2015 Toyota 4RUNNER Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2015 4Runner most often report two things: door lock actuators that stop locking or unlocking, and front airbags that did not deploy in collisions. A number of reports also describe front-end shimmy and vibration tied to alignment and tire wear, and X-REAS or KDSS suspension components leaking or failing at moderate mileage. Complaints span low and high mileage, with many appearing between roughly 20,000 and 60,000 miles.

1. 1
   Electrical system

   Door lock actuators stop working

   • 12 complaints (14%)
   • median 50,000 mi at 3.9 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2017–2023

   Owners describe one or more doors that will no longer lock or unlock with the key fob, the interior switch, or sometimes the key itself. The actuator can be heard trying to move but the door stays stuck, and on some vehicles several doors fail within a short period of each other. Dealers typically diagnosed failed lock actuators and quoted replacement costs per door, and some owners were told it is a common condition. Mostly reported between about 24,000 and 50,000 miles, with a few at higher mileage.

   What to check: Lock and unlock every door with the fob, the interior switch and the key before buying; ask whether any actuators have already been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Both the driver side door and passenger side door do not open when when remotely activated. They also cannot be locked remotely. I have no way of opening the passenger side door from the outside. Both doors have to be manually opened. The driver side can be opened by the key, but the passenger side needs to be opened inside the passenger door.. This is a safety issue especially when my wife takes the car. It is dangerous that she cannot enter the car in a timely manner or even lock the car.”

   NHTSA complaint #11310669, filed 2020-02, 50,000 miles

   “Door actuator locking out driver, to where key doesn't even work. Either the door will not lock, or unlock. The fob is fine and sends the signal as you can here the actuator trying to move. And when it doesn't unlock, you can't even unlock the door with the key. I would think this would be a safety issue. I've read a number of complaints on a variety of sites such as below, that it is a known issue? If it's a known issue, why isn't there some kind of safety recall? Suppose all of the actuators didn't work and there was a kid in the car. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11112417, filed 2018-07, 36,000 miles
2. 2
   Air bags

   Front airbags did not deploy in a crash

   • 14 complaints (16%)
   • median 22,000 mi at 1.8 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2015–2024

   Several owners report front or side airbags that did not deploy in collisions, including impacts described as significant enough to cause injuries or major front-end damage. Other reports concern uncertainty about whether the vehicle was covered by the Takata inflator recall, with owners saying dealers could not confirm coverage or had no information. Some owners also describe a spiral cable replacement after the horn stopped working, which the dealer identified as an open circuit in the assembly. Reported across a wide mileage range, from near-new vehicles to over 45,000 miles.

   Recall 19V741000Recall 19V0050002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check the VIN against open recalls with a dealer and confirm any Takata passenger inflator recall work was completed; ask whether the spiral cable or horn has ever been serviced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Needed to use my horn when someone drifted into my lane on the interstate. The horn did not work. I could not honk to inform that driver to stay in his/her lane. Afterwhich, I took it to my Toyota dealer. They diagnosed and discovered the spiral cable had an open circuit. They replaced the spiral cable assembly. From what I remember they told me this cable assembly carried wiring for cruise control, air bags, horn and something else. I do not recall the fourth item.”

   NHTSA complaint #11150677, filed 2018-11, 68,471 miles

   “Takata recall: conflicting information for determining if vehicle is subject to recall. Called auto airbag settlement center and they said aforementioned vehicle was subject to recall and dealers may not yet be aware or have info to call in vehicle. Called dealer and service rep. Indicated they had not notice my vehicle was subject to recall and they could do nothing. This website did not recognize my VIN number when put in at the start, calling my VIN entry as invalid. Within this claim form it recognized my VIN number as valid!? …”

   NHTSA complaint #11021040, filed 2017-09, 600 miles
3. 3
   Fuel system

   Hesitation or stalling while driving

   • 8 complaints (9%)
   • median 48,900 mi at 5.5 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2016–2026

   Owners report intermittent hesitation, brief stalling, or a loss of power at speed, sometimes with the engine recovering after a short pause or a restart. Some describe stumbling when accelerating from a stop or maintaining a steady speed, and a few mention limp mode or multiple warning lights. Dealers in some cases could not reproduce the condition or found no stored cause, and one owner was told to wait for a recall notice. Reported from about 20,000 miles into six-figure mileage, often under light throttle or at highway speed.

   Recall 20V0120002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the low-pressure fuel pump recall or related customer support program has been applied to the VIN, and note any hesitation on a test drive at steady speed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “About 4-5 times per year for the past 4 years my vehicle will hesttate or stall for 3-4 seconds when trying to accelerate after stopping at a red light or stop sign. This happens intermittently, at no regular sequence, and without warning of any kind. I have not received a letter from the manufacturer about a recall, but the NHTSA informed me that a fuel pump recall notice was made public on january 20, 2020. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11322005, filed 2020-04, 50,000 miles

   “My children and I almost died twice! 4 runner almost caused serious injury or death. 9/24/20, 6:15 pmish, vehicle in motion for approximately over an hour, 70mph cruise control set, beginning to climb up a large mountain westbound interstate 8. Engine hesitates/stalls briefly, steering became difficult, car shuddered, was difficult to maintain control of vehicle, only lasted seconds. At a slower speed engine back up and all was fine, assumed it was not a major issue. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11361932, filed 2020-09, 125,700 miles
4. 4
   Steering

   Front-end shimmy, vibration and poor tire wear

   • 10 complaints (11%)
   • median 40,000 mi at 3.6 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2016–2023

   Owners describe steering wheel shake and vibration at highway speeds, roughly 60 to 70 mph, along with tires wearing out well before their rated mileage. Some reports say the vehicle does not hold an alignment and that repeated balances and alignments did not resolve it, and one owner was told a rear axle weld was a factor. Dealers in some cases replaced rotors or suggested new tires without eliminating the vibration. Commonly reported between about 20,000 and 60,000 miles, often at highway speeds.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Drive it at 60-70 mph and feel for wheel shake; ask for alignment printouts and tire replacement history, and inspect front tires for uneven wear.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have had 3 sets of tires on my 4RUNNER and each set has worn down prematurly despite purchasing good quality tires with a 60k mile warranty. I have the tires rotated, balanced and aligned at the required service intervals and as needed. The vehicle does not stay aligned very long. I even went to multiple tire shops to get different opinions. I've been told by multiple tire shops that the 4runners are difficult to adjust and do not hold an alignment. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11355054, filed 2020-09, 95,000 miles

   “I have a new 4RUNNER that I was not pleased with how it was handling. I took it into an independent wheel alignment shop to get an objective opinion. The results are included in the attached document. 10 out of 14 of the settings were out of specification. I paid to have these items fixed. My car now tracks better. Corners better and has a more stable ride. These settings were so bad I now realize that I was in car that was not as safe as it should have been. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10822580, filed 2016-01, 3,800 miles
5. 5
   Suspension

   X-REAS and KDSS suspension leaks or failure

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners of Limited and other trims with the linked X-REAS suspension report leaking struts and shocks found at routine service, with dealers recommending replacement of the whole system because the components are interconnected. Others describe a corroded KDSS valve under the driver's door that leaked fluid and triggered a warning light. Quoted repair costs in the complaints ranged from a few thousand dollars upward, and owners say the work was not covered once warranty ended. Typically found between about 40,000 and 55,000 miles during routine service.

   What to check: Look under the vehicle for fluid weeping at the shocks and at the KDSS valve on the frame, and ask whether any suspension components have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I'm writing you today in the hopes that you can investigate and create a recall for Toyota's x-reas suspension system. I purchased a brand new 2015 limited 4RUNNER four years ago. On november 29th, 2019 I had my 4RUNNER serviced at a Toyota service center for a 40,000 mile check up. After the check up I was told that both front struts needed to be replaced and due to the design (both front struts being connected to both rear shocks) the entire x-reas suspension system needed to be replaced. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11289638, filed 2019-12, 38,977 miles

   “This is our third Toyota 4Runner with the X-REAS Sport Enhancement Suspension System . There has been some type of failure of this system on all 3 of the 4Runners we have owned. The latest problem with this suspension system on our 2015 4Runner was discovered during a Toyota dealership service appointment at 42,091 miles. It was recommended the full X-REAS system, front and rear shocks with lines and actuators be completely replaced since both front shocks are leaking fluid at a cost of $4,000. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11442519, filed 2021-12

Buying note. Check recall status by VIN, including the passenger airbag inflator and fuel pump campaigns, and test every door lock along with a highway-speed drive for vibration. On Limited or KDSS-equipped trucks, have the suspension inspected for fluid leaks before purchase.

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.