2014 Toyota FJ CRUISER: complaints, problems and recalls

NEW 2014 FJ CRUISER TRAILS TEAMS EDITION WITH BFGOODRICH T/A KO TIRES CAUSE VIBRATION AND STEERING WHEEL SHIMMY. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10616526 at NHTSA ↗

I WAS ON A HIGHWAY AT 70 MILES PER HOUR(SPEED LIMIT OF THAT PART OF HIGHWAY). I STARTED TO TRY TO DECELERATE TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY WITH BRAKING, THE BRAKES FAILED TO ENGAGED, DEPRESSED BRAKE HARDER AND THE ABS STARTED TO ENGAGED BRIEFLY THEN STOPPED. I STARTED TO PUMP THE BRAKES AND THEY FINALLY ENGAGED. I ALMOST FLIPPED THE VEHICLE OVER GOING AROUND THE TURN OF THE EXIT( WHICH I HAD ALREADY COMMITTED TO THE TURN) BECAUSE MY SPEED WAS TOO HIGH. IF THE BRAKES DID NOT CATCH AFTER PUMPING THEM, I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I PROCEEDED…

Owner-reported narrative. 7,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10626404 at NHTSA ↗

I PURCHASED A NEW FJ CRUISER & PUT 5,039 ON IT & THEN INSTALLED AFTERMARKET WHEELS & TIRES. AFTER 2 WEEKS THE VEHICLE DEVELOPED A SHIMMY IN THE STEERING AT 48 TO 65 M.P.H.. I HAD THE TIRES BALANCED 4 TIMES & THE TIRE SHOP ALSO REPLACED THE WHEELS WITH NO SUCCESS AT ELIMINATING THE SHIMMY. I REINSTALLED THE FACTORY WHEELS & TIRES BUT THE SHIMMY IS STILL PRESENT BUT NOT AS PRONOUNCED. I SEARCHED THE INTERNET FOR INFORMATION & FOUND THAT TOYOTA HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH THEIR FJ CRUISER MODELS FOR YEARS. THEY HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO FIX THE PROBLEM. HO…

Owner-reported narrative. 5,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10626498 at NHTSA ↗

WE HAVE HAD A COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE IN THE VEHICLE TWO TIMES SINCE WE HAVE OWNED IT. THE FIRST TIME I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN 15-20 MPH STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. I ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE AND THE PEDAL FELT LIKE A BRICK AND WOULD NOT MOVE. I QUICKLY REMOVED MY FOOT OFF THE PEDAL AND ATTEMPTED TO DEPRESS THE PEDAL AGAIN. IT DID SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN BUT FELT JITTERY AS THE PEDAL MOVED CLOSER TO THE FLOOR. I DID NOT BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR ASSESSMENT THAT TIME AS IT DID NOT HAPPEN AGAIN ON THE WAY HOME, THERE WAS NO SERVICE LIGHT ON MY DASHBOARD SI…

Owner-reported narrative. 11,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10637022 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN THE CAR IS DRIVEN OVER 55MILE PER HOUR THE STEERING WHEEL START TO SHAKE AND TO VIBRATE VIOLENTLY MAKING THE CAR VERY UNSTABLE AND UNSAFE TO DRIVE.TOOK BACK TO THE TOYOTA DEALER BUT THEY WERE UNSUCCESSFUL OF FIXING IT. AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS BY THE CAR DEALER ,AS OF TODAY THE STEERING WHEEL FLUTTERING AND VIBRATION HASN'T BEEN FIXED. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10689738 at NHTSA ↗

PURCHASED VEHICLE DRIVING THE VEHICLE HAD SLIGHT PROBLEM WITH STEERING THEN WE NOTICED THE CAR WAS ON A SLANT. TWO TO THREE INCH DIFFERENCE FROM LEFT BUMPED TO GROUND AND THE RIGHT BUMPER. BROUGHT TO A DEALER TWO TIMES AND STILL AN INCH DIFFERENCE. I THEN MEASURED TWO OTHE FJ CRUISERS IN THEIR LOT AND NOTICED IT IS ON ALL THE FJ'S WE WERE TOLD NOTHING THEY CAN DO THEY CONTACTED HEADQUARTERS AND THEY ARE SORRY. THE CAR IS OFF FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER AND THEY ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT HELP ME AND FIX THE PROBLEM.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10724746 at NHTSA ↗

ON 7/18/15 AT ABOUT 11:10 AM IN THE NEWLY PAVED PARKING LOT OF THE LOWES, LATHAM, NEW YORK, THE ALLOY RIM OF DRIVER SIDE FRONT WHEEL SPLIT (RIM INTO TWO PIECES) CAUSING THE TIRE TO BLOW OUT AND THE VEHICLE TO GRAZE THE A LIGHT POLE. THE TIRE, WHEEL AND RIM DID NOT HIT ANYTHING PRIOR TO THE RIM FAILURE. THERE WERE NO POTHOLES OR OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE LOT. EVEN IN GRAZING THE LIGHT POLE, THE TIRE DID NOT MAKE CONTACT WITH THE POLE, ONLY THE OUTER FENDER FLARE MADE CONTACT. THIS WAS A SPONTANEOUS FAILURE OF THE RIM. INSURANCE INVESTIGATION CONFIRM…

Owner-reported narrative. 26,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10750168 at NHTSA ↗

KNOWN PROBLEM BY MANUFACTURERS. EXTREME DAMAGE TO WIRING HARNESS AND COMPONENTS WITHIN ENGINE COMPARTMENT BY RODENT. VEHICLE HAS 13,837 MILES ONLY. NEW WIRING STANDARDS REPORTEDLY DRAW RODENTS AND/OR INCREASE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE TO VEHICLE SYSTEMS. VEHICLE WAS PARKED LESS THAN 7 HOURS AND WHEN TURNED IGNITION TO VEHICLE, INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED EVERY SAFETY WARNING TO INCLUDE ENGINE LIGHT FLASHING. ENGINE SPUTTERED AND REQUIRED TOW. INSURANCE COMPANY REPORTS HIGH NUMBER OF CLAIMS ESPECIALLY RELATED TO NEWER CARS WITH WIRING. DAMAGE TO …

Owner-reported narrative. 13,837 miles reported. Look up ODI 10839755 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2014-08-04 (August 4, 2014)

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."

Consequence: 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.

Reported: 2014-09-08 (September 8, 2014)

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2014 FJ Cruiser vehicles equipped with an optional "Trail Teams Ultimate Edition" package, in which the front shock absorbers and springs were replaced at vehicle processing centers. In some of these vehicles the bolts which secure the front lower ball joint to the steering knuckle and/or the front suspension lower arm to the front cross member assemblies might have been tightened with insufficient torque when the front shock absorbers and springs were replaced during the installation process.

Consequence: In this condition, one or both bolts could become loose during driving and fall out. If both bolts fall out from the front lower ball joint or the front suspension lower arm, these components could detach from the steering knuckle or the front cross members, causing a loss of steering control, which could increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners of vehicles with the optional package installed, and dealers will inspect the torque of the bolts. If the bolts are found to be loose, dealers will retighten them to the proper torque. For any missing bolts, dealers will install new ones. The recall began on November 7, 2014. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

Reported: 2014-12-30 (December 30, 2014)

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Toyota 4Runner, Tacoma, FJ Cruiser, Land Cruiser, RAV4, Scion FRS, and XB vehicles. The affected vehicles may have accessories installed by SET, such as running boards or other items, that were incorrectly installed. The accessory attaching fasteners were not tightened with the proper torque, possibly causing the accessory to detach from the vehicle.

Consequence: Accessories that detach from a vehicle may result in a vehicle crash and/or personal injury.

Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and tighten the affected bolts, free of charge. The recall began February 23, 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET-14B.

Reported: 2015-02-10 (February 10, 2015)

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2014 FJ Cruiser vehicles manufactured August 7, 2013, to August 20, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the intermediate steering shaft which connects the steering wheel and the steering gear box may have an inadequate weld.

Consequence: If the intermediate steering shaft weld fails, there would be a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the intermediate steering shaft, free of charge. The recall began on March 6, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

Reported: 2020-01-13 (January 13, 2020)

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) recalled certain 2018-2019 4Runner, Highlander, Camry, Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Sienna, Tacoma and Tundra, and Lexus RC 300, RC 350, GS 350, GX 460, IS 300, LC 500, LS 500, LX 570, RX 350L, and 2019 Toyota Avalon and Corolla, and certain Lexus NX 300, and ES 350 vehicles on January 13, 2020. On March 4, 2020, Toyota expanded the recall to include certain 2014-2015 Toyota 4Runner and Land Cruiser, 2018 Avalon, Corolla, 2014 FJ Cruiser, 2017 Sienna and Lexus 2018 ES 350, 2018-2019 GS 300, 2013-2014 GS350, 2014-2015 GX 460, IS 350 and LX 570, 2014 IS F, 2018-2019 IS 350, LC 500H and LS 500H, 2013-2015 LS 460, 2015 NX 200T and RC350, 2017 RC 200T and RX 350. Toyota also removed the 2018-2019 Toyota 4Runner and Land Cruiser and 2018-2019 Lexus GX 460 and LX 570 and 2019 NX300 from inclusion in this recall. On March 19, 2020, Toyota expanded the recall to include 2015 Lexus GS350 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

Consequence: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began May 4, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 20TB02 and 20TA02 for Toyota vehicles and 20LB01 and 20LA01 for Lexus vehicles.