TOYOTA 4RUNNER · model year

2020 TOYOTA 4RUNNER

41 NHTSA complaints, 8 crash reports, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

4 / 5 ★

New Car Assessment Program

The 2020TOYOTA4RUNNER carries 41 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 8 crashes, 0 fires, 10 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall 4/5 rating, with 4/5 front crash, 5/5 side crash, and 3/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2020 4RUNNER is unknown or other with 8 filings, followed by air bags (5) and service brakes (5). 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. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle, the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 2020 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.

41
Complaints
8
Crashes
0
Fires
10
Injuries
0
Deaths
2020 TOYOTA 4RUNNER - NHTSA crash-test profile NHTSA NCAP crash-test star ratings for the 2020 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. Overall composite: 4.0 of 5 stars across 3 safety dimensions. Front CrashSide CrashRollover 4.0 NHTSA NCAP of 5 stars
  • Front Crash 4.0 ★
  • Side Crash 5.0 ★
  • Rollover 3.0 ★
NHTSA overall 4.0/5 stars, with front-crash, side-crash and rollover ratings from standardized NCAP barrier and dynamic tests.

Total Complaints

41 filings

Crashes Reported

8 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

NHTSA NCAP overall: 4/5 - Strong NCAP rating · Front: 4/5 · Side: 5/5 · Rollover: 3/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
UNKNOWN OR OTHER8
AIR BAGS5
SERVICE BRAKES5
STEERING4
SUSPENSION3
STRUCTURE:BODY2
WHEELS2
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)1
POWER TRAIN1
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM1
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL1
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS1
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: DYNAMIC BRAKE SUPPORT/BRAKE ASSIST1
Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness1
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS1

Recalls (1)

22V48000006/07/2022

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 nu

Recent Complaints

20240522BACK OVER PREVENTION

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that while reversing, he became aware that the rear-view camera failed to display an image. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 50,000.

Mileage: 50,000

20240522BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that while reversing, he became aware that the rear-view camera failed to display an image. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 50,000.

Mileage: 50,000

20240508STEERING

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, she became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the front timing cover and found that the part was leaking fluid. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 88,000.

Mileage: 88,000

20240403SUSPENSION

I am writing to express my deep concern and frustration regarding the X-REAS suspension system in the Limited Edition 4Runner manufactured by Toyota. Specifically, I am addressing the alarming issue of suspension failure experienced in vehicles at just 45,000 miles, posing significant safety risks to drivers and passengers alike. The X-REAS suspension failure in the Limited Edition 4Runner is not merely an inconvenience; it is a serious safety hazard that puts lives at risk. The abrupt failure of the suspension system at relatively low mileage creates an unpredictable driving experience, jeopardizing the stability and control of the vehicle. This instability can lead to loss of control, especially at high speeds or during emergency maneuvers, resulting in potentially catastrophic accidents. Furthermore, it is deeply troubling to discover that Toyota may have been aware of this issue and yet failed to take proactive measures to address it. The apparent negligence on the part of Toyota

20231102EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Similar to NUMEROUS newer ('12+) vehicles, the instrument cluster gauge needles light up even when the headlights are not on. Therefore when driving the vehicle, the driver isn't aware that the headlights are NOT ON at night (and there are no DRL/daytime running lights to warn oncoming drivers), which means that the vehicle is driving at night WITHOUT any lights on. People are going to be killed this way; both the driver and innocent motorists driving near this vehicle. I nearly got in a head-on collision last night because the vehicle headlights weren't on after sundown (but I listed crash, fire, fatalities to get your attention, as I submitted this same issue about 8years ago for a similar incident with a Nissan Leaf that narrowly missed running me over as it was driving without any headlights on/LED gauge cluster was bright enough to see the drivers face, and NOTHING has changed in the auto industry for safety on this widespread issue). How can the automotive industry and NHTSA ha

20230925WHEELS

Took the vehicle in 3/19/2021 @ 6076 Mileage for a steering wheel shake, the dealer has tried numerous times to fix it by trying to balance the tire and rotate the tires, it only masks the problem and the steering wheel shake comes back. The shake can happen at any MPH. I finally took it to another shop called discount tire and dynamic 4x4 alignment. Discount tire said there was coupling in the stock tires Nitto Grappler, so I replaced the tires with Michelin Defenders this only masked the problem. On 9/25/2023 a local Toyota Technician and I took a ride together to see if he could duplicate the problem. At 67 and 68 we were able to duplicate the problem when the steering wheel shook the passenger side of the car shook. The technician and I swapped and I was able to duplicate the problem as well. I was stopped at a red light and took off after the tires were warmed up. When I reached 67 or 68 mph the steering wheel began to shake and he confirm that the vehicle shook too on the passe

20230925UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Took the vehicle in 3/19/2021 @ 6076 Mileage for a steering wheel shake, the dealer has tried numerous times to fix it by trying to balance the tire and rotate the tires, it only masks the problem and the steering wheel shake comes back. The shake can happen at any MPH. I finally took it to another shop called discount tire and dynamic 4x4 alignment. Discount tire said there was coupling in the stock tires Nitto Grappler, so I replaced the tires with Michelin Defenders this only masked the problem. On 9/25/2023 a local Toyota Technician and I took a ride together to see if he could duplicate the problem. At 67 and 68 we were able to duplicate the problem when the steering wheel shook the passenger side of the car shook. The technician and I swapped and I was able to duplicate the problem as well. I was stopped at a red light and took off after the tires were warmed up. When I reached 67 or 68 mph the steering wheel began to shake and he confirm that the vehicle shook too on the passe

20230718SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated upon taking the vehicle to the dealer for a routine inspection, he was informed that the front coil spring was fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that 50% of the cost for the repair would be covered. The failure mileage was approximately 53,000.

Mileage: 53,000

20230718FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS

System malfunction—the ‘brake’ alert flashed and chirped when there was NO obstacle on the road. Safety issue—I was about to hit the brakes but I realized in time there was no need. Confirmed? No not at this time. Possibly have it reviewed at next maintenance. No inspection yet. This has occurred infrequently in the past

20230526UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I have attempted to use the SOS button 4 times in different days and in different locations, only connecting once and the rep. claimed she couldn't hear me that only time I "connected." The system causes premature battery drain (even while the car is off, it draws power) and doesn't work in its intended way as a safety/rescue tool. This is an expensive feature that fails to work while locked in with an inferior cellular service provider through an exclusive contract between Toyota and AT&T.

20230214STEERING

The car shakes when going at speeds as low as 48 mph and as high as 68 mph that I know of. Typically, it shakes heaviest from the mid-50 mph range to the mid-60 mph range. I rarely Drive the full speed limit for energy conservation reasons, so I cannot tell you how much higher it goes on the range. The car has had the wheels rebalanced three times (installation, upon purchase from the dealer and on a take back to the dealership), the alignment has been checked twice and I have spoken to the tire manufacturer about the tires being the cause of this. I took the tires into an authorized retailer to no avail. With everything checked, including a road force balancing of the tires, my 4Runner still shakes disturbingly. I called a service advisor at another Toyota dealership today (they were not the seller). In describing the problem to him, he cut me off and said it is a known problem. He went on to share that the dealership had been in contact with Toyota Corporate. It is disturbing fo

20230214SUSPENSION

The car shakes when going at speeds as low as 48 mph and as high as 68 mph that I know of. Typically, it shakes heaviest from the mid-50 mph range to the mid-60 mph range. I rarely Drive the full speed limit for energy conservation reasons, so I cannot tell you how much higher it goes on the range. The car has had the wheels rebalanced three times (installation, upon purchase from the dealer and on a take back to the dealership), the alignment has been checked twice and I have spoken to the tire manufacturer about the tires being the cause of this. I took the tires into an authorized retailer to no avail. With everything checked, including a road force balancing of the tires, my 4Runner still shakes disturbingly. I called a service advisor at another Toyota dealership today (they were not the seller). In describing the problem to him, he cut me off and said it is a known problem. He went on to share that the dealership had been in contact with Toyota Corporate. It is disturbing fo

20230214WHEELS

The car shakes when going at speeds as low as 48 mph and as high as 68 mph that I know of. Typically, it shakes heaviest from the mid-50 mph range to the mid-60 mph range. I rarely Drive the full speed limit for energy conservation reasons, so I cannot tell you how much higher it goes on the range. The car has had the wheels rebalanced three times (installation, upon purchase from the dealer and on a take back to the dealership), the alignment has been checked twice and I have spoken to the tire manufacturer about the tires being the cause of this. I took the tires into an authorized retailer to no avail. With everything checked, including a road force balancing of the tires, my 4Runner still shakes disturbingly. I called a service advisor at another Toyota dealership today (they were not the seller). In describing the problem to him, he cut me off and said it is a known problem. He went on to share that the dealership had been in contact with Toyota Corporate. It is disturbing fo

20221228Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness

Whenever I strap my child into their car seat and tighten down the straps, the straps will not lock into place and I am able to pull them back out with my hands.

20220823UNKNOWN OR OTHER

While driving down a road a mango fruit fell from a tree and hit the front glass causing it to break. The glass also broke toward the inside there were pieces of glass on the dash inside the vehicle. This could of cause me injuries.

20220724UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The sunroof suddenly shattered while driving. The interior glass cracked and rained down on me. The exterior glass cracked. It sounded like a gunshot. It caused cuts, fear from the loud bang and the inability to drive the vehicle out of fear of the remaining glass falling and for protection from rain or other elements

20220308SERVICE BRAKES

Break problem after letting car sit overnight and coming up to a stop sign or anything slowly pedal goes to the floor If you pump tge pedal the brakes will come back and seem to work fine except when sitting In a drive-through line with your foot on the brake pedal it'll slowly lose brake pressure and you'll start creeping forward until the pedal starts going lower and lower And requires excessive pressure to hold vehicle stopped. It doesn't happen all the time but it is fairly consistent. Especially through the drive thru line is when you notice it Took to dealership dealership said there was nothing wrong with it

20211225UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I was driving down the road and heard a Loud bang. When I got home I was looking for the source and there was a big hole in the sunroof from the sunroof shattering. There was no contact from anything the sunroof just shattered on its own.

20211118CrashAIR BAGS

The contact owned a 2020 Toyota 4runner. The contact stated that while the driver who was her father crashed into another vehicle, the air bags failed to deploy. In addition, the contact stated that the braking alert for getting too close to a vehicle failed to illuminate. A police report was filed. The contact stated that the driver sustained two injuries and the contact sustained two injuries. Medical attention was sought. The contact was unaware of the other passengers from the other vehicle sustained any injuries. The vehicle was damaged and towed to a tow lot. The dealer was contacted and informed of the failure. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 13,000.

Mileage: 13,000

20211118CrashFORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: DYNAMIC BRAKE SUPPORT/BRAKE ASSIST

The contact owned a 2020 Toyota 4runner. The contact stated that while the driver who was her father crashed into another vehicle, the air bags failed to deploy. In addition, the contact stated that the braking alert for getting too close to a vehicle failed to illuminate. A police report was filed. The contact stated that the driver sustained two injuries and the contact sustained two injuries. Medical attention was sought. The contact was unaware of the other passengers from the other vehicle sustained any injuries. The vehicle was damaged and towed to a tow lot. The dealer was contacted and informed of the failure. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 13,000.

Mileage: 13,000

Compare 2020TOYOTA4RUNNER to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2020 TOYOTA 4RUNNER have?
The 2020 TOYOTA 4RUNNER has 41 NHTSA complaints, 8 crashes, 0 fires, 10 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2020 TOYOTA 4RUNNER?
The 2020 TOYOTA 4RUNNER received an overall NHTSA safety rating of 4/5, front crash rating of 4/5, side crash rating of 5/5, and rollover rating of 3/5.
Are there any recalls for the 2020 TOYOTA 4RUNNER?
Yes, the 2020 TOYOTA 4RUNNER has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2020 TOYOTA 4RUNNER?
The most-complained component for the 2020 TOYOTA 4RUNNER is UNKNOWN OR OTHER with 8 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS and SERVICE BRAKES.
Is the 2020 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. The 2020 TOYOTA 4RUNNER has an NHTSA safety rating of 4/5. 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.