There are 15 stored owner reports matching the engine leading-label group for the 2000 Toyota 4Runner in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 15 of 15 matching reports.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)REPLACED ENGINE WITH A REBUILT ON, BECAUSE ENGINE BAD DESIGN. OIL PASSAGES TOO SMALL . NO HELP FROM TOYOTA WHO DESIGNED AND MADE THE ENGINE. DAMAGED OCCURRED OVER TIME: SLUDGE BUILD UP, GRITTY SLUDGE.
HI, I HAVE A 2000 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER. IT HAS A LITTLE OVER 200K MILES AND I TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE TO HAVE THE TIMING BELT AND WATER PUMP REPLACED. I DRIVE THE VEHICLE DAILY. THE MECHANIC DID NOT PERFORM THE WORK BECAUSE HE NOTICED THE FRAME HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND RECOMMENDED TO NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE FOR SAFETY REASONS. HE STATED THAT IF THE FRAME DID BEND OR SEPARATE THE VEHICLE WOULD BUCKLE AND THERE WOULD NOT BE ANY CONTROL, ESPECIALLY ON THE EXPRESSWAY. THE MECHANIC RECOMMEND THAT I CHECK TO SEE IF THERE HAS BEEN ANY RECALLS. I DID CHECK TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS AND THERE WAS NOT. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE TOYOTA TUNDRA AND TOYOTA TACOMA HAD SIMILAR ISSUES WITH THE FRAME'S RUSTING THROUGH AND TOYOTA DID A RECALL/BUY BACK FOR THOSE VEHICLES. I WAS ON THE TOYOTA FORUM AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE ARE A LOT OF TOYOTA 4 RUNNERS IN THIS SAME CIRCUMSTANCE. I FEEL IF THERE ARE OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES FROM TOYOTA HAVING THE SAME ISSUE, THEN THEY SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL/BUYBACK PROCESS. THANK YOU. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME WAS SEVERELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAME WAS ENTIRELY CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 113,231. DJR UPDATED 10/24/2014*LJ UPDATED 4/20/2015 *JS
MY 2000 4RUNNER ENGINE BROKE DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY, IT STARTED MAKING A LOUD CLANKING NOISE AND WE PULLED OVER AND IT DIED AND WOULDN'T START AGAIN , WE HAD TO GAVE IT TOWED HOME AND THE MECHANIC INFORMED US AFTER REPLACING THE STARTER , ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY THAT IT NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. WE HAVE ALWAYS KEPT UP WITH OIL CHANGES AND TUNE UPS SO THIS WAS A SHOOK TO US. WE WILL BE CONTACTING TOYOTA TO SEE WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THESE 2000 4RUNNERS SINCE I HAVE READ THAT MANY CONSUMERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR
FRAME RUST-THROUGH - VEHICLE'S FRAME HAS PREMATURELY RUSTED THROUGH FROM THE INSIDE-OUT ALONG PASSENGER SIDE IN AREA OF MUFFLER ASSEMBLY. *TR
ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON DURING LAST SUMMER, I WAS DRIVING MY 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER WITH MY WIFE AND 9-YR OLD DAUGHTER AT THE BACK SEAT. I HAD THE CAR ON CRUISE CONTROL AT ABOUT 65/70 MPH. BEFORE MOVING OVER TO MY DESTINATION OFF RAMP, I TRIED TO CANCEL THE CRUISE CONTROL BUT TO MY HORROR IT WAS NOT CANCELING. THE HARDER I PRESSED THE BRAKE, THE FASTER THE CAR TRIED TO MOVE FORWARD/ACCELERATING. I HAD TO TAKE AND SOMEHOW MANAGED A IMMEDIATE LEFT ON A T JUNCTION WITH TRAFFIC LIGHT CONTROL. I WAS ALMOST GOING TO HIT THE CAR IN FRONT RUNNING AT A SPEED APPROPRIATE FOR A BUSY CITY STREET. WE ALL STARTED PRAYING TO GOD. I WAS ON A BRIDGE/OVERPASS. THERE WAS NO WAY TO DRIVE OFF THE ROADWAY. I ALMOST PASSED OUT IN HORROR, BUT BARELY MANAGED TO MOVE OVER TO THE LANES IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION (LUCKILY THERE WAS NO MEDIAN AND THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC LIGHT WAS RED). WHEN NOTHING WAS WORKING, I SOMEHOW MANAGED TO TURN THE ENGINE SWITCH OFF. AND STOP THE CAR WITH THE HELP OF THE BREAK WITHIN A FEW HUNDRED FEET JUST BARELY AVOIDING HEAD ON COLLISION WITH THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC. AFTER STOPPING, I TRIED TO START THE CAR. AS SOON AS I TURNED THE KEY ON THE RPM JUMPED TO 6000/7000. AS I PUSH THE BRAKE HARD TO STOP THE CAR FROM MOVING, THE CAR WAS JUMPING VIOLENTLY. WE WERE SCARED, GOT OUT OFF THE CAR AND THE ROAD. I CALLED THE POLICE. BEFORE A POLICE OFFICER CAME, A KIND DRIVER STOPPED AND HELPED ME PUSH THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER. THE OFFICER LEFT WITHOUT EVEN TAKING A REPORT. I TOOK AND LEFT THE CAR TO THE NEARBY TOYOTA DEALER. NEXT DAY, THEY TOLD ME THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO THE THROTTLE VALVE GETTING STUCK OPEN. I HAD TO PAY TO CLEAN THE VALVE. *TR UPDATED 04/22/10 *BF THE WATER PUMP WAS LEAKING AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 10/05/10
OUR 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER, ON A RECENT ROAD TRIP, HAD THE ENGINE LIGHT COME ON WHILE WE WERE IN RURAL KANSAS. UPON HAVING IT TOWED TO THE NEAREST TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, WE WERE TOLD IT HAD "ENGINE SLUDGE," AND THAT WE NEEDED, AT THE LEAST, A REBUILD OF OUR ENGINE, AND AT MOST A NEW ENGINE. THE CAR HAS BEEN WELL-MAINTAINED, AND PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT HAD RUN FINE. OIL HAD BEEN CHANGED ON A REGULAR BASIS, AND THE VEHICLE HAD SUFFICIENT OIL, AND CLEAN-LOOKING OIL, AS IT HAD ALWAYS HAD. *TR
A CONTROL VALVE WITHIN THE RADIATOR BURST, CAUSING ENGINE COOLANT TO GET INTO THE TRANSMISSION AND SEIZE IT. MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM. INDICATED THAT TRANSMISSION WAS TO BE REMOVED, SYSTEM FLUSHED, NEW RADIATOR INSTALLED, TRANSMISSION EITHER REBUILT OR REPLACED AND FOR THE WHOLE SYSTEM TO BE ROAD TESTED. APPROXIMATE COSTS VARY FROM $1700.00 TO OVER $3000.00. *TR
I PULLED ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND HEARD A LOUD NOISE, LIKE SOMEONE THREW A WRENCH INTO MY ENGINE. ALL MY DASH LIGHTS CAME ON, AND I LOST ALL POWER. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE MY HUSBAND CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD TO FIND WHAT APPEARED TO BE A DARK LIQUID ALL OVER THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE, AXLES, AND FRONT CHUNK. WE WERE TOWED HOME, WHERE HE FOUND A PIECE OF THE ENGINE SIDE BELL HOUSING LYING IN THE SKID PLATE. NOW MY CAR IS LAWN ART AND I'M SEARCHING FOR A RECALL. IT HAS HAD THE OIL CHANGED ABOUT EVERY THREE MONTHS AND IS NOT MISTREATED. I STILL HAVE ABOUT A THOUSAND MILES BEFORE MY NEXT OIL CHANGE IS DUE. *TR
2000 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER ENGINE SEIZED UP AFTER THE VEHICLE LOST ALL OF ITS OIL. THIS WAS A RESULT OF THE TECHNICIAN FORGETTING TO TIGHTEN THE OIL FILTER AND THE OIL DRAIN PLUG.*** *NM THE OIL CHANGE FACILITY ONLY OFFERED PARTIAL REOIMBURSEMENT FOR THE COST OF A NEW ENGINE. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT SINCE THEY ARE FULLY RESPONSIBLE THAT THEY SHOULD COVER THE ENTIRE COST OF A REPLACEMENT ENGINE. *NM
2000 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER ENGINE SEIZED UP AFTER THE VEHICLE LOST ALL OF ITS OIL. THIS WAS A RESULT OF THE TECHNICIAN FORGETTING TO TIGHTEN THE OIL FILTER AND THE OIL DRAIN PLUG DURING A OIL CHANGE.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE MANAGER OFFER TO PARTIALLY COMPENSATE THE CONSUMER FOR THE ENGINE BUT THE CONSUMER WAS NOT PLEASED WITH THE OFFER, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE FAILURE OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF THEIR NEGLECT. *NM
ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS I HAVE TAKE MY CAR TO THE DEALER TRYING TO GET MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND CAR STALLING REPAIRED. ON TWO OCCASIONS MY CAR HAS STALLED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE FIRST TIME WAS WHEN I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF MAKING A LEFT TURN AND THE SECOND TIME WAS WHEN I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN. ALSO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF.*AK
DIAGNOSED WITH ENGINE SLUDGE. STILL HAS MILAGE LEFT ON WARRANTY. DENIED WARRANTY BECAUSE TOYOTA SAID I EITHER DIDN'T CHANGE OIL OR USED LOW GRADE OF OIL QUALITY.
THE CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE TAIL PIPE AND HOOD. THE DEALER STATED THE ENGINE HAD SLUDGE BUILD UP CAUSED BY FAILURE TO PROVIDE PROPER MAINTENANCE. *JB
CAR STALLS ON DECELERATION WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT (RED). TOYOTA TRUCK WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE WITHOUT A PERMANENT RESOLUTION. UPON CONTACTING MANUFACTURER AND IN TURN TOYOTA SERVICE & REPAIR THEY STATED THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND THAT THERE IS NO RESOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. TOYOTA SERVICE ADVISED ME TO DRIVE VEHICLE AND NOT TO COMPLETELY FILL GAS TANK, BECAUSE IF THE GAS TANK IS OVERFILLED CAUSES CAR TO TURN OFF. DUE TO GAS GETTING INTO THE VACUUM SYSTEM. *PH *NLM **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS**767680
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Apr 29, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.