2021 Toyota 4Runner reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2021 Toyota 4Runner holds 36 complaints after 6 years, a rate of 7 per year. 4Runner years here cluster close together — the other years’ median is 8 complaints per year. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Labels.

2016 Toyota 4Runner Limited — Photo by RL GNZLZ from Chile, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 2.0

Complaints

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Steering (13 of 36), then Suspension (10) and Service brakes (6). Those filings include 3 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 1 that reports an injury.

Next to 2020 and 2022

The 2020 4Runner has 33 complaints, 7 per year, and the 2022 has 39 complaints, 10 per year. The 2021 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2020. The 2021 has fewer complaints per year than the 2022.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2021 Toyota 4Runner. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (1)

Recall Labels 2022-07-06 · NHTSA campaign 22V480000

Summary Southeast 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 Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Remedy SET will mail replacement labels to owners, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 4, 2022. Owners may contact SET's customer service at 954-429-2000. SET's number for this recall is SET22A.

Complaints by component (36 total)

Steering

Suspension

Service brakes

Wheels

Electrical system

Exterior lighting

Back-over prevention

Forward collision avoidance

Visibility and wipers

Air bags

Fuel and propulsion system

Latches, locks, and linkages

Powertrain

Seats

Speed control

Tires

Visibility

Show 9 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"While vehicle was parked and not in use, upon entering the vehicle, the steering wheel/column dropped out of its locked position on its own. Disassembly of the steering column revealed that the tilt-lock mechanism's…"
Steering · filed 2026-09-03
"The power door lock actuators on both front doors of my 2021 Toyota 4Runner have failed. The problem developed progressively. The front door locks initially began working intermittently and became less reliable over…"
Latches, locks, and linkages · filed 2026-08-25
"The interior of both headlights have the interior coating peeling in the first 20k miles"
Exterior lighting · filed 2026-06-22
"I just had the tires road force balanced on a haweka with lug-centric balance, and the steering wheel persists shaking from 55-65 mph. From what I have seen is this is a design flaw on this generation of 4 runners…"
Steering · filed 2026-05-30
"Today while I was driving home from work, in a snow storm, suddenly a low braking power notification and ABS malfunction popped up on my console with loud beeping and my brakes completely stopped working. In order to…"
Service brakes · filed 2026-03-06

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2021 Toyota 4RUNNER SUV 2WD	4 stars	4 stars	5 stars	3 stars
2021 Toyota 4RUNNER SUV AWD	4 stars	4 stars	5 stars	3 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Annual fuel cost
4Runner two-wheel drive	4L, 6-cyl	Automatic (5-speed)	Rear-wheel drive	16	19	17 MPG	$3800
4Runner four-wheel drive	4L, 6-cyl	Automatic (5-speed)	Part-time four-wheel drive	16	19	17 MPG	$3800
4Runner four-wheel drive	4L, 6-cyl	Automatic (5-speed)	All-wheel drive	16	19	17 MPG	$3800

Specs and fitment

5th generation (N280), 2010–2024

Body styles SUV

Oil 0W-20 , 6.6 qt capacity

Tire size P265/70R17 113S (SR5/TRD), P265/60R18 (Limited), P245/60R20 107H (TRD Pro), 245/70R17 (select trims)

Towing capacity 5,000 lbs

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA campaign 19V005 covers certain Toyota 4Runner vehicles with passenger frontal air bag inflators that may explode after long-term exposure to high humidity and temperature cycling, including 2014-2016 4Runner models registered in NHTSA Zone A states and territories, 2011-2016 4Runner models in Zone B, and 2010-2016 4Runner models in Zone C. Depending on the vehicle, dealers replace the front passenger air bag inflator or the air bag assembly, free of charge. NHTSA campaign 20V682 covers certain 2018-2019 Toyota 4Runner vehicles among a larger Toyota and Lexus population: the low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail. If the pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers replace the fuel pump assembly with an improved one, free of charge. That campaign expands NHTSA recall 20V-012.

Compare

Previous year 2020 Toyota 4Runner Next year 2022 Toyota 4Runner See every Toyota 4Runner model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2021 Toyota 4Runner reliable?

What are common problems with a 2021 Toyota 4Runner?

Is the 2021 Toyota 4Runner more reliable than the years next to it?

Has the 2021 Toyota 4Runner been recalled?

The 2021 Toyota 4Runner has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2021 Toyota 4Runner?

Owners have filed 36 complaints about the 2021 Toyota 4Runner with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2021 Toyota 4Runner get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2021 Toyota 4Runner is 17 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What generation is the 2020 Toyota 4Runner?

5th generation (N280), model years 2010-2024 in the US.

What oil does a Toyota 4Runner take?

Fifth-generation US 4.0L V6 models use 0W-20 (about 6.6 qt with filter). 2025+ sixth-generation 2.4L i-FORCE models use 0W-20 (about 5.9 qt with filter).

How much can a Toyota 4Runner tow?

The fifth-generation 4.0L V6 is rated for 5,000 lb (trailer plus cargo). The 2025+ sixth generation lists up to 6,000 lb when properly equipped; i-FORCE trims are limited to 5,000 lb with a dead-weight hitch.