2008 Toyota Fj Cruiser Problems and Recalls (121 Complaints)
The most-reported problem on the 2008 Toyota Fj Cruiser is Body / frame (27% of 121 owner reports). There are 11 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Body / frame — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 121 complaints · 11 recalls
What problems show up on the 2008 Toyota Fj Cruiser?
33 of 121 filings named Body / frame (27% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.
Second is Brakes (26 reports).
There are 11 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Tires and Seat belts. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.
The 2007 has 586 reports on file; this year has 121. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.
What owners reported
System named most often: Body / frame 33 complaints · 27.3% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
- Crashes 4
- Fires 1
- Injuries 3
- Deaths 0
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Which systems owners named
Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.
“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.
View component data as a table
| System / Component | Complaints | Share of Reports | Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body / frame (STRUCTURE) | 33 | 27.3% | 1 crashes · 0 fires |
| Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) | 26 | 21.5% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) | 13 | 10.7% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Suspension (SUSPENSION) | 10 | 8.3% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) | 5 | 4.1% | 1 crashes · 0 fires |
| Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) | 4 | 3.3% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) | 4 | 3.3% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) | 4 | 3.3% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) | 3 | 2.5% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Unclassified NHTSA leftover | 67 | 55.4% | 1 crashes · 0 fires |
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
When reports and recalls showed up
When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.
- Campaign 09V223000 was reported 606 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 10V035000 was reported 839 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 10V036000 was reported 839 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 14V475000 was reported 2,482 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 14V743000 was reported 2,589 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 16V396000 was reported 3,150 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
| Date | Record type | Count | Record identifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2008-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2008-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2008-Q4 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2009-Q1 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2009-Q2 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2009-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2009-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2010-Q1 | Owner reports | 14 | |
| 2010-Q2 | Owner reports | 7 | |
| 2010-Q3 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2010-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2011-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2011-Q3 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2011-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2012-Q1 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2012-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2012-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2012-Q4 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2013-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2013-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2013-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2014-Q1 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2014-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2015-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2016-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2017-Q1 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2017-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2017-Q3 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2017-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2018-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2018-Q4 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2019-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2019-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2019-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2020-Q1 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2020-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2020-Q3 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2020-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2021-Q1 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2021-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2021-Q3 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2021-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2022-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2022-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2022-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2023-Q1 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2023-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2023-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2024-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2024-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2025-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2026-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 09V223000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 10V035000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 10V036000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 10E043000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 11V148000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 12E046000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 13V098000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 13V163000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 14V475000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 14V743000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 16V396000 |
Safety Recalls (11)
Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.
In short, these campaigns were filed about Tires and Seat belts.
-
Recall campaign 09V223000
Safety recall 09V223000
- Report date
- Component:
- Unclassified NHTSA leftover
- Consequence:
- INCORRECT LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS COULD RESULT IN THE VEHICLE BEING OVERLOADED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
- Remedy:
- TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND PROVIDE THEM WITH A NEW, ACCURATE LABEL TO BE INSTALLED OVER THE INACCURATE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 18, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-888-270-9371.
-
Recall campaign 10E043000
Safety recall 10E043000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- Consequence:
- AN IMPROPERLY DEPLOYED AIRBAG COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY.
- Remedy:
- MARATHON WILL NOTIFY OWNERS OF RECORD AND REPLACE THE SEAT COVER FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MARATHON AT 1-800-735-2769.
-
Recall campaign 10V035000
Safety recall 10V035000
- Report date
- Component:
- Unclassified NHTSA leftover
- Consequence:
- THIS DOES NOT MEET THE STANDARD REQUIREMENTS.
- Remedy:
- DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. DEALERS WILL ALSO CORRECT THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GULF STATES TOYOTA AT 713-580-3300.
-
Recall campaign 10V036000
Safety recall 10V036000
- Report date
- Component:
- Unclassified NHTSA leftover
- Consequence:
- A DRIVER MAY OVERLOAD A VEHICLE WHICH MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
- Remedy:
- DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SOUTHEAST TOYOTA AT 1-800-301-6859.
-
Recall campaign 11V148000
Tires
- Report date
- Component:
- Tires (TIRES)
- Consequence:
- FAILURE TO WARN OF TIRE DEFLATIONS IS A NON-COMPLIANCE WITH FMVSS 138 AND COULD LEAD TO TIRE FAILURE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
- Remedy:
- FOR THE LAND CRUISER, SEQUOIA, TACOMA AND TUNDRA VEHICLES, THE DEALER WILL RE-CALIBRATE THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM ON AFFECTED VEHICLES AND INSTALL AN UPDATED TIRE AND LOADING INFORMATION LABEL AT NO CHARGE. FOR THE FJ CRUISER VEHICLES, THE TPMS CANNOT BE RESET SO THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) FOR THE TPMS WILL BE REPLACED. TOYOTA IS CURRENTLY DEVELOPING THE REMEDY ECU. IF AN OWNER IS NOT CERTAIN WHETHER HIS OR HER VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH THESE ACCESSORIES, PLEASE CONTACT ANY TOYOTA DEALER FOR AN INSPECTION AT NO CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 31, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
-
Recall campaign 12E046000
Safety recall 12E046000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- Consequence:
- If a brake tube becomes damaged and leaks fluid, it may result in increased stopping distances, and in some cases, loss of vehicle front braking performance, which could increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- All known owners of 2007-2012 model year FJ Cruiser vehicles will be notified by first class mail. If the vehicle is equipped with one of the TRD brake kits, the brake caliper outer brake tube will be replaced with a newly designed one at no charge. During this service, if necessary, the dealer will make wheel balance adjustments. This remedy will be performed even if the vehicle has original equipment 16 inch or 17 inch wheels or TRD 16 inch Beadlock ring type wheels, which are not affected by the condition, to assure sufficient clearance in the event wheels are changed at a later time. Notification to owners began on December 17, 2012. Owners may contact Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331.
-
Recall campaign 13V098000
Seat belts
- Report date
- Component:
- Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
- Consequence:
- If cracks occur in the panel around the lower retractor anchor, the seat belt retractor could become detached, which could increase the risk of injury to an occupant in the event of a crash.
- Remedy:
- The safety recall began on June 6, 2013. Toyota will mail an interim letter to owners late in April 2013. Remedy notifications to the owners for the repair will begin in late May 2013. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
-
Recall campaign 13V163000
Safety recall 13V163000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- Consequence:
- Light intensities above the maximum allowable limit could cause increased glare for oncoming traffic and increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the 55 watt bulbs with 35 watt bulbs, free of charge. The recall began on June 6, 2013. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
-
Recall campaign 14V475000
Safety recall 14V475000
- Report date
- Component:
- Unclassified NHTSA leftover
- Consequence:
- If the spare tire is inflated to the incorrect pressure provided on the placard, tire failure may occur while it is being driven on, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- For the involved vehicles, overlay stickers to correct the tire placard will either be mailed to owners or provided to dealers for placement over the incorrect information on the placard. The recall is expected to begin in September 2014. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.
-
Recall campaign 14V743000
Safety recall 14V743000
- Report date
- Component:
- Unclassified NHTSA leftover
- Consequence:
- Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.
- Remedy:
- SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the heaters with copper strand heating elements and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory, free of charge. The recall is expected to began in January 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226.
-
Recall campaign 16V396000
Safety recall 16V396000
- Report date
- Component:
- Unclassified NHTSA leftover
- Consequence:
- If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Remedy:
- SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET number for this recall is SET16B.
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
What owners actually wrote
Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Showing 10 of 121 complaints · page 1 of 5
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Chassis frame rotted
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I have 47k miles on my car. I took it in for an oil change (Fox Toyota, Rochester Hills, MI) and was told that it was dangerous to drive. I needed a new rear axle and much more. No details were provided. I could not open the email link they sent to my phone. I left the car at the service dept. 10/21/25 -prior to this visit I brought my car in to Fox for an oil change august 2024 and was told I would probably need new struts soon. I had appx 44,000 miles on my car at that time. - I park in my garage every night and have had an undercarriage wash each month at a car wash. - I live on a dirt road but my husband's 2017 Chevy Silverado has 180,000+ miles. -People online have asked me if I parked in the ocean -I contact Toyota Brand Engagement immediately. They paid a small amount ($3900) toward fixing the $17,000 bill. My car was in limbo at service for 30 days. I had not care. So I had to accept.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring increased steering wheel rotation before the vehicle started to maneuver in either direction. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 197,000.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Premature frame rust
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The frame of the vehicle is rotted out. Holes in it. Front to back , side to side ROTTED. TOYOTA DEALER looked at it at my request when it was in for service and said it was very bad. I’m [XXX] on Social Security, I cannot afford a frame or a new car. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Seat belt just started to not work. retractor is not working and I am concern for my safety due to relocating to Florida and seat belt is not working.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
the brakes are constantly binding up due to rust and need replaced, recently ABS brake lines rusted off causing me to miss a stop sign, very dangerous, Upper rear control arm mount rusted and cracked completely off causing steering and braking problems and had to be replaced to even use this vehicle, , The front rack has been replaced due to excessive rust of lines and fittings, same with transmission cooler lines-rotted off...brake backing plates rotted off.. Even though I have had this undercoated and rust treated, the frame is rusting inside-out...frame braces, everything on the frame is rusted much more than one would expect, even in a salt state like Ohio....my safety was put at risk by faulty brakes, the frame is not safe under hard braking and may cause an accident, the dealer has seen this vehicle, a local independent says "get rid of it"...no warning lamps, just wild things happen with brakes, pulls left, pulls right, front, then back and this past time ...NONE!...only 111,000 miles.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
On the home my wife went to apply the brakes and she had no brake pressure. The pedal went all the way to the floor. Then several lights and a buzzer sound started, and she could not stop the car. She was able to pull up on the e-brake just before she drove completely into the intersection, where several cars were driving in both directions. The front end of car ended partially in the north bound lane of US MD-5. There was also a home at the end of the road that she could have also driven into. I researched on several forums where other owners have had the same issue and the dealership has been unable to diagnose the issue. No TSB or recall has been made, but the number of people that have had this issue, something should have been done. My 4-year-old daughter was in the car, and I could have lost both of them. People need to aware of this. I had no idea that a total brake failure was possible with these vehicles.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I was given this car seat as a gift 12/18/2021. The metal buckle is inserted backwards on the left side. This results in a twist of the seat belt that can’t be corrected. I cannot remove the metal piece to fix this because the strap is sewn together. I thought it was just twisting because that’s what car seats sometimes do. But when I remove the padding to clean it today I realized it was a manufacturer error.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Rear fuel tank strap rusted and broke, leaving my tank hanging several inches lower to the ground.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems on the 2008 Toyota Fj Cruiser?
Owners named Body / frame most often — 33 of 121 reports (27%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.
Are there recalls for the 2008 Toyota Fj Cruiser?
NHTSA lists 11 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Tires and Seat belts. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.
What should I inspect before buying a 2008 Toyota Fj Cruiser?
Look up the VIN for open recalls. Look for rust, collision repair and body gaps that do not match a clean truck. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.
Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?
No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.
Estimated Ownership Cost
EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates
Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Adjacent Model Years
Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Methodology & Data Integrity
Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.