THE BRAKES OF THE VEHICLE SLIP. WHEN YOU ARE ON THE FREEWAY AND YOU NEED TO STOP FOR ACCIDENTS AND YOU BRAKE THE VEHICLE SLIPS AND ALMOST WANTS TO ROLE OVER. WHEN THE VEHICLE COMES TO COMPLETE STOP AFTER A FEW SECONDS IT MOVES FORWARD ALMOST 6 INCHES. THERE COULD BE SEVERAL…

12/19/2014 · NHTSA ODI #10667278.0

2012 4Runner · electrical

THE BACKUP CAMERA DOES NOT WORK CONSISTENTLY. WHILE NOT MOVING AND THEN SHIFITING INTO REVERSE, THE SCREEN DOES NOT CHANGE OR CHANGES TO SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE CAMERA. IT USUALLY STOPS WORKING AFTER SEVERAL STOPS AND SHIFTS INTO REVERSE. SOMETIMES IT GOES 2 OR 3 DAYS WITHOUT…

12/15/2020 · NHTSA ODI #11383575.0

2012 4Runner · airbags

"TAKATA RECALL" I CONTACTED THE AUTO DEALER WHO SOLD THE VEHICLE, IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE AIR BAG ISSUE. THAT WAS A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. AS OF TODAT (DEC 15, 2017) THE DEALER TAKES NO ACTION TO FIX IT.

12/15/2017 · NHTSA ODI #11054959.0

2012 4Runner · steering

THE WIRING IN MY STEERING COLUMN CONNECTED TO THE HORN IN THE CLOCK SPRING HAS CAUSED MY HORN TO NOT WORK . I GOT MY CAR DIAGNOSED AND THEY SAID THAT THE CLOCK SPRING NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. IT COST $1020.31 TO GET FIXED. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS NOTHING I CAUSED OR COULD HAVE…

12/14/2017 · NHTSA ODI #11054793.0

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Active recalls showing 1 of 1

severe NHTSA 12V120000 23/03/2012

GULF STATES TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 4RUNNER AND SIENNA VEHICLES, EQUIPPED WITH NON-ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT REMOTE ENGINE STARTERS

IF THIS CONDITION OCCURS, ANTILOCK BRAKING AND STABILITY CONTROL MAY BE LOST, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. DRIVERS SHOULD RECEIVE DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS WARNING THEM OF A MALFUNCTION.

Fix: GULF STATES TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REMOTE ENGINE STARTER WITH A NEW ONE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT JUNE 4, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-444-1074.

Common questions

Is the 2012 Toyota 4Runner reliable?

Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.6 out of 10 based on 96 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2012 Toyota 4Runner is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.

What's the most common problem on the 2012 Toyota 4Runner?

Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is airbags, with 70 complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop.

What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?

The airbags is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.

How do I check if my Toyota 4Runner has open recalls?

Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.

Is an extended warranty worth it on a 2012 Toyota 4Runner?

Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 96 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $1,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans aren't always better value.

Related vehicles

Recall and complaint data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public records database, last synced 10 hours ago. Editorial commentary written by ProblemsByVin contributors and reviewed by ASE-certified mechanics. We are not affiliated with toyota. Some links on this page are affiliate links and we may earn a commission if you complete a quote or purchase.