2017 Toyota 4Runner
Gas Midsize / large SUV
The 2017 Toyota 4Runner is sold in the U.S. as a gas midsize or large SUV with 3 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the 4Runner 2WD, is EPA-rated at 18 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 36 complaints, most often about unknown or other. NHTSA crash-tested it at 4 stars overall.
Specs & fuel economy (EPA)
| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4Runner 2WD | Gas | RWD | 4.0L 6-cyl | 17 | 21 | 18 | $3,450 |
| 4Runner 4WD | Gas | Part-time 4WD | 4.0L 6-cyl | 17 | 20 | 18 | $3,450 |
| 4Runner 4WD | Gas | AWD | 4.0L 6-cyl | 17 | 20 | 18 | $3,450 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.
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Recalls (5)
Equipment
minorProblem: 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. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk: An overloaded vehicle can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: SET will notify owners and mail them corrected certification labels, free of charge. The recall began November 28, 2018. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET18A.
Equipment
minorProblem: 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. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk: An incorrect load information label can result in the operator overloading the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners and provide them with corrected labels, free of charge. The recall began on January 23, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are H0Z for Toyota vehicles, and HLF for Lexus vehicles.
Structure
highProblem: 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.
Risk: If the Billet Grille Overlay detaches while driving, it can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: SET will notify owners, and dealers will replace the securing U-nuts with upgraded hardware, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 26, 2018. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET17C.
Tires
highProblem: Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (Gulf States) is recalling certain 2017 4Runner , 86, Avalon, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Corolla, Corolla iM, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Prius, Prius C, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Sienna and Yaris vehicles. The spare tire air pressure was not adjusted to the proper pressure as stated on the Tire Pressure Label.
Risk: A spare tire that is not inflated to the proper value may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Gulf States will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the spare tires, adjusting their pressure as necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 15, 2017. Owners may contact Gulf States customer service at 1-800-444-1074. Toyota's number for this recall is 17R2.
Equipment
highProblem: Gulf States Toyota, Inc (Gulf States) is recalling certain 2016-2017 4Runner vehicles equipped with the TFORCE accessory package. The fasteners for the aftermarket roof rack may have been improperly tightened.
Risk: If the roof rack fasteners loosen, the roof rack may detach from the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Gulf States will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, tighten the roof rack fasteners, free of charge. The recall began June 15, 2017. Owners may contact Gulf States customer service at 1-800-444-1074. Gulf States' number for this recall is 17R1.
NHTSA investigations
Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module — Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture (open)
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substa
Opened Sep 17, 2021 · action EA21002
Owner complaints
36 complaints filed
3 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 3 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.
Filed by year — 2017: 7 · 2018: 10 · 2019: 3 · 2020: 5 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2026: 2
Most-cited components
- Unknown Or Other — 14
- Service Brakes — 9
- Electrical System — 5
- Air Bags — 3
- Engine — 2
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Crash ratings
| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUV 2WD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | 25% |
| SUV AWD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | 25% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.
Other 4Runner model years
2026 4Runner
1 recalls · 7 complaints
A2025 4Runner
1 recalls · 58 complaints
A2024 4Runner
1 recalls · 8 complaints
A2023 4Runner
1 recalls · 32 complaints
B2022 4Runner
3 recalls · 39 complaints
A2021 4Runner
1 recalls · 36 complaints
A2020 4Runner
1 recalls · 33 complaints
C2019 4Runner
4 recalls · 64 complaints
C2018 4Runner
5 recalls · 58 complaints
F2016 4Runner
8 recalls · 79 complaints
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 38512, 38513, 38514). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.