NHTSA vehicle safety data

1995 Toyota 4Runner Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 1995 Toyota 4Runner has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns and 47 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Toyota dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 1995 Toyota 4Runner, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

Pre-purchase inspection checklist → Reliability & 5-year cost forecast →

1995 Toyota 4Runner owner complaints

Owners have filed 47 complaints with NHTSA about the 1995 Toyota 4Runner, describing incidents dated May 9, 2003 to October 15, 2021.

Most-cited components

Engine 38 complaints
Power Train 3 complaints
Steering 2 complaints
Unknown or Other 2 complaints
Electrical System 1 complaint
Exterior Lighting 1 complaint

Of the 47 complaints on file, 3 report a crash; across all 47 complaints, owners report 1 death (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11437797 · Filed October 22, 2021
Engine, no sign of overheating ... Overheated within 3 months of ownership on my way to work with my wife's Conclude the headgaskets were blown. Toyota doesn't acknowledge recall. . Plus send a recall for v6 4runners headgaskets
ODI #10940252 · Filed January 7, 2017
BLOWN HEAD GASKET ON 3.0 V-6
ODI #10852986 · Filed April 1, 2016
MAY 2015 ON WAY TO DRS AND THEN OIL CHANGE AT PEP BOYS. HEAD GASKET ON CAR BLEW FOR 2ND TIME (6000 AND 2 YEARS, SINCE FIRST TIME). DRIVING ON FREEWAY PROCEEDED TO OVERPASS AND IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS EXTREMELY HIGH, CURVED OVERPASS, BRIDGING THE 23 TO THE 101, DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE CAR…

Read all 47 complaints

Owner-reported

1995 Toyota 4Runner mileage at failure

37 of the 47 complaints on file for the 1995 Toyota 4Runner give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.

Mileage at failure by component, from owners' complaints to NHTSA
Component	Median	Middle half	Based on
Engine	Median 130,000 miles	Middle half 110,000–160,000 miles	Based on 33 complaints

A component's median is its 50th percentile, and its middle half runs from its 25th to its 75th percentile.

Owners give the mileage themselves, often as a round number, and NHTSA doesn't check it. A complaint that names several components counts under each one, and mileages that can't be right, such as 999,999, or 50 miles on a five-year-old car, are left out.

These figures describe the complaints owners filed. They don't predict when a particular vehicle will have a problem, and vehicles that never had one aren't counted.

Mileage from NHTSA's complaints file of October 31, 2026. How these figures are worked out

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 1995 Toyota 4Runner in 1 investigation. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Service Query SQ99-003: CORRODED BRAKE LINES
Closed April 22, 1999

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

FMVSS 108/AFTERMARKET COMBINATION LAMPS

NHTSA #09E012000 · Exterior Lighting · NHTSA notice

Reported April 7, 2009 · SABERSPORT

Potentially affected: 16,270 vehicles

Owners notified May 11, 2009

Defect description

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

Safety consequence

DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.

Notes

THIS RECALL ONLY PERTAINS TO AFTERMARKET REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT AND HAS NO RELATION TO ANY ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT INSTALLED ON VEHICLES PRODUCED BY THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER.IN ORDER TO DETERMINE IF YOUR AFTERMARKET LAMP ASSEMBLY IS AFFECTED BY THIS NONCOMPLIANCE, PLEASE REVIEW THE LIST OF MODEL NUMBERS PROVIDED TO US BY SABERSPORT.THE LIST CAN BE FOUND UNDER "DOCUMENT SEARCH" LOCATED AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SCREEN.OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV>HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV</A> .

FMVSS 108/AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTORS

NHTSA #06E049000 · Exterior Lighting · NHTSA notice

Reported May 24, 2006 · CK MOTORSPORT, INC.

Potentially affected: 27,176 vehicles

Owners notified July 1, 2006

Defect description

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.

Safety consequence

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

Manufacturer remedy

CK MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE NONCOMPLIANT LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CK MOTORSPORT AT 1-909-610-7211.

Notes

THIS RECALL ONLY PERTAINS TO AFTERMARKET REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT AND HAS NO RELATION TO ANY ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT INSTALLED ON VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BY THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS.FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE LAMP MODEL NUMBERS, CLICK ON DOCUMENT SEARCH AND VIEW DOCUMENT TITLED "LAMP MODEL NUMBERS."CUSTOMERS MAY CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

FMVSS 108/AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTORS

NHTSA #06E026000 · Exterior Lighting · NHTSA notice

Reported March 23, 2006 · PRO-A MOTORS, INC.

Potentially affected: 61,944 vehicles

Owners notified April 3, 2006

Defect description

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.

Safety consequence

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

Manufacturer remedy

PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.

Notes

THIS RECALL ONLY PERTAINS TO PRO-A MOTORS AFTERMARKET LAMPS AND HAS NO RELATION TO ANY ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT INSTALLED ON THE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES.FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE LAMP MODEL NUMBERS, CLICK ON DOCUMENT SEARCH AND VIEW DOCUMENT TITLED "LAMP MODEL NUMBERS."CUSTOMERS MAY CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

STEERING RELAY ROD

NHTSA #05V389000 · Steering — Linkages — Rod — Relay — Connecting · NHTSA notice

Reported September 6, 2005 · TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Potentially affected: 977,839 vehicles

Toyota campaign 50N · Owners notified October 5, 2005

Defect description

ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, IF THE STEERING WHEEL IS REPEATEDLY TURNED UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS WHERE HIGH STEERING EFFORT AND POWER ASSIST ARE REQUIRED, FOR INSTANCE, WHEN FULLY TURNING THE WHEEL WHILE THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED, A FATIGUE CRACK MAY DEVELOP IN THE STEERING RELAY ROD.

Safety consequence

IF THE VEHICLE IS CONTINUED TO BE OPERATED IN THIS CONDITION, THE RELAY ROD MAY FRACTURE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STEERING RELAY ROD. THE RECALL BEGAN OCTOBER 5, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

Notes

TOYOTA RECALL NO. SSC 50N.CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

1995 Toyota 4Runner 4-DR. 4x4

—

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Not Rated

Frontal Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 1, Passenger: 4

Side Crash

Not Rated

Driver: Not Rated, Passenger: Not Rated

Side Pole

Not Rated

Rollover

Not Rated

Safety Technology

1 investigation

47 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 1995 Toyota 4Runner.

Engine

ODI #11437797

Incident: October 15, 2021 · Filed: October 22, 2021

Engine, no sign of overheating ... Overheated within 3 months of ownership on my way to work with my wife's Conclude the headgaskets were blown. Toyota doesn't acknowledge recall. . Plus send a recall for v6 4runners headgaskets

Engine

ODI #10940252

Incident: December 10, 2016 · Filed: January 7, 2017

BLOWN HEAD GASKET ON 3.0 V-6

Unknown or Other; Engine

ODI #10852986

Incident: May 18, 2015 · Filed: April 1, 2016

MAY 2015 ON WAY TO DRS AND THEN OIL CHANGE AT PEP BOYS. HEAD GASKET ON CAR BLEW FOR 2ND TIME (6000 AND 2 YEARS, SINCE FIRST TIME). DRIVING ON FREEWAY PROCEEDED TO OVERPASS AND IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS EXTREMELY HIGH, CURVED OVERPASS, BRIDGING THE 23 TO THE 101, DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE CAR "FARTED", CLOUD OUT BACK SIDE AND SPEED JUST DROPPED. COASTED DOWN OTHER SIDE AND CAR "LIMPED ALONG SLOWLY" FROM THERE. MOST TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE. PRAYED NO ONE WOULD HIT ME AND SEND ME FLYING OFF THE CONNECTOR TO FREEWAY BELOW. I HAD NO PROBLEM WITH CAR PRIOR, RUNNING BEAUTIFUL. TOOK THE GRADES, HIGHWAY, PASSING STREET DRIVING. NO PROBLEM. BACK TO ISSUE: LUCKILY, NO CARS IMMED. BEHIND ME AND THOSE COMING WERE FAR ENOUGH TO AND COULD USE L LANE. WAS ABLE TO GET OFF FREEWAY. CAR,DIED AT EVERY LIGHT, BUT MADE IT SLOWLY, TO PEP BOYS. THEY SAID HEAD GASKET BLEW. PLEASE NOTE THIS WAS A RELATIVELY NEWLY REPAIRED HEAD GASKET. REPAIRED 2/16/2013 DONE @ 160,227. WAS GIFTED CAR IN NOV 2013 BY FAMILY MEMBER WITH METICULOUS RECORDS AND SPOT ON REG MAINTENANCE OF THIS VEHICLE. HERE I AM AT THE 166,265 AND FOR SOME REASON AGAIN THE HEAD GASKET IS INCAPABLE OF FUNCTION WITH THE SPECS OF THE VEHICLE. WENT WITH A RE-MANUFACTURED ENGINE, BY CERTIFIED ENGINE REPAIR ONLY FACILITY, BUT SINCE THE BIG BANG. THE CAR HAS AN UNIDENTIFIABLE SPEED ISSUE. CAN HIT UP TO 80- 85 ON HWY, (RUNS ALMOST BEAUTIFULLY, AGAIN BUT PASSING POWER, VARIES, DOES HILL AND THEN, IT DOESN'T. LOOSING SPEED/POWER FOOT TO THE FLOOR. THEN RUNNING BEAUTIFULLY. HAD 39 POINT INSPECTION AAA. 4/1/16 PASSED SHIFTING/ENGINE CRANKING/ HANDLING ETC, DOES NOT FOLLOW ANY, IF THEN, YOU WILL NOTICE, NO ENGINE, OD, WARNING LIGHTS. LOSS OF DASH FUNCTION, RPM , SPEEDOMETER, GAGE FUNCTIONS...CAME HERE AND FOUND OUT NOT ONLY ONE WHO'S ENGINE BLEW WAY BEFORE ITS TIME, AGAIN HAVE COMPLETE CARE REPAIR HISTORY AND MAINTENANCE RECORDS.

Engine

ODI #10811208

Incident: December 18, 2015 · Filed: December 18, 2015

TOYOTA 4RUNNER 1995 BLOWN HEAD GASKETS

Engine

ODI #10682325

Incident: February 2, 2015 · Filed: February 9, 2015

MY HEAD GASKET IS BLOWN. THE DUMMY PANEL DID NOT SHOW OVERHEATING BUT STEAM OR SMOKE WAS VISIBLE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. COOLANT WAS LEAKING WHEN PARKED BUT THE RADIATOR IS FULL. TOYOTA SAYS MY VIN SAYS IT WAS MANUFACTURED IN NOV 1995 MY REGISTRATION PAPERWORK SAYS IT WAS FIRST REGISTERED OCTOBER 1995. AS WITH MANY OTHERS, TOYOTA SAYS IT IS NOT INCLUDED. HOW MANY REPORTS MUST BE MADE BEFORE IT IS A COVERED PROBLEM? OR IS THERE NO CHANGE TIL LAWYERS GET INVOLVED? *TR

Engine

ODI #10670513

Incident: January 2, 2015 · Filed: January 6, 2015

ENGINE EXHAUST SMOKY. COOLANT LEVEL DROPS. STEAM AND WATER EMITTED FROM EXHAUST PIPE. CAUSE SEEMS TO BE DUE TO A FAILED HEAD GASKET(S) OR FAILURE OF ALUMINUM CYLINDER HEADS TO MATE TO CAST IRON ENGINE BLOCK. OTHER POSSIBILITY IS CRACKING IN WATER JACKET OF HEADS. THIS IS A 3.0 LITER V6 ENGINE AND HAS HAD PRESS RELEASES ABOUT GASKET FAILURES. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW BY CUSTOMER AND HAS NEVER HAD THE ENGINE OVERHEAT OR HAS IT BEEN RUN WHILE LOW ON ENGINE LUBRICATING OIL.

Engine

ODI #10614662

Incident: January 3, 2013 · Filed: July 18, 2014

BLOWN ROD . BAD MOTOR .. THE 4 RUNNER HAD A 4 WHEEL DRIVE ENGINE IN IT THAT CAME STOCK IN A 2 WHEEL DRIVE 4 RUNNER? IT BLEW OUT A ROD ON ME AND THESE SR5 MOTORS ARE SUPPOSE TO LAST A LONG TIME? 98,432 IS LOW FOR ME. *TR

Engine

ODI #10458611

Incident: December 15, 2008 · Filed: May 15, 2012

I DO NOT OWN THIS VEHICLE ANYMORE AS I NEEDED A RELIABLE VEHICLE TO MAKE IT TO ARIZONA FROM IOWA. I ALSO HAD A COBALT I HAD TO GET RID OF WITH BAD TRANSMISSION AND STEERING RACK (PRIOR TO RECALL OF STEERING RACKS). I DO NOT HAVE STORAGE CAPABILITY FOR JUNK VEHICLES. THIS TOYOTA HAD A BLOWN HEAD GASKET AT 90000 MILES LIKE ALL THE OTHER 10 YEARS WORTH OF RECALLED 4RUNNER 3VZ-E ENGINES. BUT CONVENIENTLY FOR TOYOTA THEY FORGOT TO INCLUDE 95. THERE IS NO WAY A CAR COMPANY REDESIGNS AN ENGINE THEY WERE PHASING OUT IN 4 MONTHS. NEEDED GASKET REPLACED BUT NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL. TOYOTA SAID TOO BAD, SO SAD, OUR REPUTATION RELIES ON QUALITY VEHICLES. BBB SAID IT IS UP TO THE CAR COMPANY TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR VEHICLES, I.E. WE DO NOT CARE. I GOT $0.00 FOR TRADE IN ON IT. THE COBALT I ALSO TOOK A $1000 LOSS SINCE I ONLY HAD IT 4 MONTHS AND TRADED IT IN WITH 42000 MILES (BOUGHT AT 37000). *JS

Unknown or Other

ODI #10455692

Incident: March 28, 2012 · Filed: April 18, 2012

THE HEAD GASKET IS GOING OUT THERE IS A RECALL FOR OTHER MFG DATES BUT MINE WAS 1 MONTH TOO LONG AND OTHER PEOPLE COMPLAINING ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THEIR 95 4RUNNERS WITH BLOWN HEAD GASKETS AND TOYOTA TELLING THEM TO GO POUND SAND.TOYOTA IS EVEN HAVING LATER MODEL V6S WITH FAILING HEAD GASKETS THE MOTOR ITS SELF IS THE PROBLEM THE DESIGN IS NOT PERFECT IT'S COOLING PROBLEM IS THE CAUSE OF THE SLEDGE RECALLS THEY HAVE GOING ON. BUT IF THEY ADMIT THAT THE MOTOR IS BAD IT WOULD COST THEM A ARM AND A LEG SO ME AND A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE ARE LEFT HOLDING THE CRAPPY CARS TAIL PIPE WHAT WORRIES ME IS IT STOPPING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY THEN GETTING REAR ENDED. *JS

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #10439999

Incident: August 1, 2011 · Filed: December 14, 2011

I BOUGHT A REGULARLY MAINTAINED, USED 1995 4 RUNNER WITH 119,000 MILES. WITHIN A MONTH, IT BEGAN RUNNING POORLY AND THE REPAIRS BEGAN. HAD TO HAVE THE TRUCK TOWED NUMEROUS TIMES AFTER IT LEFT ME STRANDED WITH MY INFANT CHILD. I HAVE REPLACED EVERYTHING POSSIBLE BUT NOW THE MECHANIC TELLS ME I HAVE A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. THERE WAS NO INCIDENT OF OVERHEATING. I HAVE SEEN ENOUGH COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE TO UNDERSTAND THAT TOYOTA IS AWARE AND REFUSES TO RECTIFY THIS SITUATION. I WAS TOLD BY TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT MY TRUCK IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST. WHY NOT? EVERY OTHER YEAR WAS RECALLED FOR THE VERY SAME PROBLEM. I CANNOT AFFORD THIS REPAIR AND SINCE THIS VEHICLE HAS 'NICKEL AND DIMMED' ME TO DEATH, IT SITS IN THE DRIVEWAY. I CAN'T FIX IT, CAN'T SELL IT, CAN'T TRADE IT IN. IT WAS A WASTE. MY HUSBAND'S CAR HAS BEEN A REAL TROOPER BUT IT NEEDS REPAIRS. THE 4 RUNNER HAS TAKEN SO MUCH, WE CAN'T EVEN FIX THE BASICS ON HUBBY'S CAR. JUST WANT TO KNOW WHEN TOYOTA IS GOING TO ADMIT THE PROBLEM AND HELP US ALL THAT ARE STUCK WITH THEIR MESS! *TR

Other Toyota 4Runner model years

Check your 1995 Toyota 4Runner VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Toyota 4Runner at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Toyota VIN