2018 Toyota 4Runner problems, complaints & recalls
Far fewerToo few recent reports to judge
NHTSA has received 58 owner complaints about the 2018 Toyota 4Runner, or 6.7 per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 0.16, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 73 model-year 2018 vehicles we track, it ranks #7 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Toyota models its rate is 80% lower; against other Off-road SUVs it is 90% lower.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Complaints filed between 2018-03-15 and 2026-07-16. Median delay from incident to filing: 12 days.
58Complaints
6.7Complaints per year on the road
0.16Complaint index vs. all tracked vehicles
5Recalls
13.8%Share involving a crash or fire
3Last 12 months
Analysis
The following model year (2019) drew 8.3 per year, more than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2018 model collected 18 complaints, 80% lower than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Steering (17.2% of complaints), followed by Fuel system (13.8%) and Interior & equipment (13.8%). Steering complaints are 2.6 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. Within Steering reports, owners most often mention “steering”, “wheel”, “tires”, “normal” and “right”. 8 reports (13.8%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 2 injuries and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 34 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was after five years (24% of incidents). 3 complaints were filed in the last 12 months.
NHTSA lists 5 safety recalls for this model year. 53% of the complaints fall in component areas that a recall addresses.
Complaint index
vs. all tracked vehicles0.16
vs. other Toyota models0.2
vs. other 2018 models0.14
vs. other Off-road SUVs0.1
Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (18)0.2
While my father was exiting his 2018 Toyota 4Runner SR5, the vehicle unexpectedly started reversing fairly quickly, despite no foot being on the brake.
Transmission / powertrain · 2025-03-25 · ODI 11650452 · Crash
I do not know what component or system failed. I was at an appointment with my son when the receptionist informed me that my car alarm was going off and there was smoke coming out of it.
Interior & equipment · 2024-04-18 · ODI 11583941 · Fire
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2018 Toyota 4Runner. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy per a Carfax report. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of the purchase, the vehicle mileage was 65,862.
Electrical · 2026-07-16 · ODI 11750896
The dealership Direct Motor, located in Manassas, Virginia, sold me this car in poor condition. On Sunday the 22nd, I picked up the car around 10 PM. They didn't show me any information about the car.
Engine · 2026-03-27 · ODI 11727554
this vehicle was purchased from Don Chalmers Ford in Rio Rancho on 1129, 2025, upon purchasing a 2018 Toyota foreigner Limited I traded in a 2020 Acura RDX with only 50,000 miles. The salesman seemed to trustworthy.
Brakes · 2026-01-10 · ODI 11710152
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Risk: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly with an improved one, free of charge. Owners of specific models were notified that remedy parts were available starting January 21, 2021. Owners of other models will be notified as remedy parts become available. Remedy parts should be available for all affected vehicles by late March 2021. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 20V-012. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA02. Lexus' number for this recall is 20LA01.
Summary: Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Toyota 4Runner vehicles. During installation, certain steering and suspension components may not have been properly tightened.
Risk: Loose fasteners may cause a loss of vehicle control, or cause an accessory to detach from the vehicle and become a road hazard. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and re-tighten the steering and suspension fasteners as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin November 19, 2019. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET19B.
Summary: Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Toyota 4Runner vehicles that SET modified to be equipped with a TRD wheel package. The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) on the certification label may be incorrect, possibly resulting in the vehicle being overloaded. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk: An overloaded vehicle can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: SET will notify owners and mail them corrected certification labels, free of charge. The recall began November 28, 2018. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET18A.
Summary: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Toyota 4Runner and Tundra, 2018 Toyota Highlander, RAV4 and Lexus GX460 and 2017 Toyota Sienna and Tacoma vehicles. These vehicles may have incorrect load carrying capacity modification labels. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk: An incorrect load information label can result in the operator overloading the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners and provide them with corrected labels, free of charge. The recall began on January 23, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are H0Z for Toyota vehicles, and HLF for Lexus vehicles.
Summary: Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Toyota 4Runner vehicles equipped with an accessory Billet Grille Overlay installed by SET or provided by SET and installed by SET dealers. The U-nut that secures the overlay grille may fracture, allowing the Billet Grille Overlay to detach from the vehicle.
Risk: If the Billet Grille Overlay detaches while driving, it can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will replace the securing U-nuts with upgraded hardware, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 26, 2018. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET17C.
No NHTSA investigation covers the tracked model years.
Frequently asked questions
How many complaints were filed for the 2018 Toyota 4Runner?
58 complaints were filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Toyota 4Runner, or about 6.7 per year on the road.
What is the most common problem reported for the 2018 Toyota 4Runner?
The most common category is Steering, accounting for 17.2% of complaints.
Does the 2018 Toyota 4Runner have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 5 safety recall(s) for this model year.
Is the 2018 Toyota 4Runner still generating complaints?
3 complaints were filed in the last 12 months.
How does the 2018 Toyota 4Runner compare with similar vehicles?
NHTSA has received 58 owner complaints about the 2018 Toyota 4Runner, or 6.7 per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 0.16, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 73 model-year 2018 vehicles we track, it ranks #7 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Toyota models its rate is 80% lower; against other Off-road SUVs it is 90% lower.