What have you done to your 5th Gen 4Runner today?

I've driven 1300+ mile road trips in my 4Runner and I was comfortable

 

I think these whiners are expecting a body on frame SUV with a solid rear axle to ride like their mom’s luxury sedan. I would love to see them drive any pre 2000 vehicle or something with a solid front axle. Or even better something with front leaf springs.

 

That's interesting.

My friend bought one after seeing mine and had a similar complaint about high speed cruising.
I drove it and it did have some "wander" on the freeway. One max caster alignment later and that thing drives straight as an arrow now.

Personally I love driving the 4Runner on road trips. Its been from Louisiana/ Arkansas all the way to California multiple times. Cruises great and super comfortable interior. A good alignment goes a long way for drivability.

 

Took her on our first road trip of the year. Took the family to stay at a cabin in Forks. Gonna do all the cheesey Twilight things.

 

My first SUV was a 1987 Suzuki Jimny SJ40. Leaf springs all around, 45 bhp carburatted engine and 2 speed 4wd transfer case. It drove like Fred Flintones cart on road but was a mountain goat off it. Kept it for 10 years.
Followed by a 2nd Gen 1991 Mitsubishi Pajero. The most recognized Pajero world over. It was the original bad boy for offroading, but again on road you drove it with alight foot. Then a 1994 Y60 4th Gen Nissan Patrol. Again, one of the finest off-roaders still and probably the best handling on road Patrol for it's time.
So I know a thing or 2 about 'real' SUVs and how they drive on road specially Japanese 4x4s.
The 4runner is what it is. Does great off road, tackles unpaved roads very well but is average at best on highways. Infact the one word that describes the 4runner as a highway car is fatiguing.
It has a purpose and it does that well but that's it. It is a poor vehicle choice for highways and that's okay, it comes with it's character and construction.
But to ignore this and insist it is commendable for highways is nothing but foolhardy.

 

SCS F5 8.5/-10/17
Ridge Grapplers 275/70/17
Eibach Pro lift 2.5" Front
Icon rear springs 2.0"

 

I have AutoZone calipers on the front, O'Reilly's on the rear. Those were found to have seized pistons while changing pads, so I had to get what was in stock locally.

If I had the opportunity to be prepared, I'd probably have gone OEM. I went with another O'Reilly's to replace this stuck one due to having the lifetime warranty, so the replacement is free. Otherwise I'd have ordered OEM.

The O'Reilly's reman in $91 assembled on the bracket with new pins and hardware, I did a quick search and found OEM listed for as little as $160.

Bleeding the rear is really easy, you just turn the key on and touch the brake pedal, no pumping necessary as the ABS pump automatically sends fluid through. Bleeding the front is done the conventional way.

Just be careful to not let the master cylinder the get too low, the pump moves fluid fast.

Lots of good YT vids on this.

Oh, when you do the front, don't even attempt it without a propper line wrench for the fitting. It's a 10mm, IIRC.

 

My dad used to have a early 2000's F-250. It was a very jarring ride unloaded. At the time, I had a Cadillac with air ride suspension, real leather power seats with heat etc... Complete opposite of the F-250 and way too soft for my taste. With my 4Runner lifted and on E-rated tires, I still feel the ride quality is a nice in-between.

 

I love my 4R. It is just about perfect for what I bought it for - which is to cruise the back roads, both paved and (mostly) dirt. But when it comes to long road trips I take my F150. Quieter in the cab - less wind noise, less road noise. But mostly because of the engine. The torque that 3.5 Ecoboost puts out is nearly twice what the 4R's engine has, and whereas the 4R shifts down on every hill the F150 never needs to shift down, even across I-80 in Wyoming where the elevation is anywhere from 6500 to nearly 9000 feet. Just effortless cruising at highway speeds. I make multiple cross country trips (3000 to over 6000 miles per trip) and I always take the F150. Much more relaxing.

 

Unfortunately elevation is not a naturally aspirated engine's friend.

 

Just got home with new Mickey Thompson Baja Boss AT's. Perfectly balanced first try. Helps that they have a Road Force balance machine. Took them straight to the highway, no shimmy. Alignment done as well, seems perfect.

 

Good to hear! I'm actually considering a EB F150 for that reason, I spend way more time on the highway than anywhere else.

Even the 2.7EB sounds good, my buddy raves about his and gets the same if not better mpg than my 4Runner.

How's your reliability been?

 

I traded a 2021 Raptor for my 4R - 3.5 EB (but hopped up) with the 10spd.
MPG on the highway is basically 20 flat from 70-80mph (and that's on 35s but 93 Octane required)
Extremely common Issues - Cam Phasers, Wastegate Actuator, Transmission failure
Extremely common issues Ford will ignore - Panoramic Sunroof failure requiring complete replacement (and they won't warranty it up front) - this happened to me and 4 other people I know in my own Town.

 

Really?! I spent 20 years in the military and drove pretty much everything except tracked vehicles. An LMTV drives better than my 4R does.

 

Sounds like you need to go buy an X5.

 

Most reliable vehicle I have ever owned. Mine (2016) will be 9 years old in May and never been in the shop for any reason. With the 36 gallon fuel tank the truck is a bladder buster...easy to go 700 miles between fillups. My overall fuel mileage (calculated by an Excel spreadsheet) is 20.5 mpg and that includes a lot of miles with a trailer hooked to the truck. BUT...a heavy trailer will halve fuel mileage!

400 miles since filling up and still 300 miles to empty.....



Change the oil at 5000 miles or less - don't pay attention to the "recommended" 10,000 mile oil changes. Most all of the problems reported with the Ecoboost engines could have been avoided if the engine oil had been changed more often. My understanding is that the early 10 speed transmissions had teething problems but they've gone away with the newest trucks. My truck is the 6 speed auto.

The 2.7 Ecoboost has a better reliability record than the 3.5. If you never tow it is probably the better engine.

 

Did you not test drive the 4Runner before you bought it?

 

I travel quite a bit and have rented a lot of different SUVs. The 4Runner is near the top of the list. Some of you guys having drivability issues must need an alignment or new tires. I can drive 80mph while dipping nuggets without issues.

 

I purchased a 2022 PowerBoost in October of 2023 and had to take it into the shop 6 times in four months. Four of the six times were for critical "red warning" issues.
To be rid of the issue I traded in the F-150 for a 4R with 75k miles. In almost a year I have had zero issues.
I tell everyone I can to ignore the F-150 PowerBoost as if your life depended on it. Seems like the other powertrains are much more reliable.

 

Thanks for the advice. That sucks that the O Reilley one already seized up. I’ll probably just get a caliper with bracket from Advance Auto since I have speed perks money to spend.

 

Then your 4Runner has something wrong with it.

 

Doesn't surprise me. Problems that people report to Consumer Reports (not just for Ford but for all makes) are mainly electrical/electronic issues. Complicated as the hybrid system has to be, trying to integrate ICE and EV technology into one vehicle, no wonder it has problems.

 

Love mine so far. Great tire and balance really well. But I have mine road forced balance all the time.

 

I think my drives good that's why my wife and I each own one.

 

Just used it to take Xmas tree to local Fire Dept. that recycles them.

 

I agree and the 1.5 million other 5th gen owners probably also agree.

 

https://cartrimhome.com/Front-Seat-Spacers-Lift-Stand-for-Toyota?search=4runner+seat

 

Has anyone had this issue? When I drive in a hard rain my 4x4 red light starts blinking, but quits after it drives out? Just started doing this past 2 months ago

 

I traded my '22 ORP for a '23 Raptor (F150).... 6 weeks later I traded the Raptor for a '24 ORP