Motor Almanac

Toyota / 4Runner / 2012

2012 Toyota 4runner

Family: 4Runner · filed with NHTSA as 4RUNNER

Summary

  • Of the 94 complaints that name a component, 74% concern Airbags (70).
  • These are complaint counts, not failure rates: they are not divided by how many cars were sold, because no public source reports U.S. sales by model year.
  • Not enough history to compare this year with the rest of its generation.
  • 8 recalls filed for this model year.
  • 1 federal defect investigation covers this model year.

At a glance

Owner complaints
96
Recalls
8
Investigations
1
NCAP overall
4 of 5 stars
Combined MPG
19
Annual fuel cost
$3,300
Median mileage at complaint
45,144 mi (n = 31)
Crashes / fires / injuries / deaths
5 / 1 / 9 / 0

What owners report

Airbags

70 complaints · 74% of complaints that name a component · median 61,000 mi (n = 10)

Owner report 2012 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO TAKATA FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG INFLATOR SAFETY RECALL. *LD THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO HAVE A RECALL NOTICE MAILED TO A CURRENT ADDRESS. *JS
Owner report I AM THE OWNER OF A 2012 TOYOTA 4RUNNER WHICH HAS A CURRENT AIR BAG RECALL. THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE BEFORE OUR MILITARY PCS TRANSFER OVERSEAS. THEY BECAME AVAILABLE AFTER MY MOVE OVERSEAS, BUT TOYOTA HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO ASSIST IN REPLACING MY AIRBAGS. I AM NOT GETTING READY TO TRANSFER BACK TO THE U.S. AND TH…

Brakes

7 complaints · 7% of complaints that name a component · median 4,050 mi (n = 7)

Owner report THE BRAKES OF THE VEHICLE SLIP. WHEN YOU ARE ON THE FREEWAY AND YOU NEED TO STOP FOR ACCIDENTS AND YOU BRAKE THE VEHICLE SLIPS AND ALMOST WANTS TO ROLE OVER. WHEN THE VEHICLE COMES TO COMPLETE STOP AFTER A FEW SECONDS IT MOVES FORWARD ALMOST 6 INCHES. THERE COULD BE SEVERAL REASONS WHY THIS COULD HAPPEN WITH ABS SYSTEM…
Owner report TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE, A LOUD ABNORMAL NOISE WAS PRESENT AND THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD TO GRADUALLY BE DEPRESSED IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CO…

Fuel & Propulsion

6 complaints · 6% of complaints that name a component · median 37,000 mi (n = 5)

Owner report The contact owns a 2012 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The Police Department called and arranged for the vehicle to be towed to an authorized dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the fuel pump h…
Owner report I was driving on the expressway, at about 70 to 75 miles. Suddenly the vehicle just slowed down to 40 miles per hour. I almost got hit from the back by a truck. But, then it suddenly picked back up. this has happened several times but the shop nor the dealer could tell me what was wrong. I finally took it to another sh…

2% of complaints name no specific component and are left out of the shares above.

Across the generation (2010–2024)

To compare years fairly, each year is counted over the same span: complaints received up to two calendar years after its model year. A year is compared only when that span is over and it holds at least 50 complaints.

Model yearAll complaintsFirst three yearsNote
201014717not compared
201116319not compared
20129610not compared
2013360not compared
20147715not compared
20158728not compared
20168126not compared
20173620not compared
20186032not compared
20196538not compared
20203321not compared
20213621not compared
20223930not compared
20233325not compared
20241010not compared

Recalls

Whether a recall has been fixed on a specific car depends on its VIN; check it at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

19V741000 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE | AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Filed 2019-10-17 · 928,220 vehicles

Defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2016 4Runner, 2003-2006 Tundra, 2003-2013 Corolla, 2009-2010 Corolla Matrix, 2004-2005 RAV4, 2002-2007 Sequoia, 2011-2013 Sienna, 2008-2012 Scion xB, 2008-2009 Lexus IS-F, 2007-2012 Yaris and Lexus ES350, 2010-2017 Lexus GX460, 2002-2010 Lexus SC430, 2006-2012 Lexus IS250 and IS350 and 2010-2015 Lexus IS250C and IS350C vehicles. These vehicles had their driver or passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: 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 November 20, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are J0A, J0B, and J0C. Lexus' numbers for this recall are JLI, JLJ, and JLK.

19V005000 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Filed 2019-01-09 · 1,299,448 vehicles

Defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Toyota 4Runner, 2014-2015 Scion xB, Lexus IS350C, IS250C, 2014 Toyota Sienna, Lexus IS-F, and 2014-2017 Lexus GX460 vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Toyota is also recalling certain 2011-2013 Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Lexus IS250, IS350, 2011-2016 4Runner, 2011-2015 Scion xB, Lexus IS350C, IS250C, 2011-2014 Toyota Sienna, Lexus IS-F, 2011-2017 Lexus GX460, and 2011-2012 Lexus ES350 vehicles ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Toyota is also recalling certain 2010-2013 Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Lexus IS350, 2010-2016 4Runner, 2010-2013 Lexus IS250, 2010-2015 Scion xB, Lexus IS350C, IS250C, 2010-2017 Lexus GX460, 2010-2014 Lexus IS-F, and 2010-2012 Lexus ES350 vehicles ever registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, used as original equipment or replacement equipment (such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bags), that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, or replace the air bag assembly. The recall began February 15, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are "Zone A" Toyota: G0P, Lexus: GLG; "Zone B" Toyota: G0R, Lexus GLH; "Zone C" Toyota: H0A, and Lexus: HLA.

17V425000 · EQUIPMENT | STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS

Filed 2017-07-03 · 3,547 vehicles

Defect: Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2011-2016 Toyota Tacoma and 4Runner vehicles equipped with accessory hood scoops installed by SET or SET dealers. The adhesive attaching the hood scoop may weaken, allowing the hood scoop to detach from the vehicle.

Risk: If the hood scoop detaches, it may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will mechanically fasten the scoop to the hood, free of charge. The recall began on September 1, 2017. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-954-429-2000. SET's number for this recall is SET17B.

17V006000 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Filed 2017-01-09 · 577,875 vehicles

Defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2012 Toyota 4Runner, Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sienna, Yaris, Scion xB, Lexus ES350, GX460, IS-F, IS250, IS350, IS250C, IS350C, and Lexus LFA vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Toyota is recalling certain 2009 Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Yaris, Yaris HB, Scion xB, Pontiac Vibe, Lexus, ES350, IS250, IS350, and IS-F vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Toyota is recalling certain 2006-2008 Lexus IS250 and IS350, 2007-2008 Lexus ES350, Toyota Yaris, Yaris HB, and 2008 Lexus IS-F and Scion xB vehicles originally sold, or ever registered in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Toyota will notify the Toyota, Scion and Lexus owners. General Motors will contact the Pontiac owners. Depending on the model, dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator or the air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall began on February 1, 2017. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331, or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. Toyota's numbers for final remedy for this campaign are G0P (Toyota Zone A), G0R (Toyota Zone B), H0A (Toyota Zone C), GLG (Lexus Zone A), GLH (Lexus Zone B) and HLA (Lexus Zone C).

16V577000 · ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

Filed 2016-08-03 · 425 vehicles

Defect: Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2015 Toyota 4Runner vehicles manufactured September 3, 2009, to December 1, 2014. The affected vehicles may be equipped with accessory exhaust tips installed by SET or SET dealers that may contact people and possibly burn them while they are standing behind the vehicle.

Risk: Contact with an exhaust tip may result in personal injury.

Remedy: 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 September 15, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET16D.

15V515000 · ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

Filed 2015-08-13 · 2,530 vehicles

Defect: Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2015 Toyota 4Runner vehicles manufactured March 29, 2010, to July 30, 2015. The affected vehicles may be equipped with accessory exhaust tips installed by SET or SET dealers that may contact people and possibly burn them while they are standing behind the vehicle.

Risk: Contact with an exhaust tip may result in personal injury.

Remedy: 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. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for the recall is SET15D.

13V014000 · SEATS | AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE

Filed 2013-01-16 · 3,235 vehicles

Defect: Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.

Risk: If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.

Remedy: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.

12V120000 · EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL

Filed 2012-03-23 · 363 vehicles

Defect: GULF STATES TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 4RUNNER AND SIENNA VEHICLES, EQUIPPED WITH NON-ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT REMOTE ENGINE STARTERS. A MALFUNCTION IN THE AUDIOVOX ELECTRONICS BRAND REMOTE ENGINE STARTER MODULE CAN PREVENT NORMAL COMMUNICATION OF THE VEHICLE’S CONTROLLER AREA NETWORK (CAN).

Risk: IF THIS CONDITION OCCURS, ANTILOCK BRAKING AND STABILITY CONTROL MAY BE LOST, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. DRIVERS SHOULD RECEIVE DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS WARNING THEM OF A MALFUNCTION.

Remedy: GULF STATES TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REMOTE ENGINE STARTER WITH A NEW ONE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT JUNE 4, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-444-1074.

Federal investigations

ActionComponentOpenedClosedRecall
EA21002AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE2021-09-17open

EA21002: Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

Engines and fuel economy

VersionEngineTransmissionDriveCityHwyCombinedFuel cost / yr
4Runner 2WD4.0L 6cylAutomatic (S5)Rear-Wheel Drive172319$3300
4Runner 4WD4.0L 6cylAutomatic (S5)4-Wheel Drive172219$3300
4Runner 4WD4.0L 6cylAutomatic (S5)Part-time 4-Wheel Drive172219$3300

Fuel cost is EPA's estimate at the fuel prices of its last update, not today's.

Crash test ratings (NCAP)

VariantOverallFrontalSideRollover
2012 Toyota 4Runner SUV 2WD★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★★☆☆
2012 Toyota 4Runner SUV AWD★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★★☆☆

Service bulletins

Toyota issued 356 service bulletins listed against this model year, most often about equipment.

A bulletin tells dealers how to fix a known condition. It is not a recall and not a defect finding. Most bulletins cover several model years at once, so one listed here may not be specific to this year. The number of bulletins tracks how long and how widely a model was sold, so it is not a measure of reliability.

DateComponentSummary
2026-01-07UNKNOWN OR OTHERSome 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Serv…
2024-12-06STRUCTURE:BODYAcid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood…
2024-12-06STRUCTURE:BODYTo prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and in…
2024-12-06STRUCTURE:BODYThe condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. If these contaminants settle and remain on a painted vehicl…
2024-12-05STRUCTURE:BODYToyota vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal painted surfaces. This material protects from acid rain, environmental fallout, and rail contamination. Follow the Removal Procedure …
2024-12-03STRUCTURE:BODYVehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad tracks, train wheels, exposure to heavy machinery facilities, grinding, welding, etc. This type of contamination can be identified by the …
2024-07-29STRUCTURE:BODYSome 2005 – 2024 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Serv…
2024-07-29STRUCTURE:BODYSome 2005 – 2024 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Serv…
2024-07-12STRUCTURE:BODYAcid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood…
2024-07-12STRUCTURE:BODYTo prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and in…

How to read this page

Complaint counts are not failure rates. A model that sells more cars draws more complaints, and owners file more often after news coverage or a recall. That is why this page compares a model year only with other years of the same generation, never with other models.

Each complaint is counted once, even when it names several components; a complaint that names several systems appears under each of them. Owner reports are quoted as filed and have not been verified by NHTSA or by us.

Every model year of this 4Runner, including the ones without a page of their own, is listed on the Toyota 4Runner model page.

Sources

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: complaints, recalls and investigations (bulk files, data as of 2026-10-28).
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program: crash test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov: engines, transmissions and fuel economy.

MotorAlmanac is independent and not affiliated with NHTSA, EPA or any manufacturer. This page summarises public records; it is not a mechanical inspection. Before buying a used car, check its VIN for open recalls and have it inspected.