2005 Toyota 4Runner problems and complaints
Owners have filed 425 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 Toyota 4Runner. The most-reported areas: Structure (185), Suspension (77), Unknown Or Other (67).
Key takeaways
- 425 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 19 involve a crash, 3 a fire, 13 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | 185 | 44% |
| Suspension | 77 | 18% |
| Unknown Or Other | 67 | 16% |
| Service Brakes | 31 | 7% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 29 | 7% |
| Steering | 29 | 7% |
| Power Train | 25 | 6% |
| Engine | 21 | 5% |
| Air Bags | 19 | 4% |
| Hydraulic | 16 | 4% |
| Visibility/Wiper | 15 | 4% |
| Tires | 12 | 3% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 Toyota 4Runner 4-DR. | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | 3/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Engine - filed 2026-09-23
Head gasket failure. 2005 toyota 4runner generation are notorious for head gasket failure. Due to the poor manufacturing of the gasket it has been deteriorating and has allowed coolant to leak into the cylinder causing misfires and possibly more damage internally. including permanent mechanical breakdown or a completel...
Suspension,power Train,structure - filed 2026-05-14
I have a 2005 Toyota 4runner with frame rust that has caused everything under my 4runner to rust. Toyota knows these frames have problems with rust and corrosion and have done nothing, I am far from being the only one with this complaint or problem. It is up for inspection anytime. I have taken it to get work done ...
Electrical System - filed 2026-01-29
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2005 Toyota 4Runner. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 217,000, and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 342,912.
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More for the 2005 Toyota 4Runner
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.