I was looking at a 2018/19 4runners, while I wait for mine to arrive. I noticed that the bumper is not fully seated under the headlights about midway. Is this normal?

Sort of?

Yes in the sense that it's a more common issue with 5th gens to the point that you'll probably notice it on a lot them with varying age/miles once you see it.

No, in that it's a known issue that Toyota issued a TSB for to fix with updated clip brackets and some heavy duty velcro pads.

I’m not sure if this is the same problem as yours, but I noticed my bumper was loose on my 2018 and was going to take it in to the dealership for repair, I had assumed someone bumped it in a parking lot. I started pushing around on it and it popped into place with very little pressure. Maybe I just got lucky, but it can’t hurt to check.

Bumper Gap while in GA last week, I found some issues, not known to me at first.
But, Passenger side bracket holding bumper was cracked on one side, and missing attachment screw closest to tire.
The bracket that goes under the passenger headlight, GONE.
Headlight assembly was replaced apparently. It has a different adjustment screw color, silver vice a cold galvanized look.
So, took bumper off today, and the brackets under the headlight I ordered were wrong, if the drivers side is correct. Supposedly when you have a bumper sensor, this bracket is different? No idea.
I ordered the new brackets for TSB to fix bumper. You can see the differences. The new one looks like it is sunk in a little to allow velcro to sit in and not push bumper out as old brackets would due to thickness.
Also, how does this foam piece fit in the bumper, as it fell out when I pulled the bumper? And where the blue circle is, does something go there?
So, let me know what you all think. I will fix it next weekend when I get back from travel again.

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Can you post the TSB?

T-SB 0049-20 May 28th, 2020

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TSB Bumper.pdf (1,005.2 KB, 228 views)

Okay, Bumper is back on. I put all new brackets. Headlight brackets and new TSB brackets for the fender sides.
All went well, drivers side is perfect, passenger side has a gap. But, its not the bumper , its actually the end of the fender, under the headlight is a bent in a little.
I went for a drive, over bumper roads and off road, yes with a Limited.
Nothing came undone. So, I will live with gap on the passenger side.
Ist pic is drivers side, second and third are passenger side.
Last pic is the drivers side before fix.
Passenger side is not as bad as the picture protrays. You have to get up close to see it.
Car is Not Under Warranty.. So, I will live with it.
Reminds me of when I had my 93 Corvette painted by Callaway. I drove home, no issues, all the way from CT to SC. Then, I had hood open, and radiator cap off, hood fell, cracked the paint. 5,000 dollars, in 1999 money.
Sometimes you just got to accept things and move on.

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I was changing lights and did the TSB on mine. I would only occasionally have one side pop up and thought since the bumper was coming off I'd update. Results: yes, the Velcro locks everything in place and the mating is better, but I don't think it looks a uniform as before. Maybe it's just me. For sure it won't be popping loose again.

FYI, if you buy the replacement brackets, there is a garnish kit that you need as well. This kit is basically, alcohol wipes, adhesion promoter, the 3M Velcro and a couple of small washers. Seems like a complete rip off to me because it costs nearly as much as both brackets! I bought the supplies (sans the washers) off of Amazon at well below half the cost of the Toyota kit and printed my own washers in polycarbonate.

$0.02

I used the velcro kit. Felt cheesy for a band aid repair.
But, it is what it is unfortunately

Just confirming, did the repair kit come with the washers?

It appears to me the inside fender machine screw hole at the top of the bracket is more proud than the previous bracket, requiring a washer to ensure the screw captures the bumper cover securely. Not sure if this was intentional or a tolerance stack-up issue / design flaw.

no washers for fenderwell area.. Hmm.

The area you circled on the bumper I believe is for the trim piece on the front if you have it. I may be wrong though.

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If you look at Step 10. on the TSB it refers to washers. I had assumed those came with the garnish kit... maybe not.

Yep, I see it. Hmm. I wonder what it would do? Close the gap a little? Or are they anticipating a damaged hole the screw would go in, if bumper was taken off and broke it. I can see it getting broke easy, when you remove the bumper.

I think the new bracket hole protrudes a bit higher than the old bracket. So, when the screw is fully tightened it is bottoming out and not really holding tight to the bumper cover... or at least that is what it appeared on my truck. I fired up SolidWorks and quickly produced two polycarbonate washers on my 3D printer and everything tightened up with the washers in place.