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. These are 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. It's the 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.