2012 Toyota 4Runner: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
96 NHTSA owner complaints · 8 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
Avoid the 2025 4Runner, the first year of a new generation, which scores 44 on 56 complaints at 56.0 per year on the road, with Service Brakes at 23. Buy a 2017 (89 on 36 complaints) or any year from 2020 to 2024, which score between 79 and 90 on 39 complaints or fewer. Read the full note on the model page. 2012 specifically: a year the record favours — 96 complaints, score 70/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Toyota 4Runner and Tundra: the years to avoid, including 2012 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 96 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 6.86
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
Consistent steering wheel shake between 60-65 mph. This is a very well known issue on the 2010-2024 4Runners and it drives me and many others crazy, and feels unsafe to drive with. Will happen almost anytime I’m on the highway. My vehicle only has 48k miles. This needs to be addressed.
Vehicle radiator light came on, shortly thereafter (5-10 min) vehicle overheated. Waited for vehicle to cool down, then drove home. The following day drove the vehicle to dealership. After an inspection the dealer stated the heads are cracked and needed to be replaced. When I asked how this could happen to a car that is regularly serviced with only 90k miles his response was "the original heads were made of wea…
The contact owns a 2012 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The Police Department called and arranged for the vehicle to be towed to an authorized dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the fuel pump had disintegrated and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified …
Recalls: 8 campaigns (5 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 17V425000 | Structure:Body:Hood:Hinge And Attachments | Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2011-2016 Toyota Tacoma and 4Runner vehicles equipped with accessory hood scoops installed by SET or SET dealers. The adhesive attaching the hood scoop may weaken, allowing the hood scoop to detach from the vehicle. |
| 16V577000 | Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe | Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2015 Toyota 4Runner vehicles manufactured September 3, 2009, to December 1, 2014. The affected vehicles may be equipped with accessory exhaust tips installed by SET or SET dealers that may contact people and possibly burn them while they are standing behind the vehicle. |
| 17V006000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2012 Toyota 4Runner, Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sienna, Yaris, Scion xB, Lexus ES350, GX460, IS-F, IS250, IS350, IS250C, IS350C, and Lexus LFA vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas,… |
| 19V005000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Toyota 4Runner, 2014-2015 Scion xB, Lexus IS350C, IS250C, 2014 Toyota Sienna, Lexus IS-F, and 2014-2017 Lexus GX460 vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico,… |
| 15V515000 | Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe | Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2015 Toyota 4Runner vehicles manufactured March 29, 2010, to July 30, 2015. The affected vehicles may be equipped with accessory exhaust tips installed by SET or SET dealers that may contact people and possibly burn them while they are standing behind the vehicle. |
| 13V014000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module-Inactive | Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013… |
| 19V741000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2016 4Runner, 2003-2006 Tundra, 2003-2013 Corolla, 2009-2010 Corolla Matrix, 2004-2005 RAV4, 2002-2007 Sequoia, 2011-2013 Sienna, 2008-2012 Scion xB, 2008-2009 Lexus IS-F, 2007-2012 Yaris and Lexus ES350, 2010-2017 Lexus GX460, 2002-2010 Lexus SC430, 2006-2012 Lexus IS250 and IS350… |
| 12V120000 | Equipment:Electrical | GULF STATES TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 4RUNNER AND SIENNA VEHICLES, EQUIPPED WITH NON-ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT REMOTE ENGINE STARTERS. A MALFUNCTION IN THE AUDIOVOX ELECTRONICS BRAND REMOTE ENGINE STARTER MODULE CAN PREVENT NORMAL COMMUNICATION OF THE VEHICLES CONTROLLER AREA NETWORK (CAN). |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 19 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,250
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Air Bags70 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Service Brakes7 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
- Electrical System6 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other6 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Steering5 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Engine5 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
Other Toyota 4Runner years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Toyota 4Runner?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Air Bags (70 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2012 Toyota 4Runner a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 70/100, computed from 96 NHTSA complaints and 8 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2012 Toyota 4Runner's most common problem?
70 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2012 Toyota 4Runner sit in the Air Bags group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement: about 2.5 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $600–$1,700 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2012 Toyota 4Runner cost to run per year?
About $5,800 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $29,000 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2012 Toyota 4Runner have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 8 recall campaign(s) for the 2012 Toyota 4Runner, 5 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 03/07/2017. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other midsize suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2012 Toyota 4Runner really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Moderate evidence — 96 complaints, 8 recalls on record
- 96 NHTSA complaints on record (6.9/yr of exposure) — in line with a typical year of this model (7.1/yr)
- 8 recall campaigns, 5 touching safety-critical systems