2014 Toyota 4RUNNER Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about electrical problems that are not about the powertrain: door lock actuators that stop locking or unlocking, and a radio/navigation head unit that freezes and reboots while driving. The complaints are spread across the mileage range, with many door-lock reports arriving just after the warranty ended, and the file's fuel-pump recall is a recurring subject because some owners were told the replacement part was not yet available.

1. 1
   Electrical system

   Door lock actuators stop locking or unlocking

   • 19 complaints (25%)
   • median 45,000 mi at 4.0 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • filed 2016–2022

   Complaints describe one door after another losing power lock operation, so the doors must be locked and unlocked by hand and the key fob or remote start no longer works on them. Owners say the dealer quoted several hundred dollars per door and that no recall or service campaign applied once the warranty had expired. Several report the problem returning on a door that had already been repaired. Mostly reported between roughly 30,000 and 60,000 miles, with several owners noting failure shortly after the warranty ended.

   What to check: Operate every door lock from the key fob and from the interior buttons and watch for slow or intermittent movement; ask whether any actuator has already been replaced and keep the repair receipts.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have been having issues with my radio/backup camera system freezing and restarting since I purchased the vehicle in 2015. I have now had my passenger front door actuator go out last month. This is a huge safety concern and inconvenience.”

   NHTSA complaint #11163441, filed 2018-12, 92,000 miles

   “I own a 2014 4RUNNER with less than 60k miles on it. The front driver's door lock is completely gone and the rear driver's side is beginning to fail too. I've read on various Toyota owners websites that this seems to be a pretty common problem. The vehicle is no longer under warranty and I'm told that the cost to replace the actuator is $700-800 per door. It's totally unacceptable to me to spend $35k+ on a vehicle to then have $1500 in repairs 3 1/2 years later because of faulty equipment. I could understand if the vehicle was 10-15 years old.”

   NHTSA complaint #11088870, filed 2018-04, 50,000 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Radio and navigation screen freezes and reboots

   • 10 complaints (13%)
   • median 23,000 mi at 4.0 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2016–2023

   Complaints describe the audio and navigation head unit locking up for several seconds and then rebooting, repeatedly on some drives, and sometimes not responding to volume or mute commands. Owners mention that the backup camera does not come on while the unit is frozen, and that dealers did not have a lasting fix according to the complaints. Reported from very low mileage up to around 90,000 miles, often after the vehicle has been running for a while.

   What to check: During a test drive, keep the radio and navigation running for at least 15 minutes and confirm the display and backup camera behave; ask whether the head unit has been replaced or updated.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “After driving 10 mins or so the radio will freeze up, turn off and then turn back on. It only happens within the first 5 to 10 mins. I just purchased my 4 runner a week ago. So I haven't seen it turn off more then once yet. Seems like a short circuit somewhere.”

   NHTSA complaint #11322595, filed 2020-04, 78,500 miles

   “While driving, the navigation/radio screen shuts off and seems to re-boot repeatedly. It is frustrating when using the radio, and dangerous when the navigation system goes blank while we are depending on it to get us to our destination. We have had to immediately pull off the road to wait for it to come back on-line and now we resort to using our smart phone as a back-up because the navigation system on the vehicle is not dependable. It has always happened while driving of coursem as that's when it is being used. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10876056, filed 2016-06, 23,000 miles
3. 3
   Fuel system

   Fuel pump recall: stalling with no remedy available

   • 5 complaints (6%)
   • median 53,459 mi at 6.6 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2020

   Several owners wrote after receiving notice of the fuel pump recall, describing stalling or shuddering while driving and being told by the dealer that the replacement part was not yet available. Other complaints in the file center on the wait itself rather than a failure, with owners saying they were asked to call back or were not given an appointment. Reported from about 34,000 to 90,000 miles, mostly in 2020 around the time the recall notice was mailed.

   Recall 20V012000

   What to check: Check the vehicle's recall status by VIN with a dealer and confirm whether the fuel pump replacement has actually been completed, not just scheduled.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Received notification about a recall regarding fuel pump. Contacted centennial Toyota 6551 centennial center blvd. Las vegas 89149 on monday august 10, 2020 and was advised that they needed to order parts and that they would contact me for scheduling an appointment. Three weeks later on august 31, 2020 I called centennial and requested the service manager to inquire of status on parts in which he stated parts are not in and that I should call back in 2 weeks. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11355563, filed 2020-09

   “Toyota sent out a safety recall no. 20v-012 for the fuel pump stating if a vehicle stall occurs while driving, this could increase the risk of a crash. Yet, they have no remedy now, and no remedy in the future to fix this.”

   NHTSA complaint #11323668, filed 2020-05
4. 4
   Body and structure

   Frame and underbody rust

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe heavy rust on the front frame cross member and around the front tow hooks, with paint flaking and bubbling, and one owner points to foam pieces that hold water against the frame. Others report a liftgate latch that corroded until the gate would not open or close, which set off door-open warnings and random locking. Reported from roughly 30,000 miles upward and on vehicles as old as six years, including one kept under a canopy.

   What to check: Inspect the frame rails, cross member, tow hooks and liftgate latch from underneath for flaking or perforation, especially on vehicles from wet or road-salt regions.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My vehicle is in good to very good condition except that the frame is defaults and excessively rusted and will not pass another inspection, it's very similar to the 2000 tacoma that had the frame recall. We have owned six toyotas and what to believe that you will stand behind your product. I am aware of an acquaintance in augusta maine that you helped by replacing the frame and he paid $1000 towards the expense. I am just an average consumer pleading for your help. I can provide additional documentation.if needed. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10808305, filed 2015-12, 160,000 miles

   “The back lift gate latch had rusted and corroded so badly that it would no longer shut all of the way or open up at all. With the lift gate in a open position, this made the sensors in the vehicle go crazy. I.e.: hazards randomly going off, sensor telling me my doors were open (not just the back door), locking and unlocking of the doors, etc... This all would happen when the vehicle was in moving, did not matter what type of road I was on. I replaced the faulty rusted lift gate latch and it fixed the problem. The latch itself cost $290.34.”

   NHTSA complaint #11187265, filed 2019-03
5. 5
   Brakes

   Brake vibration and a long, soft pedal

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe the steering wheel and front end shaking strongly when braking from highway speed and a pedal that travels close to the floor before the vehicle slows. Owners report repeated rotor replacement without a lasting cure, and one complaint says two shops traced a soft pedal to a leaking master cylinder. Mostly reported between about 26,000 and 92,000 miles, typically at highway speeds.

   What to check: Brake firmly from highway speed on the test drive and feel for shake through the wheel; check the pedal for firmness and look for fluid at the master cylinder and calipers.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “When driving I have trouble stopping the vehicle. I had my brake pads replace in february, but this still did not help. My brake pedal will go all the way to the floor barely stopping the vehicle. I have taken it to two mechanics and both have concluded the master cylinder needs to be replaced due to a leak. Parts alone costing $2500 from Toyota.”

   NHTSA complaint #11209026, filed 2019-05, 92,000 miles

   “Vehicle shakes violently upon putting brakes while driving at or above 60 MPH. I took my vehicle in to Toyota several times for this same problem and they keep telling me it's a brake pad/rotor problem. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10967305, filed 2017-03, 26,000 miles

Buying note. This model year's complaints lean toward electrical accessories and corrosion rather than the drivetrain, so budget time for a door-lock and infotainment check and a close look underneath. Confirm the fuel pump recall work was completed by VIN before buying.

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.