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Executive Vehicle Verdict

The 2021 Toyota 4Runner is associated with 35 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 1 safety recall campaign in the federal safety database.

The most frequently reported component area is Steering, accounting for 5 reports (14% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 3 certified vehicle configurations spanning 4l 6-cyl powertrain configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 17 MPG combined.

Official Federal Record Profile
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 35 consumer reports filed
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 1 official campaign
  • • Primary Defect Domain: Steering (5 / 14%)
  • • Field Incident Signals: 3 crash / 1 fire / 1 injury reports
  • • NCAP Crash Safety: 4 / 5 Stars Overall Laboratory Score
  • • EPA Certified Range: 17–17 MPG across 3 powertrain trims
Directly compiled from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA NCAP, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2021 Toyota 4Runner?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
4Runner 2WD 4L 6-Cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Automatic (S5) 16 MPG 19 MPG 17 MPG — $3,600 / yr
4Runner 4WD 4L 6-Cyl Part-time 4-Wheel Drive Automatic (S5) 16 MPG 19 MPG 17 MPG — $3,600 / yr
4Runner 4WD 4L 6-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S5) 16 MPG 19 MPG 17 MPG — $3,600 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2021 Toyota 4Runner?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
SUV 2WD 24.6%
SUV AWD 24.6%
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Standard and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Standard in official NHTSA records for tested 2021 Toyota 4Runner models.
View complete 2021 Toyota 4Runner crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2021 Toyota 4Runner?

Summary of 35 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
35
Crash Reports
3
Fire Reports
1
Complaints w/ Injury
1
Total Injuries
1

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Steering 5 complaints
Service Brakes 4 complaints (1 crash)
STEERING,SUSPENSION 4 complaints
Back Over Prevention / Camera 2 complaints (1 crash)
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 2 complaints

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2021 Toyota 4Runner problems & component breakdown (21 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2021 Toyota 4Runner?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #22V480000 Active Recall
Affected Component: EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

Defect Summary: Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2020-2022 4Runner vehicles equipped with 20-inch Black Gunner Wheels. The load carrying capacity modification labels are incorrect. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Free Manufacturer Remedy: SET will mail replacement labels to owners, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 4, 2022. Owners may contact SET's customer service at 954-429-2000. SET's number for this recall is SET22A.
View all 2021 Toyota 4Runner recalls & campaign history (1 campaigns) →
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Key Questions Drivers Ask About the 2021 Toyota 4Runner

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2021 Toyota 4Runner

How many safety recalls does the 2021 Toyota 4Runner have?

The 2021 Toyota 4Runner is associated with 1 official NHTSA safety recall campaign in AutoUtility's current federal records.

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge. Because recall campaigns apply to specific production runs and equipment batches, vehicle owners should verify their 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov.

View all 1 recall campaigns & remedy details →
Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

What are the most common problems reported for the 2021 Toyota 4Runner?

NHTSA records list 35 consumer defect complaints for the 2021 Toyota 4Runner. The most frequently referenced vehicle system is Steering, appearing in 5 filings (14% of submissions).

Consumer complaints represent unverified owner submissions filed under federal reporting guidelines and describe reported component behavior rather than audited failure rates.

Explore full 2021 Toyota 4Runner defect complaint breakdown →
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

What is the NHTSA safety rating for the 2021 Toyota 4Runner?

Under the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), the 2021 Toyota 4Runner earned an Overall Safety Rating of 4 out of 5 stars across 2 tested configuration(s).

Laboratory evaluations include a 35 mph frontal barrier crash, side barrier and pole impact tests, and static rollover resistance assessments.

View detailed crash test laboratory breakdown →
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)

What fuel economy (MPG) does the 2021 Toyota 4Runner get?

Official EPA laboratory estimates for the 2021 Toyota 4Runner range from 17 MPG combined (55% city / 45% highway weighted) depending on engine, transmission, and drivetrain configuration.

Using AutoUtility's standardized operating cost model (15,000 miles/year, $3.50/gal gas, $0.16/kWh electricity), annual energy expenditures range across certified configurations based on official EPA laboratory test baselines.

Compare MPG ratings across all certified trims →
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov Certified Database
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.