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NHTSA vehicle safety data

2004 Toyota 4Runner Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2004 Toyota 4Runner has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 612 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 2004 Toyota 4Runner, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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

2004 Toyota 4Runner owner complaints

Owners have filed 612 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 Toyota 4Runner, describing incidents dated January 1, 2004 to May 27, 2026.

Most-cited components

  • Structure 309 complaints
  • Unknown or Other 115 complaints
  • Suspension 108 complaints
  • Service Brakes 76 complaints
  • Air Bags 36 complaints
  • Vehicle Speed Control 30 complaints

Of the 612 complaints on file, 23 report a crash and 3 a fire; across all 612 complaints, owners report 18 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

  • ODI #11744022 · Filed

    I was informed by my mechanic that my vehicle has extensive rust and corrosion on the vehicle frame.I understand there was a recall on this issue by Toyota but did not include this model year. This issue affects not only driver safety but also resale value.

  • ODI #11707650 · Filed

    What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Response: Frame, Suspension, Airbags / Yes it is available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Response: Safety was put at risk due to frame & suspension failure…

  • ODI #11684174 · Filed

    The body frame on this vehicle is almost completely rushed out. I don’t know what to do. If I should have the frame replaced I know there’s been a couple recalls on similar Toyota models.

Read all 612 complaints

Owner-reported

2004 Toyota 4Runner mileage at failure

413 of the 612 complaints on file for the 2004 Toyota 4Runner give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.

Mileage at failure by component, from owners' complaints to NHTSA
StructureMedian 135,000 milesMiddle half 105,000–165,000 milesBased on 198 complaints
Service BrakesMedian 100,000 milesMiddle half 65,000–155,000 milesBased on 62 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.

Most complaints NHTSA received since May 17, 2021 give no mileage. So that they aren't undercounted, each one received since then that gives a mileage also stands in for those that gave none, which can put a component's median above most of the mileages it is based on.

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 2004 Toyota 4Runner in 2 investigations. 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.

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

Inadvertent Side Curtain Air Bag Deployment

NHTSA #16V065000 · Air Bags — Side/Window · NHTSA notice

Reported February 5, 2016 · Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing

Potentially affected: 320,409 vehicles

Repair completion: 37.64% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Toyota campaign G0C, GLB · Owners notified December 1, 2016 · Vehicles built August 1, 2003 – June 15, 2006 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Toyota Land Cruiser and Lexus LX470, 2005-2006 Toyota Tundra and Sequoia, 2004-2006 Toyota 4Runner and Lexus GX470 vehicles equipped with side curtain-shield-air bags. The affected vehicles have an air bag control module that may be improperly programmed, causing the side curtain-shield-air bags to deploy inadvertently.

Safety consequence

If the side curtain-shield-air bags deploy unexpectedly, it can increase the risk of occupant injury.

Manufacturer remedy

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag control module with one that has improved programming, free of charge. The recall began on December 1, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-271-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is G0C and GLB.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

PEDAL ENTRAPMENT

NHTSA #11V113000 · Vehicle Speed Control — Accelerator Pedal · NHTSA notice

Reported February 24, 2011 · TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Potentially affected: 1,363,244 vehicles

Toyota campaign 9LG · Owners notified April 13, 2011 · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Defect description

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 THROUGH 2011 LEXUS LX570, 2003 THROUGH 2009 TOYOTA 4RUNNER, AND 2006 THROUGH 2010 RAV4 VEHICLES. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CAN GET STUCK IN THE WIDE OPEN POSITION DUE TO ITS BEING TRAPPED BY AN UNSECURED OR INCOMPATIBLE DRIVER'S FLOOR MAT.

Safety consequence

A STUCK OPEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL MAY RESULT IN VERY HIGH VEHICLE SPEEDS AND MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STOP THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH, SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.

Manufacturer remedy

THE REMEDY IS NOW AVAILABLE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN EARLY APRIL 2011. THE REMEDY WILL INVOLVE MODIFICATION OR REPLACEMENT OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND REPLACEMENT OF ANY TOYOTA ALL-WEATHER FLOOR MAT. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331 OR LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.

Notes

TOYOTA'S RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBERS ARE 90L (TOYOTA) AND 90LG (LEXUS).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.THIS RECALL IS AN EXPANSION OF SAFETY RECALLS 09V-388 AND 10V-023.

Other Toyota 4Runner model years

Check your 2004 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