Toyota 4Runner Lemon Law

Toyota recalled roughly 591,000 vehicles — including the 4Runner — because the large 12.3-inch display may fail to turn on at startup or shut off unexpectedly while driving. Because the same screen shows the backup camera and key vehicle information, a blank display raises the risk of a collision. Toyota's remedy is a software update or, in some cases, replacement of the combination meter.

The all-new 2025 4Runner has also drawn early owner complaints about the brakes, along with electrical, steering, and body-structure issues that are common when a model is fully redesigned. Rattles, warning lights, turbo four-cylinder or hybrid powertrain quirks, and infotainment bugs are the kinds of defects that, if they keep recurring after repair, can substantially impair a vehicle's use, value, or safety.

California's Lemon Law applies whether or not a defect was ever recalled. What matters is that a covered problem keeps failing after a reasonable number of repair attempts, or that the vehicle has been out of service for an extended time. If your 4Runner has been back to the dealer repeatedly for the same issue, you may be entitled to a buyback, a replacement, or a cash settlement, with Toyota paying your attorney fees.

A recall is not automatically a lemon — it's the manufacturer acknowledging a defect and offering a free repair. California's Lemon Law (the Song-Beverly Act) comes into play when a substantial defect can't be fixed after a reasonable number of attempts, or when your 4Runner has been out of service for 30 or more cumulative days.

If your Toyota 4Runner qualifies, you may be entitled to a buyback (a refund of what you've paid, minus a mileage offset), a replacement vehicle, or a cash-and-keep settlement — and Toyota pays your attorney fees on a successful claim, so pursuing your case costs you nothing out of pocket.