Anyone with Strut and Shock failures on 2016 Toyota 4Runner with ~108,000 miles. Estimated cost: $5,000 to replace all 4 shocks and 4 struts including labor.
Unless you are driving a rock crawler or monster truck you only have 2 front struts and 2 rear shocks… Napa’s Monroe OE Spectrum Quick Struts list price are under $200.00 each (X2)… Rear Shocks are under $100.00 each (X2) for the Monroe OE Spectrum… Plus Labor
Unless you have the KDSS which stands for Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System. This suspension system is fitted on thorough-bred off-road vehicles such as the 4Runner TRD Off-Road . A system that is made up of both mechanical and electrical components, the KDSS Suspension offers a lot of flexibility for a driver to work with.
They cost a lot more and last I looked (been awhile) are dealer items only… Labor is higher with the KDSS suspension over the standard…
For $5000.00 you probably have the KDSS, if I remember correctly you will have brake lines going to the F struts and R shocks and the system has to be bleed…
Year ago when I went to a Strut/shock training conference Tenneco who made over 80% (forgot exact #) of the OEM struts and shocks said that the average strut/shock is recommended to be replaced every 50,000 miles due to wear and tear… I have tested that on multiple customer vehicles and could tell the difference as could they… I normally wait till they start leaking before I change mine out though… lol
I can tell my 09 DD struts are in need of replacement as it does not hold a corner like it used to (I drive everything fast lol) with only around 125K miles on it, so until I replace them I just have to slow down a bit… 
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Get away from that place……FAST!
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I’m not a car expert by any means, but I do know that it’s always a good idea to get a second opinion before shelling out that kind of cash. Maybe get some quotes from other mechanics in your area and see if there are any ways to save some dough.
Alternatively, you could try sourcing some used or refurbished parts to cut down on costs. Of course, you’ll want to make sure they’re still in good condition and won’t cause any further issues down the line.
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108,000 miles is not surprising for shock/strut replacement. That cost is, you must have that expensive system described above. I’d check on 4Runner forums to see what your options are. You might be able to convert them to conventional units.
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It is very expensive if it fails. What issue are you experiencing? Is this at a Toyota dealership?
Thanks for responding. It is the Toyota 4-Runner with the Toyota X-REAS shock absorption system, and the work was done at a Toyota dealer. I have two friends who off-road (which I hadn’t) and their Ford pickups with struts have over 160,000 miles with no failures.
Thanks for responding. The issue was a loud thud in the front end. I took the 4Runner to Toyota and they found the entire X-REAS system leaking fluid and recommended replacement of the entire system. Toyota did the work.
Tester
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I hope thud is gone after spending $5000
I wouldn’t call it a failure. Just normal wear and tear.
The front’s are struts and the rear are shocks. $5,000 is absurdly high. What place quoted you this price?
Find a good local mechanic to replace them. It’s not rocket science. The OEM struts and shocks are KYB. They make very good struts/shocks. Cost for all 4 corners is under $1,000 for parts. Labor should be $200-$500 - depending on labor costs in your area.
That would have to be a very low hourly rate.
The labor guide shows 3.5 hours of labor for the front shock absorbers, 2.3 hours for the rear. We charge more than $200 for the wheel alignment.
I don’t have a guide in front of me. I just remember from my experience doing shocks on my 05 4runner. It took me about 1 hour. I figured 2+ for the front.
WOW…that’s high. 4 wheel alignments around here are under $150. And NH and MA has a much higher cost of living than Navada.
One Local Chain Wheel Alignment
I got a flyer in the mail from the Toyota dealer I bought my Highlander from…cost for 4-wheel alignment - $129.99
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How do you get 27 years? My math says a 2016 vehicle is 7 years old.
Im having a major senior moment. Thanks Mike.
Been there, done that…Got the tee-shirt.
This X REAS suspension is far more involved and expensive than just 2 shocks and 2 struts. It has interconnected fluid passages running side to side and diagonally.
Tester posted a kit to replace it with more standard stuff which is what some do to reduce costs.
Plus, the OP already did the work and paid the bill! So not sure why they posted.
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