1995 Toyota 4Runner Engine
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, NOTICED LOSS OF POWER, ROUGH IDLING AND POOR PICKUP(STUMBLES). THEN RECENTLY WHILE DRIVING HOME AFTER WORK AT 3AM, TEMP. GAUGE RAPIDLY ELEVATED AND ENGINE OVERHEATED. SAW WHITE SMOKE COMING OUT OF EXHAUST AND HOOD. LEFT ME STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY AT 3AM, TOWED HOME. NOW I FIND OUT BLOWN HEAD GASKET. TRUCK HAS ONLY 80,000 MILES, WELL MAINTAINED, AND IN EXCELLENT CONDITION(WAS ANYWAY). NEVER HAD A MAJOR PROBLEM BEFORE. WILL TAKE TO MAUI TOYOTA ON MONDAY. NOT SURE HOW MUCH THIS WILL COST ME! *TR
1995 TOYOTA 4RUNNER HEAD GASKET FAILURE.*AK
1995 TOYOTA 4RUNNER, 3.0V6, COOLANT LOSS, WHITE SMOKE FROM TAIL PIPE, ROUGH IDLE. IT APPEARED LIKE SO MANY OTHER 4 RUNNER OWNERS THE HEAD GASKET HAS BLOWN EVEN THOUGH TOYOTA SAID. THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM ON THE 1995 MODELS. THIS SEEMSEDTO BE A CONSTANT PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE IN THIS YEAR RANGE. TOYOTA NEEDED TO STEP UP AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS CONTINUING ISSUE. NHTSA NEEDED TO HOLD TOYOTA RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS PROBLEM SINCE IT SEEMED TO BE AN INHERENT PROBLEM WITH THIS MOTOR AND THEY SUPPOSED TO FIX WHAT WAS NOT WORKING. NO VEHICLE SHOULD BLOW HEAD GASKETS REGULARLY AT 100,000 MILES. *AK
BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET. *AK
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT LOST COOLANT, WHEN IT WAS COLD A WHITE VAPOR COMING FROM THE MUFFLER. AAA TESTED THE VEHICLE, AND FOUND 800 HYDROCARBONS IN THE RADIATOR. TOYOTA WAS NOTIFIED, AND STATED THAT THE HEAD GASKET, AND A DEFECTIVE SPARK PLUG WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MOST RECENT FAILURE OCCURRED JANUARY 15, 2007. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 103,200. *AK UPDATED 05/23/07. *JB
MY 95 TOYOTA 4RUNNER IS LEAKING FROM THE HEAD GASKET, AND THOUSANDS OF OTHERS WITH THE SAME VIN NUMBER ARE DOING THE EXACT SAME THING. THERE WAS A RECALL ON MOST OTHER 4RUNNERS OF THE SAME MODEL BUT, NOT ON MINE. THERE IS A 4 RUNNER WITH THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS VERY PROBLEM AND ALL SAY TOYOTA WILL NOT BAT AN EYELASH AT THE PROBLEM. I AND OTHERS WANT SOMETHING DONE ABOUT THIS! *JB
EVERYTHING WAS RUNNING SMOOTH AND STRONG WHEN THE 1995 TOYOTA 4RUNNER HIT 143K. JUST TODAY THE VEHICLE STARTED IDLING REALLY LOW AND ROUGH, AND FINALLY THIS AFTERNOON THE ENGINE & BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON. THE MORE IT DROVE, THE ROUGHER IT GOT. THE ENGINE WAS NOTICEABLY RUNNING MUCH WORSE THAN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND TOOK OFF FOR HOME. I SHUT IT OFF TO GET A LOOK AT IT, AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE, UNTIL I STARTED IT UP AGAIN AND IT BLEW WHITE SMOKE FROM THE TAILPIPE. WATER SEEMS TO BE LEAKING BUT NOT AT THE RADIATOR, HOSES, OR PUMP. IT IS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. FROM MECHANICAL EXPERIENCE AND SPEAKING WITH OTHER 1995 TOYOTA 4RUNNER OWNERS, I UNDERSTAND THAT BLOWING THE HEAD GASKET ON THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE IS MORE COMMONPLACE THAN I HAD EXPECTED. *NM
HEAD GASKET BLOWN ON ORIGINAL ENGINE WITH 100K MILES ON IT DESTROYING ENGINE. USED ENGINE PUT IN WITH 80K MILES ON IT AND HEAD GASKET BLOWN AGAIN. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE SLIGHTLY LOST POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DESTINATION, WHERE GREY SMOKE WAS NOTICED EMANATING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP, WHERE THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN OUT, CAUSING RADIATOR FLUID TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 55 MPH, WHITE SMOKE WAS SEEN TRAILING BEHIND THE VEHICLE AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGHLY. THE VEHICLE WAS STEERED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAS TURNED OFF. THE PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED AS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART, THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE RESIDENCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.
BROUGHT IN TO DEALER FOR SERVICE BECAUSE ENGINE RUNNING ROUGH. DEALER INFORMED ME THAT HEAD GASKET LEAKS @ #6 CYLINDER. THIS VIN IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ON THIS ITEM. ESTIMATE OF REPAIR IS $3100. I'M LOOKING FOR THE RECALL TO BE EXPANDED. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PARKED, A LACK OF COMPRESSION WAS NOTICED WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO TESTED THE ENGINE AND DETERMINED THE HEAD GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE REMAINED INOPERABLE WAITING FOR A SOLUTION FROM THE MANUFACTURER.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 50MPH, THE ENGINE HESITATED WHILE THE THERMOSTAT GAUGE ELEVATED. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED TO INDICATE A FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO DETERMINED THE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN AND NEEDED REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.
THE 4RUNNER SUDDENLY BEGAN DRIVING VERY ROUGHLY. THE SUV WAS IMMEDIATELY TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHO INFORMED US THAT AT 130, 000 MILES THE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WE DISCOVERED THAT TOYOTA HAS A SERVICE BULLETIN (NHTSA # 600350) OUT FOR 1995 TOYOTA 4RUNNERS TO CORRECT THIS TYPE OF ENGINE AND HEAD GASKET TROUBLE; HOWEVER, WE WERE INFORMED BY MARION AT TOYOTA CORP. THAT OUR 1995 SUV DOES NOT QUALIFY EVEN THOUGH WE ARE HAVING IDENTICAL HEAD GASKET FAILURE DUE TO A DEFORMED MANUFACTURED HEAD GASKET. WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE HEAD GASKET REPLACED AT CONSIDERABLE EXPENSE. WE HAVE RECEIVED QUOTES AVERAGING AROUND $2,000.00. THE DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET IS STILL AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. *NM
ENGINE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. *JB
PREMATURE HEAD GASKET FAILURE, DUE TO INFERIOR OR SUBSTANDARD HEAD GASKETS AT TIME OF MANUFACTURER AND ALSO AT TIME OF FACTORY RECALL (SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGN). SHOULD BE USING THE BEST AVAILABLE, WHICH IS MLS (MULTI-LAYER-STEEL), NOT PLAYING SEMANTIC GAMES OVER "RACING" EQUIPMENT, OR "HIGH PERFORMANCE", WHICH ARE JUST TERMS WHICH TRANSLATE INTO "GREATER DURABILITY" FOR THE CONSUMER. WEBSITE: SEE HTTP://WWW.AA1CAR.COM/LIBRARY/2005/IC010532.HTM CONSIDER CLASSIC SITUATION OF SINGLE MOM WITH CHILD EN ROUTE FROM SKI TRIP THROUGH WILDERNESS HIGHWAY, OR DRIVING IN CRIME-RIDDEN AREAS WHICH IMPAIR DRIVER SAFETY. HEAD GASKET FAILURE IS NOT A ROADSIDE FIX AND STRANDED MOTORIST IS ALSO A SAFETY VIOLATION. THIS PROBLEM IS OCCURRING THROUGHOUT MAJOR LINES OF VEHICLES EVERYWHERE IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY. *JB
I BOUGHT A 1995 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER IN NOVEMBER, 2005. THE VEHICLE WAS IN RUNNING CONDITION WHEN I BOUGHT IT AND DROVE IT ABOUT 1,500 MILES WHEN SUDDENLY THE ENGINE OVERHEATED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. AFTER ALLOWING IT TO COOL DOWN AND PUTTING IN COOLANT IT DID START AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE BACK HOME. RESEARCHING THE MATTER I CAME TO FIND THAT TOYOTA HAD A RECALL ON THE 4 RUNNER DUE TO A FAULTY COOLING SYSTEM LEADING TO A FAILURE OF THE HEAD GASKET. TOYOTA WAS DOING THE FIRST ROUND OF GASKET REPAIR FOR THE OWNERS. WHEN I CONTACTED TOYOTA FOR THE MATTER THEY DECLINED MY REQUEST FOR THE REPAIR UNDER THE RECALL SAYING THAT MY VEHICLE'S WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED AFTER 60 MONTHS AND/OR 60,000 MILES. NOW THEY WILL CHARGE UP TO $2,500 TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. IT IS WRONG OF TOYOTA TO INCLUDE SOME AND EXCLUDE SOME OF THE 4 RUNNERS WITH THE SAME ENGINES AND FAULTS. AS A RESULT I AM HAVING TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT A COST OF MORE THAN $2,000 AND I HAVE THE OLD PARTS. *NM
ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILED. WATER ENTERED ENGINE AND ENGINE STOPPED CAUSING OWNER TO HAVE TO HAVE HEAD REBUILT AND HEAD GASKET REPLACED. COST TO OWNER TO REPAIR ENGINE WAS $1,071. *NM
HEAD GASKET LEAKING AT 93000 EMAILED TOYOTA WITH VIN # THEY STATE MY VEHICLE NOT PART OF RECALL EVEN THOUGH RECALL WAS FOR SAME YEAR,SAME ENGINE AND SAME PROBLEM. *AK
HEAD GASKET FAILED ON MY 1995 4WD 3.0 V6 WITH ONLY 80,000 MILES. TAKEN TO SPITZER TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. TOYOTA CLAIMED NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FAILURE CITING, "INSUFFICIENT MAINTENANCE" DESPITE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER MODEL YEAR OWNERS FOR THE SAME FAILURE AND RECALLS AFFECTING MODELS YEARS BEFORE AND AFTER 1995. *NM
I PURCHASED A USED 1995 TOYOTA 4RUNNER THAT WAS SERVICED REGULARLY BY A LICENSED MECHANIC. THE CAR HAD NO PROBLEMS LEADING UP TO THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE THAT I JUST EXPERIENCED. THE HEAD GASKET BLEW APPROXIMATELY 75 MILES FROM HOME WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AND MAY HAVE CAUSED OTHER ENGINE PROBLEMS NOT YET DETERMINED. FROM SEARCHING THE INTERNET I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A VERY MUCH MORE THAN ISOLATED PROBLEM WITH TOYOTA HEAD GASKETS. TOYOTA ISSUED A SERVICE CAMPAIGN ADMITTING THE PROBLEM, BUT IT LIMITED THE NUMBER YEARS. THE PROBLEM HAS OBVIOUSLY CONTINUED IN THE SAME MANNER SINCE THE CAMPAIGN BUT TOYOTA REFUSES TO ADMIT THAT FACT. THE NHTSA NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE, AND PROTECT THE CONSUMER FROM THE DANGER OF ENGINE FAILURE ON THE ROADWAY, AS WELL AS EXTREME REPAIR COST BY FORCING TOYOTA TO EXTEND THEIR CAMPAIGN OR ANNOUNCE A RECALL TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *JB
ENGINE OVERHEATS, ANTIFREEZE DISAPPEARING APPARENTLY INTO THE ENGINE THROUGH THE DEFECTIVE FAILED HEAD GASKET, ENGINE SKIPPING, HUGE WHITE SMOKE CLOUD EXITS THE TAILPIPE. ANTIFREEZE ENTERS THE ENGINE BLOCK THROUGH THE FAILED HEAD GASKET. ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED $2500 , REBUILT OR BEST CASE A NEW HEAD GASKET INSTALLED FOR $1000
ENGINE ON 1995 TOYOTA 4RUNNER OVERHEATED. DISCOVERED WATER IN OIL, MECHANIC ADVISED POSSIBLE FAILED HEAD GASKET "IT'S COMMON TO THIS VEHICLE" BUT WOULD HAVE TO REMOVE HEADS TO CONFIRM. TOYOTA STATED MY VIN # IS NOT COVERED AS I SEE MANY MANY OTHERS ARE NOT AS WELL. DEALER ESTIMATED $2,300 TO FIX, IF THERE WAS NOT HEAD DAMAGE. MANUFACTURE DATA IS MARCH 1995 WHY ARE SO MANY 4RUNNERS THAT ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS NOT COVERED?
AT 108775 MILES THE HEAD GASKET WENT OUT. 1990 THRUOUGH EARLY PRODUCTION '1995 VEHICLES HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT WERE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. LATE PRODUCTION 1995 WERE SUPOSED TO HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH A DIFFERENT GASKET AND WERE NOT COVERED. MY VEHICLE WAS A LATE 1995 PRODUCTION, BUT IT STILL HEAD GASKET FAILURE. THE GASKET HAD A SLOW LEAK AND CAUSED RUST IN ALL 6 CYLINDERS AND COOLANT PASSAGEWAYS. DEALERSHIP WANTED ME TO PAY FOR ALL REPAIRS.*AK
WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH HEAD GASKET BLOW OUT. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FRO SERVICE, AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT ENGINE OVERHEATED.*AK
Trend Over Time
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Quick Summary
The 1995 Toyota 4Runner has 105 Engine complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.