2016 Toyota 4Runner Problems, Recalls & Reliability
105 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2016 Toyota 4Runner, alongside 8 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 15/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 21,711 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2016 Toyota 4Runner has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2016 sits among all 4Runner years
What owners report
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 48 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 28,461 miles. Half of those reports fall between 16,500 and 49,500 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (8)
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2016 4Runner, 2003-2006 Tundra, 2003-2013 Corolla, 2009-2010 Corolla Matrix, 2004-2005 RAV4, 2002-2007 Sequoia, 2011-2013 Sienna, 2008-2012 Scion xB, 2008-2009 Lexus IS-F, 2007-2012…
Fix: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front driver inflator, front passenger airbag inflator, the airbag assembly, or the front passenger airbag…
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Toyota 4Runner, 2014-2015 Scion xB, Lexus IS350C, IS250C, 2014 Toyota Sienna, Lexus IS-F, and 2014-2017 Lexus GX460 vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Alabama,…
Fix: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, or replace the air bag assembly. The recall began February 15, 2019. Owners…
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Toyota 4Runner vehicles equipped with an accessory Billet Grille Overlay installed by SET or provided by SET and installed by SET dealers. The U-nut that secures the overlay grille may…
Fix: SET will notify owners, and dealers will replace the securing U-nuts with upgraded hardware, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 26, 2018. Owners may contact SET customer…
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2011-2016 Toyota Tacoma and 4Runner vehicles equipped with accessory hood scoops installed by SET or SET dealers. The adhesive attaching the hood scoop may weaken, allowing the hood scoop to…
Fix: SET will notify owners, and dealers will mechanically fasten the scoop to the hood, free of charge. The recall began on September 1, 2017. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-954-429-2000.…
Gulf States Toyota, Inc (Gulf States) is recalling certain 2016-2017 4Runner vehicles equipped with the TFORCE accessory package. The fasteners for the aftermarket roof rack may have been improperly tightened.
Fix: Gulf States will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, tighten the roof rack fasteners, free of charge. The recall began June 15, 2017. Owners may contact Gulf States customer…
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling one 2016 Toyota 4Runner vehicle manufactured November 1, 2016 and one 2017 Lexus GX460 vehicle manufactured November 16, 2016. The affected vehicles are equipped with Takata PSPI-LD front…
Fix: Toyota dealers have replaced the passenger side air bag modules, free of charge. Toyota notified the affected dealers on December 15, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at…
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota Yaris, Rav4, Land Cruiser and 4Runner vehicles, and Scion FR-S, iM, and TC vehicles manufactured January 28, 2016, to March 14, 2016. The Load Carrying Capacity Modification…
Fix: SET will notify owners, and provide them a corrected label to be installed over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began on June 3, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at…
Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (Gulf States) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Toyota 4Runner vehicles manufactured September 22, 2014, to March 23, 2016 and equipped with accessories installed by Gulf States. The Load Carrying Capacity Modification Label…
Fix: Gulf States will notify owners, and dealers will install an accurate label, free of charge. The recall began on June 1, 2016. Owners may contact Gulf States customer service at 1-800-444-1074.…
Federal defect investigations
Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade,…
Model years named: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
Technical service bulletins
249 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and body & structure — are on file for the 2016 Toyota 4Runner. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2016 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 2016 Toyota 4Runner reliable?
The 2016 Toyota 4Runner drew 105 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 15/100, scored against the model's worst year (2004).
What are the most common 2016 Toyota 4Runner problems?
The top reported problems for the 2016 Toyota 4Runner are electrical (19 complaints), other (18), and airbags (10).
At what mileage do 2016 Toyota 4Runner problems show up?
Owners most often report 2016 Toyota 4Runner problems around 28,461 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 16,500 and 49,500 miles.
Does the 2016 Toyota 4Runner have recalls?
8 recall campaigns apply to the 2016 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.