2010 Toyota 4RUNNER Transmission and drivetrain Problems
- Complaints
- 5about this part
- Share
- 3%of 147 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 17,975miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 5 complaints about the transmission and drivetrain of the 2010 Toyota 4RUNNER, 3% of the 147 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 17,975 miles.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“I was driving into town (approx. 12 miles) and slowed to about 40 MPH as I was approaching a stop light. I had to apply all my weight to stop the vehicle. The engine did not return to idle speed when I was stopped. I shifted to neutral and the RPM indicated 1500 revs. I kicked the gas pedal and the engine returned to normal idle speed, 700 revs. The floor mat was nowhere near the pedal. I can not find any recalls for this vehicle. Is there a fix for this problem?”
NHTSA complaint #10475440, filed 2012-09, 35,000 miles“Periodically seemed stiff when shifting into drive, then the 4 lo light starts flashing. I tried putting the range selector in 4 lo which resolved the flashing light a few times. Took the vehicle to Toyota and they could find nothing wrong because there were no codes. The last time I it happened, it stuck in 4 lo and the check engine light came on. Not a good situation to be far from home with a vehicle stuck in 4 lo. I took it to a transmission specialist. They could find nothing wrong and said the code indicated a range problem with the transmission and they reset the codes. …”
NHTSA complaint #10807095, filed 2015-11, 81,712 miles“There appears to be something dangerously wrong with the transmission. I have experienced this randomly, maybe a dozen times, over the last week since I have owned the car. It takes up to two seconds for the car to respond after pressing the gas pedal. This has happened when slowing down and then having to give the car gas, again. Other times it has happened from a stop or an idling roll. There is a significant hesitation. This does not happen every time, which makes it that much more dangerous - being unpredictable.”
NHTSA complaint #10322656, filed 2010-03, 100 miles“2010 Toyota 4runner fails to accelerate intermittently when gas pedal is pressed. Has failed to respond to accelerator for a full three seconds at one point. Commonly, delayed response lasts 1-2 seconds. Took vehicle to dealership. They were unable to duplicate the problem. Service tech said this could be caused by the electronic traction control. Issue occurs regardless of traction conditions.”
NHTSA complaint #10320721, filed 2010-03, 950 miles“Vehicle randomly and suddenly revs itself both from a stopped position and while driving. When driving downhill and I take my foot off the gas the vehicle will continue to rev itself around 3000 RPM then when I start to travel uphill it will down shift to about 1500 RPM. This seems backwards. Tapping brakes does not cause it to downshift as needed, does not seem right to apply brakes and vehicle continues to rev itself higher nor does it seem right to take foot completely off the gas pedal and the vehicle continues to rev up. …”
NHTSA complaint #10871126, filed 2016-05Related service bulletins
- 10164330Jul 1, 2019TSB: REVISION NOTICE July 01, 2019 Rev2: ? Applicability has been updated to 2019 ? 2020 model year Toyota vehicles. ? The Techstream Preparation and Process Overview sections…
- 10142876Jun 8, 2018TSB: REVISION NOTICE June 8, 2018 Rev2: ? Applicability has been updated to exclude 2016 ? 2017 model year Tacoma vehicles. ? The Repair Procedure section has been updated. May…
- 10134454Aug 24, 2015TechTip: Condition - The vehicle may be difficult to start or have an abnormally low or rough idle after the battery has been disconnected or power to the Engine ECM has been…
- 10111564May 20, 2015TSB: Some 2004 - 2015 model year Tacoma, FJ Cruiser, and 4Runner vehicles may exhibit a cyclical grinding or groaning noise coming from the front differential in 2WD that goes…
- 10111181May 20, 2015TSB: Some 2004 - 2015 model year Tacoma, FJ Cruiser, and 4Runner vehicles may exhibit a cyclical grinding or groaning noise coming from the front differential in 2WD that goes…
- 10109408Oct 16, 2014TSB: The purpose of this bulletin is to assist in the identification and location of serial numbers on 2006 -2014 model year remanufactured automatic transmissions.
Transmission and drivetrain: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 | 38% |
| 2025 | 2 | 3% |
| 2023 | 2 | 6% |
| 2022 | 1 | 3% |
| 2021 | 1 | 3% |
| 2020 | 1 | 3% |
| 2019 | 4 | 6% |
| 2018 | 3 | 5% |
| 2017 | 1 | 3% |
| 2016 | 6 | 7% |
| 2015 | 4 | 5% |
| 2014 | 1 | 1% |
| 2013 | 1 | 3% |
| 2011 | 6 | 4% |
| 2010 | 5 | 3% |
| 2009 | 10 | 45% |
| 2008 | 27 | 28% |
| 2007 | 11 | 7% |
| 2006 | 30 | 8% |
| 2005 | 25 | 6% |
| 2004 | 36 | 5% |
| 2003 | 39 | 6% |
| 2002 | 33 | 15% |
| 2001 | 32 | 17% |
| 2000 | 42 | 9% |
| 1999 | 23 | 7% |
| 1998 | 12 | 5% |
| 1997 | 25 | 10% |
| 1996 | 5 | 3% |
| 1995 | 14 | 8% |
| 1994 | 3 | 5% |
| 1993 | 3 | 6% |
| 1992 | 4 | 8% |
| 1991 | 5 | 12% |
| 1990 | 14 | 18% |
| 1988 | 2 | 22% |
| 1987 | 2 | 40% |
Other parts of the 2010 Toyota 4RUNNER
92 complaintsBody and structure
12 complaintsBrakes
11 complaintsOther or unknown
8 complaintsVehicle speed control
8 complaintsElectronic stability control
6 complaintsSteering
5 complaintsSuspension
5 complaintsWheels
5 complaintsElectrical system
4 complaintsEngine
3 complaintsSeats
3 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2010 Toyota 4RUNNER
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology