Total Complaints
7 filings
TOYOTA 4RUNNER · model year
1989 TOYOTA 4RUNNER
7 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989TOYOTA4RUNNER carries 7 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1989 4RUNNER is engine and engine cooling:engine with 2 filings, followed by tires (2) and seat belts (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 1989 4RUNNER. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page, a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
7
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 2 |
| TIRES | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20000918TIRES
LAST YEAR I REPLACED A FIRESTONE ATX TIRE BECAUSE IT STARTED SEPARATING. FIRESTONE REIMBURSEMENT POLICY DOESN'T INCLUDE THIS TIRE BECAUSE IT WAS REPLACED BEFORE JAN. 2000. HAD THE TIRE NOT SEPARATED, IT WOULD STILL BE ON MY VEHICLE AND BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I DIDN'T KNOW WHO TO CONTACT BUT I FEEL THIS IS UNFAIR. THANKYOU.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235-75R15 )
20000914TIRES
LAST YEAR I REPLACED A FIRESTONE ATX TIRE BECAUSE IT STARTED SEPARATING. FIRESTONE REIMBURSEMENT POLICY DOESN'T INCLUDE THIS TIRE BECAUSE IT WAS REPLACED BEFORE JAN. 2000. HAD THE TIRE NOT SEPARATED, IT WOULD STILL BE ON MY VEHICLE AND BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I DIDN'T KNOW WHO TO CONTACT BUT I FEEL THIS IS UNFAIR. THANKYOU.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235-75R15 )
19990730ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HEAD GASKET FAILED, RECALL ON COMPONENT HOWEVER NO NOTIFICATION SENT TO OWNER, RECALL DENIED DUE TO EXPIRATION. MJS
19970617STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
FRAME:LEFT UPPPER CONTROL ARM MOUNT TORN OUT OF FRAME, FRAME CRACKED. *AK *NLM
19970220EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
THE BRAKE LIGHT BULBS BURN OUT OFTEN (SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR.) THE LENSES ARE EXTREMELY FADED.
19961220SEAT BELTS
THE ANCHOR THAT SUPPORTS THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SHOULDER HARNESS POPPED OUT. WILL BE TAKEN TO DEALER TO CORRECT. *AK
19951103ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
EXPERIENCING HEAD GASKET FAILURE. VEHICLE WAS RIDING ROUGH. TT
Compare 1989TOYOTA4RUNNER to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 TOYOTA 4RUNNER have?▼
The 1989 TOYOTA 4RUNNER has 7 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 TOYOTA 4RUNNER?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 TOYOTA 4RUNNER is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include TIRES and SEAT BELTS.
Is the 1989 TOYOTA 4RUNNER safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.