Toyota Land Cruiser Best and Worst Years (2005–2021)
Toyota Land Cruiser model years 2008 and 2009 rank worst, with complaint indexes of 93 and 87 and heavy airbag and engine complaints, including unintended acceleration reports on the 2009. No year earns a Good or Best verdict because every year carries recall campaigns; 2005, 2006, and 2013 are the lowest-risk choices with Caution ratings.
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls per model-year, ranked within this model — not a reliability rating. Methodology.
Avoid 2008Avoid 2009Lowest-risk years:Caution 2005Caution 2006Caution 2013
- Model years
- 16
- 2005–2021
- NHTSA complaints
- 65
- Recall campaigns
- 15
- Crashes reported
- 4
- Fires reported
- 0
- Top problem area
- Airbags
Land Cruiser Complaint Index by year
Higher = more complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and Do-Not-Drive recalls per year on the road, relative to other years of this model.
Toyota Land Cruiser problems and recalls by year
| Year | Verdict | Index | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Recalls | Top issue | MPG | NCAP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Caution | 60 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 3 | Brakes | 13 | — |
| 2006 | Caution | 67 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 2 | Brakes | 13 | — |
| 2007 | No verdict | 27 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Electrical System | 13 | — |
| 2008 | Avoid | 93 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 5 | Airbags | 15 | — |
| 2009 | Avoid | 87 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 7 | Engine | 15 | — |
| 2010 | No verdict | 73 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | Engine | 15 | — |
| 2011 | No verdict | 33 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | Airbags | 15 | — |
| 2012 | No verdict | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 2013 | Caution | 53 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | Brakes | 15 | — |
| 2014 | No verdict | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | Brakes | 15 | — |
| 2015 | No verdict | 47 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | Airbags | 15 | — |
| 2016 | No verdict | 100 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | Structure & Body | 15 | — |
| 2017 | No verdict | 40 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Airbags | 15 | — |
| 2018 | No verdict | 80 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | Airbags | 15 | — |
| 2019 | No verdict | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | — | 15 | — |
| 2021 | No verdict | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 14 | — |
Land Cruiser years to avoid: what went wrong
2008 Toyota Land Cruiser Index 93 · 8 complaints · 5 recalls
The 2008 Land Cruiser has a complaint index of 93, the second-worst of any year, with 8 total complaints and 5 recall campaigns. Airbags are the top problem area, making up 63% of complaints for this year, with a median failure mileage of 161,000. Owners also reported engine issues, including one account of uncontrolled acceleration on a highway. Seat belt tension sensor wires were flagged in a recall covering 2008-2019 vehicles, and a separate recall addressed incorrect airbag assemblies. One crash was reported for this year.
2009 Toyota Land Cruiser Index 87 · 6 complaints · 7 recalls
The 2009 Land Cruiser has a complaint index of 87, with 6 complaints and 7 recall campaigns, the highest recall count of any year for this model. Engine problems dominate, accounting for 67% of complaints, with a very low median failure mileage of 1,200 miles. Owners described sudden RPM spikes at startup, sticking accelerators, and one instance of transmission slipping and momentarily dropping out of gear. The same airbag and engine recalls that affected the 2008 model also apply to 2009 vehicles.
Most common Toyota Land Cruiser problems (all years)
Share of NHTSA complaints by component group across all model years.
- Airbags15 (23%)
- Engine13 (20%)
- Brakes11 (17%)
- Electrical System9 (14%)
- Transmission & Powertrain7 (11%)
- Other6 (9%)
- Seat Belts6 (9%)
- Structure & Body6 (9%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires5 (8%)
- Steering2 (3%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- What years should I avoid for the Toyota Land Cruiser?
- NHTSA data points to 2008 and 2009 as the years to avoid, with complaint indexes of 93 and 87, the two highest among Land Cruiser model years covered.
- Is there a Good or Best year for the Toyota Land Cruiser?
- No. Every model year carries recall campaigns, so none qualifies as Good or Best. The lowest-risk years are 2005, 2006, and 2013, all rated Caution.
- What is the most common problem area for the Land Cruiser?
- Across all years, airbags account for 23% of complaints, followed by engine issues at 20% and brakes at 17%.
- Does the 2008 Land Cruiser have an airbag recall?
- Yes. NHTSA recall 18V887000 covers 2008-2019 Land Cruiser vehicles for a seat belt tension sensor wire issue, and recall 17V548000 covers 2008-2016 vehicles for incorrect airbag assemblies.
- What issues did 2009 Land Cruiser owners report with the engine?
- Owners reported sudden RPM increases at startup, sticking accelerators, and unintended acceleration concerns, with a median failure mileage of 1,200 miles for engine complaints.