1997 Toyota 4RUNNER Suspension Problems

NHTSA component category: SUSPENSION · data through 07/12/2026

68Suspension complaints

26.1%Of all 261 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How suspension ranks on this vehicle

SUSPENSION68 · 26.1%

STRUCTURE:BODY42 · 16.1%

Unspecified / other21 · 8%

SUSPENSION:REAR17 · 6.5%

STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS16 · 6.1%

Share of the 261 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1997 Toyota 4RUNNER overview page.

What owners report

“I WAS DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE LOOP AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH. AT THE TOP OF THE LOOP, AS I STRAIGHTENED THE WHEEL THE VEHICLE BEGAN…”NHTSA complaint 10121306 — filed 05/18/2005

“CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO GET THE RECALL WORK PERFORMED, THE DEALER STATED TOO MANY PEOPLE DROPPED THEIR VEHICLE'S OFF ON THAT PARTICULAR DAY, EVEN THOUGH…”NHTSA complaint 567401 — filed 03/24/2003

“NAR 3-11-03. WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMERS 4RUNNER SLIPPED OUT OF CONTROL AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. DAMAGES COST APPROX $2000. SOON AFTER A RECALL WAS RELEASED…”NHTSA complaint 10011721 — filed 03/10/2003

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Suspension complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 1997 Toyota 4RUNNER have suspension problems?

Suspension is the most-reported problem area on the 1997 Toyota 4RUNNER: 68 of 261 complaints on file (26.1%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 1997 Toyota 4RUNNER have in total?

261 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 35 involved a crash, 2 involved a fire, 21 reported injuries, and 5 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's suspension category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the SUSPENSION category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.