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2023 Toyota 4Runner problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
16%
4 of 25 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2023 Toyota 4Runner. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 16% of relevant complaints.

Better than 92% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 7 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 13%).

NHTSA data checked October 17, 2026
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The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2023 Toyota 4Runner have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 4 of 25 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2023 Toyota 4Runner concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (16%). For comparison, the 2022 scores 10%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
4
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
32
this model year
Fires reported
1
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
1
6 crashes · 5 injuries

Complaints by component

UNKNOWN OR OTHER12 · 38%
TIRES4 · 13%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING3 · 9%
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES2 · 6%
SERVICE BRAKES2 · 6%
STEERING2 · 6%

The years either side

2010
18%
9 of 145
2011
25%
13 of 163
2012
23%
6 of 96
2013
22%
6 of 36
2014
17%
12 of 77
2015
24%
16 of 85
2016
24%
16 of 79
2017
12%
4 of 36
2018
22%
11 of 58
2019
26%
15 of 65
2020
8%
2 of 33
2021
6%
2 of 36
2022
10%
3 of 39
2023
16%
4 of 32

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2023 Toyota 4Runner

What one owner reported

SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN06/14/2025
Vehicle begins to shake when speed reaches 60 to 70 MPH (issue has been happening since the vehicle left the lot). Shaking can be felt in the steering wheel, gas/brake pedals and front seats. Vehicle has been taken to a Toyota dealership three different times and after three realignments and tire rebalancing, the issue…

One of 4 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows them, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2023 Toyota 4Runner?

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2023 Toyota 4Runner, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

1 other recall on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
equipment: other: labels23V680000 · Oct 2023
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2023 Toyota 4Runner vehicles. The load carrying capacity modification label states the incorrect load carrying capacity, which can…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 17, 2026.

Checking one particular 2023 Toyota 4Runner? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2023 Toyota 4Runner

Does the 2023 Toyota 4Runner have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 4 of 25 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2023 Toyota 4Runner concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (16%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2023 Toyota 4Runner?

No. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2023 Toyota 4Runner, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.

Which Toyota 4Runner years are better?

Among the Toyota 4Runner years we track, the 2021 (6%), the 2020 (8%) and the 2022 (10%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2023 (16%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.

Should I buy a 2023 Toyota 4Runner?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2023 Toyota 4Runner shows no elevated engine or transmission pattern in owner complaints, which is a good starting point. It is still one car with its own history, so get an independent pre-purchase inspection and a vehicle history report before you commit.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.