Overview
This guide lists the recall campaigns the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has on file for the Toyota 4Runner, 2016–2024 model years, grouped by the system they affect, with what a pre-purchase inspection can and cannot tell you about each. It is built from NHTSA's recall records pulled on August 27, 2026, not from owner-forum anecdotes or failure-rate guesses.
NHTSA lists 19 campaigns for this model across those years. The 12 most recent, running from July 2024 back to December 2017, are covered below; older campaigns are not repeated here, so run the VIN yourself rather than treating this page as the complete list. Model years shown are limited to this guide's 2016–2024 range; a campaign can list earlier or later years.
How to read a 4Runner recall list
A recall campaign applies to certain vehicles, identified by VIN, built in a specific window. A model year appearing in a campaign does not mean every car of that year is affected, and a car outside the listed years can still be included in a multi-model campaign.
This page lists recall campaigns, which are manufacturer safety actions recorded by NHTSA; it does not rank reliability. A completed recall means the manufacturer's repair has been performed on that vehicle. What matters for a used purchase is whether the specific car in front of you has any open campaign and whether the seller can show the work was done.
Toyota 4Runner: Fuel system recalls
November 2020, NHTSA campaign 20V682000, listed for Toyota 4Runner model years 2018–2019 (2016–2024 range). The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail. If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash. This campaign names more than one model or trim, so confirm your VIN is included. Remedy per NHTSA: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly with an improved one, free of charge.
What the inspection covers here: A fuel pump sits inside the tank, so no visual inspection can judge its condition. What an inspector can do is run the OBD-II scan for stored trouble codes and check fluid levels and oil leaks. The road test, where the vehicle is street legal, insured, and conditions are safe, evaluates the drivetrain. Whether the recall repair or update was performed is a VIN-lookup question, not an inspection one.
Toyota 4Runner: Air bag, seat belt and seat recalls
October 2019, NHTSA campaign 19V741000, listed for Toyota 4Runner model year 2016 (2016–2024 range). These vehicles had their driver or passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death. NHTSA's summary spans model years 2002 to 2017 across all the models it names, some of them outside this guide's 2016–2024 range; check your own model year with the VIN lookup. This campaign names more than one model or trim, so confirm your VIN is included. Remedy per NHTSA: 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 sub-assembly and inflator.
January 2019, NHTSA campaign 19V005000, listed for Toyota 4Runner model year 2016 (2016–2024 range). NHTSA's summary limits it to vehicles sold or ever registered in certain states (NHTSA's summary groups them into zones). These vehicles are equipped with air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, used as original equipment or replacement equipment (such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bags), that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death. NHTSA's summary spans model years 2010 to 2017 across all the models it names, some of them outside this guide's 2016–2024 range; check your own model year with the VIN lookup. This campaign names more than one model or trim, so confirm your VIN is included. Remedy per NHTSA: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, or replace the air bag assembly.
What the inspection covers here: An inspector cannot test an occupant-classification sensor or predict how an air bag would behave in a crash. The inspection does cover the interior, including seat belts, and the gauges and the operation of the electrical items, and anything unusual is reported. Whether a campaign's remedy was performed is answered by the VIN lookup.
Toyota 4Runner: Steering, suspension and structure recalls
September 2019, NHTSA campaign 19V670000, listed for Toyota 4Runner model years 2018–2019 (2016–2024 range). During installation, certain steering and suspension components may not have been properly tightened. Loose fasteners may cause a loss of vehicle control, or cause an accessory to detach from the vehicle and become a road hazard. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash or injury. Remedy per NHTSA: Southeast Toyota Distributors will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and re-tighten the steering and suspension fasteners as necessary, free of charge.
What the inspection covers here: Steering and suspension are checked on every inspection, along with an underbody check for rust, frame damage, or structural repair. The inspection cannot confirm that a specific recalled part was replaced; the VIN lookup does that.
Toyota 4Runner: Lighting and visibility recalls
December 2021, NHTSA campaign 21V963000, listed for Toyota 4Runner model year 2022 (2016–2024 range). The driver's side high beam may be inoperable after the installation of accessory fog lights. An inoperable driver's side high beam may reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash. Remedy per NHTSA: Dealers will install an updated wiring harness, free of charge.
What the inspection covers here: Lights are checked on every inspection, and glass is examined for cracks, chips, and other flaws. Whether a lighting or visibility recall was completed is a VIN-lookup question.
Toyota 4Runner: Tire, wheel and label recalls
July 2024, NHTSA campaign 24V548000, listed for Toyota 4Runner model year 2024 (2016–2024 range). NHTSA's summary limits it to vehicles equipped with GST accessories. The load carrying capacity modification label may display inaccurate added weight values. A vehicle with an incorrect maximum capacity weight value may be overloaded, which can increase the risk of a crash. NHTSA's summary spans model years 2023 to 2025 across all the models it names, some of them outside this guide's 2016–2024 range; check your own model year with the VIN lookup. This campaign names more than one model or trim, so confirm your VIN is included. Remedy per NHTSA: Gulf States Toyota will mail new labels to owners, free of charge.
October 2023, NHTSA campaign 23V680000, listed for Toyota 4Runner model year 2023 (2016–2024 range). The load carrying capacity modification label states the incorrect load carrying capacity, which can result in an overloaded vehicle. An overloaded vehicle increases the risk of a crash. Remedy per NHTSA: Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC will mail a new modified label, free of charge.
July 2022, NHTSA campaign 22V480000, listed for Toyota 4Runner model years 2020–2022 (2016–2024 range). NHTSA's summary limits it to vehicles equipped with 20-inch Black Gunner Wheels. The load carrying capacity modification labels are incorrect. An incorrect label may lead to unintentionally overloading the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. Remedy per NHTSA: Southeast Toyota Distributors will mail replacement labels to owners, free of charge.
May 2022, NHTSA campaign 22V310000, listed for Toyota 4Runner model year 2022 (2016–2024 range). The load carrying capacity modification labels may not be permanent and can fade, becoming illegible. An illegible label may allow the vehicle to be overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash. This campaign names more than one model or trim, so confirm your VIN is included. Remedy per NHTSA: Gulf States Toyota will notify owners by mail, including a replacement load carrying capacity modification label for their vehicle and detailed replacement instructions, free of charge.
March 2019, NHTSA campaign 19V244000, listed for Toyota 4Runner model year 2019 (2016–2024 range). The text on the load capacity label may become illegible. If the driver cannot read the label, they may unknowingly overload the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. This campaign names more than one model or trim, so confirm your VIN is included. Remedy per NHTSA: Gulf States Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will provide corrected load carrying capacity modification labels, free of charge.
October 2018, NHTSA campaign 18V753000, listed for Toyota 4Runner model years 2017–2019 (2016–2024 range). NHTSA's summary limits it to vehicles that a Toyota distributor modified to be equipped with a TRD wheel package. The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) on the certification label may be incorrect, possibly resulting in the vehicle being overloaded. An overloaded vehicle can increase the risk of a crash. Remedy per NHTSA: Southeast Toyota Distributors will notify owners and mail them corrected certification labels, free of charge.
December 2017, NHTSA campaign 17V831000, listed for Toyota 4Runner model years 2017–2018 (2016–2024 range). These vehicles may have incorrect load carrying capacity modification labels. An incorrect load information label can result in the operator overloading the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash. This campaign names more than one model or trim, so confirm your VIN is included. Remedy per NHTSA: Toyota will notify owners and provide them with corrected labels, free of charge.
What the inspection covers here: Tires and wheels, including tread depth, are checked on every inspection. Whether a recall repair was performed, and whether a label or marking was corrected, is a VIN-lookup question.
Check a 4Runner's VIN for open recalls before you drive out
Enter the 17-character VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (nhtsa.gov/recalls), which is free and shows open recalls for that exact vehicle. Manufacturers also offer their own recall lookups. The VIN is usually on the dashboard at the base of the windshield and on the driver's door jamb. Ask the seller for it before you travel.
If the lookup shows an open campaign, the remedy text NHTSA records for most campaigns describes the repair or update as free to the owner. Ask the seller for the dealer paperwork showing the work was done, or make the open repair a condition of the sale. If NHTSA flags a do-not-drive advisory, do not take delivery until the repair is complete.
What a pre-purchase inspection adds on top of a recall lookup
The recall lookup tells you what the manufacturer has reported to NHTSA. An independent inspection tells you what is going on with the car you are about to buy, including problems no recall covers.
Every Vehicle Inspectors inspection covers the body and paint for prior repair or respray, rust and underbody condition, tires and wheels, glass, evidence of previous accident or flood damage, lights and gauges and the electrical items, the interior and seat belts, the motor and transmission, the driveline including all-wheel-drive systems, steering, suspension, braking components and exhaust, the engine bay, fluid levels and leaks, an OBD-II scan for stored codes (1996 and newer vehicles), and a road test where the vehicle is street legal, insured, and conditions are safe. You receive a photo-documented PDF report with a plain-English go, caution, or stop summary.
Silver adds a battery load test, brake pad and rotor measurement, and A/C and heater temperature readings. Gold adds an extended road test with live OBD-II data capture, a full electronics and infotainment audit, and paint-depth readings panel by panel. The tiers are price bands by vehicle value; the core inspection is the same at each. See pricing or book an inspection and paste the listing link.