2012 Toyota 4Runner Problems

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 60,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The air bag (SRS) light should come on at startup and go out within a few seconds. If it stays on, the system may not work in a crash.
• Air bag recalls are some of the most serious. Check this exact VIN for open recalls and get proof any recall work was done.

Tools that help

What owners said

2012 toyota 4runner. Consumer writes in regard to takata front passenger airbag inflator safety recall. *ld the consumer requested to have a recall notice mailed to a current address.Owner complaint, filed 2021

I am the owner of a 2012 toyota 4runner which has a current air bag recall. The parts were not available before our military pcs transfer overseas. They became available after my move overseas, but toyota has not been able to assist in replacing my airbags. I am not getting ready to transfer back to the u.s. And this might affect my…Owner complaint, filed 2020

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 4,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The pedal should feel firm and the car should stop straight without pulling, grinding or a pulsing pedal.
• The ABS and stability control lights should go out after startup and stay out.
• Look through the wheels at the rotors. A deep lip on the edge means brakes are due soon, which is a fair thing to negotiate on.

Tools that help

What owners said

The brakes of the vehicle slip. When you are on the freeway and you need to stop for accidents and you brake the vehicle slips and almost wants to role over. When the vehicle comes to complete stop after a few seconds it moves forward almost 6 inches. There could be several reasons why this could happen with ABS systems, could be…Owner complaint, filed 2014, at 300 miles

The contact owns a 2012 toyota 4runner. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal to stop the vehicle, a loud abnormal noise was present and the brake pedal had to gradually be depressed in order to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to diagnose the failure. The contact also indicated…Owner complaint, filed 2014, at 28,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 37,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Smell around the engine bay and under the rear of the car for raw fuel.
• On the test drive, accelerate firmly from a stop and up a grade. Stumbling, surging or a flashing check engine light are red flags.
• Fuel pump recalls are common. Check this exact VIN for open recalls before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2012 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The Police Department called and arranged for the vehicle to be towed to an authorized dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the fuel pump had disintegrated…Owner complaint, filed 2022, at 87,000 miles

I was driving on the expressway, at about 70 to 75 miles. Suddenly the vehicle just slowed down to 40 miles per hour. I almost got hit from the back by a truck. But, then it suddenly picked back up. this has happened several times but the shop nor the dealer could tell me what was wrong. I finally took it to another shop and they said it…Owner complaint, filed 2021

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 37,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Test every switch: windows, locks, mirrors, seat heaters, the screen, the backup camera, Bluetooth and every USB port.
• Watch the dash at startup. Every warning light should come on briefly and then go out.
• Have the battery and charging system tested. A weak alternator or battery drain shows up here.

Tools that help

What owners said

The backup camera does not work consistently. While not moving and then shifiting into reverse, the screen does not change or changes to something other than the camera. It usually stops working after several stops and shifts into reverse. Sometimes it goes 2 or 3 days without displaying and then starts working again another day.Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 85,000 miles

Squirrels keep eating my electrical wiring and the wiring harness. They access the engine bay through the openings in the wheel wells after jumping on top of the tires. The results have disabled my ABS, 4WD, limited slip, etc. I've tried rodent repellent, fox urine, and parking in the garage. Nothing helps. Toyota needs to stop using soy…Owner complaint, filed 2016, at 63,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Ask the seller not to warm the car up, and start it cold. Listen for ticking, knocking or a rough idle in the first minute.
• Pull the oil dipstick and the oil cap. Low oil, a gasoline smell or a milky film on the cap are reasons to walk away or get an inspection.
• Plug in an OBD2 scanner. Stored or pending codes matter, and so do readiness monitors that show "not ready", which usually means the codes were cleared right before the sale.
• Ask for oil change records. A gap in the records on a model known for engine complaints is a negotiating point at minimum.

Tools that help

What owners said

Vehicle radiator light came on, shortly thereafter (5-10 min) vehicle overheated. Waited for vehicle to cool down, then drove home. The following day drove the vehicle to dealership. After an inspection the dealer stated the heads are cracked and needed to be replaced. When I asked how this could happen to a car that is regularly…Owner complaint, filed 2022

The contact owns a 2012 toyota 4runner. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, an abnormal smell emitted into the vehicle and it became extremely hot around his feet. The contact stated that the vehicle made a loud pop noise and after merging to the side of the road he noticed flames coming from the front passenger…Owner complaint, filed 2015, at 49,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Turn the wheel lock to lock while parked and listen for groaning, clicking or binding.
• On a straight road the car should track straight with the wheel centered and no loose feeling.
• A power steering warning on the dash, even briefly, deserves a mechanic’s look before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

Consistent steering wheel shake between 60-65 mph. This is a very well known issue on the 2010-2024 4Runners and it drives me and many others crazy, and feels unsafe to drive with. Will happen almost anytime I’m on the highway. My vehicle only has 48k miles. This needs to be addressed.Owner complaint, filed 2026

While driving on highway the steering wheel shutters or vibrate at highway speeds. Replaced tires with new tires, alignment, and problem still exists, rotated and balanced tires and problem still exists. Read that toyota has had a problem with the r& r steering rack preload spring. But toyota denies any problems with the 4runners. After…Owner complaint, filed 2015, at 32,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Drive over a few bumps and potholes slowly with the radio off and listen for clunks or rattles.
• Check the tires for uneven wear on the inside or outside edges, a sign of alignment or suspension trouble.
• Look behind the wheels for oily, wet shocks or struts.

Tools that help

What owners said

Applied brakes firmly at yellow light and vehicle nose dived, brakes locked and vehicle stated to skid. Let up on pedal and applied brakes again and vehicle stopped without further drama. Did not feel the antilock brake system pulse the pedal or hear the system growl. Second time this has happened under same circumstances. Plenty of room…Owner complaint, filed 2012, at 1,300 miles

What to check before you buy

• On the test drive, press the gas gently and firmly. The response should be smooth with no lag or surge.
• Set the cruise control, then use resume and cancel to make sure each one works.

Tools that help

What owners said

Approximately 7:45 am on 9/18/19, my son while coming home from work, had an accident. I was not with him at the time. When he showed up at home after the incident, he explained how he was unable to stop the vehicle before it collided with the vehicle in front. He articulated that when he applied the brakes, it was as if he vehicle sped…Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 97,500 miles

I purchased a 2012 toyota tacoma from cfl toyota. The VIN is [xxx]at the first maintenance, I reported instances of "unintended acceleration." the cfl toyota mechanic and, later the toyota of orlando customer representative reported that the event is related to the fact that for toyotas, the engine is used to "gear down" and assist in…Owner complaint, filed 2014, at 43,686 miles

What to check before you buy

• Look underneath with a flashlight. Utah road salt is hard on frames, brake lines and the bottoms of doors.
• Open and close every door, the hood and the liftgate, and lock and unlock each one.
• Use a paint thickness gauge and compare panels. A panel that reads very differently from the rest has likely been repaired.

Tools that help

What owners said

Liftgate struts on hatch failed yesterday. While I was getting something out of the back of my 2012 4 runner one of the liftgate struts gave out and the hatch came down on me and hit me in the head. I have knot and a sore neck from this. My concern is what if it had been one of my children back there getting something from the car when…Owner complaint, filed 2015, at 45,144 miles

Squirrels keep eating my electrical wiring and the wiring harness. They access the engine bay through the openings in the wheel wells after jumping on top of the tires. The results have disabled my ABS, 4WD, limited slip, etc. I've tried rodent repellent, fox urine, and parking in the garage. Nothing helps. Toyota needs to stop using soy…Owner complaint, filed 2016, at 63,000 miles