2021 Toyota 4Runner problems and recalls

Owners have filed 36 complaints on the 2021 Toyota 4Runner, and NHTSA has issued 1 recall. The most cited component is the Steering (13 complaints).

36
Complaints
1
Recalls
3
Crash reports
1
Fire reports
1
Injuries
63.9
Severity index

Severity index 63.9 Medium. The index weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints. How it is calculated.

Middle half of all tracked vehiclesThis vehicle: 63.9p25 46p75 80cleanestworst
Severity index against the quartile range for all tracked vehicles.

Components cited in complaints

SteeringSteering: 13 complaints (36.1%)13 36%SuspensionSuspension: 10 complaints (27.8%)10 28%Service BrakesService Brakes: 6 complaints (16.7%)6 17%WheelsWheels: 4 complaints (11.1%)4 11%Exterior LightingExterior Lighting: 3 complaints (8.3%)3 8%Electrical SystemElectrical System: 3 complaints (8.3%)3 8%Back Over PreventionBack Over Prevention: 2 complaints (5.6%)2 6%Forward Collision Avoid…Forward Collision Avoidance: 2 complaints (5.6%)2 6%
A single complaint can cite more than one component, so shares total over 100%.
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
STEERING1336.1%
SUSPENSION1027.8%
SERVICE BRAKES616.7%
WHEELS411.1%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING38.3%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM38.3%
BACK OVER PREVENTION25.6%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE25.6%

Complaints filed per year

06122020: 12021: 122022: 52023: 32024: 42025: 52026: 6 (partial year)2021122223242526
Complaints by the calendar year they were filed. The hatched bar is the current year to date.
YearComplaints
20201
202112
20225
20233
20244
20255
2026 (year to date)6
Filings in 2023 to 2025 were close to 2020 to 2022 (12 against 18).

Recall campaigns

CampaignReportedComponentSummary
22V48000006/07/2022EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELSSoutheast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2020-2022 4Runner vehicles equipped with 20-inch Black Gunner Wheels. The load carrying capacity modification labels are incorrect. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicl

Other Toyota 4Runner model years

Severity index for every other model year on file. Compare all 13 years side by side.

Source. NHTSA public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-09-05. Complaints are unverified consumer reports. Totals vary with units sold and years on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.