Home · 2015 Toyota 4RUNNER Hybrid · Complaints

What 85 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 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 (85)Crash / fire / injury (11)Airbags (17)Electrical system (13)Fuel system (10)Suspension (10)Body & structure (8)Speed control (8)Steering (8)Engine (7)Brakes (4)Transmission & drivetrain (4)

13 of 85 complaints match · Electrical system · clear filters

Oct 1, 2020Electrical system

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO LOCK AND UNLOCK THE PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR. THE CONTACT CONTACTED KERRY TOYOTA SERVICE FLORENCE (6050 HOPEFUL CHURCH RD, FLORENCE, KY 41042; (859) 371-1518) AND THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A DEFECTIVE PASSENGER'S SIDE LOCK ACTUATOR. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE LOCK ACTUATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO THE NHTSA FOR ASSISTANCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

NHTSA ODI 11362165

Sep 15, 2020Electrical system

WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PUT IN REVERSE THE COMPUTER SCREEN REAR VIEW CAMERA IMAGE BECOMES BLURY, THE IMAGE SHAKES RAPIDLY AND STATIC WITH NEON LINES WOULD APPEAR DISTORTING THE CAMERA FOOTAGE. IT MADE THE REAR CAMERA SCREEN VIEW UNUSABLE AND UNRELIABLE. THIS HAPPENED OFF AND ON FOR OVER 2 YEARS AND DURING EACH SERVICE I WOULD ASK TOYOTA OF SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA TO DIAGNOSE AND FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY WOULD TELL ME THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND THAT THEY UPDATED THE COMPUTER CHIP AND IT "SHOULD BE GOOD". THIS DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. I WAS ABLE TO VIDEO TAPE THE PROBLEM AND SHOWED THE VIDEO TO THE SERVICE MANAGER. HE HAD ME SEND HIM MY VIDEO AND SAID HE NEEDED TO TALK TO CORPORATE. AFTER 2 MONTHS AND MULTIPLE PHONE CALLS TO HIM HE SAID THEY HAD SEEN THIS PROBLEM IN OTHER VEHICLES AT OTHER DEALERSHIPS AND CORPORATE APPROVED HIM TO REPLACE THE COMPUTER FREE OF CHARGE SINCE MY CONCERNS HAD BEEN DOCUMENTED AT MANY SERVICE INTERVALS WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN HOW LONG IT TOOK TOYOTA OF SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM AND AGREE TO DO THE REPAIR. I HAD TO GET VERY ASSERTIVE AND PERSISTENT IN ORDER TO GET THEM TO LISTEN TO MY CONCERNS AND FIX THE PROBLEM. I WANTED TO DOCUMENT THIS PROBLEM IN CASE ANYONE ELSE MAY HAVE THE SAME ISSUES.

NHTSA ODI 11355050

May 2, 2020Electrical systemSpeed controlElectronic Stability Control (esc)

MULTIPLE TIMES NOW WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS WE HAVE EXPERIENCED THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GOING ROGUE. ABS, VSC, GAS, CHECK ENGINE, ALL LIGHTS WILL RANDOMLY COME ON. THE SCARY PART IS THIS MOST RECENT TIME IT JUMPED THE SPEEDOMETER WAY UP AS WELL. ANY HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED!

NHTSA ODI 11323013

Feb 21, 2020Electrical systemBody & structure

BOTH THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR AND PASSENGER SIDE DOOR DO NOT OPEN WHEN WHEN REMOTELY ACTIVATED. THEY ALSO CANNOT BE LOCKED REMOTELY. I HAVE NO WAY OF OPENING THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. BOTH DOORS HAVE TO BE MANUALLY OPENED. THE DRIVER SIDE CAN BE OPENED BY THE KEY, BUT THE PASSENGER SIDE NEEDS TO BE OPENED INSIDE THE PASSENGER DOOR.. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE ESPECIALLY WHEN MY WIFE TAKES THE CAR. IT IS DANGEROUS THAT SHE CANNOT ENTER THE CAR IN A TIMELY MANNER OR EVEN LOCK THE CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11310669

Feb 14, 2020Electrical system

THE LOCK ACTUATOR MOTORS ON 4 OUT OF 5 DOORS HAVE STOPPED WORKING. ONLY THE DRIVERS AND REAR DOOR HAVE EXTERIOR KEY ENTRY, THIS DRAMATICALLY INHIBITS THE ACCESS TO THE BACK AND FRONT PASSENGER SEATS IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY.

NHTSA ODI 11309123

May 7, 2019Electrical system

THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS FAIL AT AN ALARMING RATE. MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR FAILED AFTER ONLY 50,000 MILES. THIS PREVENTS THE CAR DOOR FROM LOCKING, WHICH IS A SAFETY CONCERN DURING A CRASH OR JUST TO PREVENT FORCED ENTRY.

NHTSA ODI 11205949

Feb 1, 2019Electrical systemLights

THE 4RUNNER'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHUTS DOWN COMPLETELY WHILE DRIVING; AS IF SOMEONE WAS SUDDENTLY TURNED THE CAR OFF WHILE DRIVING THEN TURNED IT BACK ON. ALL DASH LIGHTS, INSTRUMENTATION, HEADLIGHTS, RADIO, ETC... SHUT DOWN AND THEN IT RESTARTS AUTOMATICALLY SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THIS HAPPENS MULTIPLE TIMES DAILY. IT OCCURS BOTH WHILE THE CAR IS IN PARK OR REVERSE OR DRIVING USUALLY BELOW 555MPH SINCE MUCH OF MY COMMUTE IS CITY VS. HIGHWAY. IT STARTED WITH THE RADIO HEAD UNIT ONLY THEN THE ISSUE HAS PROGRESSED TO THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AS THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND COULD LEAD TO INJURY.

NHTSA ODI 11173532

Dec 27, 2018Electrical system

THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WILL NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK. I AM SURE YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THE SAFETY HAZARDS WITH THIS ISSUE. THIS DOOR WILL NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK WITH KEY FOB OR WITH THE LOCKING SYSTEM INSIDE THE CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11163674

Oct 18, 2018Electrical system

2015 TOYOTA 4RUNNER - DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS. AT AROUND 36,000 MILES THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR ACTUATOR BEGAN TO FAIL INTERMITTENTLY. WITHIN A COUPLE MONTHS IT FAILED COMPLETELY AND THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR BEGAN TO DISPLAY THE SAME PROBLEMS. AT 40,000 MILEAGES ALL OF THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS HAVE FAILED. THIS IS A NON-PROBLEM AND A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. IT IS ALSO VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR.

NHTSA ODI 11141238

Jul 19, 2018Electrical system

DOOR ACTUATOR LOCKING OUT DRIVER, TO WHERE KEY DOESN'T EVEN WORK. EITHER THE DOOR WILL NOT LOCK, OR UNLOCK. THE FOB IS FINE AND SENDS THE SIGNAL AS YOU CAN HERE THE ACTUATOR TRYING TO MOVE. AND WHEN IT DOESN'T UNLOCK, YOU CAN'T EVEN UNLOCK THE DOOR WITH THE KEY. I WOULD THINK THIS WOULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE. I'VE READ A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ON A VARIETY OF SITES SUCH AS BELOW, THAT IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE? IF IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE, WHY ISN'T THERE SOME KIND OF SAFETY RECALL? SUPPOSE ALL OF THE ACTUATORS DIDN'T WORK AND THERE WAS A KID IN THE CAR. THIS WOULD BE THE THIRD OF 4 BAD ACTUATORS, SO THAT IS A POSSIBILITY. HTTPS://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/TOYOTA/4RUNNER/2014/ELECTRICAL/AUTO_DOOR_LOCKS_NOT_WORKING.SHTML

NHTSA ODI 11112417

Jan 3, 2018Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemEngine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING IN THE LEFT LANE AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SEIZED AND WAS UNABLE TO BE MOVED. THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. ALL THE INDICATORS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. MODERN TOYOTA (3178 PETERS CREEK PKWY, WINSTON-SALEM, NC 27127) DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,000. *TT *TR

NHTSA ODI 11058235

Nov 29, 2016Electrical system

ENTUNE RADIO/NAVIGATION SYSTEM CONTINUALLY CRASHES AND STALLS WHILE DRIVING CAUSING SAFETY HAZARD IF DRIVER HAS TO CONTINUALLY RESET THE RADIO POWER WHILE DRIVING. THIS USUALLY HAPPENS MORE SO WHEN THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM IS ENGAGED. IT WILL CRASH OUT OF NO WHERE, USE TO JUST HAPPEN WITH INSTRUCTIONS WERE BEING GIVEN THROUGH THE SPEAKER NOW ITS RANDOM. HAPPENS ALSO WHEN WITH JUST MUSIC PLAYING, WILL BE UNABLE TO CHANGE STATIONS OR CONTROL VOLUME WITH BUTTONS OR NOBS. THIS SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING TO A LARGE AMOUNT OF CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE NO WAY OF SOLVING THE ISSUE. MIGHT BE NEED FOR SAFETY RECALL AS PEOPLE MAY NEED TO CONTINUALLY RESET OR TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHATS WRONG WHILE DRIVING. OTHER SITES FORUMS WITH CUSTOMERS COMPLAINING ABOUT ISSUE; HTTP://WWW.TOYOTA-4RUNNER.ORG/5TH-GEN-T4RS/177008-ENTUNE-TROUBLE-LETS-GET-FIXED-2.HTML HTTP://WWW.TOYOTANATION.COM/FORUM/333-3RD-GENERATION-2014/873962-ENTUNE-NAV-RADIO-REBOOTING-S-OWN.HTML HTTP://TOYOTA-ENTUNE.COM/FORUM/VIEWTOPIC.PHP?P=2965 HTTPS://WWW.TACOMAWORLD.COM/THREADS/UPDATED-AM-I-THE-ONLY-ONE-WITH-THIS-ISSUE-MEDIA-SYSTEM-RESTARTING-WITHOUT-REASON.397207/ *TR

NHTSA ODI 10928671

Sep 13, 2015Electrical system

RODENT CHEWED THROUGH INJECTOR 3 WIRE. 4 DAYS LATER, AFTER I PAID FOR THE FIRST REPAIR...SEVERAL OTHER WIRES WERE CHEWED THROUGH. THE PREVIOUS CONNECTOR REPAIRED WITH "RODENT DETERRENT TAPE" WAS NOT DAMAGED.

NHTSA ODI 10763422

Working with the data? Download all 85 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 21, 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 2015 Toyota 4RUNNER Hybrid verdict →