Safety Score
73
Average
Recalls
0
Complaints
50
NCAP Stars
—
Recalls (0)
No recalls found for the 1997 Toyota 4runner.
Owner Complaints (showing up to 50)
| Date | Component | Crash | Injuries | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-04-07 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | I have had this vehicle since 12/1997 and it had always been garaged. The body is in very good condition. I live in nor… |
| 2020-07-20 | POWER TRAIN | No | 0 | PURCHASED A USED 1997 4-RUNNER WITH CA. 258000 MILES EARLY IN 2020. ENGINE AND WHOLE BODY WAS GOOD. HOWEVER, 6 MONTH L… |
| 2019-12-20 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | REAR FRAM STABILIZER BRACE RUSTED OUT AND BROKE AWAY FROM FRAME, SO AXLE TO FRAME STALIZER DOES NOT STABILIZE REAR AXLE |
| 2019-07-26 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | VERY RUSTED OUT UNDERCARRIAGE. MY OTHER IS ONLY 3 YEARS NEWER AND HAS NOTHING LIKE THIS ON IT. I WAS ADVISED TO SELL IT… |
| 2019-05-01 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | FRAME RUST MAKES VEHICLE DANGEROUS WHILE DRIVING. |
| 2019-03-04 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | HEY I HAVE A 1997 4 RUNNER I HAVE A PROBLEM OF THE FRAME GETTING RUSTED OUT. IT IS ON THE 4 LINK WHERE IT HOOKS TO THE … |
| 2019-01-30 | STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE REVERSING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE SWAYED BACK AND FORTH. THE… |
| 2018-12-26 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | THE FRAME SNAPPED FROM RUST AS I WAS DRIVING |
| 2018-12-07 | SEATS | No | 0 | THE BOLTS AND NUTS THAT ATTACH THE FRONT SEATS TO THE CAR RUST OVER TIME AND EVENTUALLY BREAK |
| 2018-11-11 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | THE FRAME ON MY 4RUNNER IS RUSTING ALONG THE REAR AXLE CONTROL ARM MOUNT (THE PIECE WELDED TO THE FRAME THAT YOU CAN SE… |
| 2018-11-04 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | THE FRAME IS ROTTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT. THE FRAME ROT IS LOCATED IN THE REAR ON THE DRIVERS SIDE WHERE THE REAR SUSPE… |
| 2018-10-22 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | THE FRAME WAS POORLY DESIGNED AND NOT ENOUGH RUST PROTECTION WAS APPLIED BY TOYOTA. WE RARELY GET SNOW AND STILL THE VE… |
| 2018-10-12 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | THE BRACKET THAT ATTACHES THE REAR TRAILING ARM TO THE FRAME BROKE OFF FROM THE FRAME CAUSING IT TO SWERVE AND LOOSE ST… |
| 2018-09-21 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | WHILE DRIVING HEARD A LOUD BANG AND VEHICLE GOT SQUIRMY AND OUT OF CONTROL WAS ABOUT A MILE FROM MY HOUSE LUCKILY. GOT … |
| 2018-08-01 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | MY TOYOTA 4RUNNER FRAME IS RUSTING TO THE POINT THAT IT'S A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE! I'VE ALREADY HAD THE RIGHT REAR SHOCKMOU… |
| 2018-03-26 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | MY 1997 4RUNNER HAS A LOT OF RUST ON THE CHASSIS FRAME. THE REAR SHOCKS CANNOT BE INSTALLED BECAUSE THE METAL WAS EATEN… |
| 2018-02-25 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | FRAME IS COMPLETELY ROTTED VEHICLE WELL KEPT AND IT JUST KEEPS ROTTING SO I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO BUT I WAS DRIVING ON… |
| 2018-02-19 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | 1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER "REAR FRAME RUST AND HOLES" MY TOYOTA 1997 4RUNNER (CURRENT MILEAGE 139,035) HAS THE RUST AND HO… |
| 2018-01-12 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | MY 4RUNNER FRAME IS ROTTED OUT. CRACKED FRAME UNSAFE TO DRIVE. |
| 2017-11-26 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE STARTED SWAYING… |
| 2017-11-19 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE FROM THE REAR AND… |
| 2017-11-09 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | FRAME IS RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT CONTROL ARMS FELL OFF THE CAR. FRAME BUSTED IN HALF. |
| 2017-10-12 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | RIGHT REAR UPPER SHOCK MOUNT RUSTED OUT AND SHOCK BROKE THROUGH FRAME WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET (BRACKET SUB ASSEM… |
| 2017-09-22 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | WHEN BRAKING ON A CURVE ON A COUNTY HIGHWAY {55 MPH} THE VEHICLE JUMPED AND HOPPED UNCONTROLLABLY AND ALMOST LEFT THE R… |
| 2017-06-18 | STRUCTURE:BODY | Yes | 0 | FRAME RUSTED OUT WHERE THE REAR AXLE ARM ATTACHES. ARM MOUNT BROKEN LOOSE FROM FRAME. VEHICHLE IS UNDRIVEABLE AND VIR… |
| 2017-02-25 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | MY 1997 4RUNNER ONLY HAS 116,XXX MILES AND ITS FRAME IS STARTING TO ROT. MAKING IT DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AND IT'S ALSO ON … |
| 2016-12-24 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | I AM THE ONLY OWNER OF THIS 1997 TOYOTA WHICH I'VE PLANNED TO KEEP FOR EVER. HOWEVER, THIS WEEKEND WHILE REPLACING A SH… |
| 2016-10-02 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | I CAME TO A STOP LIGHT AND HEARD A POP LIKE SOMETHING HAD BROKEN. PROCEEDED TO GET ON INTERSTATE ON RAMP AND WITHIN A M… |
| 2016-10-01 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | GOING DOWN ROAD AT 50MPH CAR LET LOOSE VERY HARD TO HANDLE PULLED ME INTO BURM OF ROAD SWAYING BACK AND FOURTH. HAD CAR… |
| 2016-09-15 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | EXTENSIVE RUST , FRAME WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION. |
| 2016-09-08 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | FRAME ROTTED APART HAVE TO HAVE SEVERAL MECHANICS LOOK AT IT AND TOLD ME NOT TO DRIVE IT ANY LONGER I NEED MY VEHICLE … |
| 2016-07-05 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | RE: 1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER - I AM ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS DEFECTIVE VEHICLE.THE FRAME RAIL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HAS SEVERE… |
| 2016-03-16 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE SWAY… |
| 2016-01-04 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: THANK YOU FOR YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION TO THIS CONCERN. I JUST PURCHASED A 1997 TOYOTA 4RUNN… |
| 2015-12-12 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HAVE THE TIRES REPLACED, THE TECHNICIAN NOTIC… |
| 2015-12-01 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S FRAME WAS CORRODED ON THE REAR DRIVER… |
| 2015-10-26 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR FRAME FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO… |
| 2015-10-15 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | PURCHASED WITH 165,000 MILES. ALMOST NEW FOR A MODERN VEHICLE. TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC AND WAS NOTIFIED THE FRAME WAS R… |
| 2015-09-28 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH AND MY 4RUNNER STARTED TO SWAY AND ROCK VIOLENTLY. I FELT IT VEER I… |
| 2015-07-27 | STRUCTURE:BODY | Yes | 0 | THE REAR END PART THAT CONNECTS TO FRAME BROKE FREE FROM WELD ON FRAME CAUSED SERIOUS SWEARVING ON ROAD AT 65 MPH MY KI… |
| 2015-07-15 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | THE FRAME IS SO RUSTY THAT THREE SUSPENSION ATTACHMENTS HAVE RUSTED (BROKEN) OFF. THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. |
| 2015-05-05 | POWER TRAIN | No | 0 | MY FRIEND WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD IN THE SAME MODEL CAR AS MINE 1997 4RUNNER AND HIS FRAME SNAPPED FROM RUST. HE SAID… |
| 2015-05-04 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | I WAS DRIVING IN SCHOOL ZONE POSTED 20 MPH SCHOOL ZONE ROAD A LITTLE ROUGH UNEVEN SURFACE WHILE DRIVING APPROX. 20 MPH … |
| 2015-04-21 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 02V021000 (SUSP… |
| 2015-04-08 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Yes | 0 | I HAVE A 1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND MY FRAME SUDDENLY BROKE. THIS CAUSED ME TO LOOSE CONTROL … |
| 2015-03-30 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | MY SON JARRED WAS DRIVING OUR 1997 TOYOTA 4-RUNNER ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY,… |
| 2015-03-16 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | THE FRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTED THREW IN MULTIPLE PARTS OF THE FRAME. SOMEONE HAS ALREADY TRIED WELDING SOME PLATING TO… |
| 2015-02-18 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE VEERED FROM LEFT TO RIGH… |
| 2015-01-26 | POWER TRAIN | No | 0 | VEHICLE FRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTING OUT AROUND THE REAR SUSPENSION. TRAILING ARM MOUNT FROM AXLE TO FRAME IS SEPARATED … |
| 2015-01-06 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | LEFT REAR CONTROL ARM MOUNT ROTTED/SEPARATED FROM FRAME. CONTROL ARM MOUNT IS WELDED TO FRAME FROM FACTORY. MOUNT IS … |