AI Damage2011 Toyota FJ Cruiser: common problems
Owners of the 2011 Toyota FJ Cruiser filed 23 complaints with NHTSA, most often about steering and suspension. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 23
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Steering 35% of all complaints
- 2 Suspension 26% of all complaints
- 3 Structure 22% of all complaints
- 4 Wheels 22% of all complaints
- 5 Electrical system 9% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 9% of all complaints
- 7 Tires 9% of all complaints
- 8 Visibility 9% of all complaints
- Steering: 8 complaints (35% of all).
- Suspension: 6 complaints (26% of all).
- Structure: 5 complaints (22% of all).
- Wheels: 5 complaints (22% of all).
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (9% 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 23 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Tires | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 2 | 1 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
June 19, 2016 my wife stopped the vehicle at the top of our driveway, which has a slight decline to the front of our house. She left it running, put it in park, put the emergency brake on.
Passenger front seat belt will not retract anymore and a passenger hit the windshield during a hard braking incident. I looked online and saw NHTSA 13V098000 about the seat belt retractor being recalled, but we were never notified.
Rust to the frame of the car not consummate with the age of the vehicle, rust to the straps that secure the fuel tank. Points that affix the brake lines to the vehicle frame have rusted to the point they're no longer affixed to the frame.
Lower control arms rusted. Need replaced couldn't adjust them for alignment. Frame rusting front and rear diff rusting. Stock skid plate replaced rusted through completely. I thoroughly wash salt off my vehicle, yet it still has rusted just like the original frame recall toyota hasn't gotten it right.
The vehicle has heavy rust all along the undercarriage and frame. I have friends and acquaintances that have the same problem and to remove as much of this rust as possible toyota will charge somewhere between $800 and $1,000.
Hello, I was sold a used vehicle by toyota dealership of downtown los angeles (ca) that has a broken windshield. They state they will not assist me in any way for a broken windshield. The windshield has multiple cracks and chips in it strewn across the windshield.
While driving unknown speeds and making turns, the steering hesitated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer (carbone toyota of bennington, located at [address] bennington, [ZIP]) where it was diagnosed that the steering shaft needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired.
At 55,000 miles (6 years old) my front gravel shield had completely rusted off and was found in my driveway. I took my car to my toyota service center and they notified me that both control arms and both front struts were very badly rusted and needed to be replaced.
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 7,735 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 21% most complained about).
On average one model year of the FJ Cruiser has 91 complaints (10 years in the data). This year has 23, below average.
What to check before buying
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- 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 2011 Toyota FJ Cruiser?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: steering, suspension, structure. Total complaints: 23. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rust, corrosion (22%), vibration (22%), rear-view camera (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2011 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 2011 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 2011 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.