1999 Toyota 4Runner Problems, Recalls & Reliability
446 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1999 Toyota 4Runner, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 59/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Body & structure leads the reports, typically around 173,500 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 1999 Toyota 4Runner sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 1990–1994, 2008–2009, 2011–2022.
Avoid
Where 1999 sits among all 4Runner years
What owners report
“The frame of the vehicle is rotted and separating. My mechanic told me it is not safe to drive this vehicle.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 4Runner
“Rear suspension mount separated from frame at weld, vehicle was rustproofed when new.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 4Runner
“The frame on my toyota 4runner has rusted through and is no longer structurally sound. The frame should be replaced.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 4Runner
“The original bridgestone/firestone front passenger side tire experienced a blowout while driving (225/75r15 dot w2hh awb). Nlm”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 4Runner
“Low fuel light comes on with around 5-6 gallons of fuel remaining and gas hand goes from full to half after only 70 miles.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 4Runner
“The truck is equipped with abs brakes that when being driven in snowy conditions, the brake system performs erratic. The owner states that he would hear some sort of humming sound but the truck continues forward. The toyota dealership did evaluate the brakes but no cause of performance was…”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 4Runner
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 283 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 160,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 110,000 and 200,100 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (2)
CERTAIN CK MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION HEADLIGHTS, CLEAR CORNER, BUMPER, AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO…
Fix: CK MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE NONCOMPLIANT LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CK MOTORSPORT AT 1-909-610-7211.
CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE…
Fix: PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.
Technical service bulletins
72 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and brakes & stability — are on file for the 1999 Toyota 4Runner. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 1999 4Runner TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 1999 Toyota 4Runner reliable?
The 1999 Toyota 4Runner drew 446 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 59/100, scored against the model's worst year (2004).
What are the most common 1999 Toyota 4Runner problems?
The top reported problems for the 1999 Toyota 4Runner are body & structure (114 complaints), suspension (66), and other (55).
At what mileage do 1999 Toyota 4Runner problems show up?
Owners most often report 1999 Toyota 4Runner problems around 160,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 110,000 and 200,100 miles.
Does the 1999 Toyota 4Runner have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 1999 Toyota 4Runner. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.