Frame / undercarriage rust and corrosion
Visible holes rusted through the frame, structural weakness, suspension component corrosion
Check engine light: Off
The dominant NHTSA-reported problem for this generation: excessive premature corrosion affecting the frame, suspension components, and undercarriage. Owners describe literal holes rusted through the frame despite regular maintenance. This closely parallels the Toyota 4Runner's frame-rust problem — the FJ Cruiser shares platform lineage with the 4Runner and Tacoma. No FJ-Cruiser-specific recall or campaign number has been identified.
↑ Back to the problem table
Fuel tank strap corrosion
Fuel tank hanging dangerously low
Check engine light: Off
A severe consequence of the same underbody corrosion: rusted fuel tank straps can let the fuel tank hang dangerously low, with real fire/safety implications. not confirmed as recall-covered.
↑ Back to the problem table
Brake system failure
ABS malfunction over bumps, momentary loss of braking, unresponsive pedal
Check engine light: On
ABS malfunction when hitting bumps, momentary loss of braking capability, and an unresponsive brake pedal — in severe cases, complete brake failure. Several incidents involved near-collisions or loss of vehicle control. not confirmed as recall-covered.
↑ Back to the problem table
Steering problems, likely corrosion-related
Loss of power steering function, rusted steering components
Check engine light: Off
Loss of power steering function and rusted steering components affecting vehicle control — likely a downstream consequence of the same frame/underbody corrosion described above.
↑ Back to the problem table
Blend Door Actuator Failure
Blend door actuator failure
Check engine light: Off
Blend door actuator failure. This is among the more frequently reported issues on this generation, with 18 owner reports on file.
↑ Back to the problem table
Fan Belt Type Noise From the Front Engine Area
Fan-belt-type noise from the front engine area
Check engine light: Off
Fan-belt-type noise from the front engine area. This is among the more frequently reported issues on this generation, with 14 owner reports on file.
↑ Back to the problem table
The dominant problem on this generation is excessive premature frame and undercarriage corrosion, with owners describing literal holes rusted through the frame despite regular maintenance — the same corrosion is documented on the Toyota 4Runner, a related Toyota truck platform. A severe consequence of the same corrosion is fuel tank strap failure, which can let the fuel tank hang dangerously low.