2007 Toyota Fj Cruiser Owner Complaints

Took FJ in for an inspection and was informed the frame was rusted to the point it could not pass inspection.

NHTSA ID

11746560

Incident

Jun 25, 2026

Frame is rusted to the point of failure

NHTSA ID

11736316

Incident

May 5, 2026

The contact owns a 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser. The contact stated that while her son was attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic; however, no cause for the failure was found. The independent mechanic informed the contact that the undercarriage and subframe were severely corroded. The contact was informed that the vehicle should not be driven because the wheels might detach from the vehicle. The vehicle remained with the dealer unrepaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 185,000.

NHTSA ID

11689262

Incident

Sep 2, 2025

Mileage

185,000 mi

I was driving the vehicle to work and was unable to stop. I had to use the emergency brake system.

NHTSA ID

11686892

Incident

Sep 5, 2022

Silver paint is peeling off the hood, bumper, doors, ect

NHTSA ID

11674289

Incident

Jul 1, 2024

Frame and undercarriage have excessive wear for age of vehicle despite normal maintenance and care. Rust and corrosion has made the vehicle unsafe to drive.

NHTSA ID

11671174

Incident

Jan 1, 2024

I am the owner of a Toyota FJ Cruiser (Year:2007), VIN: [XXX] ]) equipped with the TRD High-Performance Brake Kit, which is under recall campaign C0R / NHTSA 12E046. I recently experienced a serious safety issue involving the front TRD brake crossover tube. While driving, I suddenly noticed a soft brake pedal and significant loss of braking power. I was unable to stop the vehicle properly and nearly crashed into another car at an intersection. I had to swerve at the last moment, which could have caused a more serious accident. Upon inspection, I found that brake fluid was leaking from the crossover tube—exactly the defect described in the TRD brake recall. This failure happened without warning, and my safety and the safety of others was clearly at risk. This is unacceptable for a safety recall. I am requesting immediate investigation, assistance, and a permanent solution. Toyota must ensure this part is properly redesigned and replaced, and that no vehicle is left on the road with this faulty setup. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11666491

Incident

Jun 10, 2025

The contact owns a 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser. The contact stated that the front driver's side seat belt failed to retract. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V098000 (Seat Belts). The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 158,305.

NHTSA ID

11645241

Incident

Nov 27, 2024

Mileage

158,305 mi

The contact owns a 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser. The contact stated that after it had rained, the front driver's side seat belt was wet, even though the windows were rolled up and the doors were closed securely. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 00707 (Structure); however, the vehicle was not included in the TSB. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

NHTSA ID

11642157

Incident

Jan 1, 2016

Mileage

90,000 mi

-Toyota recalled the vehicles using the same/similar frame has the same rusty issues, like Tacoma. This recalled made me pay attention on this issue and I found the my FJ cruiser is no longer 100% safe while driving. -The frame of the body is very rusty after years which is not normal. I believe most owners of this model having the same issue. There are rust everywhere under the body, when change some parts, it was really hard to do so, need the fire gun to burn all the screws. And the exhaust system all rusty and leaked as well, cost me a lot of money to fix. -The frame may broken anytime while driving which is risky to me and my passengers. -No dealers would like to fix that frame for me unless to pay a huge amount of Labour costs, which is higher than the value of the car. -it has been inspected by more than 5 car specialists and body shop workers, saying that frame is dying and won’t last for long, maybe will completely broken in a few years. -There is no issues on mechanics, just the under body rust. It happened a lot of years maybe 5-7 years before. -I’m from Canada.

NHTSA ID

11612569

Incident

Mar 1, 2024

While towing my boat, the rear frame to which the trailer hitch is a part of, ripped down both side of the frame. Basically, the rear frame of the truck is barley holding on by rust. The hitch and frame section are dangling down. Rust has completely eaten through the entire frame after closer inspection.

NHTSA ID

11602681

Incident

Jul 14, 2024

My fj cruiser has terrible rust on the frame. It literally looks like it was stored in the ocean for 50 years. This vehicle is from 2007 and should not have this much rust.

NHTSA ID

11581956

Incident

Apr 9, 2024

The contact owns a 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser. The contact stated that the driver's side seat belt failed to retract, causing the contact to have to manually put the seat belt in place. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times and progressed where the seat belt would not retract. The contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V098000 (Seat Belts) and the dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 191,700. The contact stated vehicle has been repaired, and this case may be closed.

NHTSA ID

11579719

Incident

Feb 16, 2024

Mileage

191,700 mi

DRIVER SIDE SEATBELT DOES NOT RETRACT ON MY 2007 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER.

NHTSA ID

11578483

Incident

Feb 20, 2024

The fj cruiser is a common issue for rot/ rust on the frame of the vehicle, I have clean the frame often during the winter months and my frame is continuously rusting and rotting the frame of the vehicle I have decided to not drive the vehicle till the frame is either replaced or repaired due to the safety concern of driving it on the road, numerous others have same incidents of the holes in the frame due to rust the manufacturer did not put any kind of corrosion treatment on the frame to stop this from happening the frame flexes when accelerating and is not safe for anyone to including my passengers or other people on the road

NHTSA ID

11577448

Incident

Mar 14, 2024

The contact owns a 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser. The contact stated that the front driver’s side seat belt retractor and locking mechanism was inoperable, failing to secure the driver as needed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V098000 (Seat Belts). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 100,000.

NHTSA ID

11568047

Incident

Oct 10, 2022

Mileage

100,000 mi

The gas tank strap rusted so the gas tank was hanging low. I fixed the problem myself

NHTSA ID

11547562

Incident

Nov 11, 2021

I own a 2007 FJ Cruiser with very low mileage (below 80,000). It has a terrible carriage rust problem. I thought I'd had it remediated, finally, after endlessly searching for someone to address it. Dry ice treatment and undercoating were applied recently. I replaced the wheels and tires, as well. All seemed well and it passed inspection. But, then the power steering started stiffening. So I had that attended to. The mechanic then told me the rack and pinion and a plethora of other issues were happening due to rust and corrosion - at an additional $$$$$$ cost. So far, this summer, I have spent close to $5,000 to resurrect this vehicle. I can't afford to invest anymore or justify doing so. I am looking to sell. But first I am investigating the FJ class-action against Toyota. I understand this class-action was denied in part last year in California. I plan to check any legal status that might still exist. My hope is that Toyota will acknowledge the problem with the FJs, recall and FIX the problem or at least reimburse me all my repair/remediation expenses. I know they won't do anything unless there is a lot of pressure and outcry to do so. Although, my FJ spent the first 16 years of its life in NJ (which many claim is the cause and of course is plausible - I don't disagree but not to this degree), it was not driven that much, garaged and well cared for. I did not really notice the rust issue until January 2021 when I took it to the local Toyota dealership. I think I was taking it there for an oil change. They were surprised that I'd driven it there because the brakes were so bad. I had it towed home and spent the next many months searching for someone to fix it. No one wanted to touch it until this summer 2023. The gentleman who dry iced and coated informed me about the lawsuit. I never received any kind of notice (thus far) from Toyota about any recall. So now I am garnering information and investigating the best I can. My FJ looks brand new except for frame corro

NHTSA ID

11546647

Incident

Jan 6, 2021

I was driving down the street after filling up my fuel tank. I drove approximately 1/2 mile when I heard a sound, felt a clunk and stopped immediately. My fuel tank was hanging down on the ground. I called AAA and requested a flatbed and to bring a strap. He did not bring a strap and when my truck arrived at the mechanic the fuel tank had completely separated from the vehicle. The other complaint I have is the rusted frame. I purchased this vehicle used. I did not notice that the tube before the rear axle which holds suspension supports to the frame were completely broken off and separated from the rusted out frame that has failed. It has been welding but the rusted frame is very difficult to weld to.

NHTSA ID

11535659

Incident

Jul 20, 2021

Frame rust prematurely affecting integrity of the rear lower control arm mounts. Back half of frame almost completely rusted through requiring a full frame replacement.

NHTSA ID

11531473

Incident

Jul 10, 2023

Our 2007 FJ Cruiser when brought in for annual inspection has been deemed unsafe for use due to crack in frame due to corrosion. The vehicle has no other mechanical issues and runs as if new. We invested in 5 new tires and now find ourselves possibly having to purchase a new vehicle. We witnessed all the other Toyota vehicles frames being replaced due to the recall regarding insufficient undercoating and excessive rust. We inquired if our vehicle was included and if there was reason for concern and were told No. We also own a 2010 Prius which we purchased new. We had no reason to question the validity of the answer. Years later we are grateful we did not experience any incident and crack was discovered before one happened. We now want to know why we did not get a replacement as did all the other models.

NHTSA ID

11515136

Incident

Apr 3, 2023

Rust is inherently bad on these vehicles. The other day i heard a weird noise under my truck driving down the road. As if I flung a rock up and hit a spring or something. To my dismay, I noticed the fuel tank hanging. One of the straps rusted to the point that it broke allowing the fuel tank to droop.

NHTSA ID

11508823

Incident

Jan 31, 2023

I recently purchased the used 2007 Toyota FJ with 101,000 miles. During maintenance and inspection, it was found that the fuel tank straps are rusted out and need to be replaced. The rear brake lines are rusted out and need to be replaced. The frame is severely rusted out and failing at the factory welds. I was referred to submit a report and investigate filing a class action lawsuit against the manufacturer for negligence, as this is apparently a known issue. I am hoping that the will reach someone that is able to help all the owners with the same issues as this should be recalled and repaired to prevent unnecessary injury or death. This is a huge financial burden for those expecting a quality vehicle that will be safe. Failing brakes, loose gas tanks and weakened frames are recipe for disaster.

NHTSA ID

11504331

Incident

Jan 27, 2023

The frame on my 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser has severe corrosion, compromising it's roadworthiness and the safety of occupants. It is available for inspection. Frame would not protect occupants during a crash, and may fail during normal operation. The problem has been confirmed by two independent mechanics. It has not been further inspected. There were no warning lamps or symptoms until discovered by mechanic. Anecdotal information seems to indicate broad and serious corrosion problems with FJ Cruiser frames, but no warnings, recalls, or service bulletins have been issued.

NHTSA ID

11502954

Incident

Nov 29, 2022

Serviced 99% of the time at Toyota dealer. Within a week of having the vehicle serviced by the dealer, I noticed a rattling/banging. One gas strap had completely rusted through, and the other was hanging on by about a quarter inch of material. I always ask the dealer to inspect the frame due to the history of rust problems on FJs—they have never flagged anything but I inspect it as I can myself, but have no way to lift the vehicle up thoroughly. I also have the service fluid applied by Rust Check to prevent/inhibit deterioration. On a sidebar, this summer I was traveling on the interstate when the rear-most crossmember rusted out while I was using a hitch haul to move a dresser to South Carolina.

NHTSA ID

11497287

Incident

Apr 21, 2021