2011 Toyota FJ Cruiser Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Good The 2011 Toyota FJ Cruiser has a complaint index of 33, ranking 7th of 10 model years, and earns a Good verdict among FJ Cruiser years. It has 23 complaints, 6 recalls, and its top problem area is Suspension, Wheels & Tires at 39% of complaints.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 33/100
- #7 of 10 FJ Cruiser years
- Verdict
- Good
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 23
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 6
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 1
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Top issue
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 19
- 17 city / 21 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 0 / 0
Top 2011 Toyota FJ Cruiser problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires9 (39%)
- Steering8 (35%)
- Structure & Body5 (22%)
- Electrical System3 (13%)
- Brakes2 (9%)
- Other2 (9%)
- Visibility & Wipers2 (9%)
- Airbags1 (4%)
- Fuel System1 (4%)
- Seat Belts1 (4%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Steering wheel shakes or shimmies violently between 55 and 70 mph, often traced to wheel balance and not fixed after repeated tire rotations and rebalancing.
- Suspension and wheel shimmy reappears after dealer tire rotation, persisting even after tires are replaced and alignment redone at multiple locations.
- A wheel stud sheared off shortly after aftermarket tire installation, with the lug nut tightening effort suddenly changing during torqueing.
- Owners noticed excessive corrosion in the undercarriage while the vehicle was parked, along with a rear view camera that fogged and froze in cold weather.
- A parking brake reportedly failed to hold the vehicle on a sloped driveway, letting it roll into a house at 71,000 miles.
- An auxiliary light kit recall repair was requested multiple times over six months without being completed by the dealer.
2011 Toyota FJ Cruiser recalls
6 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- 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.
- 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.
- NHTSA 13V123000Apr 9, 2013Other7,525 vehicles
Equipment:other:labels
Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2010-2013 Toyota Tundra, 2010-2012 Rav4, 2012 Toyota Sequoia, 2010-2011 Toyota Corolla, 2010-2011 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser, 2010-2013 Toyota Venza, 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner, 2010-2013 Toyota Tacoma, 2011-2012 Toyota Sienna, 2012 Toyota Prius, 2013 Scion FR-S, 2011 Scion XD, 2011 Scion XB, and 2012 Scion TC vehicles. These vehicles were sold with labels that were outside the allowable one percent of accuracy of actual weight added. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) Number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk: An inaccurate label could lead to owners overloading their vehicles and tires. An overloaded vehicle can result in a tire failure which may result in a vehicle crash, personal injury, or property damage.
Remedy: Southeast Toyota will notify owners and provide a corrected label with instructions concerning its installation. A small group of the affected vehicles will need additonal remedies which are still being developed. The recall began on May 28, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
2011 Toyota FJ Cruiser fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 17 MPG
- Highway
- 21 MPG
- Combined
- 19 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,400
- 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.
2011 compared with other FJ Cruiser years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2011 Toyota FJ Cruiser reliable?
- Among FJ Cruiser model years, 2011 ranks 7th worst of 10 with a complaint index of 33 and carries a Good verdict relative to other years of the same model.
- What problems does the 2011 FJ Cruiser have?
- NHTSA complaints center on Suspension, Wheels & Tires (39% of complaints) and Steering (35%), mainly steering wheel shake at highway speed, plus Structure & Body issues like undercarriage corrosion.
- Does the 2011 FJ Cruiser have recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns tied to the 2011 model year, covering tire pressure monitoring calibration, an auxiliary light kit, and seat belt retractors, none marked do-not-drive.
- How does the 2011 FJ Cruiser compare to other years?
- It has fewer complaints (23) and a lower complaint index (33) than 2007 (593 complaints, index 100) and 2008 (124 complaints, index 89), both rated Avoid.
- What is the median mileage for complaints on the 2011 FJ Cruiser?
- NHTSA data shows a median mileage at failure of 15,000 miles for the 2011 FJ Cruiser overall, though Brakes complaints show a median of 71,000 miles.