Case file · TOYOTA-4RUNNER-2025-2026 · Field document

Toyota 4Runner 2025–2026 · Pre-purchase checklist

Bring this to the inspection. Every check below is specific to this generation's documented failure modes — not generic used-car advice.

1. Check 01

   Run the VIN for recall 25V595000 (instrument panel software) and confirm the update was done — it's a free OTA/dealer fix.

2. Check 02

   Ask the dealer to check the VIN for open TSBs — first-year trucks accumulate them fast, and the fixes are free under warranty.

3. Check 03

   Back up slowly with the windows down and listen for front brake squeal — it's the #1 early complaint, covered by TSB T-SB-0046-25 under the 3yr/36k warranty.

4. Check 04

   Drive over rough pavement and listen for the rear spoiler/liftgate rattle and window/trim buzz — known first-year build-quality gripes; fixes are cheap but you want them documented before purchase.

5. Check 05

   Feel for harsh or delayed 1–2 shifts, hesitation from a stop, or clunky low-speed behavior from the 8-speed — same transmission family that generated a replacement TSB on the 2024 Tacoma. Any doubt: have the dealer scan for codes.

6. Check 06

   Check the front air dam and underbody panel fasteners are all present and tight — NHTSA complaints include hardware backing out and panels dislodging at speed.

7. Check 07

   On hybrids: the 12V battery lives in the rear cargo area and lot queens can run it down — watch for slow starts or electrical weirdness on the test drive.

8. Check 08

   Sit in the second row and load the cargo area — the 6th gen's hybrid battery raises the load floor, and space is a common owner disappointment versus the 5th gen. That's a fit issue, not a defect, but find out before you sign.