Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 494 complaints with NHTSA about the 2000 Toyota 4Runner, and it carries 2 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | 178 | 36% |
| Suspension | 42 | 9% |
| Unknown or other | 37 | 7% |
| Service brakes | 29 | 6% |
| Suspension | 25 | 5% |
| Power train | 25 | 5% |
| Tires | 13 | 3% |
| Fuel system | 13 | 3% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 13 | 3% |
| Visibility | 9 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
The hole underneath frame is rusted into and there is a bunch of wielding done to it and it's very unsafe to drive and the car lot guy keeps saying he wants it back on the road
NHTSA complaint: Steering
The frame is rusted almost in half a mechanic said it's not safe to drive it will kill someone. The car lot that is selling me the car said he can fix it but it's being held together by welds and c foam. He wants me to s
NHTSA complaint: Steering
We recently looked at this vehicle at Toyota of Ann Arbor car lot. After taking the vehicle to a private Professional Certified Car Inspector we were told that that the passenger side Frame had a catastrophic Crack that
NHTSA complaint: Steering
The contact owns a 2000 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that after disconnecting the battery from the vehicle, it was later discovered that the both the driver’s and passenger’s side doors and the hatch door could not
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
Section of frame broke and fell to the pavement. Vehicle bouncing and went off road causing damage to front driver side bumper, turn signal light housing, headlight. Extensive Back frame rusting has made vehicle dangerou
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
The frame rusted and is available for inspection. My daughter was driving our 2000 Toyota 4Runner SR5 which I purchased new in 2000 when she noticed the truck started to wobble when she hit small bumps. I drove it to the
NHTSA complaint: Structure
Frame is rotted out. Mechanic lifted it on hoist and frame is rusted terribly and said not drivable.
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
The frame is rusted thru in many places that hold the rearend in the frame and along the side rails of this 4 Runner Toyota 2000, the suspionsion arm rusted and broke free from the frame.
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2000 Toyota 4Runner. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
CERTAIN CK MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION HEADLIGHTS, CLEAR CORNER, BUMPER, AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO.
Risk: WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Fix: CK MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE NONCOMPLIANT LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CK MOTORSPORT AT 1-909-610-7211.
CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE D
Risk: WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Fix: PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.
| Reliability raw | 69 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 78 | good |
| Maintenance | 81 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 84 | excellent |
| Performance | 56 | average |
| Efficiency | 36 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 494 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and structure is the most reported area with 178 of them (36%). There are 2 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 69/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 78/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2000 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 71/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.