Faults:

Contrary to public belief, they are not bulletproof.

Battery died at the dealership. Dealer replaced the battery with a cheap one. Battery came loose and shorted the engine the same day.

Dealer replaced rack and pinion and hoses after steering fluid peed off the lot.

Dealer replaced oil pan. Insisted problems solved, and encouraged me to enjoy the truck. I trusted them, and was I WRONG to trust them.

Discovered parking brake was seized and never worked.

Replaced front rotors, which were warped.

Replaced calipers and pads.

Bushings were replaced.

Stabilizer bar was missing, replaced.

Transmission mounting bolts were missing, replaced.

Rebuilt rear brakes.

Repaired parking brake.

Replaced many fuses.

Replaced ECU.

Front right speaker blew.

Misfire repaired.

Starter had problems.

AC compressor died in smoke / repaired.

Harmonic balancer turned out to be cracked.

Front main seal sprung leak in Arizona.

Discovered crankshaft issues.

Leaky rear main seal replaced in engine work.

Right rear axle seal leaky, repaired.

Rear wiper arm replaced.

Dome lights replaced.

Seat guard replaced.

Crankshaft was cracked. Engine removed, and crankshaft replaced. Total bottom end rebuild done in Arizona when it died on me..

New rod bearings and all.

On the way home:

Front right tire went flat.

Had alignment redone.

Inconsistent fuel mileage.

Started having idle problems.

Arrived home:

Oil light came on, and oil pressure low even when full. Stopped driving it immediately. Turns out the engine needs to be rebuilt again, for an entirely different reason only a week later.

Dealer was asked to have it inspected - they lied and told me it was in good shape.

Paid 7200$ for it. Spent about that much on repairs.

Has had at least 3 oil changes in that time; transmission flush, AC coolant recharge. Full tune up. New plugs, wires. Radiator repaired.

Turns out there's a rust hole in the passenger sill, that had been taped over and painted.

Windshield has stone chips from highway driving.

Driver's side headlight is rusted in place, and is pointing too low.

At first look, rust seemed normal.. after having it some time, it turns out the thing had deep rust eating away at it, thanks to a previous owner who never washed the salt out.

Currently needs:

Engine rebuild.

New windshield.

New passenger side rear view mirror.

New tires.

Rust attended to.

Hole in sill replaced.

Rust under bumper stickers dealt with.

All that, and I paid too much for it to begin with.

General Comments:

I bought this vehicle because I had wanted one for years. I had great experience with my Acura, but it was getting too small for me, so I decided to buy a "bulletproof" Toyota 4runner.

Having read nearly every review on this site re: 4runners, and having spoken to dozens of people about the reliability of this vehicle, I sought out one for myself. After months of looking, I found one that looked good, but it has turned out to be an absolute nightmare. The previous owner (s) must have treated it terribly and never maintained it.

I've had it for about 5 months I suppose, and it's spent about 4/5ths of that time being repaired.

After spending 2 grand in repairs, I took it on a road trip to Arizona, during which it died on me, forcing me to fly home. Since I've bought it, here's what I've had to live through, and it's still not sellable.

Never trust the dealer. Never trust the dealer's mechanic. Never trust the reputation of a vehicle outright.

Faults:

The alarms and auto-locks went out at 200K miles, and cost a bundle to replace. Other than that, regular maintenance.

Seats are worn thru on the driver's side.

General Comments:

The engine is strong, but with the weight, it is not very powerful, but powerful enough. That said, it does have plenty of pull for the 5,000 pound tow rating. The available $x$ package for the Limited is extensive, and works great. Never had a problem.

I have taken this truck back and forth to work, and on vacations to the ocean and mountains. It has climbed thru the PA mountain's shale covered trails with no issues, and stands up to groups of screaming kids well.

The entry to the rear area is a bit cramped, as the rear wheel well intrudes a bit, and the main cabin is a tad tight as well.

Power is there when you need it, and it has a very capable and reliable tranny.

The hood is not well welded for stability, and has vibrated in the center on the bracing since new. Debated taking it back for a look-see, and decided against it. Not a real big deal.