AI Damage2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser: common problems
Owners of the 2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser filed 23 complaints with NHTSA, most often about structure and suspension. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 23
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Structure 43% of all complaints
- 2 Suspension 26% of all complaints
- 3 Air bags 13% of all complaints
- 4 Steering 13% of all complaints
- 5 Electrical system 9% of all complaints
- 6 Powertrain 9% of all complaints
- 7 Service brakes 9% of all complaints
- 8 Visibility 9% of all complaints
- Structure: 10 complaints (43% of all).
- Suspension: 6 complaints (26% of all).
- Air bags: 3 complaints (13% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Steering: 3 complaints (13% 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: RWD, AWD, 4WD
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structure | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 2 | 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.
I had a car accident on Feb 10, 2025 and my air bag did not deploy
Please consider opening or expanding an investigation into frame, underbody, brake-line, and suspension-mount corrosion affecting Toyota FJ Cruisers. I own a 2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser 4WD. A professional inspection found multiple fluid leaks, heavy rust, rusted exhaust, leaking rear shocks, and brake line/hose concerns.
I have had it serviced religiously at [dealer] since my purchase and expected to continue to enjoy it for many years to come and was just informed by McGee Toyota that the frame is severly rusted out throughout. My truck only has 158K miles on it and I expected this to last at least twice as long.
Upon having the vehicle inspected by a State Inspector, the contact was informed that there was significant corrosion on the undercarriage of the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to a dealer and was informed that the corrosion failure was a result of normal wear and tear.
I went down the road & hit a bump my car rocked a little so I stopped to check the lug nuts & see if anything was wrong. I did not see anything. So, I continued to go pick my friend up as I was driving down the freeway anytime I hit a bump the car rocked more the faster I went.
The frame on my vehicle is incredibly rusty. Upon further research, I've found that this is a chronic problem FJ Cruisers. Many frames have rusted to the point where there is structural damage thereby rendering the vehicle unsafe to drive.
From acceleration; between 30mph and 45mph my vehicle shudders and shakes. I believe the issue is coming from the transmission and or differential of my vehicle.
Brought car into dealer last month for new horn as it was a weak volume and would not pass inspection in massachusetts. Was replaced. Worked for a week or two then ceased to completely function. Brought back in today and was told by dealer clock spring/spiral cable was corroding.
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
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: structure, suspension, air bags. Total complaints: 23. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rust, corrosion (52%), vibration (9%), driver assists: adaptive cruise, lane keeping (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2013 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 2013 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 2013 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.