AI Damage2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser: common problems
Owners of the 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser filed 67 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and structure. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 67
- involving a crash
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 25% of all complaints
- 2 Structure 21% of all complaints
- 3 Steering 19% of all complaints
- 4 Wheels 16% of all complaints
- 5 Suspension 10% of all complaints
- 6 Vehicle speed control 7% of all complaints
- 7 Air bags 6% of all complaints
- 8 Seat belts 6% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 17 complaints (25% of all).
- Structure: 14 complaints (21% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Steering: 13 complaints (19% of all).
- Wheels: 11 complaints (16% of all).
- Suspension: 7 complaints (10% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 4 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 5-speed
- manual, 6-speed
Drive: 4WD, RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 67 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 14 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The frame has alot of rust on metal and on welds affraid of frame failing and coming apart.
Tl contact owns a 2010 toyota fj cruiser. The contact stated that while driving 35 mph, the contact crashed into the front passenger side of another vehicle and the driver's side air bag deployed but deflated. The passenger side air bag also deployed. The contact sustained neck, head, spine, hand and knee injuries.
Airbags did not deploy and passenger sustained a broken collar bone. Why did air bags not deploy?
Toyota did replacements and repairs for the tundra and tacoma but not the fj cruiser--all were cars struggling with frame rusting and deterioration that would make the car undriveable due to not prepping the toyota frames with the correct pretreatment layer...I tried to call Toyota national customer service and they…
The tire separated from the bead and suffered a 3-4" sidewall tear. Vehicle was at 15 PSI (standard trail pressure). 10 companion trucks ran identical terrain without issue, isolating the failure to this tire batch. Swapped to spare. Day 2: Remaining tires aired up to 20 PSI to mitigate risk.
The rear fuel tank mounting strap rusted in half. After filling vehicle with fuel and driving 10 miles home, I noticed the skid plate hanging down that covers the fuel tank. The plastic skid plate started to crack from the weight of the tank.
No proper rust protection causing corrosion and irreparable transmission damage.
The frame has rusted so badly it no longer is road safe and the frame needs to be replaced. Large hole in frame on front passenger side, and bad rusting all over.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 4,533 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 12% most complained about).
On average one model year of the FJ Cruiser has 91 complaints (10 years in the data). This year has 67, below average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Wheels. Wheel runout, cracks, signs of a wheel strike.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, structure, steering. Total complaints: 67. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rust, corrosion (22%), vibration (15%), brake failure (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2010 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.