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Toyota 4RUNNERModel year report

2005 Toyota 4RUNNER Problems

Complaints
425filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
104,850miles, 301 complaints with mileage
Recalls
5campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
18 mpgcombined, 4.0L 6-cyl RWD · 16 city / 20 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2005 Toyota 4RUNNER (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2005 4Runner report most often about rust-through on the frame and underbody, typically noticed during inspections, tire work or oil changes in the 120,000-180,000 mile range, with some reports at far lower mileage on vehicles that looked clean above. Secondary reports cover rear hatch glass shattering with the defogger on, secondary air injection pump failures on V8 models that trigger check-engine codes and reduced power, and brake caliper and parking brake concerns.

  1. Body and structure

    Frame and underbody rust-through

    • 230 complaints (54%)
    • median 135,994 mi at 13.8 yrs old (151 state mileage)
    • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $2,500 (median of 6 quotes)
    • filed 2005–2026

    Owners describe heavy corrosion on the frame rails, rear crossmember and suspension mounting points, with flaking metal and holes forming from the inside out. Many say shops would not raise the vehicle on a lift or that it failed state inspection, and several report suspension or sway bar brackets separating from the rotted frame. According to the complaints, dealers typically declined to replace or repair the frame and some advised not to spend money on the vehicle; several owners note the same chassis was recalled on other Toyota trucks but not the 4Runner. Mostly reported between roughly 90,000 and 220,000 miles, often first found at inspection or routine service, and more common in areas where road salt is used.

    What to check: Have the frame inspected on a lift before buying, paying particular attention to the rear crossmember, control arm brackets and the area around the catalytic converter. Probe suspect areas with a screwdriver and ask for photos of the frame rails.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “During a state inspection the shop told me that our 2005 Toyota 4RUNNER had some frame rust issues. Since the frame of the 4RUNNER is the same basic unit as the tundra and tacoma that have open recalls for frame rust, the 4RUNNER should be included in the same recall. As you can see in the picture of the aft frame, the corrosion has formed large holes in the frame.”

    NHTSA complaint #11182519, filed 2019-02, 140,000 miles

    “The frame has excessive corrosion. I had some suspension replaced last year and it was fine today my dealer told me there is excessive corrosion and recommends not to put any money into it. Also told me this happened quickly because if it was there last year he would have informed me then not to do the suspension work.”

    NHTSA complaint #11383576, filed 2020-12, 183,000 miles
  2. Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

    Rear hatch glass shattering with defogger on

    • 20 complaints (5%)
    • median 170,000 mi at 14.3 yrs old (15 state mileage)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2006–2024

    Owners report the rear hatch glass breaking suddenly, sometimes while parked and sometimes while driving, often shortly after the rear defroster was switched on. In several cases the glass shop or mechanic found burned or melted defogger wiring and a damaged defroster motor or circuit board. Dealers, according to the complaints, said the cause could not be determined or that nothing could be done until the window broke. Reported anywhere from about 50,000 to over 200,000 miles, frequently in cool or damp weather when the defroster is used.

    What to check: Check that the rear defogger heats evenly and look for melted or discolored wiring at the hatch hinge area; ask whether the hatch glass or defroster components have been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “After my rear window shattered while sitting in a parking lot for a few minutes, I had it replaced. The technician found that the connections for the rear window defogger were burned. This caused great heat to build up, causing the window to shatter.”

    NHTSA complaint #11090397, filed 2018-04, 170,000 miles

    “Rear hatch glass exploded while the electric heated defrost system was activated. The electric defrost had been operating for approximately five minutes. The window was in its fully closed position. The vehicle was in motion at approximately 25 miler per hour on a city street. Ambient temperature was 39 degrees and dry.”

    NHTSA complaint #11394409, filed 2021-02, 151,360 miles

Buying note. The frame is the deciding factor on this model year: have it inspected on a lift before purchase and walk away if there is rust-through, since replacement is expensive and not always supported by dealers. Otherwise, ask for service records on the secondary air injection system on V8 models and check the rear defogger and brakes.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 425 consumer complaints for the 2005 Toyota 4RUNNER. 301 of the complaints include a mileage, and 20% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 104,850 miles. Of all complaints, 19 involved a crash, 3 a fire, 13 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns and 221 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Tires (12), Engine cooling (10), Electrical system (9), Wheels (7), Fuel system (6), Seats (6), Electronic stability control (3), Equipment (1), Seat belts (1).

Example complaints

Body and structure: “I heard a banging from the rear end so I brought the vehicle to my mechanic. My mechanic told me that the frame is totally corroded and is now a safety issue. I have had to take it off the road and now I am waiting to see if the recall will include my vehicle like it did with the tacoma, tundra, and sequoia same which the year of my vehicle is included.”

NHTSA complaint #11299015, filed 2020-01, 155,000 miles

Suspension: “I took my 4-runner to my mechanic on april 1, 2019 to have the brakes checked and a cv boot repaired. My mechanic called me the next day and informed me that the main support beam of the frame on the passenger side was rusted out and virtually missing on 3 of the 4 sides of the beam. He told me the vehicle could break in half if I hit a bump on the road.”

NHTSA complaint #11194071, filed 2019-04, 158,000 miles

Other or unknown: “My 2005 4 runner chassis is rusting away and multiple dealerships and mechanics told me the car is not safe to drive. I went to get new tires and no locations will even raise the car in the air. I called Toyota corporate and even though the same chassis on the same vehicles of tacoma, tundra, and sequoia are recalled, they said nothing is covered under the 4 runner. I cannot even drive my car anymore.”

NHTSA complaint #11390229, filed 2021-01, 180,000 miles

Brakes: “I purchased this beautiful used black 2005 4RUNNER in october of 2016 and the body still looks beautiful - no visible rust anywhere on doors etc - but I took it in to auto craftsmen in montpelier, vt to check my brakes and replace a couple of bulbs to get the vehicle ready for vermont state inspection as the car is due for inspection in feb 2018 and I wanted to head up any maintenance needed. …”

NHTSA complaint #11064169, filed 2018-01, 160,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

20% of the 301 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 59,114 and 156,000 miles.

7%0–103%10–2510%25–5011%50–7513%75–10024%100–15032%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (301 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 104,850 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’05’08’11’14’1764’20’23’26
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2005 Toyota 4RUNNER. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
4RUNNER · sedan not rated4 / 4——3 · 20.4% risk

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2005 Toyota 4RUNNER version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
4Runner 2WD4.0L 6-cyl5-speed automatic162018$3,700
4Runner 2WD4.7L 8-cyl5-speed automatic151816$4,200
4Runner 4WD4.0L 6-cyl5-speed automatic151917$3,950
4Runner 4WD4.7L 8-cyl5-speed automatic141816$4,200

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2005 Toyota 4RUNNER → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

NHTSA investigations

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 221 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 221 bulletins →

Other model years of the Toyota 4RUNNER

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
202673002422—Too new
2025609251422Too new to compareToo new
2024102,0381417—Too new
2023339,500141730 · FewerToo new
20223923,600341750 · TypicalRising
202136637141727 · FewerFalling
2020339,000141728 · FewerFalling
20196513,074441864 · TypicalFalling
20185920,500541862 · TypicalFalling
20173612,890541840 · TypicalFalling
20168025,000841966 · MoreFalling
20158738,977941961 · TypicalFalling
20147740,000741939 · TypicalFalling
20133672,45064190 · FewerFalling
20129645,144841941 · TypicalFalling
201116341,32010—1965 · MoreStable
201014758,00012—2063 · TypicalFalling
20092221,5006—18—Falling
20089653,0005—1857 · TypicalFalling
200715469,8245—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
2006381100,7625—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
2005425104,8505—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
2004678115,9782—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
2003696106,0003—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
2002225120,0001—16Not compared (before 2008)Falling
2001185122,0001—17Not compared (before 2008)Falling
2000483143,4640—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
1999330155,0000—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
1998250157,5001—19Not compared (before 2008)Falling
1997261167,6001—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
1996161175,0002—20Not compared (before 2008)Falling
1995172110,0001—17Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199464115,0001—17Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199351150,0001—17Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199253141,0001—17Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199143170,0001—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199078150,0001—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19896—1—17—Not enough data
19889—1—16—Not enough data
1987572,3910—18—Not enough data
19868284,0000—18—Not enough data

All Toyota 4RUNNER model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2005 Toyota 4RUNNER?

Owners of the 2005 4Runner report most often about rust-through on the frame and underbody, typically noticed during inspections, tire work or oil changes in the 120,000-180,000 mile range, with some reports at far lower mileage on vehicles that looked clean above. The issues reported most often: Frame and underbody rust-through; Rear hatch glass shattering with defogger on.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2005 Toyota 4RUNNER have?

NHTSA recorded 425 consumer complaints for the 2005 Toyota 4RUNNER as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2005 Toyota 4RUNNER is reported most often?

Body and structure is named most often, in 185 complaints (44% of the total), followed by suspension with 77.

Has the 2005 Toyota 4RUNNER been recalled?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2005 Toyota 4RUNNER get?

The EPA rates the 2005 Toyota 4RUNNER (4Runner 2WD, 4.0L 6-cyl) at 18 mpg combined, 16 city and 20 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,700 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2005 Toyota 4RUNNER reported?

Among the 301 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 104,850 miles and the middle half falls between 59,114 and 156,000 miles; 20% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.