YearToAvoid

2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Avoid The 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser carries a complaint index of 89, the second-worst among 10 model years, and NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns for it. Structure & Body issues dominate complaints at 35% share, followed by brakes at 28%, making this an Avoid-rated year relative to other FJ Cruiser years.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
89/100
#2 of 10 FJ Cruiser years
Verdict
Avoid
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
124
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
9
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
5
reported in complaints
Fires
1
Injuries
3
Top issue
Structure & Body
Best nearby year
2011
rated Good
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
17
16 city / 20 hwy
Injuries / deaths
3 / 0

Top 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Structure & Body43 (35%)
  2. Brakes35 (28%)
  3. Suspension, Wheels & Tires18 (15%)
  4. Other13 (10%)
  5. Seat Belts13 (10%)
  6. Engine7 (6%)
  7. Transmission & Powertrain6 (5%)
  8. Fuel System5 (4%)
  9. Steering5 (4%)
  10. Visibility & Wipers5 (4%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Owners report inner fender aprons tearing or bulging in the engine bay crumple zone without any collision, sometimes appearing within a few thousand miles.
  • Some describe the passenger door popping or becoming misaligned as the body panel underneath buckles.
  • Windshields reportedly crack or chip repeatedly under normal driving conditions, in some cases within months of purchase.
  • Owners report sudden tire sidewall blowouts or bubbling, including one case at 14,000 miles.
  • Some drivers report complete brake failure with no pedal response, leading to loss of vehicle control.
  • One owner reported a rod engine failure while driving that led to a crash and injury.
2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser complaints: complaints filed per quarter142007 Q42009 Q42011 Q42013 Q42017 Q32020 Q12021 Q42024 Q2
124 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2007 Q4 to 2026 Q3; peak 2010 Q1 (14).

2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser recalls

9 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. NHTSA 14V475000Aug 4, 2014Other20,000 vehicles

    Equipment:other:labels

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2008-2014 FJ Cruiser and Tacoma vehicles equipped with accessory wheels and tires installed by Toyota or dealers prior to the vehicle's first sale. The affected vehicles may list incorrect spare tire size and/or cold tire inflation information on the tire placard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 110, "Tire Selection and Rims for Passenger Cars."

    Risk: If the spare tire is inflated to the incorrect pressure provided on the placard, tire failure may occur while it is being driven on, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: For the involved vehicles, overlay stickers to correct the tire placard will either be mailed to owners or provided to dealers for placement over the incorrect information on the placard. The recall is expected to begin in September 2014. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

See all 9 recalls for the 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser →

2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser fuel economy and fuel cost

City
16 MPG
Highway
20 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.

2008 compared with other FJ Cruiser years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002006200720082009201020112012201320142015
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2006No verdict1110—
2007Avoid100593817
2008Avoid89124917
2009Caution2271017
2010Avoid78661018

All Toyota FJ Cruiser years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser reliable?
Compared with other FJ Cruiser model years, 2008 ranks poorly. It has a complaint index of 89, the second-highest of 10 years covered, and 9 recall campaigns, giving it an Avoid verdict relative to other years.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 FJ Cruiser?
Structure & Body complaints lead at 35% of all complaints, largely centered on fender apron tearing and bulging, with a median failure mileage of 34,000. Brakes follow at 28% of complaints, with a median mileage of 25,000.
Does the 2008 FJ Cruiser have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns tied to the 2008 FJ Cruiser, covering Structure & Body, Seat Belts, Suspension, Wheels & Tires, Electrical System, and other areas. None are do-not-drive recalls.
How does the 2008 FJ Cruiser compare to other years?
The 2008 model's complaint index of 89 is close to the worst year, 2007, which scored 100. Later years such as 2011 and 2014 scored much lower, at 33 and 44, and earned Good verdicts.
What is the fuel economy of the 2008 FJ Cruiser?
EPA rates the 2008 FJ Cruiser at 17 mpg combined (16 city / 20 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,700.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.