7 complaints reported

2009 Toyota 4Runner Power Train

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
7
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Feb 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS AND TURNING, THE VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATING POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,000. UPDATED 03/21/13*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED (REVVED TO HIGH RPMS) WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE AFTER SLOWING DOWN BELOW 15 MPH (WHILE MAKING TURNS OR SLOWING FOR TRAFFIC). THIS HAS CAUSED DANGEROUS SITUATIONS WHERE SIGNIFICANT LAG TIME BETWEEN DEPRESSING THE GAS PEDAL AND WHEN THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGED WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN ACROSS ONCOMING TRAFFIC OR WHEN A QUICK ACCELERATION WAS NEEDED AFTER SLOWING DOWN. THE POTENTIAL FOR AN ACCIDENT IS HIGH. TOYOTA SHOULD ADDRESS THE SITUATION BEFORE SOMEONE GETS INTO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AS SEVERAL OTHER REPORTS OF THIS CONDITION HAVE BEEN REPORTED. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2009 TOYOTA 4RUNNER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Dec 2011
Feb 2011

2009 4RUNNER TRANSMISSION SLIPS (REVS TO HIGH RPMS) WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE AFTER SLOWING BELOW 15 MPH (WHILE MAKING TURNS OR SLOWING FOR TRAFFIC). THIS HAS CAUSED DANGEROUS SITUATIONS WHERE A SIGNIFICANT LAG TIME BETWEEN DEPRESSING THE GAS PEDAL AND WHEN THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGES WHILE MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN ACROSS ON COMING TRAFFIC OR WHEN A QUICK ACCELERATION IS NEEDED AFTER SLOWING. THE POTENTIAL FOR AN ACCIDENT IS HIGH. TOYOTA SHOULD ADDRESS THIS SITUATION BEFORE SOMEONE GETS INTO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AS SEVERAL OTHER REPORTS OF THIS CONDITION HAVE BEEN REPORTED. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2009 TOYOTA 4RUNNER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jul 2010
Dec 2010

IN A PARKING LOT, WHILE TRYING TO STOP AND PARK ON REVERSE, THE VEHICLE KEPT ACCELERATED ON D (DRIVE). I HAD NOT CHANGE THE STICK YET TO REVERSE. I WAS JUST TRYING TO STOP. I HAD TO STEP ON THE BRAKES VERY HARD TO CONTROL THE CAR AND TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND CHANGE THE STICK TO P (PARKING). THE REAR RIGHT WHEEL LEFT A MARK ON THE PAVEMENT. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2009 TOYOTA 4RUNNER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Aug 2010
Aug 2010

2009 4 RUNNER TRANSMISSION: SAME AS OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT SLIPPING AND LAG TIME IN ENGAGING INTO GEAR AT LOW SPEEDS (LIKE WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE TURNS OR GO OVER SPEED BUMPS). OBVIOUSLY NOT SHIFTING CORRECTLY AND IS A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN TURNING ACROSS TRAFFIC AND THE VEHICLE DOES NOT RESPOND PROPERLY WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS DEPRESSED. TOYOTA NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE THIS AS IT LOOKS LIKE A RECURRING PROBLEM FOR THIS YEAR AND A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2009 TOYOTA 4RUNNER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Aug 2010
Feb 2010

I HAVE A 2009 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER, PURCHASED NEW IN NOVEMBER '09. THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS 1800 MILES ON IT, HOWEVER I NOTICED THE PROBLEM AT ABOUT 400 MILES. THE PROBLEM IS THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS WHEN SHIFTING UP AT ABOUT 10 MILES PER HOUR. IT DOES NOT DO THIS FROM A COMPLETE STOP, ONLY AFTER DE-ACCELERATING (EXAMPLE, SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN) AND ACCELERATING BACK UP, THEN IT WILL SLIP. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THIS DEFECT BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM WITH THE 4 RUNNER AND TOYOTA HAS NOT ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2009 TOYOTA 4RUNNER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 2009
Feb 2010

I AM FILING THIS CLAIM TO REPORT A POTENTIAL SAFETY PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN THE 2009 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. I BOUGHT MY 2009 4RUNNER NEW IN MAY OF 2009 AND FROM THE FIRST WEEK NOTICED A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING, AND IT IS PROGRESSIVELY GETTING WORSE. IT HAPPENS CONSISTENTLY EACH TIME I SLOW DOWN (BUT DON'T STOP COMPLETELY) TO TURN CORNERS AND THEN CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE,. THE TRANSMISSION DOESN'T RESPOND, THE CAR JUST SITS THERE, AND THE ENGINE GOES FROM 1500 RPMS TO UP TO 2500 RPMS BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION CATCHES UP WITH THE ENGINE AGAIN AND THE CAR THEN MOVES. I AM CONCERNED EACH TIME THIS HAPPENS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE IS TRAFFIC FOLLOWING BEHIND ME IN THE TURN. I BROUGHT IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO CHECK IT OUT RIGHT AFTER WE BOUGHT IT. THEY RAN A DIAGNOSTIC AND TOLD US THAT EVERYTHING CHECKED OUT OK. I HAD THE TECHNICIAN DRIVE IT, AND I WENT WITH HIM. HE SAID THAT HE COULDN'T FEEL WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT, EVEN THOUGH I FELT IT WHEN HE SLOWED TO MAKE A TURN. HE THEN TOLD ME THAT IT WAS PROBABLY BECAUSE IT TOOK THE NEW ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION A FEW SECONDS TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE CAR'S COMPUTER. SOUNDED LIKE HE WAS GUESSING AT WHAT MIGHT BE CAUSING THE PROBLEM. I HAVE SINCE CONTACTED CUSTOMER CARE AT TOYOTA, AND RECEIVED A RESPONSE IN E-MAIL TELLING ME TO CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP IN MY AREA, AND THAT TOYOTA HAD ALREADY DONE SO ON MY BEHALF. HE SAID IF I DIDN'T HEAR FROM THE MANAGER AT MY DEALERSHIP BY FEB. 11, 2010, TO CONTACT TOYOTA AGAIN. I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM MY DEALERSHIP AS OF FEB 13. I HAVE TALKED WITH OTHER OWNERS OF THIS MODEL, AND THEY EXPERIENCE THE SAME THING, AND THEY HAVE GOTTEN THE SAME RUNAROUND FROM THE COMPANY. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2009 TOYOTA 4RUNNER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: May 2009
Dec 2009

I HAVE A 2001 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL LEAKS OIL THROUGH PIN HOLES, AND FROM WHAT I HAVE READ, MINE IS NOT THE ONLY ONE. THE CAR BARELY HAS 100,000 MILES ON IT, AND THE DIFFERENTIAL SHOULD LAST AS LONG AS THE CAR. THE RISK IS THAT IT WILL RUN DRY, SEIZE, AND THE REAR WHEELS WILL LOCK UP CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECT BY TOYOTA REDUCING THE COST OF THEIR MATERIAL THE CONSTRUCT THE DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING WITH. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2009 TOYOTA 4RUNNER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Feb 2009

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2009 Toyota 4Runner has 7 Power Train complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.