2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser Problems & Complaints

I purchased my beloved 2013 FJ Cruiser from Wellesley Toyota 6.5 years ago and have really enjoyed it. I have had it serviced religiously at McGee Toyota of Hanover since my purchase and expected to continue to enjoy it for many years to come and was just informed by McGee Toyota that the frame is severly rusted out throughout. My truck only has 158K miles on it and I expected this to last at least twice as long. This appears to be the same issue Toyota experienced with the Tundra and Tacoma with premature rusting on their vehicles due to a manufacturing issue. There are numerous complaints online about this issue and even a current class action lawsuit. I have alerted Toyota Corporate of this and they are not standing behind their product.

I had a car accident on Feb 10, 2025 and my air bag did not deploy

The contact owns a 2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser. Upon having the vehicle inspected by a State Inspector, the contact was informed that there was significant corrosion on the undercarriage of the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to a dealer and was informed that the corrosion failure was a result of normal wear and tear. The contact was referred to an independent mechanic who specialized in vehicle undercoating to prevent further corrosion damage to the vehicle. Despite the vehicle being treated for the corrosion damage, the contact was recently informed that the corrosion damage had worsened, and that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The manufacturer was notified of the failure; the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

I went down the road & hit a bump my car rocked a little so I stopped to check the lug nuts & see if anything was wrong. I did not see anything. So, I continued to go pick my friend up as I was driving down the freeway anytime I hit a bump the car rocked more the faster I went. So I slowed down & watched traffic around me. Picked my friend up, went on the ramp and hit another bump and bam, my vehicle went so high up in the air my friend thought we were going to roll over. I immediately got off the freeway & there was a dealership right there. I asked if they could look at it & they wouldn't, they were too busy. I managed to baby it all the way back to my dealership. They said the control bar came away from the frame that was rotted. I called my insurance co. they said nothing they could do because of wear & tear. They did not view anything but pictures. I called claims & they said my VIN has no recalls that they won't do anything. They did not look at anything. I asked that they call my dealership to have them tell them how serious this could have been. They said my warranty was up in July of 2021. I had no letters to tell me this. I have only had it serviced at the dealership when it was due for service, nowhere else. I found out claims previously have been paid through a lawsuit on frames. Frames should last longer than this even in inclement weather. I also had it fluid filmed. Nobody will do anything & it's scary. Sad they want an accident before they look at things. I hope you can address this some way. Thank You.

Frame rust. Gas tank strap rust. Undercarriage rusted.

Severely rusted & rotting frame. Diagnosed by Mike’s Automotive, Sturgeon Bay, Wi.

Severe frame, structural and fuel tank strap rust.

The frame on my vehicle is incredibly rusty. Upon further research, I've found that this is a chronic problem FJ Cruisers. Many frames have rusted to the point where there is structural damage thereby rendering the vehicle unsafe to drive. I know that Toyota issued a recall for Tacoma trucks for this very issue, and I would like to have a recall issued for the FJ as I'm incredibly concerned for my safety.

I purchased a used Toyota FJ Cruiser in June 2019 with 25,441 miles on it from Luv Toyota in Lakewood, NY. The car was purchased sight unseen with cash from a Toyota dealership and shipped to me in Sugar Land, TX. When the vehicle arrived it was covered in frame and total underbody rust. The vehicle is completely unsafe to drive and I have driven it less than 1000 miles since it was purchased 2 years ago. After numerous attempts to receive a refund from Luv Toyota and Toyota Motors Corp I have given up. A 5 year old vehicle with less than 30,000 miles should not be completely rusted out. This is a complete fraudulent transaction. Toyota Corp does not stand by their vehicles or their franchise dealerships.

FROM ACCELERATION; BETWEEN 30MPH AND 45MPH MY VEHICLE SHUDDERS AND SHAKES. I BELIEVE THE ISSUE IS COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION AND OR DIFFERENTIAL OF MY VEHICLE.

BROUGHT CAR INTO DEALER LAST MONTH FOR NEW HORN AS IT WAS A WEAK VOLUME AND WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION IN MASSACHUSETTS. WAS REPLACED. WORKED FOR A WEEK OR TWO THEN CEASED TO COMPLETELY FUNCTION. BROUGHT BACK IN TODAY AND WAS TOLD BY DEALER CLOCK SPRING/SPIRAL CABLE WAS CORRODING. REMINDED OF OLD RECALL ON VARIOUS PAST TOYOTAS.

EXCESSIVE RUST ON FRAME, CHASSIS, TIE ROD ENDS AND ALL OTHER METAL PARTS, ALTHOUGH CAR IS MAINTENED PROPERLY, ONLY 40K MILES, GARAGE PARKING, NO OFF-ROAD USAGE AND NO SALT EXPOSED.

THE FRAME AND GAS TANK STRAPS AND REAR BUMPER ARE RUSTING TO AN UNSAFE CONDITION. VEHICLE IS 2013 WITH ONLY 66000MILES. I AM SPENDING COUNTLESS DOLLARS YEARLY TO PREVENT THE RUST AND IT ISN'T GETTING ANY BETTER. OTHER VEHICLES THAT SHARE THE SAME FRAME HAVE HAD RECALLS ON THE FRAME AND THIS VEHICLE SHOULD ALSO BE INCLUDED

SEVERE RUST UNDER CARRIAGE INCLUDING FUEL TANK STRAPS AND SUSPENSION COMPONENTS. NUMBER IS RUSTED AND SKID PLATES. RUST BASICALLY COVERING UNDER VEHICLE. CONCERNED ABOUT INTEGRITY DURING A CRASH

FRAME RUST, REAR BUMPER RUSH, UNDER CARRIAGE RUST, FRONT LOWER A-ARM RUST, DIFFERENTIAL RUST.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER. WHILE A PASSENGER WAS SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE OVERWEIGHT PASSENGER TRIGGERED THE AIR BAG SENSOR AND CAUSED IT TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.

DECEMBER 17, 2014 I WAS ENROUTE TO WORK BETWEEN 9:00-9:30 AM. AND AS I AM DRIVING ALONG HUGHEY ROAD APPROACHING ROBINSON STREET A CROSS ROAD THE LIGHT TURNED YELLOW, SO I APPLIED MY BRAKES WHILE GOING OVER THE RAIL ROAD TRACKS AND I LOSS MY BRAKES ENDING UP IN THE INTERSECTION AND MY FRONT END IN THE PEDESTRIAN WALK WAY NEARLY RUNNING OVER TWO PEDESTIRANS, THEY WERE SO CLOSE THEY COULD TOUCH MY TRUCK. IT WAS A THREE LANE ROAD AND I WAS IN THE MIDDLE THE TWO OTHER CARS WERE ABLE TO STOP BUT I WASN'T AND KEPT GOING WITH MY FOOT PLANTED FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE. I COULD FEEL THE GRINDING OF MY BRAKE PEDAL LIKE IT WAS A COMPUTER THINKING. I CALLED THE TOYOTA CUSTER CARE CENTER AND THEY GAVE ME A CASE #[XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

IN THE 60-70 MPH RANGE THE STEERING WHEEL SHIMMIED BACK AND FORTH AS MUCH AS 1-2 INCHES. THE VEHICLE FEELS UNSTABLE IN THIS RANGE. *TR

WHEN DRIVING IN SNOW CONDITIONS THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS BUILD UP AMAZING AMOUNTS OF ICE. I SPOKE WITH DEALERSHIP AND THEY CLAIM IT DOES THAT BECAUSE OF THE ANGLE OF THE WINDSHIELD. I WAS HAVING TO PULL OVER AND STOP TO BREAK THE ICE OFF MY WIPERS BECAUSE THEY STOPPED CLEARING THE WINDSHIELD AND I WOULD LOOSE VISIBILITY. ALSO, THE UNDERSIDE OF THE FJ CRUISER BUILDS UP AND COLLECTS ICE LIKE NOTHING I HAVE EVER SEEN. I AM A OVER THE ROAD TRUCK DRIVER AND HAVE DRIVEN IN ALL TYPES AND LEVELS OF BAD WEATHER, I HAVE NEVER SEEN ICE BUILD UP LIKE IT DOES ON THE FJ CRUISER.. THE FIRST TIME I THOUGHT IT MIGHT HAVE JUST BEEN A FLUKE BUT IT REPEATED THE ICE BUILD UP YESTERDAY WHEN IT SNOWED AGAIN. *TR

VEHICLE HAS A SHIMMY OR SHAKING AS FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL AT SPEEDS OF 45 MPH OR HIGHER. THIS SEEMS MUCH MORE PRONOUNCED WHEN DRIVING ON A CURVE THAN ON A STRAIGHT HIGHWAY. HAVE HAD THE FRONT TIRES BALANCED BY THE TOYOTA DEALER 3 TIMES SO FAR, AND THE BALANCING IS SPOT ON (I WATCHED THEM BALANCE THEM), BUT SHAKING IN THE STEERING WHEEL STILL CONTINUES. THE TIRES DID NOT TAKE EXCESSIVE WEIGHTS EITHER. I HAVE STOCK TRD WHEELS WITH BF GOODRICH 265-75/16 TIRES - WHICH CAME WITH THE 2013 TEAM TRAILS EDITION. I DON'T BELIEVE THIS IS A TIRE BALANCING PROBLEM, BUT SOMETHING LOOSE IN THE STEERING OR SUSPENSION. *TR

CPSC: I1330412A. 2013 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER. CONSUMER STATED THAT RODENTS HAVE BEEN EATING THE WIRES UNDER THE HOOD OF HER VEHICLE. *LN THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE WIRES WERE MADE WITH SOME TYPE OF SOY, THAT ATTRACTED THE RODENTS AND SO FAR IT HAS COST $800 IN THE PAST TWO MONTHS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, SHE NOTICED THERE WAS A BLIND SPOT ON THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AS SHE ATTEMPTED TO ENTER ANOTHER LANE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 250. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.