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2012 Toyota 4Runner problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2012 Toyota 4Runner. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 23% of relevant complaints.
Better than 82% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 70 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 6%).
Does the 2012 Toyota 4Runner have engine or transmission problems?
Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 6 of 26 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 Toyota 4Runner concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (23%). For comparison, the 2011 scores 25% and the 2013 scores 22%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
How the 2012 compares with other Toyota 4Runner years
Of the 14 Toyota 4Runner years with enough complaints to score, the 2012 is the 5th-worst on engine and transmission share (23%). The worst is the 2019 (26%), the best the 2021 (6%). By volume, the 2012 drew 96 complaints (6 drivetrain), against 163 for the 2011 and 36 for the 2013.
Toyota 4Runner years to avoid and best years →
2010 4Runner problems · 2011 4Runner problems · 2012 · 2013 4Runner problems · 2014 4Runner problems · 2015 4Runner problems · 2016 4Runner problems · 2017 4Runner problems · 2018 4Runner problems · 2019 4Runner problems · 2020 4Runner problems · 2021 4Runner problems · 2022 4Runner problems · 2023 4Runner problems
The rest of the picture on the 2012 Toyota 4Runner
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 6 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2012 Toyota 4Runner engine recalls
Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2012 Toyota 4Runner involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 8 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.
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.
Risk: Contact with an exhaust tip may result in personal injury.
Fix: SET will notify owners, and dealers will install a re-designed exhaust tip that is smaller in diameter and is more recessed behind the bumper, free of charge. The recall began September 15, 2016. Owners may contact…
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.
Risk: Contact with an exhaust tip may result in personal injury.
Fix: SET will notify owners, and dealers will install a re-designed exhaust tip that is smaller in diameter and is more recessed behind the bumper, free of charge. The recall began on September 22, 2015. Owners may contact…
6 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2012 Toyota 4Runner? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.
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Does the 2012 Toyota 4Runner have engine or transmission problems?
Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 6 of 26 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 Toyota 4Runner concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (23%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Toyota 4Runner?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2012 Toyota 4Runner is air bags: 70 of 96 complaints (73%) name it, followed by service brakes (7) and electrical system (6). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 23% of the relevant total.
Is the 2012 Toyota 4Runner reliable?
On the engine and transmission, nothing stands out: 23% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain, below the 33% line where we call a signal elevated. That is better than 82% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 14 Toyota 4Runner years we score, it ranks 5th-worst. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2012 Toyota 4Runner?
Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2012 Toyota 4Runner involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 8 in total: 16V577000 (engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe), 15V515000 (engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.
Which Toyota 4Runner years are better?
Among the Toyota 4Runner years we track, the 2021 (6%), the 2020 (8%) and the 2022 (10%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2012 (23%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/toyota-4runner
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Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.