Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1998 Toyota 4 Runner, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Tires29
- Suspension17
- Engine and engine cooling15
- Service brakes, hydraulic9
- Electrical system7
- Power train7
- Seat belts7
- Structure6
- Steering6
- Vehicle speed control5
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 20 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 64 1998 4 Runner vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 45 people died inside them, and 35 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
In the United Kingdom
2 cars built in 1998 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 1 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
Recalls
No recall campaigns cover the 1998 Toyota 4 Runner.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Toyota told its dealers about the 1998 Toyota 4 Runner: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 629499 | INFORMATION REGARDING REAR SUSPENSION MODIFICATION. *YH |
| 628690 | SUBJECT REGARDING SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGN TO MODIFY THE REAR SUSPENSION. *TT |
| 622728 | INFORMATION REGARDING SHOULDER BELT ANCHOR TAPE SET. *JB |
| 616094 | SUBJECT REGARDING NEW FRONT BRAKE PAD KITS TO REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF FRONT BRAKE VIBRATION. *TT |
| 616075 | FRONT BRAKE VIBRATION. *TT |
| 610975 | SUBJECT REGARDING VEHICLES EXPERIENCING VACUUM SWITCHING VALVE MOUNT TICKING NOISE. *TT |
| 610052 | THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES THE LOCATION OF THE GREASE FITTINGS FOR THE PROPELLER SHAFT JOINTS AS WELL AS THE TYPE OF GREASE TO USE WITH EACH FITTING LOCATION. *TT |
| 6088659 | THIS SERVICE BULLETIN PROVIDES THE LOCATION OF THE GREASE FITTINGS FOR THE PROPELLER SHAFT JOINTS. *TT |
| 608086 | THIS BULLETIN INTRODUCES INFORMATION ON THE LOWER FRONT SEAT BELT ANCHOR SHAPE WHICH HAS BEEN CHANGED TO PREVENT STAINS IN THE CARPETING FROM TRANSFERRING ONTO THE SEAT BELT WEBBING FOR VEHICLES BUILT WITHIN CERTAIN VIN RANGES. *TT |
| 606188 | CONDITIONS WITH DELAYED UPSHIFT TO OVERDRIVE WITH CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED. *TT |
| 606187 | SOME VEHICLES WITHIN CERTAIN VIN RANGES MAY EXHIBIT VACUUM SWITCHING VALVE (VSV) TICKING NOISE. *TT |
| 604667 | SUBJECT REGARDING TOYOTA DINGHY TOWING GUIDE. *TT |
| 604644 | PRODUCTION CHANGES TO THE COWL TOP LOUVER AND HEATER UNIT HAVE BEEN MADE TO IMPROVE RESISTANCE TO SNOW ENTRY INTO THE HEATER UNIT AND IMPROVE DURABILITY OF AIR MIX DOOR ON VEHICLES WITHIN CERTAIN VIN RANGES. *TT |
| 603031 | INFORMATION ON OXYGEN SENSOR IMPROVEMENT. *YC |
| 601597 | INFORMATION ON 4RUNNER REAR SUSPENSION. *YC |
| 600683 | CONDITION WITH A/C INDICATOR LIGHT OPERATION IN DEFROSTER MODE. *YC |
| 600349 | SOME AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS MAY PRODUCE A CHATTER NOISE WHEN SHIFTED OUT OT REVERSE INTO EITHER NEUTRAL OR PARK. *YC |
| 10010473 | OWNER RENOTIFICATION OF NON-COMPLETED SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGNS AND LIMITED SERVICE CAMPAIGNS. *TT |
| 10004671 | SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGN (SSC) - 20A RENOTIFICATION REAR SUSPENSION MODIFICATION FOR OWNERS WHOSE VEHICLES HAVE NOT YET HAD SSC 20A REPAIRS COMPLETED. *TT |
| 10003563 | SPARE TIRE CARRIER OPERATION. VARIOUS MODLELS INCLUDING THE 2004 LANDCRUISER AND 4 RUNNER. *TT |
| 10000267 | SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGN 20A REGARDING RENOTIFICATION OF REAR SUSPENSION MODIFICATION. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)