Most common 2009 Toyota FJ Cruiser problems
Share of the 7 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Toyota FJ Cruiser complaints by model year
Best FJ Cruiser years: 2009, 2013, 2011. Years to avoid: 2007, 2008, 2010. Compare all years →
2009 Toyota FJ Cruiser recalls (10)
Seats › Front assembly › Seat heater/cooler
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011 Camry hybrid, 2009-2010 Venza, 2010-2012 Prius, 1988-1990 and 2005-2010…
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.
Seats › Front assembly › Seat heater/cooler
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 Prius and Corolla, 2009-2011 Venza, 2006-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2005-2011 Sienna and Sequoia, 2006-2011 Tacoma 4x2 and 4x4, Camry, Highlander, Tundra 4x2 and 4x4, and 2007-2011 Rav4 and 4Runner.
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.
Equipment › Other › Labels
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2008-2014 FJ Cruiser and Tacoma vehicles equipped with accessory wheels and tires installed by Toyota or dealers prior to the vehicle's first sale.
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.
Exterior lighting
Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2007-2013 FJ Cruiser vehicles manufactured January 25, 2006 through February 23, 2013 and equipped with a Toyota Auxiliary Driving Lamp Kits mounted to the front bumper.
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.
Seat belts › Front › Anchorage
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2007 through 2013 FJ Cruiser passenger vehicles. The retractors for the front driver and passenger seat belts are mounted in the access door (rear door) panels of the vehicle.
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.
Seats
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and…
Remedy: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013.
Show 4 more recalls
Tires › Pressure monitoring and regulating systems
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 through 2011 fj cruiser, Land cruiser, tacoma, sequoia and tundra vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no.
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.
Equipment › Other › Labels
Gulf states Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold between September 1, 2005 and June 2, 2008 without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels.
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.
Equipment › Other › Labels
Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 passenger vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels.
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.
Equipment › Other › Labels
Toyota is recalling 27,080 model year 2005 through 2010 passenger cars built from September 1, 2005 to May 4, 2009. These vehicles were not equipped with load carrying capacity modification labels which fails to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims."
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.
What 2009 Toyota FJ Cruiser owners say
Transmission & drivetrain
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.
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.
2009 Toyota FJ Cruiser engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 17 / 21 / 18 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 16 / 20 / 17 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 6-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2009 Toyota FJ Cruiser a good car?
Based on 7 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 FJ Cruiser rates better than average: 83% fewer complaints than a typical year of the FJ Cruiser at the same age. It is one of the best FJ Cruiser years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2009 Toyota FJ Cruiser?
The transmission & drivetrain — 3 complaints, 43% of all complaints for this model year, most often about manual transmission. Next are the seat belts (2) and body & structure (2).
How many recalls does the 2009 Toyota FJ Cruiser have?
There are 10 recalls for the 2009 Toyota FJ Cruiser, the most recent from June 2, 2016 (seat heater/cooler). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Toyota FJ Cruiser?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2009, 2013 and 2011. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2007, 2008 and 2010. See the full Toyota FJ Cruiser years comparison.
At what mileage do 2009 Toyota FJ Cruiser problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 68,000 miles; 20% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.