There are 3 owner-reported lighting complaints for the 2023 Toyota 4Runnerin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
My brand new 2023 Toyota 4Runner has terrible head lights. I see I am not the first person to post this very same complaint either. These headlights NEED to be recalled and replaced by Toyota. I will do my best to describe this, but when driving in the dark there is large shadow cast on the left side of the throw of the lights. It is far in front of the car, just before the light tapers off into darkness. But it's not just that the headlights are uneven, I have light that surrounds the dark spot. So it's like I'm constantly chasing an animal. The 4Runner has a soft suspension, so every small bump in the road makes the shadow dance and it is incredibly distracting. It's all I look at. When I turn it looks like something is running across the road. This is a dangerous design. I live in Illinois and I drive to and from work in the dark 5 months out of the year. Everybody on the internet says it's for the safety of oncoming drivers. The shadow is nowhere near where somebody would be sitting in an oncoming driver seat. This problem is all over the internet. Why has nothing been done about it? The Toyota dealer told me it's be design, and so did the service manager. Toyota corporate referred me to the customer relations lead back at the dealer, who sent me back to corporate, who sent me to a senior advisor at corporate, who told me they have to respect what the dealer says. Round and round we go. I inquired if my dealer can take apart my headlights and remove the piece that casts the shadow out on the road. I bet you know the answer to that one. Never once have I seen this in any vehicle driven by myself, family or friends. Anybody I have had in the car has mentioned how distracting it is. These lights need an immediate recall and replacement. Thank you.
The headlight pattern of the low beam lights has a large dark area at the 10 to 11 O'clock position that appears in the oncoming traffic lane when driving at night. This dark area is very distracting while driving at night. The area is approximately 1 to 2 meters in diameter when seen on the driving surface. It appears the headlights to not meet the photometric requirements for headlights. This pattern was first noticed when the vehicle was delivered by the dealer. I have contacted multiple dealers with no remedy. The dealer states that "pattern is by design."
When using the low beams, there is a distinctive shadow or blotch that is evident on the driver's side only in the 2023 4 Runner Limited. I understand from others that it is due to the LED anti glare technology mandated to be used by the government. This shadow or blotch is NOT visible when using the high beams. When using the low beams the shadow is ALWAYS in the periphery or in front of the driver....but it is there at ALL times. As a driver, my eyes are drawn to it, taking my eyes off of the traffic or road ahead. On several occasions I have thought that it was an animal or something. I have had passengers in my vehicle who immediately noticed the same thing and thought that it was a terrible design and would pose a safety hazard. This shadow is NOT visible on the passenger side. I have notified Toyota USA and have visited the dealership several times. I have had the headlamp replaced with no resolution, so I went back to have the headlight adjusted up and it is still there. I have been told by Toyota USA and dealership that this is a 'characteristic' of the vehicle and has been designed this way and they will not do anything to resolve this issue. I have done quite a bit of research and understand other Toyota owners are experiencing the same thing. Here are a few other websites where owners are complaining of the same thing: [XXX] and [XXX] and [XXX] ). I feel that this characteristic is a defect or flaw that poses a safety risk since the driver's eyes are drawn to this 'spot' while driving at night using the low beams. I did not experience this issue with my previous 2014 Toyota 4-Runner. I really appreciate someone looking into this as I am contemplating selling my brand new vehicle because of it. I have video as well. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
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