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Toyota FJ CruiserModel year report

2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser Problems

Compared with other Toyota FJ Cruiser years

More complaints than typical for this model

72/100 1.7× a typical year · 50 = typical

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
124filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
30,300miles, 96 complaints with mileage
Recalls
9campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
18 mpgcombined, 4.0L 6-cyl RWD · 16 city / 20 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2008 FJ Cruiser most often describe braking behavior that feels unpredictable: hitting a bump or rough pavement while braking can make the pedal pulse, go soft, or feel briefly unresponsive, and many say the dealer found nothing wrong. A second common theme is body and underbody condition: buckling or cracking at the inner fender aprons reported early in the vehicle's life, and widespread frame and underbody rust reported by owners of otherwise well-kept vehicles.

  1. Brakes

    ABS activates or pedal fades on bumps while braking

    • 19 complaints (15%)
    • median 17,250 mi at 2.4 yrs old (18 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2009–2021

    Owners describe hitting a bump, pothole, or rough patch while braking and having the pedal pulse, go soft, or push back, with the vehicle continuing past the intended stopping point. Several say releasing and reapplying the pedal restores braking, sometimes abruptly hard. Others report the opposite: light pedal pressure producing full-force braking. Complaints often note the dealer could not reproduce the problem or described the behavior as normal for the vehicle. Mostly reported under 30,000 miles, at ordinary street and highway speeds, typically on uneven or bumpy pavement.

    What to check: Drive the vehicle over a rough patch while braking and see whether the pedal pulses or the truck fails to slow as expected; ask whether brake fluid, pads, and ABS-related repairs have been documented.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Brake issue: unresponsive at first... The pedal stutters a bit and doesn't seem to engage the brake. Then I release and re-apply and then it become over-responsive. This issue has happened to me approximately 3 times since I purchased in 12/2008. All incidents occurred as I was coming to a stop at an intersection.”

    NHTSA complaint #10314471, filed 2010-02, 10,000 miles

    “My Toyota Fj Cruiser has an issue involving the anti-lock braking system. If I hit a bump while decelerating, the ABS pulses in such a way that it is impossible to stop safely at my original planned stopping point. If, for example, I am decelerating and plan on stopping within 100 yards at a stop sign, and I hit a pot hole, the ABS will pulse (engage brakes briefly, disengage them, then engage again repeatedly) in such a fashion that I will stop several yards beyond the stop sign. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10323879, filed 2010-04, 10,302 miles
  2. Body and structure

    Frame and underbody rust

    • 26 complaints (21%)
    • median 84,500 mi at 12.3 yrs old (14 state mileage)
    • filed 2019–2026

    Owners report heavy corrosion on the frame, body mounts, brake lines, brackets, suspension parts, and fuel tank straps, often on vehicles they describe as maintained and not driven in salt water. Some describe brackets flaking apart or a fuel tank strap letting go, and rusted steering shaft joints that make steering stiff. Several mention the dealer or manufacturer did not offer assistance. Reports range from around 30,000 miles up to well over 150,000 miles, and several owners describe rust appearing within a few years of new.

    What to check: Inspect the frame rails, body mounts, tank straps, and brake lines from underneath, ideally on a lift, and ask about the vehicle's history in road-salt or coastal areas.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “We bought our Fj Cruiser new in 2008. I have meticulously maintained (with sevice records from Toyota dealership), and I ha e always kept it meticulous inside and out. The vehicle is a 2008 with 100k miles and looks brand new up top... However the undercarriage is a completely different story. No matter how often I cleaned the frame, suspension, and drivetrain I could not keep the rust at bay, now I'm extremely concerned about my families safety. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11301447, filed 2020-01, 30,000 miles

    “The rear gas tank strap snapped on the vehicle (the strap side facing to the outside of the vehicle). The strap failed due to rust. The strap must have snapped when I hit a bump in the road. However, I did not know that the strap had failed until I happened to be standing behind the vehicle one day and noticed the tank sagging. Therefore, I do not know how many days that I had been driving around with the tank hanging, supported only by the front strap. But I think that possibly I noticed the failure within one day of the failure. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11353449, filed 2020-09, 160,277 miles
  3. Body and structure

    Inner fender apron buckling and cracking

    • 15 complaints (12%)
    • median 15,700 mi at 1.5 yrs old (15 state mileage)
    • filed 2008–2017

    Owners describe bulging in the inner fender apron area near the hood hinges, which progresses to visible cracks through the metal and, in some cases, sagging of the front body or a door contacting the fender. Complaints say this happens without any collision or impact, and one owner reports a body shop estimate for the repair. Often reported at low mileage, from a few thousand to around 40,000 miles, with no crash or impact involved.

    What to check: Open the hood and look for bulges, paint cracking, or visible tears along the inner fender aprons and hood hinge areas, and check that the hood and doors close evenly.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “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. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10279074, filed 2009-08, 19,744 miles

    “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.”

    NHTSA complaint #10248777, filed 2008-11, 4,800 miles
  4. Seat belts

    Seat belts slow or fail to retract

    • 10 complaints (8%)
    • median 85,500 mi at 9.5 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2013–2023

    Owners report the front seat belt retractors becoming slow or stopping entirely, leaving the belt hanging loose or fully extended. Some describe the problem appearing before or after recall work on the door-mounted retractors, and some say a retractor needed replacement or that the vehicle was not covered. Mostly reported between about 45,000 and 170,000 miles; a few owners mention it at lower mileage.

    Recall 13V098000

    What to check: Pull each front belt out fully and let it go to see whether it retracts smoothly, and check whether recall 13V098000 reinforcement work was completed.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Driver side seat belt retractor stopped working. Seat belt is fully extended and will not retract the seat belt. Online research shows seat belt retractor springs are rusting internally, thus preventing the retractor from returning the seat belt to normal position. Driving, parking, etc. Will not result in the seat belt retracting at all.”

    NHTSA complaint #11033499, filed 2017-10, 170,000 miles

    “Seat belt re tractor for drivers side inoperable and will not retract. I contacted local dealership as well as Toyota mgr whom stated there as no recall nor where they aware there was a problem. Vehicle was stationary when defect occurred. The belt now hangs loose and cannot be used”

    NHTSA complaint #10957375, filed 2017-02, 86,000 miles

Buying note. On this model year, brake feel on rough pavement and underbody corrosion are the two things most worth verifying before purchase: a test drive over broken pavement and a close look underneath will tell you more than service records alone. Also confirm that open recalls, particularly the front seat belt anchorage recall, have been completed.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 124 consumer complaints for the 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser. 96 of the complaints include a mileage, and 65% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 30,300 miles. Of all complaints, 5 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 3 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns and 165 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 3 Toyota FJ Cruiser model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 72 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (more complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Electrical system (4), Air bags (2), Engine cooling (2), Equipment (2), Tires (2), Wheels (2), Electronic stability control (1), Latches, locks and linkages (1).

Example complaints

Body and structure: “I have complained to Toyota about the rust form the start of ownership, there response was that the frames were made in america. Does matter where it was made just the super poor quality of the metal. I believe this is the same frame as the tundra's and they are all recalled why not the fj cruisers?”

NHTSA complaint #11232182, filed 2019-07, 96,000 miles

Brakes: “I purchased new a 2008 Toyota Fj Cruiser 2 wheel drive with automatic transmission. Since ownership from march 2009 to date, I have been experiencing a lurching forward of the vehicle while the brakes are applied and at a full stop. This lurching forward occurs when the air conditioner is on and at the time that the air conditioner clutch engages. …”

NHTSA complaint #10313429, filed 2010-02, 150 miles

Other or unknown: “Momentary loss of braking capability while traveling over an uneven road surface, pothole or bump. This has been going on for the past 2 years. Complained to dealer last september. They looked at vehicle and said there was nothing wrong. I can duplicate the issue on our road which is uneven and has bumps. Happened this morning as I came to work. Suv speeds up while pressing brake over bumps then brakes catch and it if were not for a seat belt I would go through the windshield!”

NHTSA complaint #10308677, filed 2010-02, 31,500 miles

Suspension: “The frame on my Fj Cruiser it literately rotting to nothing. As are most produced from 2007 - 2012 I have begged Toyota for help and a resolution like with the tundra and tacoma frame rotting issues. This is a major safety issue and someone is going to get hurt or killed. My control are in rotting away from the frame. As you can see in the picture the this is bad bad. Fj cruiser was stationary.”

NHTSA complaint #11231070, filed 2019-07, 200,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

65% of the 96 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 15,000 and 75,000 miles.

18%0–1023%10–2524%25–509%50–7510%75–1006%100–1509%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (96 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 30,300 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’0827’11’14’17’20’23’26
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
FJ Cruiser · sedan RWD/AWDnot rated5 / 4——3 · 26.7% risk

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
FJ Cruiser 2WD4.0L 6-cyl5-speed automatic162018$4,550
FJ Cruiser 4WD4.0L 6-cyl5-speed automatic162017$4,850
FJ Cruiser 4WD4.0L 6-cyl6-speed manual151816$5,150

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

See all 9 recalls for the 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 165 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 165 bulletins →

Other model years of the Toyota FJ Cruiser

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20143031,1105—181 · FewerFalling
20132320,5004—18—Falling
2012416,8504—1925 · FewerFalling
20112315,0006—19—Stable
20106614,50010—1966 · MoreFalling
2009768,00010—18—Not enough data
200812430,3009—1872 · MoreFalling
200759353,0008—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All Toyota FJ Cruiser model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser?

Owners of the 2008 FJ Cruiser most often describe braking behavior that feels unpredictable: hitting a bump or rough pavement while braking can make the pedal pulse, go soft, or feel briefly unresponsive, and many say the dealer found nothing wrong. The issues reported most often: ABS activates or pedal fades on bumps while braking; Frame and underbody rust; Inner fender apron buckling and cracking.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser have?

NHTSA recorded 124 consumer complaints for the 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser is reported most often?

Body and structure is named most often, in 42 complaints (34% of the total), followed by brakes with 35.

Has the 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser been recalled?

NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser get?

The EPA rates the 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser (FJ Cruiser 2WD, 4.0L 6-cyl) at 18 mpg combined, 16 city and 20 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,550 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser reported?

Among the 96 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 30,300 miles and the middle half falls between 15,000 and 75,000 miles; 65% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.