Reliable Auto DB

2023 Toyota 4Runner reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 32 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Toyota 4Runner over 4 years — 8 per year. That is more complaints per year than most 4Runner years here — over the median of the other years, which is 7. 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

32

Per year

8

Recalls

1

Years on the road

4

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Tires (4 of 32), then Exterior lighting (3) and Air bags (2). Those filings include 6 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 2 that report an injury.

Next to 2022 and 2024

The 2022 4Runner has 39 complaints, 10 per year, and the 2024 has 8 complaints, 3 per year. The 2023 has fewer complaints per year than the 2022. The 2023 has more complaints per year than the 2024.

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 2023 Toyota 4Runner. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

Recall Labels 2023-10-12 · NHTSA campaign 23V680000
Summary Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2023 Toyota 4Runner vehicles. The load carrying capacity modification label states the incorrect load carrying capacity, which can result in an overloaded vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Remedy Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC will mail a new modified label, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 1, 2023. Owners may contact SET's customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET23A.

Complaints by component (32 total)

Tires
4
Exterior lighting
3
Air bags
2
Back-over prevention
2
Engine
2
Forward collision avoidance
2
Latches, locks, and linkages
2
Powertrain
2
Seat belts
2
Service brakes
2
Steering
2
Suspension
2
Lane departure
1
Speed control
1
Visibility and wipers
1
Show 7 more Show less
Crash-flagged

6

Fire-flagged

1

Injury reports

2

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

112023820246202572026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "The contact owns a 2023 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that the driver's side door failed to lock using the key fob or the buttons on the door. The doors had to be manually locked and unlocked. The vehicle was taken…"
    Latches, locks, and linkages · filed 2026-09-04
  • "Purchased size 265/70R17 tires (Michelin Defender LTX M/S2) exhibiting severe highway vibration immediately post-installation. The vibration persisted continuously for two years across every rotation, posing serious…"
    Tires · filed 2026-08-25
  • "New, strange noise started in Dec'25 (41K miles; 2yrs 9 months). No warning lights. Diagnosed as failed brake accumulator (first at an independent shop, later at the dealer). Apparently the accumulator is part of the…"
    Service brakes · filed 2026-05-21
  • "I was driving the vehicle and suddenly the steering wheel started to getting hard to turn it and the dash board doesn’t show any failure I went right away to dealership close by they inspected the vehicle they states…"
    Steering · filed 2026-03-03
  • "Windshield cracked approximately 2” from the bottom all the way across while using the defroster to clear ice from it. I was still parked at the time. I am unsure how long it will stay water tight or become worse. One…"
    Unknown or other, Visibility and wipers · filed 2026-02-06

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2023 Toyota 4RUNNER SUV 2WD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 3 stars
2023 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 2022 Toyota 4Runner Next year 2024 Toyota 4Runner See every Toyota 4Runner model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2023 Toyota 4Runner reliable?

Owners have filed 32 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Toyota 4Runner over 4 years — 8 per year. That is more complaints per year than most 4Runner years here — over the median of the other years, which is 7. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Labels.

What are common problems with a 2023 Toyota 4Runner?

The complaints owners file most often name Tires (4 of 32), then Exterior lighting (3) and Air bags (2). Those filings include 6 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 2 that report an injury.

Is the 2023 Toyota 4Runner more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2022 4Runner has 39 complaints, 10 per year, and the 2024 has 8 complaints, 3 per year. The 2023 has fewer complaints per year than the 2022. The 2023 has more complaints per year than the 2024.

Has the 2023 Toyota 4Runner been recalled?

The 2023 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 2023 Toyota 4Runner?

Owners have filed 32 complaints about the 2023 Toyota 4Runner with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2023 Toyota 4Runner get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2023 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.