What Owners Report NHTSA ODI · 2,175,102 complaints · MY1998–2026

2002 Toyota 4RUNNER

Typical pattern

3.7% of complaints about the 2002 Toyota 4RUNNER came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2002 vehicle — around the middle of the 230 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 13.5 yr in service. The most-reported system is structure (90 complaints), typically at 15.1 yr or about 140,000 miles.

Complaints
299
Median age at failure
13.5 yr
Median mileage
124,530 n=223
Crash / fire / tow
9.7% of reports
Safety recalls
3

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System
0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y
Structure
90 reports · 140,000 mi
15.1 yr
2.2%
Suspension
50 reports · 132,000 mi
13.6 yr
10%
Power train
31 reports · 132,000 mi
11.7 yr
0%
Other
30 reports · 146,000 mi
17.5 yr
0%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

06E049000 2006-05-24
Exterior lighting

CERTAIN CK MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION HEADLIGHTS, CLEAR CORNER, BUMPER, AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

06E026000 2006-03-23
Exterior lighting

CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

05V225000 2005-05-17
Suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, DUE TO A MANUFACTURING ISSUE IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINT, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE SURFACE OF THE BALL OF THE JOINT MAY HAVE BEEN SCRATCHED. THE BALL JOINT MAY EVENTUALLY EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE WEAR AND LOOSENESS, RESULTING IN INCREASED STEERING EFFORT.

THE LOWER BALL JOINT MAY SEPARATE FROM THE KNUCKLE CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR.

In owners’ own words

Power train 88,000 mi 3.1 yr in service
THE REAR DRIVER AXLE SEALS WERE LEAKING, WHICH CAUSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STICK. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *JB
Power train 17,557 mi 3.8 yr in service
2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER FRONT END MAKES LOUD NOISES, WHEN GOING OVER HIGH BUMPS AND SOME STIFFNESS IN STEERING. *TS THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACE DUE TO LITTLE OR NO FLUIDS, NOISES WERE COMING FROM THE FRONT END, THE SHOCK WERE LEAKING, AND TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LEAKING. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED A REPLACEMENT OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION/LOWER BALL JOINTS AND THE LEAKING SHOCKS AT NO COST. *SC
Power train 95,500 mi 6.9 yr in service
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME IN, IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A 770 SHIFT SOLENOID-E AND I WAS TOLD BY TWO DIFFERENT EXPERTS THAT MY TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE TOYOTA 4-RUNNER WAS PURCHASED IN JANUARY 2008 FROM FOLSOM LAKE TOYOTA WITH 89,000 MILES AND CURRENTLY HAS 95,500 MILES ON IT. THE ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR WAS $2,300.00. *TR
Suspension 45,000 mi 3.6 yr in service crash / fire / tow
APRIL 28, 2005, NO INJURIES. CONTACT STATES HE WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT. IT WAS RAINY. AND WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH VEHICLE LOST CONTROL AND VEERED TO THE RIGHT. TRIED TO STEER LEFT, BUT STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT GO LEFT. APPLIED BRAKES, AND THEY FAILED. THEN, HIT SEMI TRAILER TRUCK ON LEFT SIDE. CONTACT HAS REGULAR MAINTENANCE HAS SERVICE RECORDS. *AK

Other 4RUNNER model years

202520162015201420122011201020082007200620052004200320022001200019991998

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