RoadVitals

2004 Toyota Land Cruiser Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
5
Latest Mar 13, 2026
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
4
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2004 Toyota Land 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

  • Brakes342.9%
  • Electrical228.6%
  • Driver assistance114.3%
  • Other / unspecified114.3%

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

Brakes

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.

3
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE "BRAKE" WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ALONG WITH THE HIGH PITCH AUDIBLE BRAKE FAILURE ALARM. APPROXIMATELY 1,000 - 2,000 FEET LATER ALL BRAKE FUNCTION CEASED ENTIRELY, ONLY BY APPLYING PARKING BRAKE AND PLACING THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL WAS STOPPING POSSIBLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR PROPERTY DAMAGE. POPPING HOOD TO LOOK FOR SIGNS OF FLUID LEAK, ETC, WE NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE FLUID IN THE RESERVOIR WAS OVER FILLED SIGNIFICANTLY - IT HAD NOT BEEN EARLIER AND THE BRAKES HAD RECENTLY BEEN SERVICED. A CURSORY SEARCH OF "LAND CRUISER BRAKE FAILURE" ONLINE YIELDED NUMEROUS REPORTS ON TOYOTA MESSAGE BOARDS OF IDENTICAL SITUATIONS: BRAKE LIGHT AND ALARM, TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKING POWER WITHIN MOMENTS, OWNERS FINDING THAT THE FAILURE RESULTED IN FLUID RETURNING TO THE RESERVOIR OVERFILLING IT. THERE APPEAR TO BE NO FLUID LEAKS OR BRAKE LINE FAILURES. IN ADDITION TO THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS, ALL OF THE TRACTION CONTROL, ANTI-SKID, AND ABS WARNING LIGHTS ARE NOW ILLUMINATED - I UNDERSTAND THAT EACH ARE ALSO POWERED BY THE BRAKE SYSTEM. WE HAVE NOT YET HAD OUR VEHICLE INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC, IN MOST OF THE SITUATIONS IDENTICAL TO OURS WE FOUND ONLINE, THE CAUSE WAS THE FAILURE OF THE BRAKE BOOSTER MOTOR. WE UNDERSTAND THAT ALL COMPONENTS MAY FAIL EVENTUALLY. HOWEVER, IN OUR SITUATION, THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT WARNING OF IMMINENT BRAKE FAILURE. HAD THE VEHICLE BEEN ON A HIGHWAY OR A WINDY MOUNTAIN ROAD THE RESULTS COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. FINALLY, WE STRONGLY URGE YOU TO CROSS-CHECK THIS SITUATION WITH OTHER TOYOTA SUVS AND TRUCKS FROM 1995 - 2006 AS IN OUR INITIAL RESEARCH ONLINE THESE INCIDENTS SEEMED COMMON TO TOYOTA VEHICLES MODEL YEARS SPANNING A LONG PERIOD.

NHTSA ID 11218830 · filed Jun 9, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA LAND CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER AND THE BRAKE SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE BRAKE MODULE FAILED AND THE DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE UNIT THAT CONSISTED OF THE VSC TRAC (TRACTION CONTROL), ABS PUMP, ABS ACCUMULATOR, AND THE BRAKE MASTER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 156,000.

NHTSA ID 10716004 · filed May 12, 2015

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Electrical

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2004 Toyota Land Cruiser. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of the purchase, the vehicle's mileage was 300,000. It was later discovered that the mileage on the title was 30,895. The contact stated that a Carfax Report indicated that the mileage was 300,000.

NHTSA ID 11724179 · filed Mar 13, 2026

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM WAS DIFFICULT TO MAKE SELECTIONS, AND THE MAP SYSTEM HAD A LIMITED DISPLAY. ALSO, THE VIEW OPTIONS DID NOT WORK AT ALL ON SOME OCCASIONS, AND THE REAR CAMERA STOPPED WORKING FROM TIME TO TIME. THE VEHICLE'S PANEL DISPLAYED CHECK SYSTEM OCCASIONALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT CHECKED BY THE DEALER.

NHTSA ID 10174737 · filed Nov 29, 2006

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.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE "BRAKE" WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ALONG WITH THE HIGH PITCH AUDIBLE BRAKE FAILURE ALARM. APPROXIMATELY 1,000 - 2,000 FEET LATER ALL BRAKE FUNCTION CEASED ENTIRELY, ONLY BY APPLYING PARKING BRAKE AND PLACING THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL WAS STOPPING POSSIBLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR PROPERTY DAMAGE. POPPING HOOD TO LOOK FOR SIGNS OF FLUID LEAK, ETC, WE NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE FLUID IN THE RESERVOIR WAS OVER FILLED SIGNIFICANTLY - IT HAD NOT BEEN EARLIER AND THE BRAKES HAD RECENTLY BEEN SERVICED. A CURSORY SEARCH OF "LAND CRUISER BRAKE FAILURE" ONLINE YIELDED NUMEROUS REPORTS ON TOYOTA MESSAGE BOARDS OF IDENTICAL SITUATIONS: BRAKE LIGHT AND ALARM, TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKING POWER WITHIN MOMENTS, OWNERS FINDING THAT THE FAILURE RESULTED IN FLUID RETURNING TO THE RESERVOIR OVERFILLING IT. THERE APPEAR TO BE NO FLUID LEAKS OR BRAKE LINE FAILURES. IN ADDITION TO THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS, ALL OF THE TRACTION CONTROL, ANTI-SKID, AND ABS WARNING LIGHTS ARE NOW ILLUMINATED - I UNDERSTAND THAT EACH ARE ALSO POWERED BY THE BRAKE SYSTEM. WE HAVE NOT YET HAD OUR VEHICLE INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC, IN MOST OF THE SITUATIONS IDENTICAL TO OURS WE FOUND ONLINE, THE CAUSE WAS THE FAILURE OF THE BRAKE BOOSTER MOTOR. WE UNDERSTAND THAT ALL COMPONENTS MAY FAIL EVENTUALLY. HOWEVER, IN OUR SITUATION, THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT WARNING OF IMMINENT BRAKE FAILURE. HAD THE VEHICLE BEEN ON A HIGHWAY OR A WINDY MOUNTAIN ROAD THE RESULTS COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. FINALLY, WE STRONGLY URGE YOU TO CROSS-CHECK THIS SITUATION WITH OTHER TOYOTA SUVS AND TRUCKS FROM 1995 - 2006 AS IN OUR INITIAL RESEARCH ONLINE THESE INCIDENTS SEEMED COMMON TO TOYOTA VEHICLES MODEL YEARS SPANNING A LONG PERIOD.

NHTSA ID 11218830 · filed Jun 9, 2019

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Other / unspecified

Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM WAS DIFFICULT TO MAKE SELECTIONS, AND THE MAP SYSTEM HAD A LIMITED DISPLAY. ALSO, THE VIEW OPTIONS DID NOT WORK AT ALL ON SOME OCCASIONS, AND THE REAR CAMERA STOPPED WORKING FROM TIME TO TIME. THE VEHICLE'S PANEL DISPLAYED CHECK SYSTEM OCCASIONALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT CHECKED BY THE DEALER.

NHTSA ID 10174737 · filed Nov 29, 2006

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

Data on this page last refreshed .