1996 Toyota 4 Runner Recalls
No NHTSA recalls on record for the 1996 Toyota 4 Runner. That means NHTSA has no open safety campaign for this vehicle — it does not guarantee the absence of problems. Owners have filed 111 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine and engine cooling. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Complaints by component
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.
“Hello, I was involved in an auto accident over this weekend due to a defective tire. The tire blew for no apparent reason causing me to lose control of the vehicle and smashing into a cement concrete divider. The tire is a goodyear wrangler rt/s. I did some research on the internet and found many…”
“Happened to noticed fluid around rim. Repeated rear axle seal leak. Believe back spacing of seal against the abs ring is of a quarter of inch. Causing vehicle to vibrate and create loud grinding hum. Brakes have become soaked in gear oil. Causing brakes to lock up and smoke profusely.…”
“Happened to noticed fluid around rim. Repeated rear axle seal leak. Believe back spacing of seal against the abs ring is of a quarter of inch. Causing vehicle to vibrate and create loud grinding hum. Brakes have become soaked in gear oil. Causing brakes to lock up and smoke profusely.…”
“Oil sludge problem. Coolant is leaking and oil sludge is building up within the manifold. It is using 2 to 3 quarts of oil on a monthly basis and smoking will badly when first cranked. Car checked by toyota dealership and says nothing is wrong with car. *jb”
“While driving at 120 kmph, the front driver side tire blew. The consumer managed to pull over and changed the tire. The dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. The cause was not determined. Dunlop#26560r16 dot#db72a16 . *la *la”
“Consistent brake pad cracking on toyota high performance, trd, brakes. The trd semi-metallic brake pads have been replaced twice in the last 6 weeks after hearing and feeling grinding noises when brakes are applied. Inspection with the dealer verified that the contact portion of the brake pads…”
“I have a 1996 4runner and I have noticed that it vibrates when I brake hard, especially when I go downhill. I can feel it in the steering wheel. When I applied the brakes my truck started shaking like a earthquake. It was very serious. I almost lost control and I could have died. It only has about…”
“Head gasket blew on 5vz-fe engine. This was exactly 3 years & 53k miles after the toyota ssc (special service campaign) x01. In which they replaced the faulty head gaskets on my 4runner. Also replaced at the time were the; timing belt, water pump, & thermostat. The truck has had all of it's…”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1996 Toyota 4 Runner as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.