2019 Toyota 4Runner: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
64 NHTSA owner complaints · 4 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. 2019 specifically: a year the record favours — 64 complaints, score 74/100. 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 2019 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 64 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 9.14
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
My 2019 Toyota 4Runner has experienced an ongoing steering and suspension issue since early in its life. The vehicle required an alignment at approximately 6,800 miles and has required repeated alignments since. At approximately 48,000 miles, a separate repair facility identified lower control arm bushing concerns. The issue was not properly corrected, and the vehicle continued to require repeated alignment adjustme…
Vehicle Back-up camera works intermittantly, sometimes working when placed in reverse, other times showing a black screen when placed in reverse. Has not been a consistent enough problem for dealer repair/troubleshooting. A google search shows many 5th Gen 4runner online web forms with lots of reports involving pinched, stretched, worn camera wiring harnesses inside the rear hatch or in the rubber wire boot between t…
My 2019 Toyota 4Runner is experiencing a faulty backup camera, the display shows a frozen or blank image when reversing, increasing the risk of a crash. The current Toyota backup camera recall includes 2020 and later models, however it does not include 2019 4runners. A faulty backup camera in a 2019 vehicle is as much a safety issue as a backup camera in a 2020 vehicle. The backup camera is currently inoperable and …
Recalls: 4 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. |
| 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. |
| 19V244000 | Equipment:Other:Labels | Gulf States Toyota (GST) is recalling certain 2019 C-HR, 4Runner, Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Highlander, Land Cruiser, Prius, RAV4, Sequoia, Tacoma, Sienna, Tundra and Yaris vehicles. The text on the load capacity label may become illegible. |
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.
- Unknown Or Other12 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Steering10 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Electrical System8 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Fuel/Propulsion System7 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Suspension6 complaints · typical job: Struts, springs and control-arm bushings, one axle (4.0 h labour + parts)$780–$1,580
- Fuel System6 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
Other Toyota 4Runner years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2019 Toyota 4Runner?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Unknown Or Other (12 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2019 Toyota 4Runner a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 74/100, computed from 64 NHTSA complaints and 4 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2019 Toyota 4Runner's most common problem?
12 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2019 Toyota 4Runner sit in the Unknown Or Other group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is diagnosis and mixed repair: about 2.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $360–$940 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 2019 Toyota 4Runner cost to run per year?
About $5,223 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $26,115 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 2019 Toyota 4Runner have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for the 2019 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 2019 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 — 64 complaints, 4 recalls on record
- 64 NHTSA complaints on record (9.1/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (7.1/yr)
- 4 recall campaigns, 2 touching safety-critical systems