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Toyota FJ CruiserModel year report

2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser Problems

Compared with other Toyota FJ Cruiser years

More complaints than typical for this model

66/100 1.4× a typical year · 50 = typical

Nearby years with fewer complaints than typical and no open NHTSA investigation: 2012

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
66filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
14,500miles, 55 complaints with mileage
Recalls
10campaigns 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
19 mpgcombined, 4.0L 6-cyl RWD · 17 city / 22 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2010 FJ Cruiser most often describe a front-end vibration or steering-wheel shimmy at highway speeds and brakes that feel inconsistent, especially when a wheel passes over a bump, manhole cover, or wet pavement. A second cluster of complaints concerns corrosion of the frame and underbody parts, reported from low mileage on older vehicles. Most other reports are single occurrences across tires, wheels, seat belts, and interior hardware.

  1. Brakes

    Brake pedal vibration and inconsistent braking

    • 16 complaints (24%)
    • median 4,800 mi at 1.7 yrs old (15 state mileage)
    • filed 2010–2019

    Owners describe the brake pedal pulsing or vibrating under braking, most often at highway speeds, and several mention that the front rotors were found warped. Others report the pedal going to the floor or brakes briefly losing effect when a wheel passes over a bump, pothole, or slick surface, with normal braking returning after releasing and reapplying the pedal. Complaints also describe rusty front brake lines on older, high-mileage vehicles. Pulsing is often reported from a few thousand to about 30,000 miles; loss-of-braking episodes are described at low mileage and again at higher mileage.

    1 related service bulletin

    What to check: Brake firmly from highway speed and feel for pedal or wheel vibration, and check the condition of the rotors and brake lines underneath. A service bulletin addresses brake pad noise, not pedal pulsation, so ask for service records rather than assuming a fix applies.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “As I approached a red light in my 2010 Fj Cruiser the brakes seemed to have a mind of their own in that when I depressed the brake the vehicle would lunge forward and stop repeatedly I narrowly avoided rear ending the vehicle in front of me. I have read about this being a problem for other fj owners on an internet forum and it appears to be a problem with the ABS.”

    NHTSA complaint #10384564, filed 2011-02, 4,800 miles

    “My truck speed was 60-65 MPH and my steering wheel began wobbling. I took it to dealer and they said nothing was wrong. Last week I serviced my truck and rotated and balanced the tires. Still same steering wheel wobbling. In high speed my steering wheel feels very loose. I don't know if there is a power steering problem or just simple tire balance. Other problem is my brakes. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10418811, filed 2011-08, 4,300 miles
  2. Steering

    Steering wheel shimmy at highway speed

    • 14 complaints (21%)
    • median 5,000 mi at 1.0 yrs old (13 state mileage)
    • filed 2010–2021

    Complaints describe a vibration or shake in the steering wheel that appears in a band of roughly 50-70 mph and is not present at lower or higher speeds. Owners report repeated tire balancing, road-force balancing, alignments, and in some cases new tires and wheels without a lasting fix. Several say the dealer described the behavior as normal for the vehicle, and some describe needing constant steering correction to hold a lane. Often reported within the first few thousand miles, with some owners noting it from new.

    What to check: Drive the vehicle at 55-70 mph on a smooth road and watch for wheel shake or a wandering feel. Ask whether wheels have been road-force balanced and whether alignment records exist.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “#8 - steering problem of the 2010 Toyota Fj Cruiser the vehicle is a 2010 Toyota Fj Cruiser. This vehicle can not maintain safe highway speeds of 55 to 60 MPH due to severe wheel shimmy. I have had these wheels force balance about a dozen times, still having the same issue. Why won't Toyota look into this problem. I have tried new tires and still the same problem, so I put back the original tires and replace the rims, still the same problem..this is costing consumers a lot of money and time. Now I am replacing the rotors to see if that helps. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10526364, filed 2013-07, 100 miles

    “This vehicle can not maintain safe highway speeds of 55 MPH due to severe wheel shimmy. I have ask day Toyota, and spitzer Toyota and I get the same results, nothing can be done. I have been told it is the tires. I have replace both wheel and tires and have the same result. I have done research on Toyota forums and the 2010 and new Toyota fj cruisers are having a problem, and Toyota will not do anything on this safety issue. My concern I losing control at highway speeds.”

    NHTSA complaint #10460588, filed 2012-06
  3. Body and structure

    Frame and underbody rust

    • 13 complaints (20%)
    • median 70,000 mi at 10.0 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2012–2026

    Complaints describe rust coating large areas of the frame, often found while washing the vehicle or working underneath it. Some report perforation or a crack in the frame, and others mention corroded fuel tank straps, fuel lines, and suspension parts found at the same time. Owners frequently note that mechanics identified the frame as the main concern. Reported from as little as about 14,500 miles up to well over 100,000 miles, typically on vehicles several years old.

    4 related service bulletins

    What to check: Inspect the frame rails, crossmembers, fuel tank straps, and brake lines from underneath, ideally on a lift, and look for flaking scale or holes. The service bulletins listed concern water intrusion and odor, not frame corrosion, so they are not a remedy for rust.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Own a 2010 Toyota Fj Cruiser. The frame is covered in rust. I have researched this and know this is an on going problem with these vehicles. Toyota should be doing something about this. We found even more rust recently once we had a change to get under the vehicle. No car I have owned at this much rust on it in such a short time.”

    NHTSA complaint #11287733, filed 2019-12, 67,300 miles

    “The rear fuel tank mounting strap rusted in half. After filling vehicle with fuel and driving 10 miles home, I noticed the skid plate hanging down that covers the fuel tank. The plastic skid plate started to crack from the weight of the tank. The design of the skid plate to the tank allows moisture and contaminants to reside between the two, rotting the straps. Thankfully I noticed this as if I had kept driving I fear the tank would have completely fallen out of the vehicle. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11700752, filed 2025-11
  4. Wheels

    Broken wheel studs

    Mentioned in 5 of 57 sampled complaints

    Owners report wheel studs snapping during routine tire rotation or when changing to winter wheels, in some cases several studs on one wheel. Complaints describe the breakage occurring with a torque wrench in use and on vehicles with only a few thousand miles. Repairs were typically done with replacement studs, sometimes aftermarket. Mostly reported under about 15,000 miles, often at the first tire rotation.

    Recall 11V148000Recall 14V475000

    What to check: Ask whether any studs have been replaced and have a shop check all studs and lug torque before rotating tires. The recalls listed concern tire placard information and TPMS with accessory wheels, not stud strength.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “2010 Toyota Fj Cruiser wheel studs failed when removing bolts to rotate tires. American tire center of palmdale california originally installed four new tires with less than 10k mi. On odometer. At approximately 15k mi. When same company attempted to remove wheels for routine tire rotation the wheel studs began breaking one after the other. 4 out of 6 wheel studs failed on front right wheel alone. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10375317, filed 2011-01, 15,000 miles

    “Wheel stud broke off when changing to winter tires. A torque wrench was used to prevent overtorqueing. The car has 3247 miles. No one had touched the wheels until today. According to my research, this is a common problem seen with 2010 Toyota Fj Cruiser and 2010 Toyota 4runner models. Nhtsa should ask Toyota to institute a safety recall for the dealers to inspect and replace any damaged wheel studs. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10370032, filed 2010-12, 3,247 miles

Buying note. Check the frame and underbody for corrosion before anything else, then drive at highway speed to confirm the steering and brakes feel steady. Service records for tire balancing, brake work, and any wheel stud replacement are worth asking for.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 57 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 66 consumer complaints for the 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser. 55 of the complaints include a mileage, and 64% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 14,500 miles. Of all complaints, 3 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 3 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns and 190 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 66 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 (2), Tires (2), Electronic stability control (1), Engine (1), Seats (1), Transmission and drivetrain (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1).

Example complaints

Brakes: “The vehicle was parked in my drive way. Squirrels chewed the wiring harness causing loss of ABS braking, stability control and loss of windshield wipers (during a rain). I understand Toyota uses food based insulation in the 2010 Fj Cruiser. A nice source of squirrel food. From the bare wires and squirrel nesting, it is a wonder my engine compartment didn't catch fire. I believe the squirrel nest building was due to the close food source.”

NHTSA complaint #11010821, filed 2017-07, 60,000 miles

Steering: “Seat belt does not retract properly, it hangs up after a few inches. The frequency of this problem is 90% of the retracts. I told the dealer 4 times, they stated they couldn't find the problem. I scoff. Steering my car requires constant input to go straight, especially on the freeways. Before I know it I'm in the next lane. There is no neutral area in the center while going straight. I had an alignment and replaced all the tires, it still has this hazard. Brakes they pulse when slowing only at high speed. (65 MPH) I do not ride the brakes, or run the car hard. …”

NHTSA complaint #11115094, filed 2018-08, 5,000 miles

Body and structure: “2010 Toyota Fj Cruiser; the hood latch keeps releasing thanks to the safety catch it hasn't opened all the way yet. This has happened three (3) times already on the highway I am going to have to tie it down I cant figure what is wrong why it stays shut for some time then just happens to open and I can see the hood bounce up and down.this could cause a real problem if the safety catch fails as well?”

NHTSA complaint #10515891, filed 2013-06, 26,000 miles

Wheels: “I have a copied a post I found regarding 2007 fj's, as I had the same problem with my '07 fj, and after 6 months of repairs and no solutions, I traded it in for a 2010 fj, and now I'm having the same exact problems, as described below: I have a 2007 Toyota fj. The steering seems terribly weak and unpredictable. I've had the wheels aligned three times, but the problem continues. Toyota says the there is no issue but that the steering on this style vehicle is just sensitive. …”

NHTSA complaint #10460643, filed 2012-06, 31,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

64% of the 55 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 2,980 and 67,300 miles.

47%0–107%10–259%25–5016%50–755%75–10013%100–1502%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (55 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 14,500 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.

11’11’13’15’18’20’22’24’26
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 2010 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 2010 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 automatic172219$3,550
FJ Cruiser 4WD4.0L 6-cyl5-speed automatic172118$3,700
FJ Cruiser 4WD4.0L 6-cyl6-speed manual151917$3,950

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 10 recalls for the 2010 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. 190 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 190 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 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser?

Owners of the 2010 FJ Cruiser most often describe a front-end vibration or steering-wheel shimmy at highway speeds and brakes that feel inconsistent, especially when a wheel passes over a bump, manhole cover, or wet pavement. The issues reported most often: Brake pedal vibration and inconsistent braking; Steering wheel shimmy at highway speed; Frame and underbody rust.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser have?

NHTSA recorded 66 consumer complaints for the 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser as of Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser is reported most often?

Brakes is named most often, in 17 complaints (26% of the total), followed by steering with 13.

Has the 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser been recalled?

NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser get?

The EPA rates the 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser (FJ Cruiser 2WD, 4.0L 6-cyl) at 19 mpg combined, 17 city and 22 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,550 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser reported?

Among the 55 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 14,500 miles and the middle half falls between 2,980 and 67,300 miles; 64% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 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.