2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Avoid The 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser has the highest complaint index (100) and ranks worst (1st) of 10 model years, earning an Avoid verdict. NHTSA lists 593 complaints, 8 recalls, 15 crashes and 5 fires, with Structure & Body issues making up 41% of complaints.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 100/100
- #1 of 10 FJ Cruiser years
- Verdict
- Avoid
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 593
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 8
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 15
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 5
- Injuries
- 9
- Top issue
- Structure & Body
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 17
- 15 city / 19 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 9 / 0
Top 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Structure & Body242 (41%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires92 (16%)
- Other82 (14%)
- Visibility & Wipers80 (13%)
- Brakes75 (13%)
- Transmission & Powertrain51 (9%)
- Fuel System36 (6%)
- Engine34 (6%)
- Seat Belts24 (4%)
- Steering21 (4%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Airbags failed to deploy during crashes at highway and low speeds, including collisions in snow that ended in a ditch or rollover.
- Owners report fires starting near the engine bay, steering column, or rear seat area, in some cases while driving at highway speed.
- Some drivers describe sudden stalling with instrument panel gauges fluctuating erratically, followed by a diagnostic finding pointing to the ABS system.
- Reports describe limited rear visibility due to small windows, making lane changes and backing up difficult and contributing to at least one accident.
- One owner described the transmission shaking and binding in 4-wheel-drive snow conditions, as if gears had broken, bringing the vehicle to a stop.
- An owner reported the speedometer moving erratically and cruise control failing before flames appeared from the back seat area.
2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser recalls
8 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 16V396000Jun 2, 2016Structure & Body7,749 vehicles
Seats:front assembly:seat heater/cooler
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 Camry, and 1989 and 2009-2010 Corolla vehicles equipped with aftermarket accessory seat heaters with a copper strand heating element. The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.
Risk: If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
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. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET number for this recall is SET16B.
- NHTSA 14V743000Nov 19, 2014Structure & Body3,233 vehicles
Seats:front assembly:seat heater/cooler
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. The affected vehicles may experience compression of the seat cushion which may damage the seat heater wiring.
Risk: Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.
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. The recall is expected to began in January 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226.
- NHTSA 13V163000Apr 25, 2013Electrical System208,000 vehicles
Exterior lighting
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. These lamp assemblies include 55 watt bulbs and due to this wattage and mounting angle, the combination of the upper beam headlamps plus the auxiliary lamps are too bright and exceed the maximum light output allowed for an upper beam headlamp. Therefore, these vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Risk: Light intensities above the maximum allowable limit could cause increased glare for oncoming traffic and increase the risk of a crash.
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.
2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 15 MPG
- Highway
- 19 MPG
- Combined
- 17 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $4,700
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Premium
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2007 compared with other FJ Cruiser years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser reliable?
- Among FJ Cruiser model years, 2007 has the worst complaint record, with a complaint index of 100 and the number-1 worst rank out of 10 years tracked. It carries an Avoid verdict relative to other FJ Cruiser years.
- What are the most common problems with the 2007 FJ Cruiser?
- Structure & Body issues account for 41% of complaints (242 of 593), followed by Suspension, Wheels & Tires at 16% and Visibility & Wipers at 13%. Brakes make up another 13% of reports.
- Does the 2007 FJ Cruiser have recalls?
- NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns for the 2007 FJ Cruiser, covering areas including Structure & Body, Electrical System, Seat Belts, and Suspension, Wheels & Tires. None are do-not-drive recalls.
- What year FJ Cruiser should I avoid?
- Based on NHTSA data, 2007, 2008, and 2010 all carry Avoid verdicts, with 2007 ranked worst overall. 2011 and 2014 carry Good verdicts, making them lower-risk choices among FJ Cruiser years.
- At what mileage do 2007 FJ Cruiser problems typically show up?
- The median mileage at failure across complaints is 53,500 miles, though Structure & Body issues show up at a median of 62,500 miles and Suspension issues closer to 98,000 miles.