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Toyota FJ Cruiser VIN Check

NHTSA holds 769 owner complaints on the Toyota FJ Cruiser from 114 production runs; the worst run has 55, the typical one 6.7.

NHTSA complaint records · 769 complaints · 114 runs · 2007–2014 · Updated Nov 4, 2026
Quick answer

The most-reported FJ Cruiser run is JTEBU11FX70 (2007 builds) with 55 complaints, 8.2× the typical run. Structure problems make up 35% of reports; 2007 is the worst model year at 20 complaints per run; NHTSA lists 19 recall campaigns for FJ Cruiser model years 2007–2014.

Which build runs owners report most

A production run is the first 11 characters of the VIN: plant, model year, body and engine. The Toyota FJ Cruiser has 114 of them on record. The five runs at the top of this table hold 32% of every FJ Cruiser complaint on file.

FIG.01·Toyota FJ Cruiser — complaints by production run
Production run (VIN 1–11)YearComplaintsInvolved a crashFire
JTEBU11FX70••••••200755—1
JTEBU11F270••••••2007493—
JTEBU11F370••••••200747——
JTEBU11F670••••••2007472—
JTEBU11F070••••••2007461—
JTEBU11F870••••••2007391—
JTEBU11F970••••••2007391—
JTEBU11F770••••••2007391—
JTEBU11F470••••••2007351—
JTEBU11F170••••••2007341—
JTEBU11F570••••••20073121
JTEBU11F08K••••••200812——
ROWS 12·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records, grouped by VIN prefix

Each of the other 102 FJ Cruiser runs has 12 complaints or fewer. ForCar has checked 74 FJ Cruiser VINs so far, most often 2007, 2014, 2012 builds; 26 of them belong to one of the 12 runs above.

Which model years to check twice

Complaints per production run, so a year that simply sold more does not top the list. On the Toyota FJ Cruiser the gap between build years is 15.4×: a 2007 car draws 20 complaints per run, a 2009 one 1.3.

FIG.02·Toyota FJ Cruiser — complaint rate by model year
YearPer runComplaintsRunsCrashes
20142.530121
2013220101
20122.73513—
20111.417121
20104.356133
20091.354—
20084105264
2007205012515
ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

Heaviest year here is 2007 at 20 complaints per run; lightest is 2009 at 1.3.

What to inspect on this car

One system accounts for 35% of everything Toyota FJ Cruiser owners report: Structure, 301 of 769 complaints. Start the pre-purchase inspection there.

FIG.03·Toyota FJ Cruiser — most-reported systems
SystemComplaintsInvolved a crashFire
Structure30162
Service Brakes11831
Suspension1121—
Unknown Or Other1101—
Hydraulic611—
Visibility551—
Power Train5021
Steering461—
ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

Recalls to check against your VIN

NHTSA has 19 recall campaigns on the Toyota FJ Cruiser; the 6 below cover build years 2007 to 2014. These are for the model and year; whether one is still open on a given car, only that VIN can tell.

FIG.04·Toyota FJ Cruiser — recall campaigns
CampaignComponentModel years
14V475000Equipment:other:labels2008–2014
13V098000Seat Belts:front:anchorage2007–2013
13V163000Exterior Lighting2007–2013
12E046000Equipment2007–2012
13V123000Equipment:other:labels2010–2013
11V148000Tires:pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems2008–2011
ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA recall campaigns

14V475000 was opened in 2014 on cars built from 2008: 6 years on the road before the recall.

How serious were they

Of the 769 reports on the Toyota FJ Cruiser, 3.3% involved a crash against 5.8% across all vehicles, below the norm.

FIG.06·Toyota FJ Cruiser — complaint severity
OutcomeToyota FJ CruiserAll vehicles
Complaints filed7691,115,966
Involved a crash25 (3.3%)64,194 (5.8%)
Involved a fire5 (0.7%)26,974 (2.4%)
Injuries reported1758,013
Deaths reported02,728
ROWS 5·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

Crash-related reports run 43% below the all-vehicle rate.

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How this check works

The file behind this page holds 1,115,966 complaints filed with NHTSA between 1981 and 2026, across 298,921 production runs. The Toyota FJ Cruiser share of that is 769 complaints over 114 runs, 0.07% of everything on record.

Everything on the Toyota FJ Cruiser
Recalls65 campaignsFuel economy19 mpg bestReliability3.5/5Common problems907 complaintsDimensionsSize, weight, generationsUsed prices901 listingsWhat yours is worthValue by year & mileageInsurance costEstimated per yearWindow stickerOriginal Monroney labelDecode a VINWhat each character meansAbout this car2007–2014

Frequently asked questions

How do I check a Toyota FJ Cruiser VIN for free?

Enter the 17 characters above. ForCar matches the first eleven, the production run, against 769 NHTSA complaints from 114 FJ Cruiser runs and 19 recall campaigns. No account, no card.

Which FJ Cruiser production run has the most complaints?

JTEBU11FX70, a 2007 build, with 55 complaints. The typical FJ Cruiser run has 6.7.

Which FJ Cruiser years have the most complaints?

Per production run, 2007 is heaviest at 20 complaints per run and 2009 lightest at 1.3.

How many FJ Cruiser complaints involve a crash?

3.3% of 769 reports, against 5.8% across all vehicles; 5 involved a fire.

Complaint and recall records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Per-run rates computed by ForCar. Federal data covers safety only — title, odometer and insurance history are not included. Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by , founder of ForCar.
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