2018 Toyota 4Runner: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
58 NHTSA owner complaints · 5 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. 2018 specifically: a year the record favours — 58 complaints, score 78/100. 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 2018 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 58 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 7.25
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2018 Toyota 4Runner. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy per a Carfax report. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of the purchase, the vehicle mileage was 65,862. However, the Carfax report indicated that the mileage was 61,000 in April 2022; 90,000 in February 2023; and 54,000 towards the end of the month in February 2023. The contact stated that…
The dealership Direct Motor, located in Manassas, Virginia, sold me this car in poor condition. On Sunday the 22nd, I picked up the car around 10 PM. They didn't show me any information about the car. When I picked it up, I saw that the front bumper and rear door were damaged, and the airbag lights were on, which is dangerous. I returned the car first thing Monday morning and asked them to exchange it. They refused. …
The front shock springs cracked and snapped due to cold weather. I have been waiting for 2 months for the replacement parts and cannot drive my vehicle. The parts are 4 months out on a waiting list. The vehicle is not safe to drive. The dealer has inpected the vehicle and said it is not safe to drive for safety reasons. There were no warning and I only found out when I went to replace the original tires. The car has …
Recalls: 5 campaigns (2 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 20V682000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 4Runner, 2019-2020 Avalon, 2019 Corolla Hatchback, 2017-2019 Highlander, 2018-2020 Camry, 2020 Corolla, 2018-2019 Land Cruiser, 2017-2020 Tacoma, 2019-2020 RAV4, 2019-2020 Sequoia, 2017-2020 Sienna, 2019-2020 Tundra, 2018-2020 Lexus ES350, 2017 Lexus GS200t, 2017-2019 Lexus… |
| 19V670000 | Steering | Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Toyota 4Runner vehicles. During installation, certain steering and suspension components may not have been properly tightened. |
| 17V831000 | Equipment:Other:Labels | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Toyota 4Runner and Tundra, 2018 Toyota Highlander, RAV4 and Lexus GX460 and 2017 Toyota Sienna and Tacoma vehicles. These vehicles may have incorrect load carrying capacity modification labels. |
| 18V753000 | Equipment:Other:Labels | Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Toyota 4Runner vehicles that SET modified to be equipped with a TRD wheel package. The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) on the certification label may be incorrect, possibly resulting in the vehicle being overloaded. |
| 17V763000 | Structure:Body:Hood | Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Toyota 4Runner vehicles equipped with an accessory Billet Grille Overlay installed by SET or provided by SET and installed by SET dealers. The U-nut that secures the overlay grille may fracture, allowing the Billet Grille Overlay to detach from the vehicle. |
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 18 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,400
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.
- Steering11 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Unknown Or Other9 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Air Bags7 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Service Brakes6 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
- Engine5 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Structure5 complaints · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,070–$2,920
Other Toyota 4Runner years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2018 Toyota 4Runner?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Steering (11 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2018 Toyota 4Runner a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 78/100, computed from 58 NHTSA complaints and 5 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2018 Toyota 4Runner's most common problem?
11 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2018 Toyota 4Runner sit in the Steering group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement: about 5.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,020–$2,500 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 2018 Toyota 4Runner cost to run per year?
About $5,327 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $26,638 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 2018 Toyota 4Runner have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for the 2018 Toyota 4Runner, 2 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 04/11/2020. 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 2018 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 — 58 complaints, 5 recalls on record
- 58 NHTSA complaints on record (7.2/yr of exposure) — in line with a typical year of this model (7.1/yr)
- 5 recall campaigns, 2 touching safety-critical systems