Best Toyota 4Runner Accessories
In a market awash in SUVs, the Toyota 4Runner still stands out, in that it’s one of the few SUVs that has kept its design focus on off-road capability. We’ve rounded up the best Toyota 4Runner accessories to help you tackle the roads less traveled.
The 4Runner came to the US market in 1984. Similar to the Broncos and Blazers of the time, the 4Runner had two doors, 100 HP, and a removable Fiberglas canopy over the back seats. It was built on a ladder frame platform that it shared with Toyota’s pickup trucks, and while that was just the way SUVs were done at the time, the 4Runner has kept that feature throughout its run. As the rest of the class has pursued on-road refinement via unibody construction, the 4Runner remains one of only two ladder-framed mid-sized SUVs in the North American market. And the formula is still working, the 4Runner outsells most of its competitors despite being over 10 years past its last redesign.
What accessories will help keep the Toyota 4Runner prepared for its mission as a comfortable daily driver but a capable off-roader? We’ve rounded up some of the best.
Table of contents
- 1. Pedal Commander Throttle Controller
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- 2. CarQiWireless Wireless Charger
- 3. Body Armor Front Winch Bumper
- 4. Tekton 2-Ton Power Puller
- 5. Garmin Overlander Navigator
- 6. Jaco RapidFlow Tire Deflator
- Why do Toyota 4Runners have hood scoops?
- What are the 4Runner’s off road stats
- Should I worry about frame rust on my Toyota 4Runner?
- Can I get a stick-shift 4Runner?
- What Toyota 4Runners have been in the movies?
1. Pedal Commander Throttle Controller
From the factory, your 4Runner’s throttle tune is a compromise. Toyota doesn’t know what kind of driving you’re going to be doing, so they build it to be acceptable for everything. But what if you could tune it on the fly, for the specific response you want in the moment? Immediate power delivery when you want acceleration. A more modulated response in low traction, or for fuel economy. With the Pedal Commander, you can dial in whatever the moment requires.
This accessory is a plug-and-play installation, adding a control unit between your accelerator pedal and its position sensor. Once it’s installed, the driver can change throttle response between four drive modes, each of which can be fine-tuned with another nine settings. The Pedal Commander doesn’t add power, but by making the delivery more immediate when you want it, it will feel like it did. That along makes the Pedal Commander throttle controller one of the most valuable Toyota 4Runner accessories you can add.
Pros | The control unit can be paired via Bluetooth, moving throttle control onto your smartphone and allowing the control unit to be installed out of sight |
Cons | As performance gains go, it’s relatively cheap, but that doesn’t make it actually cheap |
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2. CarQiWireless Wireless Charger
The current 4Runner was last redesigned in 2009, before wireless charging was available on phones, let alone vehicles. Toyota has added this as a factory option since, but if your 4Runner missed the boat, you can add it as a fitted accessory that can pass as a factory option.
This unit fits into the storage bin under the 4Runner’s arm rest. It plugs into the 12V outlet at the base, adding a sliding shelf halfway down the compartment. The power cord is out of sight underneath the slider, for an uncluttered appearance. The wireless pad has a power and status light to let you know what the charger is doing, a general storage area next to the phone, and a USB port should you need to charge by wire.
Pros | The original storage bin is bit too deep for convenience to begin with, so it’s more useful with the sliding divider even if you’re not charging; also, it puts your phone in a secure location that it can’t bounce out of on a rough trail |
Cons | If your 4Runner has CarPlay, you’ll still need to use the main USB port under the climate controls to use it |
3. Body Armor Front Winch Bumper
The more capable an off-road vehicle is, the father afield people will go to get stuck in it. So, if you manage to get stuck in your 4Runner, your buddy is probably not going to be able to push you out. A winch on the front bumper could be the difference between driving home and walking.
To mount it securely and with style, the Body Armour bumper replaces your 4Runner’s stock bumper with a powder-coated steel cradle. Mounting points can carry your winch or mount a light bar, and it adds two D-rings to use as recovery points. The bull bar is removable, to avoid interference with the sensor package on newer 4Runners.
When it comes to making sure you can get back home again, the Body Armor front winch bumper is one of the smartest Toyota 4Runner accessories you can buy.
Pros | Looks cool, bonus points for recovering Jeeps |
Cons | No undo button on the installation, this accessory requires cutting through your bodywork, the bull bar being removable compromises its strength |
4. Tekton 2-Ton Power Puller
If you don’t want to spend the money on a winch, or cut through body panels to mount a new winch bumper, it would still be nice to have some kind of recovery option. A comealong may not be enough pull for a serious extrication, but for the price, it’s worth a shot.
Tekton’s Power Puller comealong spans a 7’10” pull length with a braided cable, winding onto a galvanized steel spindle. The ratchet handle has a cushioned grip, and allows one-hand operation to pull a maximum of 4,000 pounds. At 23” stowed length, the comealong is easy to stash under your 4Runner’s seats when not in use.
Pros | Handy outside your 4Runner for construction projects, easy to swap it between vehicles |
Cons | Pack work gloves next to it, the ratchet gears and cable are hard on the fingers, especially in cold weather. |
5. Garmin Overlander Navigator
If you have a factory navigation system, or you’re getting by with your phone, when the road ends, so does the guidance. But the point of a vehicle like this is that you don’t have to stop there, which is why the Garmin Overlander GPS is one of the best Toyota 4Runner accessories we can think of.
Around town or on the highway, the Garmin Overlander mounts to your dash with a powered magnetic mount, and it looks and operates like any other turn-by-turn navigation system. It’s at the end of the pavement where things get interesting. The Overlander can download maps and points of interest into 64 GB of storage, adding trail and campsite maps from Garmin without the need for a cell signal. Topographic maps reveal boundaries of public lands and other points of interest throughout North America.
The Overlander adds a pitch and roll indicator, barometer, and altimeter. It can even choose routes for you based on the height and weight of your vehicle, adapting the route follow to the trails you can handle. And when paired with an InReach, it can add two-way text messaging and weather forecasts.
Pros | Can also pair with aftermarket backup cameras, if your 4Runner doesn’t already have one |
Cons | If you don’t already have an InReach, buying one to pair with the Overlander will add up to cost more than a navigator with InReach integrated |
6. Jaco RapidFlow Tire Deflator
The first and simplest thing to do to your 4Runner to make it a better off roader is also free … just reduce the tire pressure. At a lower pressure, your tires gain a larger contact patch, providing more grip and a more distributed weight on mud, snow, or deep sand. It also reduces wear on your driveline and suspension.
A gas station tire gauge is useful to inflate a tire, but less useful to deflate, because you’d like to be able to monitor the pressure as you release it, rather than release and check 2 PSI at a time. Jaco’s RapidFlow deflator gives you a brass deflator head that threads onto your tire valve, opening the valve for rapid deflation. An analogue hand-held gauge on a 10” hose reads your pressure all the way down, and is backlit via LED lighting. Jaco claims around 20 seconds per tire to deflate to 15 PSI.
Considering cost and usefulness, a tire deflator is among the best Toyota 4Runner accessories you’ll find anywhere.
Pros | Decent price, brass and steel construction for a weighty, professional look and feel |
Cons | Keep the directions handy, the valve core extractor is not intuitive |
Why do Toyota 4Runners have hood scoops?
Fashion. Even a TRD supercharger does not breathe through the hood scoop. A 10” light bar will fit, though there are more effective spots to mount one.
What are the 4Runner’s off road stats
The current 4Runner has 9.6” of ground clearance, a 33-degree approach angle, and a 26” departure angle.
Should I worry about frame rust on my Toyota 4Runner?
A: Possibly. In a 2016 class-action suit, Toyota agreed to spend $3 billion to repair prematurely rusting frames on 2004-2008 Tacomas and other vehicles. 4Runners were not named at the time, but 2003-2009 models have been targeted in a later lawsuit, which is still pending.
Can I get a stick-shift 4Runner?
Yes, if you’re buying used. The last manual 4Runners were built in 2000.
What Toyota 4Runners have been in the movies?
2018’s Black Panther featured a car chase with four blacked-out 4Runners chasing the Marvel superhero’s Lexus LC500 coupe. Many 4Runner drivers wondered why the villains would shoot through the back windows of their 4Runners when they could have just rolled them down.
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