2019 Toyota 4Runner Problems

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 10,000 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 2019 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated while driving 50-55 MPH and attempting to overtake another vehicle, the vehicle failed to respond while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was a 15-second delay in the vehicle response. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was…Owner complaint, filed 2022, at 10,000 miles

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota 4Runner. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V682000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware…Owner complaint, filed 2021

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

Tires are good ! When I got this SUV it only has 15 k miles I got shimmy on my steering wheel This not acceptable We need a recall on this issues it's very dangerous Please Toyota when need to solve this issuesOwner complaint, filed 2023

Vehicle Steering Wheel shakes at speed of 50-60 MPH. Wheels and tires have been rotated and balanced numerous times as my fiancé is a manager at a tire shop. Alignment has been checked and does not need one.Correct Tire pressure is used. Tires have been rotated and balanced by dealer and my fiancé’s tire shop with thorough inspections.Owner complaint, filed 2021

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 contact owns a 2019 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the instrument cluster displayed a blank screen. The contact stated that the failure also occurred while reversing. In addition, the radio volume independently adjusted up and down independently, and independently powered off…Owner complaint, filed 2025

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact also stated that while driving at 45 MPH, he noticed that the vehicle was shuddering. The contact veered to the side of the road, turned off and restarted the vehicle however, the check engine…Owner complaint, filed 2022, at 33,000 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

Thankfully the piece of my shock coil spring fell off in my driveway on Aug 23rd 2026. I am being told I should not drive my car now as the entire coil spring can come off and cause me to crash. They have a 2018 trd pro at my dealership that has been waiting since March for the same part. I have called Toyota as my 2019 trd pro fox…Owner complaint, filed 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated while driving at approximately 15 MPH, the shock absorber and springs on the suspension were making abnormal sounds while the vehicle was rolling over a dip or bump in the roadway. The contact looked underneath the vehicle and became aware that the springs and shocks showed…Owner complaint, filed 2024, at 48,000 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

While driving my 4 runner at about 45 MPH, it just stopped working. Engine was still running but it would not go. It was like it was stuck in neutral. I pressed the gas all the way to the floor and nothing. I was stuck in the middle of the road and unable to go. About 30-45 seconds and it began to work again. I took it to newark toyota…Owner complaint, filed 2021, at 25,000 miles

My 2019 Toyota 4Runner was inhabited by a rat that chewed the wiring harness in at least 3 different areas. The damage occurred between 8pm and 7am. The vehicle started with lights on the dash illuminated. The car was out into drive and was jerking. Reverse had the same result. After inspecting under the hood of the car wires were seen…Owner complaint, filed 2021

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

General brake use. When pressing to the brakes the pedal has to be pressed on all the way to the floor before the car begins to stop.Owner complaint, filed 2021

I recently purchased a 2019 toyota 4runner from stadium toyota. In the beginning of november 2019, I began to hear a squeaking noise coming from the car when ever I would back-out of my garage first thing in the morning and lightly release the breaks. I recorded the noise and scheduled an appointment with the dealer. I showed the video…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 1,631 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

The contact owned a 2019 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH and hauling a trailer, the rear driver’s side tire blew out, and due to the weight shift the passenger’s side trailer tire blew out as well, causing the trailer to be tilted before crashing into a cement barrier. There was no warning prior to the…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 62,000 miles

The airbag sensor in my 2019 Toyota 4Runner has failed, causing the airbag warning light to remain illuminated. This indicates the airbag system may not deploy properly in a collision, which is a serious safety concern. The vehicle has approximately 95,600 miles, has been well maintained, and has not been in any accident that would…Owner complaint, filed 2025

What to check before you buy

• Drive it from cold if you can. Shifts should be smooth in every gear, including reverse.
• Feel for slipping (revs rise without the car speeding up), shudder at low speed and a delay when you put it in gear.
• Listen for whining, which is a common CVT complaint, and clunks when you go from drive to reverse.
• If it has 4WD or AWD, engage it on the test drive and ask when the transmission and differential fluids were last changed.

Tools that help

What owners said

Most of the time that I pass a speed bump and I accelerate the vehicle make a weird vibration when goes from the first to the second gear. After the second gear doesn't make the vibration any more.Owner complaint, filed 2020

This sr5 was b rand new purchased in march 2019. It has never been driven off road with the exception being I drive it up a hill to my barn over lawn using 4WD high. I've heard this grinding noise two to three time when shifting from reverse into drive when the truck is stationary and on a hill. I haven't checked if this occurs in each…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 906 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

My vehicle keeps leaking inside from the AC drip line and it's been cleared multiple times and it still keeps happening and it floods the whole bottom of the passenger side floorboard and becomes soaked through which can cause erosion, electrical issues, mold growth and other problems as well.Owner complaint, filed 2025

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota 4Runner. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was discovered that the undercarriage was rusted. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a left turn, the vehicle jerked and almost crashed into another vehicle. The contact was able to…Owner complaint, filed 2024, at 31,500 miles

What to check before you buy

• Check every light: headlights on low and high, fog lights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights.
• Run the wipers on every speed with washer fluid, and run the defroster front and back.

Tools that help

What owners said

I was sitting at a stoplight and the windshield cracked in the middle fron the bottom up nothing hit it just sitting at the stoplight and the windshield crackedOwner complaint, filed 2020, at 8,989 miles

The contact owns a 2019 toyota 4runner. While driving 70 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal popping noise as the sun roof exploded. The vehicle was taken to don mcgill toyota (11800 katy fwy, houston, tx 77079, (281) 496-2000) and the contact was informed that an object struck the sun roof. The sun roof was replaced. The [VIN] was made…Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 7,983 miles

What to check before you buy

• Read the four-digit DOT date on each tire. Tires older than about six years should be replaced, whatever the tread looks like.
• Check tread depth on all four. On AWD vehicles all four tires should match.
• The tire pressure light should go out after startup.

Tools that help

What owners said

I was driving.a 2019 SUV with about 16,100 miles on it at about 60 MPH in highway traffic on a perfectly smooth road and without any warning and out of nowhere there was a very loud bang in the back driver side of the SUV. The road was smooth, there were no potholes, and I didn’t hit anything. I had to pull over to get off the road and…Owner complaint, filed 2021

I have experienced a persistent steering and suspension-related issue with my 2019 Toyota 4Runner since early ownership, beginning at approximately 6,800 miles. The vehicle repeatedly pulls/drifts to the right at highway speeds and requires constant steering correction. I have also experienced steering wheel vibration and instability…Owner complaint, filed 2026

What to check before you buy

• Where it is safe, try the adaptive cruise and lane keeping on the test drive and watch for sudden braking or warnings with nothing there.
• Check the windshield in front of the camera and the bumper sensors for cracks, chips or poor repairs.
• Ask whether the windshield has been replaced. The camera has to be recalibrated afterward, and many shops skip it.

Tools that help

What owners said

Vehicle Back-up camera works intermittantly, sometimes working when placed in reverse, other times showing a black screen when placed in reverse. Has not been a consistent enough problem for dealer repair/troubleshooting. A google search shows many 5th Gen 4runner online web forms with lots of reports involving pinched, stretched, worn…Owner complaint, filed 2026

My vehicle is throwing the ABS light and slamming my breaks. I’ve taken it to Toyota, it’s not showing any codes so they can’t diagnosis it to fix the issue. It may go two weeks and drive fine, and then it does it again. Whether I’m going 10mph or 55mph, it will do this. Very scary and very unsafe.Owner complaint, filed 2024

What to check before you buy

• Pull out and latch every seat belt, and let each one retract on its own.
• Try every seat adjuster, and watch for a passenger air bag "off" light when an adult is in the seat.

Tools that help

What owners said

Seat belt is not retracting to fit front passenger and after it buckles it stays loose. The seat belt device, intended to protect occupants during a crash is not retracting at all after it buckles. Seat belt in the front passenger seating position is presenting a safety hazard.Owner complaint, filed 2025

While the vehicle was parked in a driveway, running but not yet in gear or in motion, 5 year old child secured in carseat in 2nd row moved the shoulder/lap seatbelt in such a way that it encircled his waist and would not allow any slack, cinching around the child's waist. The seatbelt retractor would only allow the seat belt to get…Owner complaint, filed 2021, at 22,000 miles