2000 Toyota 4 Runner problems & reliability
104 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2000 Toyota 4 Runner. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
12 complaints report injuries (25 injured, 2 deaths reported).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2000 Toyota 4 Runner vehicles were involved in 70 fatal crashes with 49 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 27 | 26% |
| Tires | 14 | 13% |
| Air Bags | 10 | 10% |
| Power Train | 10 | 10% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 8 | 8% |
| Visibility | 8 | 8% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 6 | 6% |
| Fuel System, Other | 6 | 6% |
| Suspension | 5 | 5% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“I had a complete failure of my automatic transmission in my 2000 4runner sr5. I was traveling at about 65 mph when I completely lost power. There were no indications of a problem with the vehicle prior to this. The motor was racing but no power was getting to the wheels. It was a sudden and total loss of power…”
Power Train · filed Jul 30, 2006
“Loud noise in rear end of vehicle. Toyota dealership kept saying it was my tires. Until, I took it to another mechanic. Rear differential failure at 85,000 miles. Front & rear bearings were gaulded. "never" drove 4 runner under special conditions! Vehicle maintenance was always kept up to date. Have "all" records…”
Power Train · filed Apr 4, 2006
“The cv joint bolt and clip on my 2000 toyota 4 runner fell off causing the spindle to bend, the axle and cv joint to be destroyed. The clip couldn't be found, only the bolt. Luckily we were in a parking lot or serious consequences would have occurred. We met a mechanic who had just seen the same problem w/ another 4…”
Power Train · filed Jan 12, 2006
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
9 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2000 Toyota 4 Runner.
'99 4runner engine (3rz-fe) repair manual correction. *tt '00 4runner. 00400-rm720-u1. *tt
4614 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 18, 2005
The accessory fog lights for 1999-2002 model year 4runner vehicles may become corroded and not function. The lights should be replaced as a pair. *nm
01004 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 23, 2004
Spare tire carrier operation. Various modlels including the 2004 landcruiser and 4 runner. *tt
PG00503 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 19, 2003
Information regarding shoulder belt anchor tape set. *jb
BO01901 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 10, 2001
Vehicles may experience unintended or accidental rear window activation. *jb
EL00501 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 3, 2001
Front brake vibration. *tt
390 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 6, 2000
Subject regarding new front brake pad kits to reduce the possibility of front brake vibration. *tt
BR00700 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 1, 2000
Information on cladding and bumper color codes. *tt
PA00200 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 28, 2000
Subject regarding fuel gauge horizontal calibration procedure. *tt
EL01099 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 24, 1999
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 2000 Toyota 4 Runner in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2000 Toyota 4 Runner?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.