There are 5 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2012 Toyota 4Runnerin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
APPROXIMATELY 7:45 AM ON 9/18/19, MY SON WHILE COMING HOME FROM WORK, HAD AN ACCIDENT. I WAS NOT WITH HIM AT THE TIME. WHEN HE SHOWED UP AT HOME AFTER THE INCIDENT, HE EXPLAINED HOW HE WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BEFORE IT COLLIDED WITH THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. HE ARTICULATED THAT WHEN HE APPLIED THE BRAKES, IT WAS AS IF HE VEHICLE SPED UP. REMEMBERING YEARS BACK DURING A PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN, THIS WAS AN ISSUE WITH SOME OTHER TOYOTA'S. THE VERDICT WAS THE PLACE MATS INTERFERED WITH THE PEDALS. WHEN I RELEASED THE VEHICLE FROM THE TOW LOT, I CHECKED AND THIS WAS NOT THE CASE AS THE FLOOR MAT WAS SECURE. I HAVE DRIVEN TOYOTA VEHICLES SINCE THE EARLY NINETY'S AND HAVE OWNED FIVE. CHECKING FOR RECALLS AS A RESULT OF THIS I FOUND MULTIPLE INCIDENTS ON RECORD. THE PANIC BRAKING SYSTEM SURPRISED ME THE FIRST TIME I EXPERIENCED IT. LOW SPEEDS (25MPH OR LESS) I THOUGHT A TRUE ASSET BUT BECAUSE OF THE QUICK STOPPING, HIGHER SPEEDS WORRIED ME. NEVER NEEDED THE PANIC BRAKE BUT ONCE. SOME HOW, I BELIEVE THE COMMUNICATION (AI) WITH THE PANIC, ANTI-LOCK, BRAKING SYSTEM, AND THE WAY IT COMMUNICATES SPEED AND CONDITIONS IS THE CULPRIT. THE INSURANCE COMPANY IS IN POSSESSION OF THE 4RUNNER AND I STILL HAVE THE TITLE. PLEASE CONTACT ME TO ADVISE HOW TO PROCEED. THEY SEEM ANXIOUS TO GET THE TITLE BUT I AM ANIMATE TO KNOW IF CONDITIONS OR VEHICLE DEFECTS PLAYED A PART IN THE ACCIDENT. WHEN I MENTIONED THIS TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY, THEY AVOIDED THE ISSUE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE, A LOUD ABNORMAL NOISE WAS PRESENT AND THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD TO GRADUALLY BE DEPRESSED IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT ALSO INDICATED THAT WHILE PARKED ON AN INCLINE AND WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED, THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,000.
WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT ON LEVEL GROUND, VEHICLE BEGAN TO CREEP FORWARD WITH FOOT STILL PRESSED FIRMLY ON BRAKE. UNLESS BRAKE IS PRESSED ALMOST TO THE FLOOR, THE VEHICLE TENDS TO CREEP FORWARD WHILE STOPPED AND IN GEAR. PAID MORE ATTENTION TO BRAKES OVER THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS AND ALSO NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WILL START ROLLING WHEN SHIFTED INTO GEAR WITH FOOT ON THE BRAKE IF BRAKE IS NOT PRESSED ALMOST ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE MORE DEFINED WHEN IT IS HOT OUTSIDE (>95 DEGREES). TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP AND TECHNICIAN NOTED THAT "SOFT BRAKE FEEL" IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THIS VEHICLE. NO REPAIR WAS ACCOMPLISHED OR OFFERED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE, THE VEHICLE SEIZED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO BE THROWN FORWARD. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO KEEP DRIVING THE VEHICLE AFTER THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE MATERIAL BEING USED TO MANUFACTURE THE STRUTS. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE CONTACT HAD NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC OR DEALER FOR INSPECTION OR REPAIR. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000.
THE BRAKES OF THE VEHICLE SLIP. WHEN YOU ARE ON THE FREEWAY AND YOU NEED TO STOP FOR ACCIDENTS AND YOU BRAKE THE VEHICLE SLIPS AND ALMOST WANTS TO ROLE OVER. WHEN THE VEHICLE COMES TO COMPLETE STOP AFTER A FEW SECONDS IT MOVES FORWARD ALMOST 6 INCHES. THERE COULD BE SEVERAL REASONS WHY THIS COULD HAPPEN WITH ABS SYSTEMS, COULD BE HYDRAULICS, COULD BE THE SENSORS, IT COULD BE PULSATION. DIAGNOSIS FOR THIS REQUIRES PRECISION NOT A SIMPLE TEST DRIVE. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS ITS NORMAL AND THAT'S HOW LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL WORKS BUT IT SLIPS OFTEN AND ON EVEN ROADS. THE DEALERSHIP WANTS ME TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM FOR THEM AND I WON'T WANT TO GET ON THE HIGHWAY AT FREEWAY SPEEDS TO SHOW THEM HOW THE BRAKES SLIP. ITS A SAFETY CONCERN. I CALLED THE MANUFACTURER SINCE I AM STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY SAY THEY WONT DO ANYTHING. BOTTOM LINE THE BRAKES ARE NOT SAFE AND I AM WORRIED ABOUT A ROLL OVER OR A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *TR
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.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026