2021 Toyota 4Runner Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
BestComplaint Index
20/100
#13 most-complained of 16 4Runner years
The 2021 Toyota 4Runner ranks 13th out of 16 model years tracked, with a complaint index of 20 and a "Best" verdict relative to other 4Runner years. NHTSA lists 36 complaints, 1 recall, and a median failure mileage of 637.
- Complaints
- 36
- Recalls
- 1
- Crashes / fires
- 3 / 1
- Injuries / deaths
- 1 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 4 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 17
- 16 city / 19 hwy
Top 2021 Toyota 4Runner problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Steering13 (36%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires12 (33%)
- Brakes6 (17%)
- Electrical System6 (17%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras4 (11%)
- Visibility & Wipers3 (8%)
- Other2 (6%)
- Structure & Body2 (6%)
- Airbags1 (3%)
- Engine1 (3%)
What owners report
- Steering shudders or shakes at highway speeds between 55 and 70 mph, sometimes making the vehicle feel hard to control.
- Steering pulls to the right around 60 to 63 mph, with dealers reportedly calling the behavior normal.
- Brake pedal reportedly goes to the floor with no warning, in one case after cruise control failed to disengage.
- Sunroof reportedly shattered while driving around 70 mph, sending glass into the cabin.
- Backup camera reportedly fails intermittently, leading to a reversing collision when the driver expected a live image.
- One vehicle reportedly caught fire while parked in a garage, becoming a total loss.
2021 Toyota 4Runner recalls
1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.
- NHTSA 22V480000Jul 6, 2022Other280 vehicles
Equipment:other:labels
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2020-2022 4Runner vehicles equipped with 20-inch Black Gunner Wheels. The load carrying capacity modification labels are incorrect. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk: An incorrect label may lead to unintentionally overloading the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: SET will mail replacement labels to owners, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 4, 2022. Owners may contact SET's customer service at 954-429-2000. SET's number for this recall is SET22A.
2021 Toyota 4Runner fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 16 MPG
- Highway
- 19 MPG
- Combined
- 17 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,800
- 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.
2021 compared with other 4Runner years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2021 Toyota 4Runner reliable?
- Compared with other 4Runner model years, 2021 ranks 13th out of 16 with a complaint index of 20 and a "Best" verdict. It has 36 NHTSA complaints and only 1 recall.
- What is the top problem area for the 2021 Toyota 4Runner?
- Steering is the top problem area, accounting for 13 complaints, or 36% of all complaints filed for this year, with a median failure mileage of 350.
- Does the 2021 Toyota 4Runner have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2021 4Runner, campaign 22V480000, covering incorrect load-carrying capacity labels on vehicles with 20-inch Black Gunner Wheels.
- How does the 2021 4Runner compare to other years?
- With a complaint index of 20, 2021 is far below years like 2023 (93), 2025 (100), and 2011 (87), which carry "Avoid" verdicts, making 2021 one of the better years for this model.