; 2026: 3
Pattern summary
Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 14 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 9 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 5 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 11079564 · 2018-03-15 (March 15, 2018)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO VIBRATE AS THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND POWERED OFF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150.
Owner-reported narrative. 150 miles reported. Look up ODI 11079564 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11097671 · 2018-05-23 (May 23, 2018)
DRIVING LEGALLY AT 70 MPH ON OHIO INTERSTATE, SHARP CROSS WINDS DURING A PERIOD OF AMBIENT WIND OF 23 MPH, CAUSED VEHICLE TO CROSS DIVIDING LINES IN AN UNSAFE MANNER. VEHICLE IS KNOWN TO HAVE "SOFT" OR "SLOPPY" STEERING, WHICH IS "CHARACTERISTIC" OF THAT VEHICLE ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, AND UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES DOES NOT AFFECT SAFETY. HOWEVER, IN THE WIND, THE REACTION TIME TO CORRECT FROM A CROSS WIND IS SUFFICIENTLY EFFECTED TO THE DETRIMENT OF SAFE HANDLING. IN OTHER WORDS, BY THE TIME YOU REACT TO BEING FORCED OVER THE DIVIDING…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 11097671 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11243303 · 2019-08-12 (August 12, 2019)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT IMMEDIATELY STOP. THE DRIVER HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKE PEDAL MULTIPLE TIMES TO STOP THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, THE STOPPING DISTANCE WAS EXTENDED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO BEAVER TOYOTA (2995 US 1 SOUTH ST, AUGUSTINE, FL) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT YET DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 21,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11243303 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11383570 · 2020-12-15 (December 15, 2020)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. ADDITIONALLY, THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V682000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED IN REGARDS TO SCHEDULING AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE RECALL REPAIR HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT PARTS WERE NOT YET AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REPAIR AND THERE WAS NO IMMEDIATE TIME FRAME WHEN PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE. …
Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11383570 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11383292 · 2020-12-14 (December 14, 2020)
MY 2018 4RUNNER STALLED 12/12 AMIDST MY HAVING MADE A TURN OUT OF MY DRIVE WAY AND COMMENCING ACCELERATION OF THE VEHICLE. MY SPEED COULDN'T HAVE BEEN IN EXCESS PN 20 MPH. I DID NOT LOOSE ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS. THE VEHICLE SIMPLY LOST MOBILITY. I SHIFTED THE VEHICLE TO NEUTRAL AND JUGGLED THE ACCELERATOR AND REGAINED ACCELERATION, WITHOUT ANY FURTHER SUCH INCIDENTS OF THE KIND. THE FOLLOWING DAY 12/14 THE VEHICLE STALLED YET AGAIN AT A POINT OF ACCELERATEATION AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH. ON THIS OCCASION I WAS TURNING YET AGAIN AT LOW SPEED. THE …
Owner-reported narrative. 28,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 11383292 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11378226 · 2020-12-07 (December 7, 2020)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V682000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. SINCE DISCOVERING THE RECALL, THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WOULD HEAR AN ABNORMAL HUMMING SOUND COMING FROM THE FUEL PUMP WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SOUND CONTINUED UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 20,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11378226 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11460860 · 2022-04-15 (April 15, 2022)
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The traction control and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 30,500.
Owner-reported narrative. 30,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11460860 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11402837 · 2021-03-14 (March 14, 2021)
2018 4RUNNER TRD OFF ROAD PREMIUM. 24733MILES (AT THE TIME THIS REVIEW IS WRITTEN) STARTED TO FEEL LIKE IT ACCELERATE BUT WITH OUT DOING IT. (VERY FEW NOT THAT PRONOUCE) TOOK IT TO DEALER ON APRIL 2020 AROUND (14900MILES). THEY DID A RECALL CHECK AND SAID THEY FOUND NOTHING AND THAY MY TRUCK WAS FINE. MARCH 2021 IT HAPPEN AGAIN BUT NOW IT WAS DOING IT VERY STRONGLY. TRUCK STARTED TO STALL DASHBOARD LIGHTS STARTED TO APPEAR 4WD INDICATOR FLASHES RAPIDLY CHARGING SYSTEM WARNING LOW ENGINE OIL PRESSURE CHECK ENGINE MULTI-TERRAIN FLASHE…
Owner-reported narrative. 24,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 11402837 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11650452 · 2025-03-25 (March 25, 2025)
While my father was exiting his 2018 Toyota 4Runner SR5, the vehicle unexpectedly started reversing fairly quickly, despite no foot being on the brake. He was dragged by the vehicle while attempting to stop it outside the car, and it continued moving backwards then down a hill before crashing into a fence, causing significant damage to both the car and the fence. This vehicle should not have rolled back at this speed, and it appears to be related to a potential design flaw in the vehicle’s brake-shift interlock system or automatic reverse funct…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11650452 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11372555 · 2020-11-01 (November 1, 2020)
PURCHASED VEHICLE BRAND NEW WITH 18 MILES ON IT. I GET IT SERVICED LIKE CLOCKWORK AND HAVE NEVER MISSED A MAINTENANCE APPOINTMENT. A LITTLE OVER A WEEK AGO, THE ELECTRICAL LOCKING SYSTEM ON THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR STOPPED FUNCTIONING. TOYOTA IS TELLING ME THAT THERE ARE NO RECALLS AND IT WILL COST ME ALMOST $1000.00 TO REPAIR. NOW, THE ELECTRIC LOCKING SYSTEM FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR IS NOT WORKING AND TOYOTA IS STILL SAYING IT IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO BECAUSE THERE IS NO RECALL AND THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE…
Owner-reported narrative. 55,110 miles reported. Look up ODI 11372555 at NHTSA ↗