Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The frame of my Truck has started to rust out as to many FJ Cruisers. It's been a known issue that these frame have this problem along with the Toyota Tacoma and Toyota Tundra. Which Toyota have a recall on those two models but they've yet to recognize the Toyota FJ Cruiser for the same issue. If this issue isn't resolved, it can result in weak points in the chassis making those area fail and cause an accident underload. I have had my shop look at it and said they can only treat the affected areas so much but the issue will keep coming back over time as rust does not go away unless its cut out. For the safety for myself, any FJ Owners as well as the roads we share with the public I hope that we get this issue corrected through the Manufacturer. Thank you
While inspecting a broken rear fuel tank strap, several holes were noticed in the frame of the vehicle. Excessive corrosion was present all along the welds on the frame and its crossmembers. There were spots where I could poke my finger through the frame. There was no warning that this corrosion was happening. I am the third owner of this FJ and it was inspected before I purchased it. The vehicle has not yet been taken to a dealership, police or an insurance company.
After buying my vehicle I have began to notice a growing rust problem that is not due to salt water or other environmental conditions, but clearly a defect in manufacturing. After joining a few Facebook groups with other FJ owners I've found countless other people have had the same problem and that without massive trust removal my vehicle is expected to have failures in the frame and suspension at some point.
We bought our FJ Cruiser new in 2008. I have meticulously maintained (with sevice records from Toyota dealership), and I ha e always kept it meticulous inside and out. The vehicle is a 2008 with 100K miles and looks brand new up top... However the undercarriage is a completely different story. No matter how often I cleaned the frame, suspension, and drivetrain I could not keep the rust at bay, now I'm extremely concerned about my families safety. I'm worried brackets are about to rust off, and body mounts and bolts are showing severe rust, this is unacceptable. I have never seen a cars undercarriage rust so quickly and completely in all my life. This needs to be remedied before people start getting hurt while driving with these with these unsafe chassis and components. And my gas tank straps are rotting fast. I have owned Toyota's my whole life. …
2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser frame rotting from inside and out. All suspension components have been replaced due parts failing because of corrosion that bled over from the frame to include both front steering knuckles, two parts that only ever get replaced in the event of an accident. Several frame supports have corroded from the inside out and are flaking off. Brake components that run along the frame have corroded from the frame to the bracket that holds them to the lines themselves. Cause a slow brake leak over time that eventually resulted in a dangerous near accident situation that was caused by complete immediate lack of brake pressure. Evasive driving and a sound mind avoided a legitimate accident, had to tow the truck to a shop. Unsafe to drive. Frame will not hold up in an accident. 12 year old frame should not be anywhere near this condition. …
A vehicle was traveling very slowly on a rural interstate as my Toyota FJ Cruiser approached in the same lane. The driver of the FJ Cruiser braked quickly to avoid hitting the slow moving vehicle. However, an 18-wheeler behind it could not stop fast enough. It rear-ended my FJ Cruiser sending the front-end colliding directly into the back of the slow moving vehicle. As the 18-wheeler continued forward, my FJ Cruiser was squeezed out from between the two vehicles and pushed into another lane. Both the driver and passenger of my FJ Cruiser were transported to the hospital for injuries. No airbags deployed at any time during the collision with the slow moving vehicle. Extensive damage to the front and rear of my vehicle resulted in a total loss.
This vehicle started to develope rust immediately after purchase. The vehicle is a 2008 and is scary rusty on the frame and other components. An abnormal amount of rust compared to other 2008 era vehicles. Eventually one of these faulty frames are going to break in a high speed scenario and serious injury or death will occur. My otherwise perfect FJ Cruiser only has 35000 miles on it and sat in storage for the winter of 2016 and 2017.
Excessive rust on the frame. Vehicle is maintained very well, but frame rust continues to get worse. This is a known issue with the FJ Cruiser on all the forms online. Toyota has yet to file a recall on our vehicles. Other Toyota vehicles that use the same frame have already been recalled. There are thousands of us with a rotting in frames and Toyota will do nothing.
Severe rust on all parts of the frame 'undercarriage', brake lines, gas tank straps. This issue has been widely reported by FJ owners and nothing done by the manufacturer. Truck was never driven through salt water nor is it stored by the water front. I am frightened that in an accident the whole body of the truck will just come off the frame.
Sever rusting of frame, break and suspension components and brackets. This 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser is quickly becoming a safety hazard on the roads. I have a 92 sabb and a 93 vw that don't have have the rust issues this Toyota has. Toyota should have recalled the FJ cruisers for faulty frames and undercarriage long ago.
Body complaints in other FJ Cruiser years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser?
NHTSA has 42 complaints about the body & structure of the 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 34% of the model year's 124 complaints. The component named most often is body (36 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser, though it has 9 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 35,000 miles, and 38% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 2 injuries to body & structure problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.