What 36 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Toyota 4RUNNER Hybrid

The car was running while in park. Our son got and and shifted the car into reverse from the passenger seat. The gear shift will engage without applying the brake or even without running and in park. The car crashed into one of our other vehicles parked behind the 4 runner. There is a malfunction with the automatic shift locking mechanism otherwise known as the safety interlock.

NHTSA ODI 11750215

A DEER RAN OUT IN FRONT OF ME, DRIVING 50 MPH. PASSENGER SIDE HIT, ALL 8 AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG UNDER STEERING WHEEL, CUT UP MY LEGS HORRIBLY, VERY SWOLLEN, REFUSED HOSPITAL DUE TO COVID 19 FEAR. THE AIRBAGS CUT UP MY LEFT ARM AND MY DAUGHTER'S RIGHT ARM(SHE WAS PASSENGER). VERY HAPPY THAT WE WERE SAFE, BUT THE SERIOUS CUTS ON MY BODY SEEMED QUITE SEVERE FOR THE HIT WHICH WAS ON PASSENGER SIDE AND BY A DEER.

NHTSA ODI 11329874

I WAS DRIVING MY 4 RUNNER DOWN THE THREE LANE CITY ROAD DOING ABOUT 40-45 MPS WHEN MY NAVIGATION SCREEN SHUT OFF AND TRIED TO RECONNECT TO MY PHONE. THIS HAPPENED TWICE IN A MATTER OF 5-7 MINUTES. SINCE I WAS DRIVING, I WAS NOT ABLE TO DO ANYTHING WITH EITHER MY PHONE OR MY NAVIGATION SYSTEM. IT ACTED AS IT IF WAS JUST TRYING TO RECONNECT TO MY PHONE WHEN IT WAS ACTUALLY TURNING OFF AND REBOOTING AS IF I WAS JUST STARTING THE CAR .THE THIRD TIME IT HAPPENED, I WAS MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN ON TO A VERY BUSY FOUR LANE ROAD WHEN IN MID TURN, IT FELT LIKE I HAD LOST POWER STEERING. I CHECKED THE DASHBOARD FOR ANY WARNING LIGHTS AND THAT IS WHEN I NOTICED THERE WAS NO POWER OF ANY SORTS TO MY 4 RUNNER NOR WAS THERE ANY WARNING LIGHTS. I WAS NOT EVEN ABLE TO PUT MY FLASHERS ON TO WARN ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I COASTED TO THE SHOULDER WHEN I NOTICED A STRONG SMELL COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR. IT SMELT LIKE BURNT PLASTIC. I GOT OUT OF MY CAR WHEN TRAFFIC PERMITTED AND WENT TO CALL A TOW TRUCK WHEN MY 4 RUNNER STARTED SMOKING VERY HEAVILY FROM UNDER THE HOOD WITH IN A TWO TO THREE MINUTE TIME FRAME. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED 911 AND THEY DISPATCHED A FIRE TRUCK AND POLICE TO THE SCENE WHERE , UPON ARRIVAL, THE FRONT OF MY 4 RUNNER WAS COMPLETELY COVERED IN FLAMES WITHIN A MATTER OF 5-7 MINUTES SINCE THE VEHICLE LOST POWER . THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BLOCKED OFF THE ROAD AND PUT OUT THE VEHICLE FIRE. THE FIREMAN SAID THAT HE BELIEVED FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE BLOCK DUE WHERE IT APPEARED THE FIRE STARTED AND HOW IT BURNED.

NHTSA ODI 11315748

ON 7/22/2019, OUR 4RUNNER REAR-ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE FREEWAY. SPEED AT THE TIME OF IMPACT WAS APPROXIMATELY 55MPG AFTER HARD BRAKING FROM APPROXIMATELY 65MPH. NONE OF THE 4RUNNER'S AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE ENTIRE FRONT END IS DESTROYED. SEE PHOTOS.

NHTSA ODI 11234158

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CURTAIN AIR BAGS LOCATED AT THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS, THE REAR CURTAIN AIR BAGS LOCATED AT THE REAR DRIVER'S DOOR, AND THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR AIR BAGS ABRUPTLY DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO THE MEDIAN. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE AND WHEEL WERE DAMAGED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED BURNS ON THE LEFT ARM DUE TO THE DEPLOYMENT. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT RECEIVED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 7,800.

NHTSA ODI 11044936