1999 Toyota 4runner — V6

The 1999 4Runner sits in the middle of the third generation (1996–2002), where complaints rose sharply from 182 in 1996 to a generation peak of 494 in 2000. At 335 complaints, 1999 is above the 1997–1998 average but still below the 2000 spike, while its three recalls are the fewest of any year from 1996–1999, suggesting Toyota may have addressed earlier issues without triggering new safety campaigns. The top complaint area is "Structure" (74 reports), and the 30 crash complaints and 6 fire complaints are notable but not extreme for this era. TSBs hold steady at 82, matching 1998 and rising in later years, indicating the model was still accumulating service knowledge. Overall, 1999 is a middle-of-the-pack year for this generation—better than the high-complaint 2000 but worse than the lower-complaint 2001—making it a reasonable buy if you prioritize fewer recalls, though you should inspect for structural concerns.