repaired · 2017 Q4
Front assembly: seat heater/cooler
Risk. If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
2008 Toyota 4RUNNERProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 96 owner complaints about the 2008 Toyota 4RUNNER, most often about the power train. It is covered by 5 safety recalls, and for recall 16V-396 the manufacturer reports only 24% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through March 16, 2026. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 2008 Toyota 4RUNNER has problems
96 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
27Power train1 crash/fire/injury
16Structure
16Vehicle speed control4 crash/fire/injury
11Suspension1 crash/fire/injury
10Service brakes2 crash/fire/injury
7Engine
5Electrical system
5Service brakes, hydraulic
5Steering
198 other systems5 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 27 | 1 |
| Structure | 16 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 16 | 4 |
| Suspension | 11 | 1 |
| Service brakes | 10 | 2 |
| Engine | 7 | 1 |
| Electrical system | 5 | 1 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 5 | 0 |
| Steering | 5 | 1 |
| 8 other systems | 19 | 5 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
5 recalls
2008 Toyota 4RUNNER recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2016 Q2
Front assembly: seat heater/cooler
Risk. Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.
no report yet
Vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal
Risk. A STUCK OPEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL MAY RESULT IN VERY HIGH VEHICLE SPEEDS AND MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STOP THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH, SERIOUS INJURY OR…
no report yet
Show 1 more recall
no report yet
Other: labels
Risk. A DRIVER MAY OVERLOAD A VEHICLE WHICH MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Toyota.
Mileage at failure
When do power train problems start?
25kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 22 power train complaints. 68% were reported before 100,000 miles.
12under 30k miles15under 100k miles7100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2008 vs. every other 4RUNNER year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the 4RUNNER median. How we score
'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2008 Toyota 4RUNNER safety ratings
2008 Toyota 4Runner 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Rollover: 3 stars (20.4% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2008 Toyota 4RUNNER, and the recalls they led to.
- Unintended and Uncontrolled AccelerationLed to recall 11V-112
In owners' words
What 4RUNNER owners report
Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
DIAGNOSIS FOUND TRANS FLUID WICKING UP HARNESS TO ENGINE ECM CONTAMINATING HARNESS AND ECU GIVEN FALSE/ABNORMAL READINGS AT ECM. EXTENSIVE REPAIRS NECESSARY W/ INTERNAL TRANS WIRE REPLACEMENT, ENGINE HARNESS REPLACEMENT & ENGINE ECU REPLACEMENT. OTHER CLEANING MAY BE NECESSARY OR OTHER HARNESS…
The actuator in the transfer case went bad in such a way as to not allow the vehicle either move (under its own power) or to be in a parked state; though the shifter and indicator lights indicated PARK and although you could turn off the vehicle and also remove the key, the vehicle was actually in…
VEHICLE DISPLAYED A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DUE TO A NON SEALING GAS CAP. THIS CONDITION ALSO DISABLES THE STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM. VEHICLE LOST CONTROL ON WET CONDITIONS AND WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER DUE TO ALL TRACTION AND STABILIZATION SYSTEMS BEING TURNED OFF DUE TO A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT (FAULTY GAS…
Own a 2008 4RUNNER?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.