2009 Toyota 4Runner: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2009 Toyota 4Runner: 6 recalls, 22 owner complaints and up to 18 mpg combined.
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Recalls
6 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Equipment Vehicle recall #10V035000 · 2010 · 271,417 vehicles
What's wrong: 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold between September 1, 2005 and June 2, 2008 without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels.
Why it matters: This does not meet the standard requirements.
The fix: Dealers will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. Dealers will also correct the owner's manual. The safety recall began on May 27, 2010.
Equipment Vehicle recall #10V036000 · 2010 · 153,418 vehicles
What's wrong: 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels.
Why it matters: A driver May overload a vehicle which May increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. The safety recall began on May 27, 2010.
Speed control / throttle Vehicle recall #11V113000 · 2011 · 1,363,244 vehicles
What's wrong: The accelerator pedal can get stuck in the wide open position due to its being trapped by an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat.
Why it matters: A stuck open accelerator pedal May result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death.
The fix: The remedy is now available. The safety recall began early April 2011. The remedy will involve modification or replacement of the accelerator pedal and replacement of any Toyota all-weather floor mat.
Seats, Airbags Vehicle recall #13V014000 · 2013 · 3,235 vehicles
What's wrong: During modification by set to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest dvd systems, these vehicles May not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system May not operate as designed.
Why it matters: If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags May not deploy or they May deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag…
The fix: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013.
Seats Vehicle recall #14V743000 · 2014 · 3,233 vehicles
What's wrong: The affected vehicles May experience compression of the seat cushion which May damage the seat heater wiring.
Why it matters: Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.
The fix: Set will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the heaters with copper strand heating elements and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory, free of charge. The recall is expected to began in January 2015.
Seats Vehicle recall #16V396000 · 2016 · 7,749 vehicles
What's wrong: The electrical wiring in the seat heaters May be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.
Why it matters: If damaged, the copper strand heating element May short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix: Set will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016.
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 1 mention a fire, 1 injuries and 0 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Transmission & drivetrain (10): the most common themes are hard / delayed shifting (6).
- Electrical (4): no single recurring theme in the descriptions.
- Body & structure (3): the most common themes are rust / corrosion (2).
- Engine & cooling (2): no single recurring theme in the descriptions.
The 2009 Toyota 4Runner has 22 owner complaints, ranking #35 of 37 4Runner model years for complaints (well below the 158 average). Complaints peaked in 2010 (8 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 1 year old, at a median of 21,500 miles. Neighboring years: 2008 (96 complaints, 5 recalls), 2010 (145 complaints, 12 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0 L 6-cyl | Automatic 5-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 16 | 21 | 18 | Regular |
| 4.7 L 8-cyl | Automatic 5-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 15 | 19 | 17 | Regular |
| 4.0 L 6-cyl | Automatic 5-spd | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 16 | 20 | 17 | Regular |
| 4.7 L 8-cyl | Automatic 5-spd | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 14 | 17 | 15 | Regular |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2009 Toyota 4Runner.
Closest thing to the factory manual for most years. Pay once, keep it.
Most $25–$78, one-timePro-shop repair procedures, wiring diagrams and TSBs for your exact car.
From $19.99/mo · $39.99/yrOEM procedures, specs and recall/TSB info, the same source many shops use.
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FAQ
Does the 2009 Toyota 4Runner have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 6 vehicle recalls for the 2009 Toyota 4Runner. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2009 Toyota 4Runner problems?
Owners have filed 22 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are transmission & drivetrain (10), electrical (4), body & structure (3).
What gas mileage does the 2009 Toyota 4Runner get?
EPA ratings run up to 18 mpg combined (4.0 L, Automatic 5-spd), across 4 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2009 Toyota 4Runner repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.