2022 Toyota 4Runner Reliability Report

Adaptive cruise control and the collision-avoidance system brake hard for slower cars in neighboring lanes, or for nothing at all. Reports put this at speeds between 30 and 65 mph, and following drivers nearly hit the 4Runner from behind. Other reports describe a pre-collision warning telling the driver to see a dealer, followed by cruise control and lane assist quitting entirely. Dealers could not find the cause without a costly diagnosis. One vehicle would not go past 30 mph and shook heavily. Sudden braking at highway speed is the main safety concern.

Highway speeds bring a shake and vibration through the wheel, usually between about 55 and 70 mph. In some cases the vehicle also pulls hard to the right. The shake is reported from the day of purchase. Dealers often call it normal or blame the tires, but replacement tires do not fix it. In one case the dealer confirmed the problem after more than 6 visits. Drivers say the vibration makes the vehicle hard to keep in a straight line.

The rear camera image is blurry when reversing, or the center display goes blank. In the blurry-camera case the problem appeared on a nearly new vehicle. The dealer called it a normal characteristic and told the driver to rely on the mirrors. The other report describes the whole center screen disappearing, which takes out the radio, navigation, and hands-free phone along with the camera view. Neither report describes a lasting fix.

The steering wheel shakes at highway speed once the vehicle warms up. One owner traces it to the right CV joint. The shake disappears in four-wheel drive. A dealer road test confirmed the shake but called it normal. A separate report on an XREAS-equipped 4Runner describes sagging front struts and tires worn on the inside edges. Those tires were rated for 70k miles and lasted only 45k. Both problems make the vehicle harder to keep tracking straight.

Turning the steering wheel changes radio channels, drops phone calls, stops navigation, and turns on the air bag warning light. A dealer traced this to the spiral cable and quoted $1200 for the repair. In the other report, rodents chewed through the wiring harness 9 days after purchase. The damage disabled the safety systems and cost $8000 to repair, and the replacement harness was months away. Because the spiral cable fault turns on the air bag light, it is more than a nuisance.

Occupants get trapped when a belt locks up and will not release. In one report a rear passenger belt would not loosen at all, and firefighters had to cut it. In another, a driver's belt jammed at both the buckle and the retractor until police freed it, and the same failure recurred in both front seats. A belt that cannot be released is a serious hazard whenever occupants need to get out quickly.