WHEN ROLLING TO A STOP SIGN MY 2008 FJ CRUISER RAN OVER UNEVEN PAVEMENT AND THE BRAKES WENT HAYWIRE. I ALMOST RAN THE STOP SIGN WITH NO CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE. *TR
2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2008 record →
WHEN APPROACHING A STOP SIGN ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET AT APPROXIMATELY 30MPH, WENT TO APPLY BRAKES, ABS KICKED IN AND LOST MOST IF NOT ALL BRAKING ABILITY RESULTING IN ROLLING THE STOP AND ENDING UP IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY 4 LANE DIVIDED ROAD. THE SECTION OF THE STREET APPROACHING THE STOP SIGN HAS QUITE A FEW FILLED POT HOLES AND IS BUMPY. THIS IS PROBABLY THE 4TH OR 5TH TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED AT THE SAME INTERSECTION OR IN SIMILAR ROAD/DRIVING CONDITIONS. *TR
ANTILOCK BRAKES ACTIVATED AFTER HITTING RIPPLE IN EXIT RAMP SURFACE. VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP DESPITE PRESSING DOWN HARDER ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. REQUIRED RELEASING BRAKE PEDAL COMPLETELY AND THEN REAPPLYING BRAKES TO CAUSE VEHICLE TO STOP. CAME VERY CLOSE TO SHOOTING OUT INTO FOUR-WAY INTERSECTION. HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS UNDER SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES (VERY MINOR BUMP ON ROAD CAUSES ANTILOCKS TO ACTIVE UPON BREAKING THOUGH THIS DOESN'T ACTUALLY STOP THE VEHICLE).
2008 TOYOTA FJ HAVE EXPERIENCE MOMENTARY LOSS OF BRAKING CAPABILITY WHILE TRAVELING OVER AN UNEVEN ROAD SURFACE, POTHOLE OR BUMP SIMILAR AS TO WHAT HAS BEEN REPORTED WITH PRIUS. VEHICLE CONTINUES FORWARD WITHOUT SLOWING DOWN EVEN THOUGH BRAKES ARE DEPRESSED AFTER HITTING A POTHOLE. RELEASE AND REAPPLICATION OF BRAKES OFTEN RESULTS IN EMERGENCY HARD BRAKING. NO ACCIDENT OCCURED BUT VEHICLE TRAVELED WELL INTO INTERCHANGE.
I HAVE REPEATEDLY COMPLAINED ABOUT THE ACCELERATOR HESITATION IN MY 2008 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER. IT HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE I PURCHASED IT, BRAND NEW. I KNOW SOMEONE WHO HAS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH HERS. SHE COMPLAINED TO PAULEY TOYOTA, FT. SMITH, ARKANSAS I COMPLAINED TO FAYETTEVILLE AUTO PARK TOYOTA IN FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS. BOTH DEALERS SOLUTION WAS TO RESET COMPUTER. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A CHRONIC ISSUE WITH NO PERMANENT SOLUTION. THE DANGER LIES ESPECIALLY WHEN MERGING ONTO HIGHWAYS, THE HESITATION SLOWS THE VEHICLE DOWN AND ENGINE REVS. PLEASE HELP. THERE IS NO SPECIFIC INCIDENT DATE SO I WILL CHOOSE AN ARBITRARY DATE IN ORDER TO SUBMIT *TW
THIS IS A SPORADIC OCCURRENCE AND CANNOT BE REPRODUCED DELIBERATELY: WHEN BRAKING SUDDENLY AT 40 MPH AND BELOW, THE VEHICLE DOES NOT SLOW DOWN NOTICEABLY. IT APPEARS ONLY MINIMAL BRAKING FORCE IS EXERTED AT THESE OCCURRENCES, DESPITE MAXIMUM BRAKE FORCE ON THE PEDAL. THIS HAPPENS ALSO ON DRY PAVEMENT, RULING OUT SKIDDING AS CAUSE OF FAILED DECELERATION. THE MASSIVELY PROLONGED BRAKING DISTANCE CAUSED TWO NEAR-MISSES. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW, WITH THE BRAKE DEFECT FIRST NOTICED DURING THE FIRST YEAR OF OPERATION (FIRST 15,000 MILES). THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, DETAILS EXPLAINED, AND AN INSPECTION OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM WAS REQUESTED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE CONCERN BECAUSE OF THE ONLY SPORADIC OCCURRENCE OF BRAKE FAILURE. NO ACTION WAS TAKEN. *TR
BRAKES DO NOT WORK PROPERLY WHEN THE CAR HITS ANY KIND OF ROUGH PATCH IN THE ROAD WHILE BRAKES ARE BEING APPLIED. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CONDITION BECAUSE IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO STOP THE CAR WHEN THIS OCCURS. OCCURS REPEATEDLY AND NOT LIMITED TO AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. TOOK CAR TO DEALER AND DEALER WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ISSUE INSTEAD CLAIMING THAT I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW ANTI-LOCK BRAKES WORK. THIS IS AN ABSURD EXCUSE. *TR
2008 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER, INNER FENDER APRON BULGES IN CRUMPLE ZONE'S. THIS VEHICLE IS USED AS A DAILY DRIVER AND HAS BEEN OFF ROAD FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 OF THE 19744 MILES THAT ARE CURRENTLY ON IT. MY VEHICLE IS VERY WELL MAINTAINED AND NOT ABUSED. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FJ CRUISER MODEL, SO MUCH AS TOYOTA HAS REDESIGNED THIS PART OF THE BODY STRUCTURE 3 TIMES. I FEEL STRONGLY THAT THIS DEFECT WILL ENDANGER THE SAFETY OF MY SELF AND CHILDREN SHOULD I BE INVOLVED IN A FRONT END COLLISION. PLEAS DO YOUR DO DILIGENCE AND INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE. TOYOTA GENERALLY WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND WILL BLAME IT ON ABUSE OR MISUSE. *TR
DRIVERS SIDE INNER FENDER CRUMPLE ZONE HAS BULGES PROTRUDING INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *TR
HALF OF MY 2008 FJ CRUISER NEEDED TO BE REPAINTED DUE TO CRACKING AND FLAKING OFF OF THE PAINT. *TR
OVER THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE, CRACKS HAVE DEVELOPED IN THE FRONT INNER FENDER STRUCTURE, WHICH HAVE NOW TURNED INTO LARGE SPLITS IN THE CRUMPLE ZONES. THE CAUSE IS A RESULT OF BODY MOVEMENT BETWEEN THE FRAME AND BODY. TOYOTA HAS DENIED WARRANTY COVERAGE DUE TO LARGE TIRES INSTALLED ON VEHICLE, YET HAS REDESIGNED THE INNER FENDER STRUCTURE OF THESE VEHICLES THREE TIMES DUE TO THIS SAME ISSUE WITH STOCK VEHICLES. AS THE TEARS IN THE FENDER STRUCTURE PROGRESS, THE FRONT CLIP OF THE VEHICLE HAS BEGUN TO DRIFT, AND THE HOOD GAP AND FENDER GAPS ARE SHIFTING. I AM CONCERNED WITH THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE AND HOW COLLISION STANDARDS WILL BE AFFECTED WITH THE CRUMPLE ZONES CRACKED. *TR
2008 FJ CRUISER, 4800 MILES, MANUAL TRANS, NO MODIFICATIONS, PASSENGER SIDE FENDER INNER IS COLLAPSING (CRACKS IN THE STEEL FENDER INNER AND GROSS DEFORMATION OF THE SHEET METAL) WITHIN THE ENGINE BAY IN AREA OF CRUMPLE ZONE CREASES/GUSSETS. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE CRASH WORTHINESS OF THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DECREASED. ADDITIONALLY THERE IS A MAJOR HOOD ALIGNMENT ISSUE . HOOD ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS CAN BE DIRECTLY RELATED TO HOOD LATCH FAILURES WHICH COULD CAUSE INJURY TO BOTH THE VEHICLE OCCUPANT AS WELL AS POSE A HAZARD TO OTHERS ON THE ROAD. THE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FENDER CRACK OR HOOD ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS AND PROVIDE A COUNTERMEASURE/REPAIR AND CLAIMS THAT THEY HAVE NOT PREVIOUSLY SEEN THESE FAILURES. *TR
BULGING INNER FENDER , FJ CRUISER 08. *TR
BOUGHT NEW FJ AUGUST 2008 SPECIAL EDITION. BY JANUARY THE WINDSHIELD HAD A VERY SMALL CHIP AND THEN OVER NIGHT PROCEEDED TO CRACK ACROSS WINDSHIELD ON DRIVERS SIDE. TODAY I WENT TO LUNCH AND THERE HAPPENED TO BE ANOTHER FJ THERE AND I LOOKED AT HIS WINDSHIELD AND HE HAS A CRACK IN THE EXACT SAME LOCATION. THERE MUST BE A DESIGN FLAW. I HAVE SEVERAL CHIPS IN MY WINDSHIELD ON MY 2001 TACOMA AND NONE OF THEM HAVE CRACKED. WHAT'S UP WITH THIS?????? *TR
FJ CRUISER FRONT INNER FENDER IS BULGING OUT INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. IT APPEARS THE FRONT BODY (HOOD + FENDERS) IS CONSTRUCTED WITH TOO THIN A GAUGE OF STEEL CAUSING EXCESSIVE FRONT BODY PANEL FLEXING AND IT'S GIVING OUT AT THE WEAKEST POINT. I HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING AT THIS POINT TO CORRECT IT AS I JUST NOTICED IT AND I'M NOW MONITORING ITS PROGRESSION. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE BULGING WILL PROGRESS INTO THE SHEET METAL RIPPING AS IT HAS DONE ON OTHER FJ CRUISERS THUS REDUCING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE ENGINEERED CRUMPLE ZONE. THIS IS MY DAILY DRIVER AND I TRANSPORT MY CHILDREN (CURRENTLY 3 AND 5 YRS.) ON A DAILY BASIS. SHOULD I BE CONCERNED? *TR
INNER FENDER PANEL BUCKLING ABOVE WHEEL WELL, ON PASSENGER SIDE. HAPPENED UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. CRACK ON OUTSIDE FENDER ALSO. BUCKLE LEADS TO LARGE 3-5 INCH CRACK, AFFECT HOOD CLOSURE AND SECURENESS OF HOOD. *TR
HAD VEHICLE LIFTED BY TOYOTA AND PAID TOYOTA FOR THIS MODIFICATION. APPROX 10 MONTH LATER I SHOWING SIGN OF FENDERS BULGING AND TEARING. THEY HAD ME SIGN A WAVIER THAT WARRANTY MAY NOT COVER MODIFICATIONS AFTER ACCEPTING VEHICLE. YET THERE HAVING VEHICLES LIFTED AND PUT ON THERE LOT TO SELL. I HAVE TALKED TO MANY OTHERS WHO HAVE THIS PROBLEM SOME LIFTED SOME NOT. ALSO TOYOTA HAVE A UPGRADED THE PARTS TO FIX PROBLEM .WHICH I HAVE PICTURES OF. THE PROBLEM IS FRAME FLEXES TO MUCH AND RIPS IN WRINKLE ZONES ON VEHICLE FOR FRONTAL CRASHES. I USES VEHICLE FOR TRAIL RIDING AND HUNTING . AND I ALSO OWN 2 OTHER 4X4 FORD, JEEP AND HAVE NO BODY TEARING ON THEM. *TR
JUST BOUGHT A BRAND NEW FJ CRUISER AND WITHIN 2 MONTHS THE WINDSHIELD IS CRACKED. IN TWO PLACES. THEY ARE IMPACT BUT I HAVE HEARD THIS IS A VERY BIG PROBLEM WITH THE SUVS. *TR
2008 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER IS EXPERIENCING INNER FENDER BULGING. THIS STARTED OCCURRING SHORTLY AFTER BUYING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 4800 MILES. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED AND IN MOST CASES DOES NOT STOP UNTIL THE INNER FENDER IS CRACKED ALL THE WAY THROUGH. OBVIOUSLY, THERE IS SOME SORT OF DESIGN FLAW. *TR
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, SIDE WALL BLOW OUT. VEHICLE PURCHASED NEW HAD 14,000 MILE ON IT. FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT REAR TIRE HAS "BUBBLE" IN SAME AREA. THE VEHICLE IS A 2008 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER. *TR
2008 FJ CRUISER HAS TRAVELED APPROXIMATELY 150 MILES OFF ROAD ON ESTABLISHED TRAILS AND 15000 MILES ON PAVED ROADS. THERE ARE TEARS IN THE INNER FENDER APRONS IN THE CRUMPLE ZONE AND THE NOSE OF THE BODY APPEARS TO BE SAGGING DOWN. THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR IS IMPINGED AND PAINT IS CHIPPING OFF WHEN IT IS OPENED. THE RIPS FORMED SPONTANEOUSLY, THERE HAS BEEN NO COLLISION OR IMPACT ON THE VEHICLE. THE TEARS ARE THROUGH METAL RUNNING FROM THE TOP OF THE CRUMPLE ZONE TO ABOUT A HALF INCH BEFORE THE BOTTOM OF THE CRUMPLE ZONE, THE TEAR IS ABOUT 6 INCHES FROM THE BACK OF THE ENGINE BAY. *TR
I OWN A 2008 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER AND HAVE DRIVEN BOTH ON AND OFF ROAD SINCE FEBRUARY OF 2008. I HAVE NOTICED A POPPING SOUND WHEN OPENING THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR, WHEN THE DEALERSHIP WENT TO LOOK AT WHY THIS WAS HAPPENING THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE INNER FENDER APRON IN THE ENGINE BAY WAS BUCKLED AND TORN IN THE CRUMPLE ZONE EVEN THOUGH I HAVE NEVER STRUCK ANYTHING WITH MY VEHICLE, NOT THE GROUND, NOT ANOTHER CAR, NOTHING. THE RIPS RUN FROM THE TOP OF THE CRUMPLE ZONE TO APPROXIMATELY ONE HALF INCH FROM THE BOTTOM, THE TOP OF THE TEAR IS FOLDING FORWARD SO THAT THE TEAR HAS RESULTED IN AN OPENING IN THE SHAPE OF A V, I ASSUME THIS SHIFT IS WHAT IS CAUSING THE DOOR IMPINGEMENT AGAINST THE QUARTERPANEL. *TR
I BOUGHT A NEW 2008 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER ON 10/18/07 AND MY WINDSHIELD HAS BEEN CHIPPED THREE TIMES NOW(5/8/08). I HAVE TALKED TO SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE AND ALL HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. IN SOME STATES INSURANCE WILL PAY FOR A NEW WINDSHIELD BUT NOT GA. *TR
PURCHASE THE 2008 FJ CRUISER ON OCT. 13TH 2007 WITH LESS THAN 300 MILES ON THE VEHICLE I NOW HAVE A CRACKED WINDSHIELD. I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING HIT THE WINDOWS, BUT NOTICED THE 6 INCH LONG CRACK WHEN I OPENED THE DOOR THIS MORNING (OCT 18) TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO WORK. NOTE: I COULD NOT SHOW THE INCIDENT DATE CORRECTLY AS 2008 IS NOT AVAILABLE FOE SELECTING. *TR
Reading these
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser → · Every FJ Cruiser year → · How the figures are calculated →