Home · 2011 Toyota 4RUNNER Hybrid · Complaints

What 163 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Toyota 4RUNNER Hybrid

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (163)Crash / fire / injury (6)Airbags (112)Body & structure (9)Brakes (8)Electrical system (6)Engine (6)Transmission & drivetrain (6)Steering (5)Seats (4)Speed control (3)Suspension (3)

8 of 163 complaints match · Brakes · clear filters

Jun 22, 2024Brakes

Brakes ABS system failure affect the rear traction not feeding the brakes rear lines could be related to the proportioning sensing valve or other devices and the dealer says that the part it’s discontinued and service center says that the part cost around $2,000 plus labor. It’s very dangerous that someone have this issue on the road.

NHTSA ODI 11595877

Apr 28, 2023SuspensionBrakes

Frame rotting, brake line connections rotting

NHTSA ODI 11519393

Jul 17, 2018Electrical systemBrakesEngine

DRIVER'S SIDE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY SHORTED OUT WHILE DRIVING

NHTSA ODI 11111934

Oct 6, 2014Brakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE BRAKES LOCKED AND THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES AND AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,500.

NHTSA ODI 10641745

Sep 11, 2013BrakesCrash

CERTIFIED LETTER (7013 1090 0001 3828 4870)- LETTER FROM CONSTITUENT REGARDING ISSUES WITH HIS TOYOTA RUNNER. *SMD 2011 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONSUMER STATED HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN NOVEMBER 2010. THREE MONTHS LATER HE HAD AN ACCIDENT, DUE TO THE BRAKES NOT RESPONDING. ONE MONTH AFTER THE ACCIDENT, HE WAS INVOLVED IN ANOTHER ACCIDENT, DUE TO THE BRAKES NOT RESPONDING AGAIN. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER, TO HAVE THEM INSPECT THE BRAKES, BUT THEY DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG.

NHTSA ODI 10542700

Jun 19, 2013Brakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DECELERATING FROM 60 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED TO ENGAGE. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKES WITH FORCE UNTIL THE ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEM ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MOVE AND THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO TURN THE VEHICLE TO THE RIGHT AND MOVED AWAY FROM ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND A DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED, WHICH WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE A FAILURE CODE. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO TEST DRIVEN AND THE FAILURE WAS NOT DUPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,047 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 23,203.

NHTSA ODI 10520709

Jan 4, 2013Brakes

BRAKES APPLIED AT 45 MPH,VSC ACTIVATED,REAR BRAKES LOCKED ON AND WOULD NOT RELEASE. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A SAFE LOCATION OFF THE HIGHWAY AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO OWNERS HOME VIA FLATBED. THE REAR BRAKES WERE VERY HOT AND GRABBING AS I EXITED THE HIGHWAY. THE PARKING BRAKE LIGHT IN THE CONSOLE LIT. AND THE AUDIO BEEPER SOUNDED CONTINUOUSLY. INCIDENT WAS REPORTED TO THE TOYOTA DEALER. THEY DID NOT REQUEST TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10490985

Dec 3, 2011BrakesTransmission & drivetrain

PURCHASED VEHICLE NEW AND THE 5 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OPERATED SMOOTHLY. AROUND 9,300 MILES THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SHIFTING GEARS HARSHLY. THE HARSHNESS IS INTERMITTENT BUT HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY. ALSO, WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS GOING DOWNHILL, THE RPMS BOUNCE EVERYWHERE FROM 1500 RPMS TO 3000 RPMS. ITS ALMOST AS IF THE TRANSMISSION IS CONFUSED AND DOESN'T KNOW WHAT GEAR TO CHOOSE ANYMORE. I ALSO FEEL AS IF THE BRAKES AREN'T RELEASING. WHEN SITTING AT A RED LIGHT GOING DOWN HILL, ONCE I RELEASE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND BEFORE I ACCELERATE, WHILE COASTING, I FEEL A "THUD" IN THE REAR END AFTER ABOUT TWO ROTATIONS OF THE WHEELS. I DRIVE IN BUMPER-TO-BUMPER TRAFFIC DAILY IN PITTSBURGH AND THIS SHIFTING IS AWFUL - BY FAR THE WORST TRANSMISSION IN A VEHICLE I HAVE EVER OWNED. I MENTIONED THIS ISSUE DURING MY LAST SERVICE VISIT AT THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN HAD NOT BEEN ISSUED YET. THIS NEEDS ADDRESSED ASAP. THIS CAN'T BE THE WAY TOYOTA INTENDED FOR THIS VEHICLE TO OPERATE - ESPECIALLY SINCE IT DIDN'T ALWAYS OPERATE THIS WAY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10438479

Working with the data? Download all 163 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 20, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2011 Toyota 4RUNNER Hybrid verdict →