- The problem
- 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. 108, Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
- The risk
- Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash without warning.
- The 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.
Vehicle safety record
1990 Toyota 4RUNNER Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 79 complaints about the 1990 Toyota 4RUNNER with NHTSA, most often about the engine & cooling (39) and the transmission & drivetrain (13). Those complaints describe 10 crashes, 6 fires, 8 injuries and 1 death. It is covered by 2 recalls, the latest in May 2006 for the exterior lighting. For comparison, the 1989 has 6 and the 1991 has 43.
NHTSA data checked
CAbout as many problems as a typical 4RUNNER year, for its age
#21 most complained-about 1990 vehicle
- Complaints
- 79
- Recalls
- 2
- Crashes
- 10
- Fires
- 6
- Injuries
- 8
- Deaths
- 1
Most common 1990 Toyota 4RUNNER problems
Share of all 79 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
1990 Toyota 4RUNNER recalls 2
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- On certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles, if the steering wheel is repeatedly turned under certain conditions where high steering effort and power assist are required, for instance, when fully turning the wheel while the vehicle is stopped, a fatigue crack may develop in the steering relay rod.
- The risk
- If the vehicle is continued to be operated in this condition, the relay rod may fracture, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the steering relay rod. The recall began october 5, 2005. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
What owners say
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79 complaints about the 1990 Toyota 4RUNNER
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 4.
Clutch/brake pedal bracket broke/cracked after pressing the clutch pedal. Was originally diagnosed as a bad clutch and almost pulled the plug to get the clutch replaced. Would have been a load of wasted money on a poor diagnosis. Pedal bracket cracked with clutch pedal was pressed to start the car. Heard lour crack, car started, but would not go into gear.
This specific toyota forerunner model had a recall for gasket failure. We had it replaced at appx 74,000 miles done by toyota as a courtesy recall. This truck currently has very low mileage considering the age of the truck, about 148,000 miles. It recently almost caught fire overheating after another gasket failure. We feel that either the original repair was not properly completed or another faulty gasket was installed. It's amazing that both times the gasket failed at around the same mileage, 75,000. This car has been extremely well maintained and garaged with a single owner.
Tl*the contact owns a 1990 toyota 4runner. The contact stated that the bracket sub-assembly that held the clutch and brake pedal was fractured. As a result, the contact was unable to depress the brake pedal or the clutch. The dealer repaired the failure at least three times in less than one year. The manufacturer was notified of the issue who offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 150,000. ..Updated 11/14/12 *bf updated 11/14/12
Fan blade disintegrated at highway speed. Dented hood, cracked battery, ruined shroud and alternator belt. *Tr
Dt*: the contact stated there was a problem with the rear end of the vehicle. The welds on the rear subframe of the vehicle popped and fractured which caused the read end to fall off. The weld did not fracture, but instead popped away from the rear end which held the rear sway bar onto the axle. The welds popped on both sides. The truck had never had a hitch or carried a heavy load on the vehicle.
I brought my toyota to the repair shop,the repairman told me my car has a defective head gasket and told me to call the toyota dealer for repair. I called the dealer they told me that the head gasket had been repaired. They will not pay for it again. I think that is not fair for a consumer to pay for a defective engine. Keeps blowing head gasket but only repair once is not enough. *Jb
1990 4 Runner was involved in an accident which occurred due to faulty steering relay rod. *Ts the consumer received a recall for the steering relay rod several years after the component had already failed. The vehicle was involved in a single car accident in which the vehicle rolled over. Consequently the consumer sustained serious injuries and the vehicle was totally destroyed. The consumer now realizes that the accident was likely due to the steering relay rod problem mentioned in the recall. *Nm
Clutch pedal bracket failure no events were present leading up to the failure of my clutch pedal bracket assembly. While approaching a stoplight in traffic I depressed my clutch pedal in order to gear down for the stop. While depressing the pedal I heard a loud snap - the sound of the clutch pedal bracket breaking. With the bracket broken there was no acceptable way to disengage the clutch and get the vehicle out of gear to stop for the stop light. I slammed on the brakes and brought the vehicle to a stop...
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(which stalled the vehicle) before rear ending the car in front of me. Once the light turned green I had to use the starter with the vehicle in gear to clear the intersection. The vehicle has been towed to my residence so I can decide how to fix this. It seems toyota knows of the problem and offers an "upgraded" bracket at a premium price along with a premium installation fee. After browsing the internet it seems as if this problem is very common among toyota truck, 4-runner and t-100 owners alike. This type of problem could be life threatening! *Nm
HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. VALVE PROBLEMS
While the vehicle was parked, the consumer noticed fluid leaking from underneath the vehicle. The consumer took the vehicle to the dealer for an inspection. The mechanic informed the consumer that the head gasket was cracked and needed to be replaced. Please provide further details. *Jb
I purchased my 4runner used in 1998. The mileage at purchase was only 30k, as it had been used primarily for driving in inclement weather. The original owner informed me that a notice had been sent by toyota regarding head gasket failures (tsb #97121797017), and that toyota would honor the repairs (if necessary) up to 100k miles, regardless of time since original use. The tsb, however, states that the extended warranty lasts until 8 years from original use or 100k miles, whichever occurs first. Since october...
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2000, I have experienced intermittent low engine idling (and stalling) after driving at high speeds. On at least five different occasions, I have asked that the vehicle's idle speed be adjusted and the throttle plate be cleaned to resolve this problem. I did not realize until just recently that the source of this problem is a leaky head gasket. The toyota dealership I go to here in glendale, ca reported this diagnosis after I questioned them on why the vehicle needed repeated idle speed adjustments. The current mileage of the vehicle is 99k. I have approached toyota customer service to inquire if they will authorize a head gasket replacement for the vehicle free of charge since the problem is a problem that they have been aware of and previously issued an extended warranty covering it. I have been told this is not possible because of the age of the vehicle. I feel that toyota should authorize the repair in this case despite the age of the vehicle, as the engine began exhibiting symptoms of the head gasket problem well below the 100k mileage requirement that toyota originally stated that they were willing to repair in the tsb. I do not know what further I can do regarding this matter, and would appreciate any help that can be provided.
Total loss of braking function. Wife and grand daughter in car. No accident occurred. Emnergency brake still functioned. Root cause was due to long-term wear on left rear metal brake line by anit-lock-brakes control arm. This action resulted in the metal brake line integrity failure.*Ak
I purchased my 4runner used in 1998. The mileage at purchase was only 30k, as it had been used primarily for driving in inclement weather. The original owner informed me that a notice had been sent by toyota regarding head gasket failures (tsb #97121797017), and that toyota would honor the repairs (if necessary) up to 100k miles, regardless of time since original use. The tsb, however, states that the extended warranty lasts until 8 years from original use or 100k miles, whichever occurs first. Since...
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october 2000, I have experienced intermittent low engine idling (and stalling) after driving at high speeds. On at least five different occasions, I have asked that the vehicle's idle speed be adjusted and the throttle plate be cleaned to resolve this problem. I did not realize until just recently that the source of this problem is a leaky head gasket. The toyota dealership I go to here in glendale, ca reported this diagnosis after I questioned them on why the vehicle needed repeated idle speed adjustments. The current mileage of the vehicle is 99k. I have approached toyota customer service to inquire if they will authorize a head gasket replacement for the vehicle free of charge since the problem is a problem that they have been aware of and previously issued an extended warranty covering it. I have been told this is not possible because of the age of the vehicle. I feel that toyota should authorize the repair in this case despite the age of the vehicle, as the engine began exhibiting symptoms of the head gasket problem well below the 100k mileage requirement that toyota originally stated that they were willing to repair in the tsb. I do not know what further I can do regarding this matter, and would appreciate any help that can be provided.
Consumer states that the vehicle head gasket has failed. Dealer notified. *Ph
Engine head gasket was replaced under the owner notification warranty, but blew out 5000 miles later.*Ak
Vehicle was making a banging noise in the engine. White smoke, and fire in the engine. Vehicle was destroyed
I was locked inside this vehicle and unable to get out. I ended up smashing the window after 45 minutes and crawling out of the vehicle. The door locks were "energized" and holding the lock levers down. Mechanic is unable to understand what happened and the lock solenoids are still in this same situation. The lock arms have been disconnected.
Consumer was locked inside of his vehicle and was unable to get out. Cause unknown. Please provide additional information. Ts. *Ak
1990 Toyota 4-runner intermittantly jumps in and out of overdrive at approximately 55 miles per hour or higher when highway driving, causing increase in gas mileage and high rpms on the engine. In 2001 I went to toyota for this problem and they told me I would need to replace the transmission so I should drive the vehicle until I could not drive it anymore. At that point I should have the transmission replaced. After extensive research I located tsbs for this vehicle and found one that addresses this issue (tsb...
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atratb351 dated jan 96). This month 1/2003 I returned to toyota with the same complaint and they told me it would cost approximately $150.00 To perform this tsb. I told them if they had performed it the previous year when I had the head gaskets replaced it would not have cost me anything since the engine was already apart for other work. The service manager said he could not address the recommendation and findings of their work from a year ago. I called another dealer and they said it would cost $71.00 For the work to be performed. As far as I am concerned since a tsb has been issued it is basically admitting that the vehicle has a problem and provides the dealer/service departments with the fix, so why are the service managers reluctant to perform the correction, but instead recommend an transmission change?
While traveling on the highway without prior warning. The vehicle caught on fire underneath hood. The dealership is aware of the problem. Nlm
While starting engine revved a little and cooling fan exploded, piece of fan flew as far as 30 feet away, almost injuring a bystander. Fan pierced a hole in battery, allowing acid to spill onto the floor. Mechanic stated that this was a poor design in cooling fan. And a very dangerous situation.*Ak
Engine blew at 13000 miles and vehicle started hesitating and cutting off without prior warning. Dealership was aware of problem.*Ak
Vehicle was in for oil change 4 weeks prior to incident. Engine began to make a loud banging noise. Stopped at a jiffylube, and found oil very low. Filled with oil and was told that it sounds like I threw a rod, but it should be okay to get me where I was going (about 5 miles up the road). Approximately 2 miles later, white smoke began coming out the back of the vehicle, and the banging stopped. The smoke became very bad, and I was about to pull into a gas station when someone pulling out yelled to me that it...
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was on fire (in the engine compartment). I got me and my 2 small boys out, and came home that same night to the head gasket recall notice in the mail. I immediately called toyota, who sent someone out to investigate, but they said that the investigation concluded that the cause was not known, and it was not their responsibility. I was reading more horror stories about this on your site. What can be done? My vehicle was paid for and my insurance did not cover fire. Why did it take them so long to get the head gasket recall notice to me? It appears that this was an issue for several years. I basically dropped the issue for several years figuring I was fighting a losing battle, until I discovered this site. Thanks.*Ak
Vehicle was parked but turned on, had just shifted into reverse with foot on brakes when it suddenly accelerated backwards. Hit 2 parked vehicles. No injuries were sustained. Have not contacted dealership.*Ak
Passenger's side exterior mirror would severely vibrate when traveling at 30mph or more. This caused poor visibility. Dealer notified, and was unwilling to assist on this matter. Feel free to provide any further information on this problem.*Ak
Toyota 4RUNNER: every year compared
All 4RUNNER years1990 Toyota 4RUNNER vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 Toyota 4RUNNER | 79 | 2 | C | |
| 1990 Jeep Wrangler | 80 | 7 | A | Compare |
| 1990 Ford Bronco | 57 | 1 | D | Compare |
| 1990 Nissan Pathfinder | 40 | 2 | B | Compare |
| 1990 Chevrolet Blazer | 33 | 4 | C | Compare |
| 1990 Land Rover Defender | 1 | 0 | A | Compare |
| 1990 Toyota Camry | 136 | 2 | A | Compare |
| 1990 Toyota Celica | 30 | 2 | F | Compare |
| 1990 Toyota Corolla | 28 | 1 | A | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 1990 Toyota 4RUNNER
Does the 1990 Toyota 4RUNNER have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 1990 Toyota 4RUNNER: exterior lighting (May 2006); connecting (September 2005). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 1990 Toyota 4RUNNER?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the engine & cooling (39), transmission & drivetrain (13), body, doors & structure (10).
How many complaints has the 1990 Toyota 4RUNNER had?
79 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on October 17, 1994 and the latest on April 26, 2018. Of these, 10 describe a crash and 6 a fire, and together they report 8 injuries and 1 death.
Is the 1990 Toyota 4RUNNER a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 51 out of 100 (grade C: about as many problems as a typical Toyota 4RUNNER year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Toyota 4RUNNER years have the most complaints?
2003 (708), 2004 (678), 2000 (493). See every Toyota 4RUNNER year compared.
What should I do if my 1990 Toyota 4RUNNER has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data