1990 Toyota 4runner recalls & complaints
Source: NHTSA, updated daily. Last checked 2026-10-20. Recalls apply to specific VINs — run your VIN to confirm.
2 safety recalls, most serious first
1. Steering
What's wrong, in plain English: If steering fails you can lose control of the car. ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, IF THE STEERING WHEEL IS REPEATEDLY TURNED UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS WHERE HIGH STEERING EFFORT AND POWER ASSIST ARE REQUIRED, FOR INSTANCE, WHEN FULLY TURNING THE WHEEL WHILE THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED, A FATIGUE CRACK MAY DEVELOP IN THE STEERING RELAY ROD.
What could happen: IF THE VEHICLE IS CONTINUED TO BE OPERATED IN THIS CONDITION, THE RELAY ROD MAY FRACTURE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STEERING RELAY ROD. THE RECALL BEGAN OCTOBER 5, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
What to do
- Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 1990 4RUNNER.
- Book a repair at any authorized Toyota dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 05V389000.
- The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
- Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-331-4331.
- Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.
Official wording from NHTSA
Component: STEERING:LINKAGES:ROD:RELAY:CONNECTING
Summary: ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, IF THE STEERING WHEEL IS REPEATEDLY TURNED UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS WHERE HIGH STEERING EFFORT AND POWER ASSIST ARE REQUIRED, FOR INSTANCE, WHEN FULLY TURNING THE WHEEL WHILE THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED, A FATIGUE CRACK MAY DEVELOP IN THE STEERING RELAY ROD.
Consequence: IF THE VEHICLE IS CONTINUED TO BE OPERATED IN THIS CONDITION, THE RELAY ROD MAY FRACTURE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STEERING RELAY ROD. THE RECALL BEGAN OCTOBER 5, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
Notes: TOYOTA RECALL NO. SSC 50N. CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.
2. Lights
What's wrong, in plain English: Headlights, tail lights or turn signals may not work, making the car hard to see. CERTAIN CK MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION HEADLIGHTS, CLEAR CORNER, BUMPER, AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
What could happen: WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
The fix: CK MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE NONCOMPLIANT LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CK MOTORSPORT AT 1-909-610-7211.
What to do
- Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 1990 4RUNNER.
- Book a repair at any authorized Toyota dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 06E049000.
- The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
- Manufacturer hotline: 1-909-610-7211.
- Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.
Official wording from NHTSA
Component: EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Summary: CERTAIN CK MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION HEADLIGHTS, CLEAR CORNER, BUMPER, AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
Consequence: WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy: CK MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE NONCOMPLIANT LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CK MOTORSPORT AT 1-909-610-7211.
Notes: THIS RECALL ONLY PERTAINS TO AFTERMARKET REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT AND HAS NO RELATION TO ANY ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT INSTALLED ON VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BY THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE LAMP MODEL NUMBERS, CLICK ON DOCUMENT SEARCH AND VIEW DOCUMENT TITLED "LAMP MODEL NUMBERS." CUSTOMERS MAY CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.
Useful for owners
- OBD2 code reader — see what the car's computer is reporting
- Compact car fire extinguisher
- 1990 Toyota 4runner owner's manual
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Most complained-about parts: Engine (41), Transmission / drivetrain (15), Brakes (9), Body / structure (8), Hydraulic (7).
Complaints are unverified reports from owners. A pattern (many complaints about the same part) matters more than any single one.
Read recent complaints (8)
04/26/2018 · Unknown Or Other
CLUTCH/BRAKE PEDAL BRACKET BROKE/CRACKED AFTER PRESSING THE CLUTCH PEDAL. WAS ORIGINALLY DIAGNOSED AS A BAD CLUTCH AND ALMOST PULLED THE PLUG TO GET THE CLUTCH REPLACED. WOULD HAVE BEEN A LOAD OF WASTED MONEY ON A POOR DIAGNOSIS. PEDAL BRACKET CRACKED WITH CLUTCH PEDAL WAS PRESSED TO START THE CAR. HEARD LOUR CRACK, CAR STARTED, BUT WOULD NOT GO INTO…
04/12/2016 · Engine
THIS SPECIFIC TOYOTA FORERUNNER MODEL HAD A RECALL FOR GASKET FAILURE. WE HAD IT REPLACED AT APPX 74,000 MILES DONE BY TOYOTA AS A COURTESY RECALL. THIS TRUCK CURRENTLY HAS VERY LOW MILEAGE CONSIDERING THE AGE OF THE TRUCK, ABOUT 148,000 MILES. IT RECENTLY ALMOST CAUGHT FIRE OVERHEATING AFTER ANOTHER GASKET FAILURE. WE FEEL THAT EITHER THE ORIGINAL REPAIR…
10/03/2012 · Transmission / drivetrain
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1990 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRACKET SUB-ASSEMBLY THAT HELD THE CLUTCH AND BRAKE PEDAL WAS FRACTURED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL OR THE CLUTCH. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE FAILURE AT LEAST THREE TIMES IN LESS THAN ONE YEAR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE WHO OFFERED NO ASS…
06/14/2011 · Engine
FAN BLADE DISINTEGRATED AT HIGHWAY SPEED. DENTED HOOD, CRACKED BATTERY, RUINED SHROUD AND ALTERNATOR BELT. *TR
12/04/2006 · Body / structure
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE. THE WELDS ON THE REAR SUBFRAME OF THE VEHICLE POPPED AND FRACTURED WHICH CAUSED THE READ END TO FALL OFF. THE WELD DID NOT FRACTURE, BUT INSTEAD POPPED AWAY FROM THE REAR END WHICH HELD THE REAR SWAY BAR ONTO THE AXLE. THE WELDS POPPED ON BOTH SIDES. THE TRUCK HAD NEVER HAD A…
03/23/2006 · Engine
I BROUGHT MY TOYOTA TO THE REPAIR SHOP,THE REPAIRMAN TOLD ME MY CAR HAS A DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET AND TOLD ME TO CALL THE TOYOTA DEALER FOR REPAIR. I CALLED THE DEALER THEY TOLD ME THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD BEEN REPAIRED. THEY WILL NOT PAY FOR IT AGAIN. I THINK THAT IS NOT FAIR FOR A CONSUMER TO PAY FOR A DEFECTIVE ENGINE. KEEPS BLOWING HEAD GASKET BUT ONLY R…
03/08/2006 · Steering · crash
1990 4 RUNNER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHICH OCCURRED DUE TO FAULTY STEERING RELAY ROD. *TS THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL FOR THE STEERING RELAY ROD SEVERAL YEARS AFTER THE COMPONENT HAD ALREADY FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A SINGLE CAR ACCIDENT IN WHICH THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER. CONSEQUENTLY THE CONSUMER SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES AND THE VEHI…
11/21/2005 · Transmission / drivetrain
CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET FAILURE NO EVENTS WERE PRESENT LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE OF MY CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET ASSEMBLY. WHILE APPROACHING A STOPLIGHT IN TRAFFIC I DEPRESSED MY CLUTCH PEDAL IN ORDER TO GEAR DOWN FOR THE STOP. WHILE DEPRESSING THE PEDAL I HEARD A LOUD SNAP - THE SOUND OF THE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET BREAKING. WITH THE BRACKET BROKEN THERE WAS NO…