2022 Toyota 4Runner

Air Bags

Airbag defects are safety-critical and may trigger California’s two-repair threshold under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22. The 2022 Toyota 4Runner has 12 NHTSA complaints on record related to airbag warning lights, unexpected deployment, and sensor failures. Owner reports include: “Neither the curtain airbags or steering wheel Air bags deployed after a very bad car accident. Super upset because this is the reason parents spend so much money to keep their kid safe. She banged her head on steering wheel and on window which should have been prevent by air bags on 2022 4Runner bought brand new” (NHTSA Complaint #11627454)

Other Systems

The 2022 Toyota 4Runner has generated 10 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “The back up camera does not work sometimes. The screen is black.” (NHTSA Complaint #11694463)

Brakes

Brake defects affecting safety may qualify for California’s two-repair threshold under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, which applies to defects likely to cause death or serious bodily injury. The 2022 Toyota 4Runner has generated 8 NHTSA complaints related to braking, including ABS failures, grinding, reduced stopping power, and warning lights. Owner reports include: “Brake failure. Unable to stop vehicle. Dealer found internal brake failure” (NHTSA Complaint #11610113)

Steering,Suspension

Steering defects can create unpredictable vehicle behavior and qualify as safety-related under California lemon law. Reported issues on the 2022 Toyota 4Runner include pulling, vibration, loss of power steering, and electronic steering warnings. 6 NHTSA complaints have been filed in this category. Owner reports include: “Around 50-55mph, shake can be felt in the steering wheel. Possible needle bearing? Common complaint yet Toyota states it is operating “normal”. Steering wheel shake is not normal. This has occurred since I purchased the vehicle.” (NHTSA Complaint #11552450)

Suspension

Suspension problems affect vehicle handling and ride quality. For the 2022 Toyota 4Runner, reported issues include clunking noises, premature wear, and handling instability. With 4 NHTSA complaints on record, this defect has a documented pattern. Owner reports include: “I felt an unnatural vibration and roll to one side of the vehicle when slowing around a curve on the highway which affected my ability to control the vehicle as expected, so I took it to a mechanic specializing in Toyota. The XREAS suspension system has already failed at 36,000 miles and Toyota is refusing to assist since this is out of warranty. However, this is a known issue that you can see many many people are affected by with a quick internet search, and multiple Toyota certified mechanics can confirm this is an issue they see an inordinate amount of failures on. This is a very well publicly documented issue with the XREAS suspension. The XREAS has suffered from early failure for years and Toyota has not and is not addressing it, these vehicles should all be recalled and repaired as they are a danger to the public having cars with non-functional and unsafe suspensions, a critical system for safety in any automobile. Not only are the owners of these vehicles affected, the general public is being put at risk by drivers unknowingly commuting without fully functional suspensions or even being unaware their vehicle may not even pass a basic safety inspection. These are not parts any consumer should or could reasonably expect to fail so early, this is recall worthy based on the danger to public but Toyota clearly will have to be forced to do so. At the very least Toyota should be telling people to lookout for this, it is a safety issue they are trying to avoid. I will replace my own soonest possible because I want to be responsible, unfortunately Toyota is not sharing that want and is instead leaving American citizens at risk of injury and death by knowingly producing and shipping faulty suspensions on one of their best selling vehicles.” (NHTSA Complaint #11725268)

Active NHTSA Recalls — 2022 Toyota 4Runner

The following 3 recalls have been issued for the 2022 Toyota 4Runner by the NHTSA or Toyota. If your vehicle is affected, the manufacturer is required to provide a free remedy. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls.

California Lemon Law — Song-Beverly Act

California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1790–1795.8) is one of the strongest lemon laws in the United States. It protects buyers and lessees of new and certified pre-owned vehicles that develop substantial defects the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts.

Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, a lemon law presumption is triggered when any of the following apply to your 2022 Toyota 4Runner:

• 4+ repair attempts for the same non-safety defect without resolution
• 2+ repair attempts for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury
• 30+ calendar days out of service for warranty repairs (cumulative, not consecutive)

Once the presumption is triggered, the burden shifts to Toyota to prove the vehicle is not a lemon. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Toyota must pay your attorney’s fees if you prevail — meaning qualified representation costs you nothing out of pocket.

What You Can Recover

If your 2022 Toyota 4Runner qualifies as a lemon under California law, Toyota may be legally required to:

• Repurchase your vehicle — Full refund of your down payment, all monthly payments, registration fees, and incidental costs (towing, rentals), minus a mileage offset for miles driven before the first repair attempt
• Replace your vehicle — Provide a new, comparable vehicle at no cost to you
• Pay your attorney’s fees — Under § 1794(d), Toyota pays all legal fees if you prevail
• Civil penalty up to 2x damages — If Toyota willfully violated the Act, courts may award double the actual damages

Steps to Protect Your 2022 Toyota 4Runner Claim

Step 1: Document every repair visit. Keep all repair orders, work orders, and dealer invoices. Each visit counts as a repair attempt, even if the dealer says nothing is wrong.

Step 2: Keep returning for repairs. You must give Toyota a reasonable opportunity to fix the defect. Visit different authorized Toyota dealers if needed and ask for written documentation of each visit.

Step 3: Contact a California lemon law attorney. Once you believe the threshold has been met — 4 attempts for non-safety defects, 2 for safety defects, or 30 days out of service — contact an attorney for a free case evaluation. Under § 1794(d), Toyota pays your fees if you win.

Step 4: Send a demand letter. Your attorney will send Toyota a formal demand letter. Most California lemon law cases resolve through negotiation without going to trial.

2022 Toyota 4Runner Lemon Law Questions

How many repair attempts qualify my 2022 Toyota 4Runner as a lemon?

Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, four or more repair attempts for the same non-safety defect, or two attempts for a safety-related defect, triggers the lemon law presumption. Additionally, 30 or more cumulative days out of service qualifies regardless of the number of repair attempts.

Does Toyota pay my attorney fees?

Yes. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Toyota is required to pay your reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs if you prevail in a lemon law claim. This means qualified lemon law representation is free to you if your case succeeds.

Can I file a lemon law claim without an active recall?

Yes. A recall is not required to file a lemon law claim. The Song-Beverly Act covers any substantial defect that impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle that the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts. NHTSA complaints support the claim by establishing a pattern, but are not a prerequisite.

What is the time limit to file a lemon law claim for my 2022 Toyota 4Runner?

California lemon law claims are generally subject to a four-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered or should have discovered the defect. However, you must still be within the manufacturer’s original warranty period when the defect first appears. Contact an attorney promptly to preserve your rights.