2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
AvoidComplaint Index
100/100
#1 most-complained of 6 FJ Cruiser years
The 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser ranks worst of 6 model years tracked, with a complaint index of 100, 66 complaints, and 10 recalls. Top problem areas are suspension/wheels/tires and brakes, with a median failure mileage of 14,500 miles.
- Complaints
- 66
- Recalls
- 10
- Crashes / fires
- 3 / 1
- Injuries / deaths
- 3 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 18
- 17 city / 21 hwy
Top 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires18 (27%)
- Brakes17 (26%)
- Structure & Body14 (21%)
- Steering13 (20%)
- Engine6 (9%)
- Other6 (9%)
- Airbags4 (6%)
- Seat Belts4 (6%)
- Fuel System3 (5%)
- Electrical System2 (3%)
What owners report
- Owners report the rear axle needing replacement after the vehicle shook abnormally when driving over speed bumps.
- Some describe the frame and gas struts developing rust, raising concern about structural integrity.
- One owner reported the interior catching fire overnight while the vehicle was parked, burning the front seats and console.
- Airbags reportedly failed to deploy or deflated immediately after deployment during crashes, resulting in injuries.
- Owners report the hood latch releasing unexpectedly on the highway despite the secondary safety catch holding.
- One driver reported the front seat belt failing to retract and being told the vehicle was out of warranty.
2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser recalls
10 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 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.
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
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser reliable?
- Among the 6 FJ Cruiser model years tracked, 2010 has the highest complaint index (100) and is ranked worst (rank 1 of 6), earning an Avoid verdict relative to other years.
- What are the most common problems with the 2010 FJ Cruiser?
- NHTSA data shows the top problem areas are Suspension, Wheels & Tires (18 complaints, 27% share) and Brakes (17 complaints, 26% share), followed by Structure & Body issues (14 complaints, 21% share).
- Does the 2010 FJ Cruiser have recalls?
- NHTSA lists 10 recalls for the 2010 FJ Cruiser, covering areas including seat belts, structure & body, suspension/wheels/tires, and electrical systems. None are do-not-drive recalls.
- At what mileage do 2010 FJ Cruiser problems typically show up?
- NHTSA complaint data shows a median mileage at failure of 14,500 miles overall, though brake complaints show a lower median of 5,900 miles and structure & body complaints a higher median of 59,650 miles.
- How does 2010 compare to other FJ Cruiser years?
- The 2010 model has a complaint index of 100, the highest of the 6 years tracked, compared to 2011's index of 20 (Best verdict) and 2014's index of 40 (Good verdict).