2012 Toyota 4Runner: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2012 Toyota 4Runner: 8 recalls, 96 owner complaints and up to 19 mpg combined.
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Recalls
8 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Equipment Vehicle recall #12V120000 · 2012 · 363 vehicles
What's wrong: A malfunction in the audiovox electronics brand remote engine starter module can prevent normal communication of the vehicleâs controller area network (can).
Why it matters: If this condition occurs, antilock braking and stability control May be lost, increasing the risk of a crash. Drivers should receive dashboard warning lights warning them of a malfunction.
The fix: Gulf states Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the remote engine starter with a new one free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about June 4, 2012.
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.
Engine & cooling Vehicle recall #15V515000 · 2015 · 2,530 vehicles
What's wrong: The affected vehicles May be equipped with accessory exhaust tips installed by set or set dealers that May contact people and possibly burn them while they are standing behind the vehicle.
Why it matters: Contact with an exhaust tip May result in personal injury.
The fix: Set will notify owners, and dealers will install a re-designed exhaust tip that is smaller in diameter and is more recessed behind the bumper, free of charge. The recall began on September 22, 2015.
Engine & cooling Vehicle recall #16V577000 · 2016 · 425 vehicles
What's wrong: The affected vehicles May be equipped with accessory exhaust tips installed by set or set dealers that May contact people and possibly burn them while they are standing behind the vehicle.
Why it matters: Contact with an exhaust tip May result in personal injury.
The fix: Set will notify owners, and dealers will install a re-designed exhaust tip that is smaller in diameter and is more recessed behind the bumper, free of charge. The recall began September 15, 2016.
Airbags Vehicle recall #17V006000 · 2017 · 577,875 vehicles
What's wrong: S. Virgin islands, or "zone a." additionally, unless included in "zone a" above, Toyota is recalling certain 2009 Toyota corolla, corolla matrix, yaris, yaris hb, Scion xb, Pontiac vibe, Lexus, es350, is250, is350, and is-f vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in arizona, arkansas, delaware, district of columbia, illinois, indiana, kansas, kentucky, maryland, missouri, nebraska, nevada, new jersey, new…
Why it matters: An inflator rupture May result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Toyota will notify the Toyota, Scion and Lexus owners. General motors will contact the Pontiac owners. Depending on the model, dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator or the air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall began on February 1, 2017.
Equipment, Body & structure Vehicle recall #17V425000 · 2017 · 3,547 vehicles
What's wrong: The adhesive attaching the hood scoop May weaken, allowing the hood scoop to detach from the vehicle.
Why it matters: If the hood scoop detaches, it May become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Set will notify owners, and dealers will mechanically fasten the scoop to the hood, free of charge. The recall began on September 1, 2017.
Airbags Vehicle recall #19V005000 · 2019 · 1,299,448 vehicles
What's wrong: S. Virgin islands or "zone a." Toyota is also recalling certain 2011-2013 Toyota corolla, corolla matrix, Lexus is250, is350, 2011-2016 4runner, 2011-2015 Scion xb, Lexus is350c, is250c, 2011-2014 Toyota sienna, Lexus is-f, 2011-2017 Lexus gx460, and 2011-2012 Lexus es350 vehicles ever registered in the states of arizona, arkansas, delaware, district of columbia, illinois, indiana, kansas, kentucky, maryland,…
Why it matters: An inflator explosion May result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, or replace the air bag assembly. The recall began February 15, 2019.
Airbags, Airbags Vehicle recall #19V741000 · 2019 · 928,220 vehicles
What's wrong: These vehicles had their driver or passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators May explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Why it matters: An inflator explosion May result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front driver inflator, front passenger airbag inflator, the airbag assembly, or the front passenger airbag sub-assembly and inflator. The recall began November 20, 2019.
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 1 mention a fire, 9 injuries and 0 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Airbags (70): the most common themes are deploys unexpectedly / inflator (3), fails to deploy (2).
- Brakes (6): no single recurring theme in the descriptions.
- Electrical (6): the most common themes are electrical failure (2).
- Other / unknown (6): the most common themes are electrical failure (2).
The 2012 Toyota 4Runner has 96 owner complaints, ranking #17 of 37 4Runner model years for complaints (about average; the typical year has 158). Complaints peaked in 2017 (66 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 5 years old, at a median of 45,144 miles. Neighboring years: 2011 (163 complaints, 10 recalls), 2013 (36 complaints, 6 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0 L 6-cyl | Automatic (S5) | Rear-Wheel Drive | 17 | 23 | 19 | Regular |
| 4.0 L 6-cyl | Automatic (S5) | 4-Wheel Drive | 17 | 22 | 19 | Regular |
| 4.0 L 6-cyl | Automatic (S5) | Part-time 4-Wheel Drive | 17 | 22 | 19 | 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 2012 Toyota 4Runner.
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FAQ
Does the 2012 Toyota 4Runner have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 8 vehicle recalls for the 2012 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 2012 Toyota 4Runner problems?
Owners have filed 96 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are airbags (70), brakes (6), electrical (6).
What gas mileage does the 2012 Toyota 4Runner get?
EPA ratings run up to 19 mpg combined (4.0 L, Automatic (S5)), across 3 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2012 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.