2nd Gen 4Runner years to avoid, and the best years to buy
Every Toyota 4Runner 2nd Gen model year: which ones owners and specialists recommend, which have documented problems, which carry recalls, and what they sell for now.
No year is a consensus pick, so buy the truck, not the date. Toyota's own V06 campaign paperwork says the 3VZ-E head-gasket failures were primarily limited to trucks built from January 1990 to October 1994, so a V6 built after that — or one with receipts for the gasket job — is the safer bet, and the 22R-E four sidesteps the issue entirely. Autotrader names no best year either, noting only that 1994 added side-impact door beams.
At a glance
2nd Gen 4Runner year by year
| YEAR | VERDICT | WHAT CHANGED |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | — | All-new steel body on the Hilux frame; coil-sprung four-link rear axle; 22R-E or 3VZ-E; rear-wheel ABS standard on SR5 V6 |
| 1990–94 | Beware | V6 trucks built 1/90–10/94: Toyota said its 3VZ-E head-gasket failures were primarily limited to this production window (campaign V06, expired 2018). Ask for proof of the gasket job |
| 1992 | — | Facelift: one-piece front bumper, modular headlamps, new interior trim; US two-door sales end August 1992 |
| 1993 | — | Two-door production ends May 1993; Japan's Hilux Surf gains the 1KZ-TE 3.0 turbo-diesel (August) |
| 1994 | — | Side-impact door beams added for the US |
| 1995 | — | Final year; keeps door beams. V6 trucks built after October 1994 fall outside the V06 campaign window. Replaced by the Prado-based 1996 4Runner |
“Sweet spot” means owners and specialists recommend those years; “Beware” means documented problems; “Recall” means check the recall was done rather than walk away.
What a 2nd Gen 4Runner costs (October 2026)
Still the cheapest way into an old 4Runner, but clean V6 five-speed SR5s now pull well above the pack.
| Project / needs work | $3.5k–9k |
|---|---|
| Driver | $9k–18k |
| Excellent / low-mile | $20k–36k |
Based on 22 Bring a Trailer sales from May to October 2026 (median about $11,750). The top sale was a 1993 SR5 V6 five-speed at $36,250.
Recalls by year
- Steering relay rod fatigue crack ↗ 1989–1995
Best years are buyer consensus from owners, specialists and forums, not spec sheets. See all 4Runner years to avoid across every generation.