2014 Toyota 4Runner Problems and Complaints

Senior Editor,

Updated on April 18, 2023

The Toyota 4Runner, the “forerunner” of its kind from the Japanese brand, has seen a significant amount of individual development and graduated to a mid-size SUV from a compact one. Being a proper 5-seater SUV with a solid off-roading prowess on tap, reliability is of utmost importance for the 4Runner and it has been so over the years. However, the quality issues do crop up every now and then in modern vehicles and the 4Runner isn’t an exception either. The 2014 Toyota 4Runner sees 7 recalls along with 62 complaints to date. The recalls cover a majority of issues with accessories followed by a couple of recalls for faulty airbags and a single recall for a fuel pump failure issue. The SUV has faced a maximum number of complaints against its electrical system while the rest of the areas have a few reports against them. The 4Runner competes with the Ford Explorer, the Jeep Grand Cherokee, and the Dodge Durango.

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Key Observation:

Defective rear shocks
Warped rotors
No-start condition can be there
Airbag deployment issue

Toyota 4Runner user complaints and problems

Engine problems

Engine stalling: Several owners have complained about sudden engine stalling issues on their 2014 Toyota 4Runner. According to the complaints, the affected vehicles stalled while being driven at various speeds, even as high as 60-65 mph as well. A faulty fuel pump was the primary reason for the failures. Toyota did issue a recall as well to address the problem.

Safety problems

Airbag failure: A couple of complaints regarding airbag failure are there for the 2014 4Runner. The reports mention that while the owners were involved in crashes, the airbags failed to deploy.
Airbag sensor malfunction: Several owners have reported airbag sensor failure issues. Toyota also issued a couple of recalls, but many owners complained that the dealerships refused to carry out the fixes due to the unavailability of the parts.

Miscellaneous problems

Steering issue: A few complaints regarding faulty steering systems were reported by the affected owners. The complaints mention incidents such as the steering getting extremely hard while driving along with the steering wheel becoming too loose with requiring continuous inputs to keep the SUV straight.
Death wobble: A couple of complaints mentioning the death wobble issue have been recorded by the NHTSA. The reports mention that while driving, the front axles of the vehicles shake violently and the issue occurs while braking too.

2014 Toyota 4Runner recalls

S.No.	Recall Date	NHTSA Campaign ID	Issues noticed	Additional remarks	Remedy
1	December 30, 2014	14V828000	Vehicle Accessories May Detach	Accessories that detach from a vehicle may result in a vehicle crash and/or personal injury.	SET will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and tighten the affected bolts, free of charge. The recall began on February 23, 2015.
2	August 13, 2015	15V515000	Accessory exhaust tips may burn people	Contact with an exhaust tip may result in personal injury.	SET will notify owners, and dealers will install a re-designed exhaust tip that is smaller in diameter and is more recessed behind the bumper, free of charge. The recall began on September 22, 2015.
3	August 3, 2016	16V577000	Accessory Exhaust Tip May Contact and Burn People	Contact with an exhaust tip may result in personal injury.	SET will notify owners, and dealers will install a re-designed exhaust tip that is smaller in diameter and is more recessed behind the bumper, free of charge. The recall began on September 15, 2016.
4	July 3, 2017	17V425000	Accessory Hood Scoop may Detach	If the hood scoop detaches, it may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.	SET will notify owners, and dealers will mechanically fasten the scoop to the hood, free of charge. The recall began on September 1, 2017.
5	January 9, 2019	19V005000	Passenger Frontal Airbag Inflator May Explode	An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.	Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front passenger airbag inflator, or replace the airbag assembly. The recall began on February 15, 2019.
6	October 17, 2019	19V741000	Frontal Airbag Inflators May Explode	An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.	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. The recall began on November 20, 2019.
7	January 13, 2020	20V012000	Fuel Pump May Fail	If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.	Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began on May 4, 2020.

Should you buy a used Toyota 4Runner?

The Toyota 4Runner is a tried and tested SUV in its class that offers an incredible off-roading experience while carrying 5 people abreast. Moreover, for the 2014 model year, the SUV arrives with significant updates such as a revamped exterior styling and a restyled interior along with standardization of several convenience features too. Several units of the SUV did face recalls but most of them are regarding the airbags and the accessories. The previous year’s model has a lower number of complaints and recalls hence, going ahead with a used example poses no serious risks.