MyCarTSB

2008 Toyota 4runner Steering Problems

5 owner-reported steering complaints from NHTSA data

5
Complaints
1
Crashes
Jan 2009Dec 2020
Date Range

Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.

Owner Complaints (5)

criticalSTEERING,POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES
CrashFiled: Dec 2020

Your vehicle's check engine light came on because the gas cap wasn't sealing properly. When this happened, your stability control and traction control systems were automatically disabled, which caused your car to lose control on wet roads and prevented it from recovering. A faulty gas cap shouldn't disable your safety systems, but it did in this case. The fix will involve replacing the gas cap and having a mechanic diagnose why the engine disabled stability control over this issue.

Parts you may need:

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NHTSA #: 11383082
mediumSTEERING,ENGINE
Filed: Sep 2018

WHENEVER I ACCELERATE ON THE UPHILL OR HIGH ACCELERATE THEN ODOR BECAME REALLY HORRIBLE, HARSH SMELL, SMELL LIKE TNT FIREWORK, EITHER MATCHES THEN EGG ROTTEN. I SUSPECT THE EXHAUST SYSTEM SEEM FAULTY. I WENT MULTIPLE AUTO SHOP THEY MENTION IT COULD BE RELATED TO EXHAUST MANIFOLD BUT WHEN I DESCRIBED THAT THE ODOR CAME OUT FROM OUTSIDE NOT INTERIOR AIR VENT THEN THEY STARTED TO RE-CHECK MY EXHAUST AND SAID I AM ALL GOOD TO DRIVE AS WELL, ITS "OK". THE ODOR IS FRUSTRATING, ANNOYING. AND THE STEERING, I DON'T KNOW HOW DID MY CV AXLE IS LEAKING, I HOPEFULLY IT WILL NOT BREAK OUT WHEN I'M DRIVING TO OTHER STATE.

NHTSA #: 11131095
mediumSTEERING,SUSPENSION
Filed: Feb 2011

A STEERING VIBRATION OCCURS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS BETWEEN 65 MPH TO 80 MPH. A NEW SET OF TIRES WHERE INSTALLED AND BALANCED PROPERLY AT DISCOUNT TIRE BUT THE STEERING VIBRATION WOULD NOT GO AWAY. THEN I HAD THE STORE CHANGE THE TIRES AND INSTALL ANOTHER SET OF FOUR THINKING BAD TIRES WHERE INSTALLED. THE TIRES ARE DUNLOP GRANDTREK AT 20 WHAT TOYOTA ORIGINALLY PUTS ON THE CAR. HOWEVER, THE STEERING VIBRATION IS STILL THERE. I HAVE HAD THE TIRES BALANCED A MULTIPLE TIMES AND THE PROBLEM IS NOT FIXED. I EVEN TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TO BALANCE THEM AND THEY ALSO CHECKED THE STEERING AND SUSPENSIONS AND TIRES AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG. HOWEVER, THERE IS STILL VIBRATIONS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.

NHTSA #: 10383872
mediumSTEERING
Filed: Feb 2010

MY FIANCE HAD PURCHASED A 2008 4 RUNNER FROM A LOCAL DEALER ABOUT 1 AND 1/2 YEARS AGO . WE'VE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE ALIGNMENT ON THIS VEHICLE, WHICH HAVWE3 BEEN LOOKED AT, AND SUPPOSIDLY "FIXED" BEFORE. THE LAST TIME IT WAS "FIXED" WAS ABOUTN 6 MONTHS AGO. TODAY WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE RIDDEN , FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, IN IT. WE TOOK ABOUT A 3 6 HOUR TRIP IN IT AND WITHIN ABOUT AN HOUR OR TWO I WAS ON THE PHONE WITH OUR TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TRYING TO GET IT FIXED FOR HER. ME BEING AN ALFRED STATE GRADUATE AND AROUND CARS ALL OF MY LIFE KNOW THAT SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT. FEELS LIKE THERE IS NOT ENOUGH CASTER IN THE VEHICLE. IT DARTS LANES . I WAS NONE THE LESS AGGRIVATED WHEN SHE CALLED ME CRYING TELLING ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH HER VEHICLE, OR AS THE TECH HAD TOLD HER "IT WAS NORMAL. THIS WILL BECOME A PROBLEM WHEN HER VEHICLE DARTS TO ANOTHER LANE, KILLS SOMEONE, AND WE ARE LEFT TO PAY FOR SUCH AND UNFORTUNATE SITUATION. THE ONLY THING THAT THE DEALERSHIP CAN DO IS REFUND HER EXTENDED WARRANTY MONEY THAT AT CLOSING, THAT WAS TOLD TO US, WAS TOLD TO US WAS IT ONLY DID NOT COVER BRAKES AND TIRES. THIS IS NOT A PITTY LETTER BUT A PLEASE HELP US AND OTHERS THAT MAY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL ME THERE IS MORE TO THE STORY. *TR

NHTSA #: 10310263
mediumSTEERING
Filed: Jan 2009

EVERY TIME I TAKE A TIGHT LEFT U TURN, WITH MY 2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER, A METAL TO METAL THUMPING SOUND OCCURS. MY TOYOTA SERVICE MAN SAID THAT THIS IS NORMAL. THAT TOYOTA NO LONGER PROVIDES A RUBBER PIECE BETWEEN THE TWO OFFENDING METAL PARTS LIKE IT DID IN THE PREVIOUS GENERATIONS OF 4 RUNNERS. *TR

NHTSA #: 10253427

Other 2008 Toyota 4runner Issues