YearToAvoid

2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Avoid The 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser has a complaint index of 78, ranking 3rd worst of 10 model years, with 66 complaints and 10 recalls logged, earning an Avoid verdict relative to other FJ Cruiser years.

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

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
78/100
#3 of 10 FJ Cruiser years
Verdict
Avoid
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
66
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
10
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
3
reported in complaints
Fires
1
Injuries
3
Top issue
Suspension, Wheels & Tires
Best nearby year
2011
rated Good
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
18
17 city / 21 hwy
Injuries / deaths
3 / 0

Top 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser problems

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

  1. Suspension, Wheels & Tires18 (27%)
  2. Brakes17 (26%)
  3. Structure & Body14 (21%)
  4. Steering13 (20%)
  5. Engine6 (9%)
  6. Other6 (9%)
  7. Airbags4 (6%)
  8. Seat Belts4 (6%)
  9. Fuel System3 (5%)
  10. Electrical System2 (3%)

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 ABS brakes activating over small bumps and failing to slow the vehicle, sometimes at speeds under 10,000 miles.
  • Some describe the vehicle continuing to roll through intersections when brakes were applied, even at low mileage like 555 and 2,000 miles.
  • Engine hesitation and loud surging sounds were reported when accelerating while already in motion, at very low mileage around 1,373 miles.
  • Throttle stuck intermittently at highway speeds while shifting gears, causing abnormal RPM increases and delayed deceleration.
  • Structure and body complaints include an interior fire that occurred while the vehicle was parked and reports of frame rust near welds.
  • Airbag complaints describe deployment failures or partial deflation during crashes, with occupants sustaining injuries.
2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser complaints: complaints filed per quarter52010 Q12011 Q22012 Q32014 Q22015 Q32019 Q32021 Q22023 Q1
66 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2010 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2019 Q4 (5).

2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser recalls

10 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 10 recalls for the 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser →

2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser fuel economy and fuel cost

City
17 MPG
Highway
21 MPG
Combined
18 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,600
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
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.

2010 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
2008Avoid89124917
2009Caution2271017
2010Avoid78661018
2011Good3323619
2012Caution6740418

All Toyota FJ Cruiser years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser reliable?
NHTSA data shows the 2010 FJ Cruiser has a complaint index of 78, the 3rd worst among 10 model years, with an Avoid verdict relative to other FJ Cruiser years.
What are the most common problems with the 2010 FJ Cruiser?
Suspension, Wheels & Tires complaints lead at 27% of the total, followed by Brakes at 26%, Structure & Body at 21%, and Steering at 20%.
Does the 2010 FJ Cruiser have recalls?
NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns tied to the 2010 FJ Cruiser, covering components including Structure & Body, Seat Belts, Electrical System, and Suspension, Wheels & Tires.
How does the 2010 FJ Cruiser compare to other years?
The 2010 model's complaint index of 78 is lower than the 2007 (100) and 2008 (89) model years but higher than 2009 (22), 2011 (33), 2012 (67), 2013 (56), and 2014 (44).
What is the fuel economy of the 2010 FJ Cruiser?
EPA rates the 2010 FJ Cruiser at 18 mpg combined (17 city/21 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,600.

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.