Owners have filed 30 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the airbags, steering, and brakes. The 9 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2020Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/9 checked
2020 Toyota 4Runner: inspection sheet
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/4
Engine off, key in hand0/2
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/3
These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.
These years share the 2020's design and most of its parts, so their problems are the ones to look for on this car too.
Worth adding to your 2020 checks
Worth adding to your 2020 checks
Worth adding to your 2020 checks
EPA figures for each version of the 2020 Toyota 4Runner. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.
| Version | Drive | EPA rating |
|---|---|---|
| 4.0L 6-cyl | AWD, 4WD, RWD | 17 mpg |
NHTSA complaints for the 2020 Toyota 4Runner, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
Crashes happen without the air bags deploying. Four of the five complaints involve a crash, and four people were injured. Reported impacts happen at about 35 to 40 mph and include a side-on collision with another car and a slide into a tree, with no warning light before the crash. One report says the forward collision alert also stayed dark. One complaint is not a defect: the front passenger air bag switches off for adults under 100 lbs, which Toyota says is how the system is designed.
A shake comes through the wheel at highway speeds, mostly between the mid-50s and mid-60s mph. It can appear within weeks of purchase and gets worse over time. Rebalancing, road force balancing, alignment checks and swapped wheels or driveshafts do not fix it, and Toyota corporate calls it a characteristic caused by harmonics. Separately, one report describes power steering assist dropping out at 60 mph. Steering then takes more effort, and a mechanic traced a fluid leak to the front timing cover at 88,000 miles.
The brake pedal sinks to the floor during slow, gentle stops and braking is lost until the pedal is pumped. Drivers notice it most after the car sits overnight or while holding the brake in a drive-through line, when the vehicle starts creeping forward. No warning lights come on, and dealers report finding nothing wrong. Smaller complaints describe loud front brake squeal in cold weather and a hissing sound followed by an electronic noise each time the pedal is pressed.
Springs and the X-REAS system fail at moderate mileage. On the Limited, X-REAS is reported failing around 45,000 miles, leaving the vehicle unstable and harder to control. A fractured front coil spring turned up during a routine dealer inspection at about 53,000 miles, and the manufacturer paid 50% of the repair. One complaint covers the four-wheel-drive system instead. When shifting from H4F to H4L, the dash indicator stays yellow, so the driver cannot confirm the shift.
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2020 ranks sixth for owner complaints among 8 4Runner years, close to the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.
Redesigns and mid-cycle updates change what can go wrong.
The 2020 is the 11th model year of the 4Runner's fifth generation (2010–2024).
It includes the 2013 update.
What changed for 2013
Recall repairs are free at any Toyota dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2020-2022 4Runner vehicles equipped with 20-inch Black Gunner Wheels. The load carrying capacity modification labels are incorrect. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims.".
Risk: An incorrect label may lead to unintentionally overloading the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: SET will mail replacement labels to owners, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 4, 2022. Owners may contact SET's customer service at 954-429-2000. SET's number for this recall is SET22A.
Cars shoppers compare with the Toyota 4Runner, with their own 2020 checklists.
2020 owner complaints, side by side
