2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser Problems & Complaints

Use caution1.9× as many complaints as a typical year of the FJ Cruiser at the same age

Owners have filed 66 complaints about the 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That is 1.9× as many as a typical FJ Cruiser model year at the same age — above average, so look closely at the problem areas below before you buy. The most reported problem area is the brakes (17 complaints, typically around 7,000 miles). 10 recalls cover this model year.

66complaints
10recalls
3crashes
1fires
3injuries
0deaths

Most common 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser problems

  • Brakes~7,000 miles
    1726%
  • Body & structure~52,000 miles
    1320%
  • Steering~4,000 miles
    1320%
  • Wheels & tires~5,000 miles
    1320%
  • Suspension~116,000 miles
    711%
  • Other / not specified~116,000 miles
    69%
  • Speed control & acceleration~1,000 miles
    58%
  • Air bags~80,000 miles
    46%
  • Seat belts~70,000 miles
    46%
  • Fuel & propulsion system~116,000 miles
    35%
  • Electrical system~140,000 miles
    23%
  • Seats~71,000 miles
    12%
  • Windows, wipers & sunroof~122,000 miles
    12%
  • Stability & traction control~60,000 miles
    12%
  • Transmission & drivetrain~80,000 miles
    12%
  • Engine & cooling
    12%

Share of the 66 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.

Toyota FJ Cruiser complaints by model year

2007200820092010201120122013201459312476623412330
Owner complaints per model year, Toyota FJ Cruiser. Colour = our verdict for that year (red: avoid, orange: caution, green: better than average, blue: too new).

Best FJ Cruiser years: 2009, 2013, 2011. Years to avoid: 2007, 2008, 2010. Compare all years →

2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser recalls (10)

Seats › Front assembly › Seat heater/cooler

NHTSA recall 16V-396 · Jun 2, 2016 · 7,749 vehicles

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

NHTSA recall 14V-743 · Nov 19, 2014 · 3,233 vehicles

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

NHTSA recall 14V-475 · Aug 4, 2014 · 20,000 vehicles

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

NHTSA recall 13V-163 · Apr 25, 2013 · 208,000 vehicles

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.

Equipment › Other › Labels

NHTSA recall 13V-123 · Apr 9, 2013 · 7,525 vehicles

Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2010-2013 Toyota Tundra, 2010-2012 Rav4, 2012 Toyota Sequoia, 2010-2011 Toyota Corolla, 2010-2011 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser, 2010-2013 Toyota Venza, 2010-2011…

Remedy: Southeast Toyota will notify owners and provide a corrected label with instructions concerning its installation. A small group of the affected vehicles will need additonal remedies which are still being developed.

Seat belts › Front › Anchorage

NHTSA recall 13V-098 · Mar 15, 2013 · 209,000 vehicles

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.

Show 4 more recalls

Seats

NHTSA recall 13V-014 · Jan 16, 2013 · 3,235 vehicles

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.

Tires › Pressure monitoring and regulating systems

NHTSA recall 11V-148 · Mar 4, 2011 · 22,000 vehicles

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

NHTSA recall 10V-035 · Feb 3, 2010 · 271,417 vehicles

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

NHTSA recall 10V-036 · Feb 3, 2010 · 153,418 vehicles

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.

What 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser owners say

Brakes

The vehicle was parked in my drive way. Squirrels chewed the wiring harness causing loss of ABS braking, stability control and loss of windshield wipers (during a rain). I understand Toyota uses food based insulation in the 2010 FJ Cruiser. A nice source of squirrel food. From the bare wires and squirrel nesting, it is a wonder my engine compartment didn't catch fire. I believe the squirrel nest building was due to the close food source.

60,000 miles · Jul 2017

When approaching an intersection to turn or stop, with brakes applied, and vehicle encounters a pot hole or broken pavement, brake pedal goes to the floor and vehicle loses brakes. This has happened to me on multiple occasions. Other drivers of the same model vehicle have encountered same issue across multiple year models.

97,000 miles · Jul 2019

Body & structure

Single Toyota 2010 FJ Cruiser Owner. Over the last 10/11 have been really diligent taking care of my truck, unfortunately due to what seems very poor quality steel or treatment of the frame and some parts when was build by Toyota, it has cause severe rust/rotten issue leading not only to significant safety concerns (broken gas tank straps and fuel lines) but also a significant amount of money spend treating the frame and part to prevent further corrosion that could\will eventually lead to complete failure.

Body · Jan 2021

Owner of a 2010 FJ Cruiser. The amount of corrosion on the frame and components is very high for the age of the vehicle, it leads to significant safety concerns (Including gas tank straps are corroded). Toyota should rectify this issue as it seems like they did a poor job on this model to isolate against rust the frame. There should be a Recall for a re-treatment of the frame (Just like they did on the Tundra and Tacoma models).

Body · Nov 2021

Steering

I have a dangerous steering issue. I tried to get my Toyota dealer to fix it, or adjust it but they said nothing was wrong. I feel they didn't want to even try. This issue has almost led to head-on collisions many times. I have replaced the tires, no help there. I had it aligned, (at dealer I purchased it from) with no improvements at all. What it does is, to stay in the center of the road I can not turn my head away from constantly adding steering input. This is an issue a big one, my car Drifts left or right but rarely goes straight when steered straight, I must constantly make adjustments to its direction. Before I replace the tires again, (the car has only 53,000 miles on it) and align it again I feel this problem must be fixed or properly adjusted to work without constant steering input to stay in my lane. …

Sep 2010

Seat belt does not retract properly, it hangs up after a few inches. The frequency of this problem is 90% of the retracts. I told the dealer 4 times, they stated they couldn't find the problem. I scoff. Steering my car requires constant input to go straight, especially on the freeways. Before I know it I'm in the next lane. There is no neutral area in the center while going straight. I had an alignment and replaced all the tires, it still has this hazard. Brakes they pulse when slowing only at high speed. (65 MPH) I do not ride the brakes, or run the car hard. This happened after normal driving. Seems like warped disks, but I do not stop fast, or drive like I'm racing. Note: headlights had to be readjusted because they did not point up the road enough, making huge blind spot at over 40 MPH. I had dealer re-adjust, they pointed the down so far they made it worse. …

5,000 miles · Jun 2010

2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser engines & fuel economy

EngineTransmissionDriveMPG city / hwy / combined
4.0L 6-cyl5-speed automaticRWD17 / 22 / 19
4.0L 6-cyl5-speed automatic4WD17 / 21 / 18
4.0L 6-cyl6-speed manual4WD15 / 19 / 17

EPA ratings. Class: SUV.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser a good car?

Based on 66 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2010 FJ Cruiser rates use caution: 1.9× as many complaints as a typical year of the FJ Cruiser at the same age. It is one of the FJ Cruiser years we suggest avoiding. 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 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser?

The brakes — 17 complaints, 26% of all complaints for this model year, most often about antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. Next are the body & structure (13) and steering (13).

How many recalls does the 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser have?

There are 10 recalls for the 2010 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 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser problems happen?

The median mileage reported in complaints is about 15,000 miles; 64% 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.