2001 Toyota 4Runner Problems, Recalls & Reliability
240 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2001 Toyota 4Runner, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 28/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Body & structure leads the reports, typically around 132,500 miles.
Typical
Where 2001 sits among all 4Runner years
What owners report
“"takata recall" my 2001 toyota 4runner frame is rusted out and won't pass state inspection.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 4Runner
“Since i got the car, the ignition key does not get in properly and sometimes does not start the car. The movement of the wheel helps sometimes. There have also been leaking engine covers that needed to be replaced. The structure gets rusty and there is problem with transmission.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 4Runner
“The frame rusted out and is very dangerous to drive .there are many complaints involving the frame rust on the 4 runners and toyota will not help with the problem”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 4Runner
“The vehicle frame has rusted through. My mechanic says this is unable to be inspected and should not be driven.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 4Runner
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 189 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 125,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 103,321 and 169,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
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.
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, DUE TO A MANUFACTURING ISSUE IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINT, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE SURFACE OF THE BALL OF THE JOINT MAY HAVE BEEN SCRATCHED. THE BALL JOINT MAY EVENTUALLY EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE WEAR AND…
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 5, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
Technical service bulletins
107 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on body & structure and electrical — are on file for the 2001 Toyota 4Runner. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2001 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 2001 Toyota 4Runner reliable?
The 2001 Toyota 4Runner drew 240 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 28/100, scored against the model's worst year (2004).
What are the most common 2001 Toyota 4Runner problems?
The top reported problems for the 2001 Toyota 4Runner are body & structure (83 complaints), transmission & drivetrain (32), and other (28).
At what mileage do 2001 Toyota 4Runner problems show up?
Owners most often report 2001 Toyota 4Runner problems around 125,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 103,321 and 169,000 miles.
Does the 2001 Toyota 4Runner have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2001 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.