The Lemon Index

All cars · Toyota 4Runner

2007 Toyota 4Runner.

The 2007 Toyota 4Runner is better than average by owner complaints: 45 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 55, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about speed control, it has 5 recalls, and it gets 16 to 18 mpg combined. The best Toyota 4Runner year is 2013.

55Lemon Index · 100 = average car

Better than average. 1.8× fewer complaints than average.

Best year 2013 · Worst year 2003

Toyota 4Runner
Photo shows a 2017 Toyota 4Runner. Alexander Migl, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · background removed

Before you buy. What matters most for this car.

Owner complaints45first 3 years
Fuel economy16–18 mpgcombined, EPA
Front crash★★★★☆NHTSA, driver

How serious. Out of 154 owner complaints, owners reported:

7crashes
4injuries
3fires
4tows

Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.

What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.

speed control33%
brakes16%
engine13%
transmission & drivetrain13%
doors, locks & latches7%

Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.

Transmission problems in every Toyota 4Runner year →

When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.

half by 69K
0K50K100K150K200K

Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 28K to 121K miles on the car (111 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.

  • body structure complaints mostly came at 48K–128K miles
  • speed control complaints mostly came at 20K–53K miles
  • brakes complaints mostly came at 85K–126K miles

Recalls 5

  • seats 2016

    The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.

  • seats 2014

    Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.

  • speed control 2011

    TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 THROUGH 2011 LEXUS LX570, 2003 THROUGH 2009 TOYOTA 4RUNNER, AND 2006 THROUGH 2010 RAV4 VEHICLES.

Show all 5 recalls
  • equipment 2010

    GULF STATES TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD BETW…

  • equipment 2010

    SOUTHEAST TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2011 PASSENGER VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE S…

Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.

Check a VIN for open recalls

Problems Toyota told dealers about

Toyota sent dealers 195 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:

  • Accelerator pedal sensor assembly information regarding the inspection, removal, and…
  • As part of the settlement described above, Toyota will install Smart Stop Technology on the…
  • Some 2005 - 2009 model year 4Runner, 2006 - 2007 model year Land Cruiser, 2005 - 2007 model…

Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.

Government investigations

  • ClosedUnintended and uncontrolled acceleration2010–2011

NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.

Safety

Stability controlStandard
Collision warningNot offered
Lane departure warningNot offered

Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★☆ · side ★★★★★ · rollover ★★★☆☆

NHTSA front crash test of the 2007 Toyota 4Runner
Front crash test · NHTSA
Fuel cost and engines

About $3550–4000 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 4.0L 6-cyl, 4.7L 8-cyl.

In owners' words

Ltr to NHTSA re Toyota sudden unintended acceleration incidents fm owner of a 2007 Toyota 4 runner, requesting possible defect investigation into Toyota 4 runners.

2007 Toyota 4Runner owner · NHTSA complaint 10324267
More owner reports

Tl* - the contact stated that the brake and accelerator pedals were approximately an inch apart. The contact stated that while applying the accelerator he also inadvertently applied the brake pedal.

NHTSA complaint 10178047

Quick answers

Is the 2007 Toyota 4Runner reliable?

Yes, better than average by government complaints. It drew 1.8× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 55; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Toyota 4Runner year by this measure is 2013.

What are the most common 2007 Toyota 4Runner problems?

In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are speed control (33%), brakes (16%) and engine (13%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.

How many recalls does the 2007 Toyota 4Runner have?

5 safety recalls (latest: seats). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2007 Toyota 4Runner get?

16 to 18 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).

At what mileage do 2007 Toyota 4Runner problems start?

Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 28,000 and 121,600 miles. The middle report was at 69,800 miles, from 111 complaints.

Does the 2007 Toyota 4Runner have transmission problems?

Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 13% of its owner complaints.

How much does the 2007 Toyota 4Runner cost in fuel a year?

About $3550 to $4000 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.

What engines does the 2007 Toyota 4Runner have?

4.0L 6-cyl, 4.7L 8-cyl.

What Toyota 4Runner year is better than the 2007?

By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2013, 2017 and 2021.

Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works

Updated

Free to use with credit: Source: The Lemon Index (lemonindex.com). Get the data