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ProblemsByVin Index / 2012-TOYOTA-4RUNNER / COMPLAINTS
Full complaint record · NHTSA

2012 Toyota 4Runner owner complaints

96 complaints filed with NHTSA on this vehicle . Showing the 300 most recent — grouped by category for scanning.

airbags 13 complaints shown

70 total in this category · severe · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags cluster analysis →
12/15/2017 ODI #11054959.0

"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.

11/14/2017 ODI #11045947.0

Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2012 Toyota 4runner. The contact stated that NHTSA campaign number: 17v006000 (air bags) exceeded a reasonable amount of time for repair. The contact received the recall notification in february of 2017. The dealer (ernie palmer Toyota, 1290 cassat ave, jacksonville, fl, 32205) stated that the parts were unavailable for the repair. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

11/02/2017 ODI #11042609.0

Takata recall - is taking much too long. My concern and Toyota warning expressed about the recall is it creates a danger to front seat passengers and does not allow me to use the vehicle front seat. This is very inconvenient as well as unsafe. Ii have contacted my dealership and keep getting notices but nothing happens. When will remedy be available?

11/02/2017 60,000 mi ODI #11042776.0

Takata recall - I got a notice in the mail about this defect in my vehicle almost a year ago. It claims that whomever rides in the passenger side is at risk of potential death due to faulty airbag components. It goes on to warn that no one should ride in the passenger seat until a remedy has been established to fix the problem. This is our main vehicle and mode of transportation. My wife has to regularly ride in the passenger side of the vehicle, putting her life in constant danger, because we have no other option available. I keep checking week after week to see if a plan has been implemented to rectify this situation, but week after week nothing has been done. My patience is growing thin, and I feel helpless to keep my family safe.

10/31/2017 42,000 mi ODI #11041548.0

Takata recall - Toyota will not replace my Toyota 4r airbags. Toyota says they have no parts & don't know when they will have parts. I can't keep driving around with defective air bags

10/31/2017 ODI #11041617.0

Takata recall. It has been 10 months since the recall was announced on january 9, 2017, yet there is still no solution/remedy for it by Toyota. The recall status is still listed as "recall incomplete. Remedy not yet available". In the meantime, thousands of us 4runner drivers are at risk to injury or death due to this defect. That is unacceptable.

10/30/2017 ODI #11041407.0

Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2012 Toyota 4runner. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 17v006000 (air bags) and stated that the part was not available within a reasonable time frame to schedule the recall repair. The dealer (hendrick Toyota north charleston, 7151 rivers ave, north charleston, sc 29406, (843) 804-6648) did not give a specific date for when the part would become available. The manufacturer could not provide an estimated date for when the contact's vehicle would receive the recall repair. The contact was not experiencing a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available. *bf updated 8/21/18*jb

10/29/2017 ODI #11040858.0

Takata recall I keep getting flyers in the mail about the recall but every time I call the Toyota dealership they say they can't get the replacement airbags to install in my car. What is going on? The flyers even say not to allow a passenger to sit in the front seat? How am I supposed to comply with that when this has gone on for a year now?

10/27/2017 ODI #11040339.0

Takata recall ; went to the dealership with the 1st recall notice about defective airbags in hand and they told me there was no solution yet and I would recieve another notice. Recieved another notice that said that t k holdings is in chapter 11 . Dont know where th proceed from here.

10/27/2017 ODI #11040375.0

Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2012 Toyota 4runner. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 17v006000 (air bags) however, the parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer Toyota of santa fe located at 1500 st michaels dr, santa fe, nm 87505 was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not available for the recall remedy until december of 2017. The manufacturer was not contacted and was not made aware of the failure. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

10/24/2017 ODI #11039143.0

Takata recall: airbag replacement is not being performed in a timely fashion. I'm terrified to drive my 4 runner due to possible defect. This has been a extreme hardship on my family. I have been waiting for a replacement for months. I find this situation very unfair to the vehicle owner. I cannot trade my vehicle at this time, so I'm stuck with no option but to drive the defected vehicle and take a chance on being injured or dying, or park it for what 2 years? This is unacceptable.

10/24/2017 ODI #11039198.0

Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2012 Toyota 4runner. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 17v006000 (air bags). The part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The local dealer (fort bend Toyota, 20465 southwest fwy, richmond, tx 77469) was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not available for the recall remedy. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

10/23/2017 ODI #11035608.0

Takata recall: it has been one year since the recall, and Toyota has not fixed the problem.

brakes 1 complaint shown

5 total in this category · severe · avg repair $450 · see brakes cluster analysis →
12/19/2014 ODI #10667278.0

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 reasons why this could happen with ABS systems, could be hydraulics, could be the sensors, it could be pulsation. Diagnosis for this requires precision not a simple test drive. The dealership says its normal and that's how limited slip differential works but it slips often and on even roads. The dealership wants me to duplicate the problem for them and I won't want to get on the highway at freeway speeds to show them how the brakes slip. Its a safety concern. I called the manufacturer since I am still under warranty an

electrical 1 complaint shown

3 total in this category · moderate · avg repair $850 · see electrical cluster analysis →
12/15/2020 85,000 mi ODI #11383575.0

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 displaying and then starts working again another day.

steering 1 complaint shown

5 total in this category · moderate · avg repair $700 · see steering cluster analysis →
12/14/2017 ODI #11054793.0

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 prevented .I feel this is a safety hazard to me and everyone else out on the road. It's illegal to not have a horn and Toyota refuses to fix it . Apparently there was a recall on some older model 4runners for the same problem. I feel unsafe knowing I cannot use my horn and that it may cause my air bag to not deploy . Can someone please help me before someone gets seriously injured.

Showing 300 of 96 total complaints. The full federal record is available at nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2012/Toyota/4Runner#complaints.
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) owner complaint database. Last synced 2026-06-14. Complaints are owner-submitted and unverified — the existence of a complaint is not proof of a defect, but a pattern of complaints around the same component is a signal worth weighing. Verify any specific filing at nhtsa.gov.
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