Satisfied or Regretful

K

kowaskitom

New member
I plan to purchase a 2012 4Runner Trail in a few weeks and wanted to get some insight from those of you who already own one. I’ve noticed a few threads which address problems such as hazy headlights, vibration at speed, nose diving under heavy brakes, etcetera. So I wanted to ask:
If the vehicle is left stock, what persistent problems do you experience (vibration, faulty headlights, etc)?
Are you satisfied with your purchase?
I unfortunately have not had a chance to test drive a 4Runner yet, and will not have an opportunity for another couple of weeks. I am just trying to do this research before I buy the vehicle.
 
Register to hide this ad
Headlights and other items are fixed on most 2012 models. Only 2010-2011 had them and driveshaft thump too. Let me give you some advice:

Test drive, test drive, test drive. The 4Runner is not for everyone as it is not a Honda CRV or a BMW 5 series or a Prius. It is a body on frame SUV that does many things well but again, not everything. A lot of complaints on here are from people who had expectations and they bought with little seat time and got it home with buyers remorse.

I have no problems with steering wheel vibration and although some do, the majority do not. Oh, the rear hatch struts got fixed for '12 too. Just test drive - a lot.
 
1engineer said it well.

Love my 2011 trail for what it is (truck style tough SUV) AND isn't (car style crossover).
So far, no issues for me at all.

If I were to do it again, I would've tried to negotiate some BFG A/T tires on the purchase. The stockers ride nice, but come on...the Rock Warrior gets em. :D

I took one short test drive and instantly loved it. Coming from an 06 Taco (TRD off road), it is a much more luxurious ride. Not as smooth as a car, but damn close! ;)
 
Would do it again

I have yet to begin the mods on my 2012 TE and I love it just like it is! I concur with others who have said there is no other vehicle that is comparable. I test drove the Xterra Pro-4x, the Jeep Grand Cherokee with their X off-road package, the Ford Explorer and the SR5 and Limited versions of the 4R and the Trail Edition is what made me pull out my checkbook. It is the perfect combination of a comfortable interior with a capable truck like feeling to the ride and handling. My only tiny regret is I din't try harder / wait longer to maybe find one in Grey with the KDSS package. But I got leather seats "free" basically so I have no real complaints. Oh, I do have one tiny gripe though, the way the stock stereo is not able to have the display brightness maxed out with full headlights on. But eventually I will replace that head unit anyway so no big deal.
 
Love my 2012 TE. I bought it with the lift and tires already installed, so can't comment on stock ride. I do not have the vibration issue. I bought it specifically for the off road capabilities. I'm not too interested in the creature comforts of the LE - more of a form follows function kind of guy. If Toyota didn't make the TE, I probably would have bought a Tundra with the off road package or another F150 FX4.
 
I am the author of one of those threads with some criticisms. Do I have buyer's remorse? No, because there was no alternative for me. Like others I looked into other possibilities but nothing came close to the 4Runner. The Grand Cherokee, Pathfinder and Xterra were probably the closest but I had signficant concerns with each ranging from age of the design to possible future reliability problems.

I go into some rough country in the mountains and needed a proper 4x4 and not a cross-over. Our other vehicle is a Highlander so I'm well aware of what a cross-over can offer and it won't meet my needs.

I have to admit I found the Pathfinder ride to be "tighter" with a bit less body sway (I had 2 different Pathfinders) and noise dive. However, my wife very much prefers the ride of the 4Runner.
 
Last edited:
Have my truck for 2 years now, no regrets at all. Completely agree with 1engineer though - you need to test drive and see if t4R is for you or not.
 
We did a fair amount of research and a number of test drives. Ultimately we could not get exactly what we wanted, which was a TE with KDSS but without Nav. The only mod initially was to rip the stock tires off and put on Nitto Terragrapplers.

I knew the Toyota nav would infuriate me, and it does to no end, as does the XM interface. I end up regretting using it about 4 times out of 10. My 2005 Garmin outperformed it in terms of not taking routes that would make you think the routing software was written by a special needs programmer. Even its XM interface was better.

Other little quibbles deal with omissions in the vehicle feature set - all I really wanted was some degree of feature parity with a 2001 Maxima. Automatic climate control and auto headlights, that kind of thing. Those aren't show stoppers, but having them does not reduce the "rugged cool factor" one bit.

Like others have said, this is a truck. It rides more like a truck does than a Tundra, especially with only one person in it. This is another one of those minor annoying things. When packed with family and lots of stuff on a road trip though, the ride is great, and the more you abuse it the better the vehicle seems to like it.

There isn't any buyer's remorse. I am mulling over an upgrade to a Tundra, but for what I get I would also give up a lot of things, mainly maneuverability, off-road capability for tighter trails, and having to worry a bit less about where I could park the thing at some client sites.

So we like it? Yes.
Could it be a lot better? Yes.
 
I have a major complaint against my '12 TE. It's interfering with the rest of my life. All I want to do is drive it or mod it.

The T4r is one of a very small group of real SUVs these days. Most people that have a problem with the ride or handling are expecting it to be like all the other CUVs (cross-over utility vehicle) that are just over-sized 4wd station wagons designed for soccer moms and can't handle off road beyond gravel roads.

If you want a REAL SUV, you'll be happy with any of the 3 versions of the T4R. If you want a luxury CUV that handles like a sports car and the only time you will use 4wd is when it snows, you won't like it.
 
Agree with GrantK. 4runner is a PIA. Spend too much time obsessing over upgrades, mods, wheeling it, or just cruising the town. Most fun car/truck I ever owned. Get compliments from all kinds of people. It has some shortcomings but most can be overcome with minor mods or you just get over it cause everything else is fantastic. Nothing else like it out there so if you want comfort, get a crossover.
 
I have no remorse in my choice of the 12 TE, the only things that I even slightly dislike are the touchy brakes and associated nose dive, the oil change process, and of course the stock Bridgestone highway tires.

When the shocks wear out,(or maybe sometime before they wear out) I will replace them with the Bilsteins and hopefully reduce the the nose dive some. When the tires wear out I will get better ones. The oil change is what it is and is a small price to pay for having a vehicle that otherwise is just what I want. The brakes just take a little time to get used to, they just have a different feel than other vehicles that I have owned, but work real good.

I looked at and shopped for a midsize SUV to replace my 04 Grand Cherokee, and there is just not much to chose from anymore.

I considered a new Grand Cherokee (probably the closest contender) but did not like the independent rear suspension and the fact that it takes 16 spark plugs that must be changed every 30k miles.

I thought about a Pathfinder, but after some research found that they have problems with the transmission cooler in the radiator and their independent rear suspension also squats out under load so that the inside edges of the tires would wear out.

The Xterra is just a little too small for me and does not have some of the amenities that I prefer.

The Tahoe and Durangos are too big for my needs, so the 4Runner was it for me.
 
Last edited:
I have a 11 trail. With the exception of a software update for my VSC, I have had no troubles. Yes, I will be getting some good shocks and tires but I would rather not lift it as I am trying to do less off roading than I used to. I still do quite a bit but these are mainly on fire, forest service, or other graded roads.
The other nice thing is my woman can drive this and feel safe and comfortable. I am also happy that though I am 6'6" both she and can fit.

edit: It also doesn't wash itself and black is't the coulour that hides dirt well. It's first anniversary is coming up and it will get a wash wether it needs it or not.
 
Last edited:
I bought my 11 Limited sight unseen. I went through USAAs car buying service. Basically did it all of off my iPad. I did not even know there was a 4runner forum. I previously owned a 3rd gen and a 93 p/u.

I knew what I wanted, found it, and couldn't care less about all the little quirks our trucks have. Never test drove one, ever. I knew I was going to deal with it because there is no other competition in my mind. And realistically, we whine about some of the smallest things. Headlights, minor. Brake noise, it's normal and just turn on your stereo. Brake dive, go buy a car or minivan. cheap interior plastic, drive a GM. Better yet, take one apart and see how well it goes back together. Tinny doors, you probably drove a BMW or Mercedes because all other Japanese imports sound tinny to me.

I have found that most people that want a 4runner and that are active on this forum, are 4runner drivers for life. We buy them and enjoy them for what the truck is. Kinda like Wrangler owners. Who else sells a convertible 4x4? And don't get me started on what goes wrong with Jeeps!
 
Ducmonsta said:
And don't get me started on what goes wrong with Jeeps!
Click to expand...

Having owned two Grand Cherokees for the past 10 years and half a million miles, I spent quite a bit of time on the Jeep forums. These Toyota owners have no idea how lucky they are when it comes to problems with their vehicles.

I see very few threads on this forum dealing with actual mechanical problems and design issues compared to the Jeep.

Don't get me wrong, I loved my Jeeps, they just take more care and maintenance than I want to deal with anymore.
 
It's not a new Explorer. Out my 3rd for the weekend getting it repaired, and have an Explorer for a rental. I've driven it for ten minutes so far, and it already sucks.
 
I've had my SR5 for exactly a year today. I'm very happy with it so far. I bought mine mainly out of necessity when it became clear that my 2010 2 seater Tundra TRD was a huge mistake and didn't meet my needs. I initially wanted to stick with Toyota just to get a better trade in value on the Tundra. After some research, I would have bought the 4R regardless. I wasn't all that happy to trade in the Tundra, so the 4R wasn't that exciting at first. After a few months, I really started to love it. I'm used to trucks, so the ride and handling actually seem better to me than anything else I've had. Minor complaints: Nose dive, weak stereo system, minor steering wheel vibration at times. These can all be addressed easily. I usually only keep trucks for a couple years, but I have a feeling I'll keep this one for a long time. I just don't see anything better out there in this category. If they discontinue the 4R or make it unibody, I'll probably get a Trail with KDSS in the final model year.
 
I'm probably a bit new to give testimony, but I wanted a truck not a family hauler. I got one. I also bought the "softest" setup of all 3 models. Just a shock absorber swap and an alignment and now I'm happy with this vehicle. Knew that going in. Didn't want leather or factory nav, so the SR5 was right for me.

Yes, there are a few niggles for me, but every car has them. At least with the Toyota I can expect a mechanically sound vehicle. The other stuff is is inconsequential.

Like others say here.....drive it......drive it and.....drive it first.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Members online

Total: 292 (members: 2, guests: 290)

Forum statistics

Threads
278,309
Messages
3,554,070
Members
248,016
Latest member
Advally Service

Share this page

Trending content

Back
Top