Looking at a new 5th gen, what are the common issues?

[SirBarton]

My one complaint - I live in Los Angles and bought a 4Runner as my second car for weekends and adventures while i drive a more commuter friendly car during the week.

Now I never want to drive anything but the 4Runner.

So I take a hit on paying a bit more to fill up the tank when i drive the 4Runner, but if I was really concerned about that money I could sell the daily driver and the reduction in cost for insuring 2 cars would probably make the extra fuel a wash.

 

[e60ral]

I still contend that the people who complain about power are just young people who didn't live through any parts of the malaise era

 

[catrains]

I think the other "issue" that gets a lot of mentions is the nose-dive when braking with the stock suspension. I've tailored my driving to be really smooth with the brake pedal so I don't get it very much, but during hard braking it is very noticeable. Bilstein 5100's and AT tires seem to fix the nose dive.

Normal 2-hi is fine for city and highway speeds, but as mentioned can feel a little low on power. 4-hi is good for dirt roads and mild off roading, I think the acceleration mapping is good to keep you from loosing traction. Drop it into 4-lo and it's great off-road. You can roll into the pedal with your foot to accelerate slowly and smoothly.

I just test drove a new 2016 T4R pre. and I found the braking did cause the front end to dip. could be toyota tweeked the front brakes with too much brake effort on the ratio of front to rear. the seats had good vinyl material but needed a little more cushion [stiff] .
the power on the hywy was good held speed good going up hills. brakes had good feel. not much road noise just a little at the door window. controls look good . rear camera works great.

on the exterior the headlights stick out a little too much on the side .

vehicle felt very solid on back road bumps , no clunking..
engine bay looks good for servicing. layout looked good.

frame metal is painted unlike GM which uses a wax coating that hides corrosion frame looks solid . doors seem to close good .

sides of the doors should have a ding protector option .
roof window works good not much noise when open
end of month they will do good deals on price.

found out a couple of days ago the reason Toyota has problems with manufacturing on the vehicles in japan is a steel making factory had a big explosion . it also caused japan to have a 6% drop in exports . mostly do to vehicles lack of metal.

 

[pinetar]

 

[camerontopa]

My only complaint is that after I park it, I uncontrollably look back at it, and instantly get aroused. Sometimes it gets awkward

 

[mrevilandy]

I would say one problem is that it already comes with a factory cold air intake, and most people want to do their own cold air intake lol

 

[Blitzkrieg]

My other complaint is:
I drive it way too much, look for any excuse to drive, love taking scenic, off highway routes, and have racked up 38,000 miles in only 14 months......

Jesus dude! My '15 TE is 13 months old and I just hit 5,200 miles on the clock LOL.

 

[Salvo]

I have a '16 Tacoma on order but the list of problems people are running into with their brand new trucks is getting longer by the day.

So, I'm now doing my research on 2016 4Runners. What are the common issues on new 4Runners that may pop up in the first 10k miles or soon after? Thanks in advance!

I have a 14 TE with 12,500 miles. I've had two blower motors go out and I have the seat crunch. Other than that, I have zero complaints.

 

[NuclearN8]

[MENTION=132644]funken[/MENTION] I would agree with all these posts, while I don't have a 5th Gen yet I am in the market for one soon to add as a stablemate to our 2007.

Buying late in the generation cycle is an added benefit in terms of improved QDR due to incorporating lessons learned since 2010... The 4Runner is a service proven design in a lot of aspects, namely the power train has been around since 2003 (with minor tweaks along the way but it's essentially the same 4.0L/ 5-speed which has proven to be a workhorse)

Also you can rest easy knowing that after a year or two, should you decide the 4Runner doesn't fit your lifestyle or interior creature comfort needs, then you can trade it or sell it and likely not lose your a$$ like 99% of other vehicles on the market. While 4Runners do depreciate, the rate at which they do is much slower than other vehicles...because their QDR is so high (minimal issues)

Bottom line: Take care of it and it will take care of you, but even if you don't take care of it (neglect the maintenance and never wash or wax it), it'll likely still treat you right and probably look decent for 8-10 years..... there are very few vehicles that can instill that kind of confidence on the market today.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[Ammomac]

You may start to like IPA's, have an urge to find a dirt road, and grow a (bigger) beard. These seem to be a common side effects of being a 4Runner owner.

so I've got the big beard, run the sh*t out of dirt roads, but WTF is IPA???

 

[Ammomac]

my complaints on my 15 are short

1st being the location of the trailer light plug - you have to freakin dang near lay down to plug in your trailer lights *IF* your harness is even long enough to reach without adding a pigtail or making some major adjustments

2. power is a bit lacking but not a deal killer. I think the transmission bothers me worse - seems rougher than it needs to be but on the other hand perhaps I'm just feeling strong positive shifts.

3. headlights could be better. low beams pretty much suck, however, I really don't drive much at night and the high beams seem fine. I would just expect better performance from a vehicle at this price point

I had my entune wig out one morning - required switching the key on and off to reboot and no further problems

other than that, we are at 15 months and 25k, mostly riding dirt roads and pulling a trailer, all smiles

M

 

[jwkilgore]

I still contend that the people who complain about power are just young people who didn't live through any parts of the malaise era

Yep. Unless you can remember a time when the standard engine in former American "muscle cars" was a 4-banger and the TOP engine was either a V6 or a very weak V8, you can't complain about the 4Runner.

so I've got the big beard, run the sh*t out of dirt roads, but WTF is IPA???

India Pale Ale, a very bitter pale ale originally developed by the English during their colonization of India. It has seen a resurgence in the Craft Beer market in the last few years. Arguably better than your typical watered-down American Lager (Bud Light, etc.), but there are far better options out there if you want to try something different.

 

[Ammomac]

Yep. Unless you can remember a time when the standard engine in former American "muscle cars" was a 4-banger and the TOP engine was either a V6 or a very weak V8, you can't complain about the 4Runner.

India Pale Ale, a very bitter pale ale originally developed by the English during their colonization of India. It has seen a resurgence in the Craft Beer market in the last few years. Arguably better than your typical watered-down American Lager (Bud Light, etc.), but there are far better options out there if you want to try something different.

that explains why I don't know - being an old retired guy I've chosen a healthier lifestyle and prefer a little kush these days ;-)

 

[Atlantan]

Over the past decade I've been fortunate enough to have my fun with various cars. SUV before this had a 4.8 twin turbo engine with 500 horses and 516ft-lbs of torque, all the power one would need.

But what good is all that power and performance if it leaves you and your family stranded on an island, literally. Had to tow it to the dealer and saw another one like mine there...also on a flatbed, had to leave it in there for a week and take a rental back to Atlanta. This happened last summer on Hilton Head Island. Started looking around the parking lot in the hotel and saw a lot of 4 Runners. There I decided that I would get a 4 runner for one reason - reliability.

I had a warranty on the previous SUV and it left me stranded again in Atlanta, had to two it to the dealer and fight the warranty company.

While it was at the dealer being fixed went straight to the Toyota dealer, test drove a 4 runner, did a blind trade and got the 4 runner. Not a single issue since labor day including a trip all the way to Key West, FL.

Coming from all that power I did have to adapt ...by shifting manually, Now I don't think power is any issue. For my driving I don't need anything above a 5th gear.

Plan is to keep the 4runner as long as it will last. My family loves the car and my boys don't want me to trade it in for anything else. Never thought I would receive compliments on a Toyota, but did.

Chances are I will get tired of it before it breaks down. Which would mean it could be my daily driver for a very long time allowing me to get something fun for weekend usage down the road. Meanwhile will enjoy it, mod it as the years pass by to keep it fun and something new. The more you visit the forum, the more you will want to mod.

Don't hesitate, pull the trigger and post up the photos of your new 4 runner.

Cheers!

 

[cjacob316]

My other complaint is:
I drive it way too much, look for any excuse to drive, love taking scenic, off highway routes, and have racked up 38,000 miles in only 14 months......

I'm right there with ya man.

 

[KingTaco]

Agree 100%. I test drove 3 2016s before buying the Trail, and I am coming from an X5. Not as much power, and mileage isn't quite as good, but after test driving a few, it became apparent that I liked almost everything else about the T4R better. It's perfect for me.

There's nothing that needed changing, but after spending enough time on this site, I do find myself buying a lot of things for it. That's the only real downside. How could I have known I needed powder coating, a lift, roof rack, etc... :shrug:

Something I neglected to mention when comparing to the X5 is that the MSRP is HALF that of the BMW, and the resale value is closer to TRIPLE.

Also, the mileage difference is more or less negated by the cost difference in regular vs. premium gasoline, and the T4R power is not inadequate for daily driving, just different. Not that it is an apples to apples comparison, but I'm much happier with the Toyota. So many fewer things to break, too!

 

[FordyceCreek]

No reliability issues for us. But power is beyond pathetic. And since its not gear/ powered correctly MPG suffers. Other then that a little tech dated.

 

[Knight-Errant]

Jesus dude! My '15 TE is 13 months old and I just hit 5,200 miles on the clock LOL.

I'd say both of you are on the opposite ends of the bell curve (way high and way low).

 

[Copper78]

I did notice the power struggle but I think it's the trans tuning like others have said. Coming from an '06 explorer w/ mayb 200hp the 4R is more ballsy. If I want to get pushed back in my seat the 600hp caddy is for that.

 

[hikenbike]

Sometimes on a really sunny day the glare off the hood at certain rare angles can get in your eyes.

Also, sometimes when drinking you can miss the running boards when getting into the truck thus slamming your face into the glass. Although this may be a design feature given you shouldn't drink and drive.

It might get dirty and require a wash every couple of weeks.

Other than that, all good. Boring.