2009 Toyota Fj Cruiser Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2009 Toyota Fj Cruiser, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Seat belts215.4%
- Suspension215.4%
- Body & structure215.4%
- Powertrain (other)215.4%
- Airbags17.7%
- Visibility17.7%
- Brakes17.7%
- Driver assistance17.7%
- Transmission17.7%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
Driver side seat belt is too loose non functional Airbag sign is on I m scared to drive vehicle
THE TOYOTA FJ CRUISER'S SEAT BELT IS ENGINEERED HAZARD BASED ON IN SEAM DESIGN OF THE CHASIS. IN THE EVENT OF A SIDE IMPACT COLLISION OR THE SEVERANCE OF THE DOOR FROM THE BODY OR SHELL OF THE VEHICLE THE PASSENGER CAN BE EXTREMELY INJURED BY THE DESIGN OF SEAT BELT, OR CATAPULTED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE INNER SEAM OR FLOOR WOULD BE A BETTER POSITION FOR THE HARNESSING OF THE SEAT BELT APPARATUS. IN ADDITION, THE POWER TRAIN TENDS TO BE A LITTLE STICKY POSSIBLY DUE TO THE OARING OF THE METAL, VISCOSITY ENHANCEMENT CAN BE MADE OR RESEARCH AND DESIGN FOR BETTER PERFORMANCE OF GEARING. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
THERE IS RUST ON THE VEHICLE FRAME THAT IS FAR WORSE THAN REASONABLE FOR A VEHICLE OF THIS AGE. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES FROM THIS TIME AND IS KNOWN TO BE CAUSED BY COMPROMISES THAT TOYOTA MADE IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS. *TR
HORRIBLE FRAME RUST. RUSTY CROSS MEMBERS THAT SUPPORT ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION. RUSTY BODY AND SUSPENSION MOUNTS THAT ATTACH TO FRAME. ALL THE WELD BEADS ON THE FRAME ARE RUSTED INSIDE AND OUT.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
THERE IS RUST ON THE VEHICLE FRAME THAT IS FAR WORSE THAN REASONABLE FOR A VEHICLE OF THIS AGE. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES FROM THIS TIME AND IS KNOWN TO BE CAUSED BY COMPROMISES THAT TOYOTA MADE IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS. *TR
HORRIBLE FRAME RUST. RUSTY CROSS MEMBERS THAT SUPPORT ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION. RUSTY BODY AND SUSPENSION MOUNTS THAT ATTACH TO FRAME. ALL THE WELD BEADS ON THE FRAME ARE RUSTED INSIDE AND OUT.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
THERE IS RUST ON THE VEHICLE FRAME THAT IS FAR WORSE THAN REASONABLE FOR A VEHICLE OF THIS AGE. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES FROM THIS TIME AND IS KNOWN TO BE CAUSED BY COMPROMISES THAT TOYOTA MADE IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ENTERING INTO TRAFFIC, HE HEARD A BREAKING NOISE AS THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD FRACTURED INTO SEVERAL PIECES. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AFTER THE FAILURE WAS REPORTED TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE SYMPTOMS OF THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SECOND DEALER. THE SECOND DEALER STATED THAT A COMPONENT HAD BEEN INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE BACKWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN BACK TO THE ORIGINAL DEALER WHO THEN REPAIRED THE VEHICLE AT NO COST. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
Driver side seat belt is too loose non functional Airbag sign is on I m scared to drive vehicle
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
1-CRUISE CONTROL OVER-SPEEDING. IT WAS OBSERVED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM EXCEED THE SET VEHICLE SPEED IN THESE THREE CONDITIONS 1A.ONE THE CRUISE CONTROL RESUMES SPEED AFTER DECELERATION. 1B.WHILST THE VEHICLE NEGOTIATE UPHILL DRIVING CONDITION 1C. IF THERE IS A STRONG HEAD WIND. THIS WILL KEEP THE DRIVER DISTRACTED TO JUST MONITOR HIS/HER SPEED SO THAT HE/SHE WILL NOT GET FLASHED FOR SPEEDING ! 2-SPEEDOMETER READING DEVIATION COMPARE WITH GPS SPEED READING WHEN THE ODOMETER READING IS 87.5 MPH YOU ARE ACTUALLY DOING 81.88 MPH. 3-ABS ABNORMAL OPERATION WHEN BRAKE IS APPLIED ON UNPAVED PEBBLES LADEN ROAD. IT WAS OBSERVED THAT YOU LOSE BREAKING POWER OR THE CAR APPLIES THE BREAK SO STRONG IN A WAY IT PANIC THE DRIVER WHICH MIGHT LEAD TO A CRASH, THIS BEHAVIOR OF THE BREAKS IS IRRELEVANT TO THE DEPRESSING PRESSURE ON THE BREAK PEDAL BY THE DRIVER. 4-A/C AIRFLOW FOOT MODE AIR FLOWING AT WINDSHIELD DEFOGGER. IT WAS OBSERVED THAT IF THE (FOOT ONLY) MODE IS SELECTED THE AIR WILL GET OUT OF THE FOOT EXIST AS WELL AS THE UPPER WINDSHIELD DEFOGGER AND IF USED WITH THE A/C SWITCHED ON IT WILL LEAD TO CONDENSATION OF THE FOG ON THE FRONT WINDSHIELD (AS COLD AIR WILL COOL DOWN THE WINDSHIELD) WHICH WILL BLOCK THE VISIBILITY! 5-REAR CAMERA MONITOR EXHIBITS DARK PATCH ON BOTH UPPER AND LOWER CORNERS OF THE SCREEN (IF FITTED) ! 6-REMOTE START FUNCTION EXHIBIT STARTER MOTOR OVER-RUN CONDITION AFTER ENGINE HAS STARTED (IF THE CAR HAS A REMOTE STARTUP-FACILITY) I HAVE TAKEN THE ISSUES WITH THE LOCAL AGENCY OF MY CAR IN MY COUNTRY AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE SIMILAR COMPLAINS ABOUT THE SAME WITH REGARDS TO THE US VERSION OF THE FJ CRUISER 2009. IT WILL BE GREAT IF YOU INVESTIGATE THESE COMPLAINS AS THE FACTORY IS DENYING THAT THERE IS ANY MANUFACTURER DEFECTS ! WHICH I TOTALLY DISAGREE AS I AM SURE THERE IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECTS WHICH THE FACTORY IS TRYING TO HIDE IN ORDER TO AVOID A RECALL. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION QUERY PLEASE CONTACT ME. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
1-CRUISE CONTROL OVER-SPEEDING. IT WAS OBSERVED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM EXCEED THE SET VEHICLE SPEED IN THESE THREE CONDITIONS 1A.ONE THE CRUISE CONTROL RESUMES SPEED AFTER DECELERATION. 1B.WHILST THE VEHICLE NEGOTIATE UPHILL DRIVING CONDITION 1C. IF THERE IS A STRONG HEAD WIND. THIS WILL KEEP THE DRIVER DISTRACTED TO JUST MONITOR HIS/HER SPEED SO THAT HE/SHE WILL NOT GET FLASHED FOR SPEEDING ! 2-SPEEDOMETER READING DEVIATION COMPARE WITH GPS SPEED READING WHEN THE ODOMETER READING IS 87.5 MPH YOU ARE ACTUALLY DOING 81.88 MPH. 3-ABS ABNORMAL OPERATION WHEN BRAKE IS APPLIED ON UNPAVED PEBBLES LADEN ROAD. IT WAS OBSERVED THAT YOU LOSE BREAKING POWER OR THE CAR APPLIES THE BREAK SO STRONG IN A WAY IT PANIC THE DRIVER WHICH MIGHT LEAD TO A CRASH, THIS BEHAVIOR OF THE BREAKS IS IRRELEVANT TO THE DEPRESSING PRESSURE ON THE BREAK PEDAL BY THE DRIVER. 4-A/C AIRFLOW FOOT MODE AIR FLOWING AT WINDSHIELD DEFOGGER. IT WAS OBSERVED THAT IF THE (FOOT ONLY) MODE IS SELECTED THE AIR WILL GET OUT OF THE FOOT EXIST AS WELL AS THE UPPER WINDSHIELD DEFOGGER AND IF USED WITH THE A/C SWITCHED ON IT WILL LEAD TO CONDENSATION OF THE FOG ON THE FRONT WINDSHIELD (AS COLD AIR WILL COOL DOWN THE WINDSHIELD) WHICH WILL BLOCK THE VISIBILITY! 5-REAR CAMERA MONITOR EXHIBITS DARK PATCH ON BOTH UPPER AND LOWER CORNERS OF THE SCREEN (IF FITTED) ! 6-REMOTE START FUNCTION EXHIBIT STARTER MOTOR OVER-RUN CONDITION AFTER ENGINE HAS STARTED (IF THE CAR HAS A REMOTE STARTUP-FACILITY) I HAVE TAKEN THE ISSUES WITH THE LOCAL AGENCY OF MY CAR IN MY COUNTRY AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE SIMILAR COMPLAINS ABOUT THE SAME WITH REGARDS TO THE US VERSION OF THE FJ CRUISER 2009. IT WILL BE GREAT IF YOU INVESTIGATE THESE COMPLAINS AS THE FACTORY IS DENYING THAT THERE IS ANY MANUFACTURER DEFECTS ! WHICH I TOTALLY DISAGREE AS I AM SURE THERE IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECTS WHICH THE FACTORY IS TRYING TO HIDE IN ORDER TO AVOID A RECALL. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION QUERY PLEASE CONTACT ME. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
1-CRUISE CONTROL OVER-SPEEDING. IT WAS OBSERVED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM EXCEED THE SET VEHICLE SPEED IN THESE THREE CONDITIONS 1A.ONE THE CRUISE CONTROL RESUMES SPEED AFTER DECELERATION. 1B.WHILST THE VEHICLE NEGOTIATE UPHILL DRIVING CONDITION 1C. IF THERE IS A STRONG HEAD WIND. THIS WILL KEEP THE DRIVER DISTRACTED TO JUST MONITOR HIS/HER SPEED SO THAT HE/SHE WILL NOT GET FLASHED FOR SPEEDING ! 2-SPEEDOMETER READING DEVIATION COMPARE WITH GPS SPEED READING WHEN THE ODOMETER READING IS 87.5 MPH YOU ARE ACTUALLY DOING 81.88 MPH. 3-ABS ABNORMAL OPERATION WHEN BRAKE IS APPLIED ON UNPAVED PEBBLES LADEN ROAD. IT WAS OBSERVED THAT YOU LOSE BREAKING POWER OR THE CAR APPLIES THE BREAK SO STRONG IN A WAY IT PANIC THE DRIVER WHICH MIGHT LEAD TO A CRASH, THIS BEHAVIOR OF THE BREAKS IS IRRELEVANT TO THE DEPRESSING PRESSURE ON THE BREAK PEDAL BY THE DRIVER. 4-A/C AIRFLOW FOOT MODE AIR FLOWING AT WINDSHIELD DEFOGGER. IT WAS OBSERVED THAT IF THE (FOOT ONLY) MODE IS SELECTED THE AIR WILL GET OUT OF THE FOOT EXIST AS WELL AS THE UPPER WINDSHIELD DEFOGGER AND IF USED WITH THE A/C SWITCHED ON IT WILL LEAD TO CONDENSATION OF THE FOG ON THE FRONT WINDSHIELD (AS COLD AIR WILL COOL DOWN THE WINDSHIELD) WHICH WILL BLOCK THE VISIBILITY! 5-REAR CAMERA MONITOR EXHIBITS DARK PATCH ON BOTH UPPER AND LOWER CORNERS OF THE SCREEN (IF FITTED) ! 6-REMOTE START FUNCTION EXHIBIT STARTER MOTOR OVER-RUN CONDITION AFTER ENGINE HAS STARTED (IF THE CAR HAS A REMOTE STARTUP-FACILITY) I HAVE TAKEN THE ISSUES WITH THE LOCAL AGENCY OF MY CAR IN MY COUNTRY AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE SIMILAR COMPLAINS ABOUT THE SAME WITH REGARDS TO THE US VERSION OF THE FJ CRUISER 2009. IT WILL BE GREAT IF YOU INVESTIGATE THESE COMPLAINS AS THE FACTORY IS DENYING THAT THERE IS ANY MANUFACTURER DEFECTS ! WHICH I TOTALLY DISAGREE AS I AM SURE THERE IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECTS WHICH THE FACTORY IS TRYING TO HIDE IN ORDER TO AVOID A RECALL. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION QUERY PLEASE CONTACT ME. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE TOYOTA FJ CRUISER'S SEAT BELT IS ENGINEERED HAZARD BASED ON IN SEAM DESIGN OF THE CHASIS. IN THE EVENT OF A SIDE IMPACT COLLISION OR THE SEVERANCE OF THE DOOR FROM THE BODY OR SHELL OF THE VEHICLE THE PASSENGER CAN BE EXTREMELY INJURED BY THE DESIGN OF SEAT BELT, OR CATAPULTED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE INNER SEAM OR FLOOR WOULD BE A BETTER POSITION FOR THE HARNESSING OF THE SEAT BELT APPARATUS. IN ADDITION, THE POWER TRAIN TENDS TO BE A LITTLE STICKY POSSIBLY DUE TO THE OARING OF THE METAL, VISCOSITY ENHANCEMENT CAN BE MADE OR RESEARCH AND DESIGN FOR BETTER PERFORMANCE OF GEARING. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .