Owners have filed 36 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the airbags, brakes, and acceleration and cruise control. The 9 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2022Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/9 checked
2022 Toyota 4Runner: inspection sheet
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/2
Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/3
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/4
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 2022's design and most of its parts, so their problems are the ones to look for on this car too.
Worth adding to your 2022 checks
Worth adding to your 2022 checks
Worth adding to your 2022 checks
EPA figures for each version of the 2022 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 2022 Toyota 4Runner, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
No air bags deploy in serious crashes. Most reports involve real collisions, including head-on impacts, a rear-end hit followed by a side strike, and a driver's side hit at about 40 mph. Neither the steering wheel nor the curtain air bags fired. Occupants describe concussions, whiplash, and heads striking the steering wheel, window, or dashboard. One dealer confirmed the air bags had failed. Mileage ranges from nearly new to around 76,000. A separate report says the front passenger air bag stays off with an adult seated unless weight is added, which the dealer called normal design.
The brake pedal sinks slowly to the floor and the vehicle will not stay stopped. It creeps forward at lights and stop signs. Drivers describe a spongy pedal and having to pump the brakes. There are no warning lights, no visible fluid leaks, and the reservoir stays full. One dealer found an internal brake failure. The problem shows up suddenly, without gradual warning signs, and it means the vehicle can lose stopping ability in traffic.
Adaptive cruise control and the collision-avoidance system brake hard for slower cars in neighboring lanes, or for nothing at all. Reports put this at speeds between 30 and 65 mph, and following drivers nearly hit the 4Runner from behind. Other reports describe a pre-collision warning telling the driver to see a dealer, followed by cruise control and lane assist quitting entirely. Dealers could not find the cause without a costly diagnosis. One vehicle would not go past 30 mph and shook heavily. Sudden braking at highway speed is the main safety concern.
Highway speeds bring a shake and vibration through the wheel, usually between about 55 and 70 mph. In some cases the vehicle also pulls hard to the right. The shake is reported from the day of purchase. Dealers often call it normal or blame the tires, but replacement tires do not fix it. In one case the dealer confirmed the problem after more than 6 visits. Drivers say the vibration makes the vehicle hard to keep in a straight line.
The rear camera image is blurry when reversing, or the center display goes blank. In the blurry-camera case the problem appeared on a nearly new vehicle. The dealer called it a normal characteristic and told the driver to rely on the mirrors. The other report describes the whole center screen disappearing, which takes out the radio, navigation, and hands-free phone along with the camera view. Neither report describes a lasting fix.
The steering wheel shakes at highway speed once the vehicle warms up. One owner traces it to the right CV joint. The shake disappears in four-wheel drive. A dealer road test confirmed the shake but called it normal. A separate report on an XREAS-equipped 4Runner describes sagging front struts and tires worn on the inside edges. Those tires were rated for 70k miles and lasted only 45k. Both problems make the vehicle harder to keep tracking straight.
Turning the steering wheel changes radio channels, drops phone calls, stops navigation, and turns on the air bag warning light. A dealer traced this to the spiral cable and quoted $1200 for the repair. In the other report, rodents chewed through the wiring harness 9 days after purchase. The damage disabled the safety systems and cost $8000 to repair, and the replacement harness was months away. Because the spiral cable fault turns on the air bag light, it is more than a nuisance.
Occupants get trapped when a belt locks up and will not release. In one report a rear passenger belt would not loosen at all, and firefighters had to cut it. In another, a driver's belt jammed at both the buckle and the retractor until police freed it, and the same failure recurred in both front seats. A belt that cannot be released is a serious hazard whenever occupants need to get out quickly.
Excerpts from complaints 4Runner owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.
I was hit in drivers side by a vehicle that ran a red light, going approx 40 mph. The force of the collision pushed me into another vehicle. My car was new in March, had 7100 miles on it, and none of the airbags deployed, sidecurtain or steering wheel. I suffered a concussion and severe bruising.
Filed with NHTSA, September 2022
I was slowing down with traffic going about 30mph and was rear ended by a small suv going about 50-60mph. I was then hit on the right side by car who was originally behind us. I was thrown forward and then to the left. The emergency assist call was activated but not one of the airbags went off. I ended up with back and neck pain and injury. My passengers all suffered whiplash and one hit her head on the dashboard causing a concussion.
Filed with NHTSA, June 2023
Vehicle brakes normally initially at stop lights but then the brakes are unable to hold the vehicle stationary. Brake pedal slowly goes to the floor and vehicle creeps forward into traffic. No warning lights. No brake fluid leaks at wheels. Full brake fluid reservoir.
Filed with NHTSA, December 2023
Unknown Vehicle won’t take speed. Only reaches 30 miles an hour, thereafter vehicle starts to excessively shake. Lane assist does not function.
Filed with NHTSA, April 2022
Around 50-55mph, shake can be felt in the steering wheel. Possible needle bearing? Common complaint yet Toyota states it is operating "normal". Steering wheel shake is not normal. This has occurred since I purchased the vehicle.
Filed with NHTSA, October 2023
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2022 ranks joint third 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 2022 is the 13th 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.
Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (GST) is recalling certain 2022 4Runner, Tacoma, Highlander, and Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The load carrying capacity modification labels may not be permanent and can fade, becoming illegible. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims.".
Risk: An illegible label may allow the vehicle to be overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GST will notify owners by mail, including a replacement load carrying capacity modification label for their vehicle and detailed replacement instructions, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 30, 2022. Owners may contact GST customer service at 1-800-444-1074. GST's number for this recall is 22R1.
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2022 Toyota 4Runner vehicles. The driver's side high beam may be inoperable after the installation of accessory fog lights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment.".
Risk: An inoperable driver's side high beam may reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install an updated wiring harness, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 11, 2022. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET21A.
Cars shoppers compare with the Toyota 4Runner, with their own 2022 checklists.
2022 owner complaints, side by side
