IllustrationACCIDENT DUE TO STEERING RELAY ROD. *JB
1995 Toyota 4RUNNER
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1995 Toyota 4RUNNER do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 58.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all 4RUNNER years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
00–25K
025–50K
050–75K
575–100K
19100–150K
13150K+
37 reports with mileage · 10 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
3 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
47 reportsEVERYTHING WAS RUNNING SMOOTH AND STRONG WHEN THE 1995 TOYOTA 4RUNNER HIT 143K. JUST TODAY THE VEHICLE STARTED IDLING REALLY LOW AND ROUGH, AND FINALLY THIS AFTERNOON THE ENGINE & BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON. THE MORE IT DROVE, THE ROUGHER IT GOT. THE ENGINE WAS NOTICEABLY RUNNING MUCH WORSE THAN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND TO…
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EVERYTHING WAS RUNNING SMOOTH AND STRONG WHEN THE 1995 TOYOTA 4RUNNER HIT 143K. JUST TODAY THE VEHICLE STARTED IDLING REALLY LOW AND ROUGH, AND FINALLY THIS AFTERNOON THE ENGINE & BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON. THE MORE IT DROVE, THE ROUGHER IT GOT. THE ENGINE WAS NOTICEABLY RUNNING MUCH WORSE THAN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND TOOK OFF FOR HOME. I SHUT IT OFF TO GET A LOOK AT IT, AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE, UNTIL I STARTED IT UP AGAIN AND IT BLEW WHITE SMOKE FROM THE TAILPIPE. WATER SEEMS TO BE LEAKING BUT NOT AT THE RADIATOR, HOSES, OR PUMP. IT IS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. FROM MECHANICAL EXPERIENCE AND SPEAKING WITH OTHER 1995 TOYOTA 4RUNNER OWNERS, I UNDERSTAND THAT BLOWING THE HEAD GASKET ON THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE IS MORE COMMONPLACE THAN I HAD EXPECTED. *NM
HEAD GASKET BLOWN ON ORIGINAL ENGINE WITH 100K MILES ON IT DESTROYING ENGINE. USED ENGINE PUT IN WITH 80K MILES ON IT AND HEAD GASKET BLOWN AGAIN. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE SLIGHTLY LOST POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DESTINATION, WHERE GREY SMOKE WAS NOTICED EMANATING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP, WHERE THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN OUT, CAUSING RADIATOR FLUID TO LEAK I…
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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE SLIGHTLY LOST POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DESTINATION, WHERE GREY SMOKE WAS NOTICED EMANATING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP, WHERE THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN OUT, CAUSING RADIATOR FLUID TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 55 MPH, WHITE SMOKE WAS SEEN TRAILING BEHIND THE VEHICLE AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGHLY. THE VEHICLE WAS STEERED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAS TURNED OFF. THE PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED AS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART, THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED …
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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 55 MPH, WHITE SMOKE WAS SEEN TRAILING BEHIND THE VEHICLE AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGHLY. THE VEHICLE WAS STEERED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAS TURNED OFF. THE PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED AS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART, THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE RESIDENCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.
BROUGHT IN TO DEALER FOR SERVICE BECAUSE ENGINE RUNNING ROUGH. DEALER INFORMED ME THAT HEAD GASKET LEAKS @ #6 CYLINDER. THIS VIN IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ON THIS ITEM. ESTIMATE OF REPAIR IS $3100. I'M LOOKING FOR THE RECALL TO BE EXPANDED. *JB
THE 4RUNNER SUDDENLY BEGAN DRIVING VERY ROUGHLY. THE SUV WAS IMMEDIATELY TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHO INFORMED US THAT AT 130, 000 MILES THE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WE DISCOVERED THAT TOYOTA HAS A SERVICE BULLETIN (NHTSA # 600350) OUT FOR 1995 TOYOTA 4RUNNERS TO CORRECT THIS TYPE OF ENGINE AND HEAD GASKET…
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THE 4RUNNER SUDDENLY BEGAN DRIVING VERY ROUGHLY. THE SUV WAS IMMEDIATELY TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHO INFORMED US THAT AT 130, 000 MILES THE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WE DISCOVERED THAT TOYOTA HAS A SERVICE BULLETIN (NHTSA # 600350) OUT FOR 1995 TOYOTA 4RUNNERS TO CORRECT THIS TYPE OF ENGINE AND HEAD GASKET TROUBLE; HOWEVER, WE WERE INFORMED BY MARION AT TOYOTA CORP. THAT OUR 1995 SUV DOES NOT QUALIFY EVEN THOUGH WE ARE HAVING IDENTICAL HEAD GASKET FAILURE DUE TO A DEFORMED MANUFACTURED HEAD GASKET. WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE HEAD GASKET REPLACED AT CONSIDERABLE EXPENSE. WE HAVE RECEIVED QUOTES AVERAGING AROUND $2,000.00. THE DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET IS STILL AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. *NM
Official recalls
105V389000 · Steering:linkages:rod:relay:connecting
Sep 6, 2005
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, IF THE STEERING WHEEL IS REPEATEDLY TURNED UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS WHERE HIGH STEERING EFFORT AND POWER ASSIST ARE REQUIRED, FOR INSTANCE, WHEN FULLY TURNING THE WHEEL WHILE THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED, A FATIGUE CRACK MAY DEVELOP IN THE STEERING RELAY ROD.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE VEHICLE IS CONTINUED TO BE OPERATED IN THIS CONDITION, THE RELAY ROD MAY FRACTURE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STEERING RELAY ROD. THE RECALL BEGAN OCTOBER 5, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1SQ99003 · Corroded Brake Lines
Opened Jan 27, 1999 · Closed Apr 22, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
TOYOTA IS CONDUCTING A SAFETY RECALL IN CANADA 98-253. CORRODED BRAKE LINES COULD FAIL RESULTING IN A PARTIAL BRAK SYSTEM LOSS AND INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES