2016 Toyota 4Runner: Solid

1. Electrical27% · 11 complaints · median 13,000 miles
2. Air bags15% · 6 complaints
3. Engine15% · 6 complaints · median 5,000 miles
4. Powertrain10% · 4 complaints
5. Suspension10% · 4 complaints
6. Brakes7% · 3 complaints
7. Steering7% · 3 complaints
8. Speed control7% · 3 complaints
9. Visibility7% · 3 complaints
10. Wheels and tires5% · 2 complaints

Bars rank problem areas by complaints weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries and deaths count more). A complaint can name more than one area. Mileage is reported on about half of complaints.

Summaries are written with AI from the owner complaints shown on NHTSA's site and checked against them; quotes are word for word.

• NHTSA 19V741000October 2019928,220 vehicles

  Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module · Air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module

  Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2016 4Runner, 2003-2006 Tundra, 2003-2013 Corolla, 2009-2010 Corolla Matrix, 2004-2005 RAV4, 2002-2007 Sequoia, 2011-2013 Sienna, 2008-2012 Scion xB, 2008-2009 Lexus IS-F, 2007-2012 Yaris and Lexus ES350, 2010-2017 Lexus GX460, 2002-2010 Lexus SC430, 2006-2012 Lexus IS250 and IS350 and 2010-2015 Lexus IS250C and IS350C vehicles. These vehicles had their driver or passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

  Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

  Fix: Toyota will notify owners.

• NHTSA 19V005000January 20191,299,448 vehicles

  Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module

  Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Toyota 4Runner, 2014-2015 Scion xB, Lexus IS350C, IS250C, 2014 Toyota Sienna, Lexus IS-F, and 2014-2017 Lexus GX460 vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Toyota is also recalling certain 2011-2013 Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Lexus IS250, IS350, 2011-2016 4Runner, 2011-2015 Scion xB, Lexus IS350C, IS250C, 2011-2014 Toyota Sienna, Lexus IS-F, 2011-2017 Lexus GX460, and 2011-2012 Lexus ES350 vehicles ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Toyota is also recalling certain 2010-2013 Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Lexus IS350, 2010-2016 4Runner, 2010-2013 Lexus IS250, 2010-2015 Scion xB, Lexus IS350C, IS250C, 2010-2017 Lexus GX460, 2010-2014 Lexus IS-F, and 2010-2012 Lexus ES350 vehicles ever registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, used as original equipment or replacement equipment (such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bags), that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

  Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

  Fix: Toyota will notify owners.

• NHTSA 17V763000November 2017431 vehicles

  Structure: body: hood

  Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Toyota 4Runner vehicles equipped with an accessory Billet Grille Overlay installed by SET or provided by SET and installed by SET dealers. The U-nut that secures the overlay grille may fracture, allowing the Billet Grille Overlay to detach from the vehicle.

  Risk: If the Billet Grille Overlay detaches while driving, it can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Fix: SET will notify owners, and dealers will replace the securing U-nuts with upgraded hardware, free of charge.

• NHTSA 17V425000July 20173,547 vehicles

  Equipment · Structure: body: hood: hinge and attachments

  Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2011-2016 Toyota Tacoma and 4Runner vehicles equipped with accessory hood scoops installed by SET or SET dealers. The adhesive attaching the hood scoop may weaken, allowing the hood scoop to detach from the vehicle.

  Risk: If the hood scoop detaches, it may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Fix: SET will notify owners, and dealers will mechanically fasten the scoop to the hood, free of charge.

• NHTSA 17V291000May 20171,019 vehicles

  Equipment

  Gulf States Toyota, Inc (Gulf States) is recalling certain 2016-2017 4Runner vehicles equipped with the TFORCE accessory package. The fasteners for the aftermarket roof rack may have been improperly tightened.

  Risk: If the roof rack fasteners loosen, the roof rack may detach from the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Fix: Gulf States will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, tighten the roof rack fasteners, free of charge.

• NHTSA 16V937000December 20162 vehicles

  Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module

  Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling one 2016 Toyota 4Runner vehicle manufactured November 1, 2016 and one 2017 Lexus GX460 vehicle manufactured November 16, 2016. The affected vehicles are equipped with Takata PSPI-LD front passenger air bag inflators that may have been manufactured without ignition booster tablets. As a result, in the event of a crash, the air bag may not fully inflate during deployment of the primary stage. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

  Risk: The improper inflation of the passenger air bag may increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

  Fix: Toyota dealers have replaced the passenger side air bag modules, free of charge.

• NHTSA 16V236000April 201694 vehicles

  Equipment: other: labels · Tires

  Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota Yaris, Rav4, Land Cruiser and 4Runner vehicles, and Scion FR-S, iM, and TC vehicles manufactured January 28, 2016, to March 14, 2016. The Load Carrying Capacity Modification Label may not reflect the correct added weight of the installed accessories. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims for Passenger Cars."

  Risk: An incorrect label may result in the vehicle being overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Fix: SET will notify owners, and provide them a corrected label to be installed over the inaccurate label, free of charge.

• NHTSA 16V228000April 2016844 vehicles

  Equipment: other: labels

  Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (Gulf States) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Toyota 4Runner vehicles manufactured September 22, 2014, to March 23, 2016 and equipped with accessories installed by Gulf States. The Load Carrying Capacity Modification Label may not reflect the correct added weight of the installed accessories. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims for Passenger Cars."

  Risk: An incorrect label may result in the vehicle being overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Fix: Gulf States will notify owners, and dealers will install an accurate label, free of charge.

A recall only helps if the repair was done. Enter the vehicle's 17-character VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup before you buy.

Toyota sent NHTSA 249 service bulletins and other notices to dealers covering the 2016 4Runner. These are repair instructions, not recalls. Warranty extensions and bulletins about its top problem areas:

• T-SB-0058-23 Rev1 · June 2025The air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air conditioning refrigerant leaks.
• T-SB-0103-20 Rev1 · June 2024This Service Bulletin provides updated non-electric water pump leak inspection and diagnostic tips for some 2008 – 2025 model year Toyota vehicles.
• T-PANT-2024-004- · March 2024This is to advise of various price adjustments that will affect Toyota Genuine Motor Oil and Long Life Coolant, effective March 1, 2024.
• K0P_TISdownload_ · October 2023DP: The Data Communication Module (DCM) in the subject vehicles are equipped with software to identify the location of the vehicle using the Global Positioning System (GPS) to support features of the…
• TSB003220 · August 2023TSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most 1979 ?
• T-SB-0057-18 · May 2023TSB: The Immobilizer and Smart Key Reset is a feature that allows the registration of new keys when all master keys are lost.
• 23TE05 · February 2023DL: On December 20, 2022, a settlement of claims for certain low pressure fuel pumps was approved by the federal court.
• T-SB-0094-21 Rev · November 2022TSB: Some 2005 ?

All 2016 4Runner bulletins on NHTSA ›

Questions owners ask

Is the 2016 Toyota 4Runner reliable?

Owners filed 41 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Toyota 4Runner in its first five years on the road, about 38 for every 100,000 sold: 0.8× the rate of a typical 4Runner year. That's close to a typical year. Ratings compare 4Runner years with each other using complaints filed with NHTSA; they don't measure every problem owners have.

What are the most common 2016 4Runner problems?

Owners' complaints most often involve the electrical system (27%), the air bags (15%) and the engine (15%). A complaint can name more than one area.

Has the 2016 Toyota 4Runner been recalled?

Yes. NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns for the 2016 Toyota 4Runner, the most recent in October 2019 (air bags). Enter the vehicle's VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to see whether the repairs were done.