Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
2012 Toyota 4runner — Known Issues & Recalls
Complaints from Jan 2015 to Dec 2014
The most reported issue is air bags problems (70 complaints). 5 complaints involved crashes. 1 involved fire.
Open Safety Recalls (8)
NHTSA Campaign: 19V005000
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
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.
Fix: 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.
NHTSA Campaign: 19V741000
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
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.
Fix: 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.
NHTSA Campaign: 17V425000
Component: STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
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.
Fix: 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.
NHTSA Campaign: 17V006000
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
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.
Fix: 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).
NHTSA Campaign: 16V577000
Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
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.
Fix: 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.
NHTSA Campaign: 15V515000
Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
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.
Fix: 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.
NHTSA Campaign: 12V120000
Component: EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
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 VEHICLES 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.
Fix: 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.
NHTSA Campaign: 13V014000
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE
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.
Fix: 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.
Owner-Reported Issues (20 of 96)
Air Bags →11 issues
Your 2012 Toyota 4Runner is subject to a safety recall involving the Takata front passenger airbag inflator. You requested that a recall notice be mailed to your current address. You should expect to receive information about scheduling service to have this airbag component replaced.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Your 2012 Toyota 4Runner is subject to an airbag recall, but Toyota has been unable to complete the replacement while you're stationed overseas in the Netherlands. The recall parts were unavailable before your military transfer but became available afterward, and you're concerned this unresolved safety issue may affect your vehicle when you return to the U.S. You'll need to contact Toyota or work with a U.S.-based dealership to schedule the airbag replacement once you're able to access service.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Your 4Runner's airbags failed to deploy when you crashed into a tree at 18 mph after swerving to avoid a head-on collision. Both you and your passenger were injured—your passenger dislocated their shoulder and sustained leg injuries, and you both experienced whiplash. Even though your vehicle had airbag recall work done in 2019, the airbags did not activate during this crash. Fixing this will likely require Toyota to diagnose why the airbag system failed to trigger and may involve replacing the airbag control module or sensors.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Your 2012 4Runner was involved in a crash with a tree at approximately 30 mph after you lost control on snow while swerving to avoid an oncoming vehicle. The airbags did not deploy during the impact, and both you and your passenger sustained significant injuries including hand, shoulder, and leg injuries. The dashboard area also shifted forward 6-8 inches during the crash. A repair or inspection of the airbag system and dashboard structural integrity may be needed to understand why the safety systems did not function as expected.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Your vehicle has a recalled Takata airbag that needs to be replaced. You contacted your dealer a couple of months ago to get it fixed, but as of December 2017, the dealer hasn't taken any action to address the problem. You'll need to follow up with your dealer or contact Toyota directly to schedule the airbag replacement under the recall.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Your 4Runner has airbags that are part of a Takata safety recall. This is a manufacturer-identified safety defect that needs to be corrected. You should contact your Toyota dealer as soon as possible to have the airbags inspected and replaced under the recall program at no cost to you.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Your 2012 Toyota 4Runner is subject to a Takata airbag recall (campaign 17V006000), which you were notified about in February 2017. The dealer has stated that the replacement airbag parts needed for the repair are unavailable and the recall work cannot be completed. The repair will involve replacing your vehicle's airbags with parts from Toyota.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Your vehicle is subject to a Takata airbag recall. This is a safety-related defect that should be addressed as soon as possible. You should contact a Toyota dealership to have the affected airbags inspected and replaced if necessary.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
You received a recall notice for your 2012 Toyota 4Runner's airbags (NHTSA Campaign 19V005000), but the repair has been delayed beyond a reasonable timeframe. Your dealership confirmed that the replacement parts needed for the recall aren't currently in stock, and Toyota couldn't provide a timeline for when they would become available. The fix will require replacing the affected airbag components once parts are back in supply.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Your 2012 Toyota 4Runner is part of a Takata airbag recall (NHTSA Campaign 17V006000), and you've been notified about it. When you contacted Sun Toyota to schedule the repair, they told you that replacement parts aren't currently available. This means the recall repair can't be completed until parts are back in stock.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Your 4Runner is subject to a Takata airbag recall. Although you haven't experienced any incidents or problems with the airbags, the manufacturer has identified a safety defect that requires the airbags to be inspected and potentially replaced. You should contact your Toyota dealer to schedule a recall service appointment at no cost to you.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Engine →1 issue
Your engine's coolant warning light came on, and within 5-10 minutes your 4Runner overheated. After letting it cool, you drove it to the dealership the next day. The dealer found that your cylinder heads are cracked and need to be replaced. The dealer mentioned this is happening to multiple vehicles in the 70k-80k mile range and that Toyota has upgraded the cylinder head design on newer models.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic,vehicle Speed Control,electronic Stability Control (esc) →1 issue
Your son was unable to stop the vehicle and collided with another car after applying the brakes, which felt like the vehicle accelerated instead. You suspect an issue with how the anti-lock braking system, electronic stability control, and panic braking system communicate with each other and respond to speed and road conditions. The vehicle is now held by your insurance company, and you want to determine if a vehicle defect contributed to the accident.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Steering →1 issue
Your steering wheel shakes noticeably when driving between 60–65 mph on the highway, which you find unsafe and annoying. This is a reported issue affecting multiple model years of 4Runners. The shake occurs consistently at those speeds regardless of road conditions.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Fuel System, Gasoline →1 issue
Your vehicle suddenly lost power and stalled while driving at 50 MPH with no warning light. The dealer diagnosed a failed fuel pump that had disintegrated inside the tank and needed replacement. After the repair was completed, Toyota confirmed your vehicle's VIN wasn't part of a recall for this issue.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Fuel System, Other →1 issue
Your 4Runner unexpectedly slows down from highway speed (70-75 mph) to 40 mph without warning, then speeds back up again. This has happened multiple times over the past 3-4 months and created a safety hazard when a truck nearly hit you from behind. A shop diagnosed the problem as a failing fuel pump, though your dealer initially couldn't identify the cause. While Toyota has issued recalls for fuel pump problems on 2013-2020 models, your 2012 isn't covered. Fixing this will likely require fuel pump replacement or repair.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Fuel/propulsion System →1 issue
Your car suddenly shut off while you were leaving a parking lot and turning onto the street, even though the fuel gauge showed about 1/4 tank of gas remaining. When you checked, the gas tank was actually empty, meaning the fuel gauge was giving a false reading. This likely requires replacement or recalibration of the fuel gauge sender unit in your gas tank.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Steering,unknown Or Other →1 issue
Your horn has stopped working due to a faulty clock spring in the steering column—the wiring that connects your horn through the steering wheel. A mechanic diagnosed that the clock spring needs replacement, which costs around $1,020. You're concerned this is a safety issue since horns are legally required, and you worry it could also prevent your airbags from deploying if the steering column wiring is compromised.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Electrical System,unknown Or Other →1 issue
Your backup camera display isn't working reliably. When you shift into reverse, the screen either doesn't show the camera view or displays something else instead. After several reverse shifts, it often stops working altogether, but may start working again on its own after a day or two. The fix will likely involve inspecting the camera connection, wiring, or the display unit itself to find the intermittent electrical fault.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Unknown Or Other →1 issue
Your vehicle's frame and gas tank protective shield are rusting much faster than normal. This accelerated corrosion could potentially compromise the structural integrity and safety of these components over time. The issue may require inspection and possible replacement of the affected metal parts.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Get notified when any of these become free repairs
We'll alert you if a new recall is issued for your vehicle — that means a free fix at the dealer.
Related Vehicles
Other Toyota 4runner years: