2008 Toyota 4Runner Problems, Recalls & Reliability
134 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2008 Toyota 4Runner, alongside 5 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 18/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Transmission & drivetrain leads the reports, typically around 25,000 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2008 Toyota 4Runner has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2008 sits among all 4Runner years
What owners report
“Excessive rusts on frame with concentrations around mountings of critical components like suspension, gas lines, brake lines etc.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2008 4Runner
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 102 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 59,500 miles. Half of those reports fall between 18,900 and 119,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (5)
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011…
Fix: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact…
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 Prius and Corolla, 2009-2011 Venza, 2006-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2005-2011 Sienna and Sequoia, 2006-2011 Tacoma 4x2 and 4x4, Camry, Highlander, Tundra 4x2 and 4x4,…
Fix: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the heaters with copper strand heating elements and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory, free of charge. The recall is expected…
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 THROUGH 2011 LEXUS LX570, 2003 THROUGH 2009 TOYOTA 4RUNNER, AND 2006 THROUGH 2010 RAV4 VEHICLES. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CAN GET STUCK IN THE WIDE OPEN POSITION DUE TO ITS BEING TRAPPED BY AN UNSECURED OR…
Fix: THE REMEDY IS NOW AVAILABLE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN EARLY APRIL 2011. THE REMEDY WILL INVOLVE MODIFICATION OR REPLACEMENT OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND REPLACEMENT OF ANY TOYOTA ALL-WEATHER FLOOR…
GULF STATES TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 AND JUNE 2, 2008…
Fix: DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. DEALERS WILL ALSO CORRECT THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE SAFETY…
SOUTHEAST TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2011 PASSENGER VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD WITHOUT THE REQUISITE LOAD…
Fix: DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT…
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 11V112000.
Technical service bulletins
240 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on body & structure and electrical — are on file for the 2008 Toyota 4Runner. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2008 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 2008 Toyota 4Runner reliable?
The 2008 Toyota 4Runner drew 134 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 18/100, scored against the model's worst year (2004).
What are the most common 2008 Toyota 4Runner problems?
The top reported problems for the 2008 Toyota 4Runner are transmission & drivetrain (28 complaints), speed control (16), and body & structure (16).
At what mileage do 2008 Toyota 4Runner problems show up?
Owners most often report 2008 Toyota 4Runner problems around 59,500 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 18,900 and 119,000 miles.
Does the 2008 Toyota 4Runner have recalls?
5 recall campaigns apply to the 2008 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.