YearToAvoid

2005 Toyota 4Runner Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Avoid The 2005 Toyota 4Runner has 425 NHTSA complaints and a complaint index of 90, ranking 3rd worst of 21 model years, with a verdict of Avoid. Structure & Body issues dominate at 45% of complaints, alongside 5 recalls including one for airbag control module reprogramming.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
90/100
#3 of 21 4Runner years
Verdict
Avoid
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
425
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
5
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
19
reported in complaints
Fires
3
Injuries
13
Top issue
Structure & Body
Best nearby year
2013
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
16.5
15 city / 18.5 hwy
Injuries / deaths
13 / 0

Top 2005 Toyota 4Runner problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Structure & Body191 (45%)
  2. Suspension, Wheels & Tires92 (22%)
  3. Other68 (16%)
  4. Engine56 (13%)
  5. Brakes36 (8%)
  6. Steering29 (7%)
  7. Transmission & Powertrain25 (6%)
  8. Visibility & Wipers25 (6%)
  9. Airbags19 (4%)
  10. Electrical System9 (2%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Owners report sudden unintended acceleration at low speeds, including while parking or pulling into a garage, sometimes crashing into walls or structures.
  • Some drivers say the brakes failed to stop the vehicle during these lunges, even with the brake pedal fully applied.
  • Multiple owners report the front airbags did not deploy during moderate-to-severe frontal or rear-end collisions.
  • One owner described a rear window that shattered while the vehicle was parked, with a dealer unable to explain the cause and an independent inspection finding a burned circuit board.
  • A driver reported a loud clicking noise in the braking system paired with a sudden lurch forward and brake failure on the freeway.
2005 Toyota 4Runner complaints: complaints filed per quarter252005 Q12008 Q22011 Q12014 Q12016 Q42019 Q32022 Q22025 Q4
425 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2005 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2018 Q3 (25).

2005 Toyota 4Runner recalls

5 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 16V396000Jun 2, 2016Structure & Body7,749 vehicles

    Seats:front assembly:seat heater/cooler

    Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011 Camry hybrid, 2009-2010 Venza, 2010-2012 Prius, 1988-1990 and 2005-2010 Camry, and 1989 and 2009-2010 Corolla vehicles equipped with aftermarket accessory seat heaters with a copper strand heating element. The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.

    Risk: If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET number for this recall is SET16B.

  2. NHTSA 16V065000Feb 5, 2016Airbags320,409 vehicles

    Air bags:side/window

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Toyota Land Cruiser and Lexus LX470, 2005-2006 Toyota Tundra and Sequoia, 2004-2006 Toyota 4Runner and Lexus GX470 vehicles equipped with side curtain-shield-air bags. The affected vehicles have an air bag control module that may be improperly programmed, causing the side curtain-shield-air bags to deploy inadvertently.

    Risk: If the side curtain-shield-air bags deploy unexpectedly, it can increase the risk of occupant injury.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag control module with one that has improved programming, free of charge. The recall began on December 1, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-271-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is G0C and GLB.

  3. NHTSA 11V113000Feb 24, 2011Engine1,363,244 vehicles

    Vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal

    Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 through 2011 lexus lx570, 2003 through 2009 toyota 4runner, and 2006 through 2010 rav4 vehicles. The accelerator pedal can get stuck in the wide open position due to its being trapped by an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat.

    Risk: A stuck open accelerator pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death.

    Remedy: The remedy is now available. The safety recall began early april 2011. The remedy will involve modification or replacement of the accelerator pedal and replacement of any toyota all-weather floor mat. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331 or lexus at 1-800-255-3987.

See all 5 recalls for the 2005 Toyota 4Runner →

2005 Toyota 4Runner fuel economy and fuel cost

City
15 MPG
Highway
18.5 MPG
Combined
16.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,925
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2005 compared with other 4Runner years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2005Avoid90425516.5
2006Avoid100381516.5
2007Caution60154517

All Toyota 4Runner years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2005 Toyota 4Runner reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2005 4Runner ranks 3rd worst of 21 model years for this model, with a complaint index of 90 and a verdict of Avoid relative to other 4Runner years.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Toyota 4Runner?
Structure & Body complaints make up 45% of all reports, followed by Suspension, Wheels & Tires at 22% and Engine issues at 13%, according to NHTSA data.
Does the 2005 Toyota 4Runner have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2005 4Runner, covering areas including Structure & Body, Airbags, Engine, and tire selection/rim labeling compliance.
What year 4Runner should I avoid instead of 2005?
The 2006 model year has a higher complaint index of 100 and is also rated Avoid, while 2010, 2011, and 2023 also carry Avoid verdicts among 4Runner model years.
How many complaints does the 2005 4Runner have involving crashes?
NHTSA data shows 19 crashes and 13 injuries linked to complaints on the 2005 4Runner, with no reported deaths.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.