2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated May 8, 2026 · 23 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other FJ Cruiser years
Fewer complaints than other years 6th of 10 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 23 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser. That ranks 6th out of 10 FJ Cruiser model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is structure (10 complaints, 43%), typically at around 61,000 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 3 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year.

Toyota FJ Cruiser
Toyota FJ Cruiser in Bakersfield. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: Alexander Migl, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Structure10 · ~61,000 mi
Suspension6 · ~700 mi
Air Bags3 · ~54,140 mi
Steering3 · ~8,350 mi
Electrical System2 · ~83,280 mi
Power Train2 · ~144,000 mi
Service Brakes2 · ~12,889 mi
Unknown or Other2
Visibility/wiper2 · ~2,625 mi
Fuel/propulsion System1
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Structure1043%61,000——
Suspension626%700——
Air Bags313%54,140——
Steering313%8,350——
Electrical System29%83,280——
Power Train29%144,000——
Service Brakes29%12,889——
Unknown or Other29%———
Visibility/wiper29%2,625——
Fuel/propulsion System14%———
Wheels14%700——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2021, with 6 complaints
2012: 1201212013: 3201332014: 2201422016: 1201612019: 3201932020: 2202022021: 6202162022: 1202212024: 1202412025: 1202512026: 220262

n = 23 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser recalls (4)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Equipment:other:labelsAug 4, 2014 · NHTSA campaign 14V475000 · 20,000 vehicles

Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2008-2014 FJ Cruiser and Tacoma vehicles equipped with accessory wheels and tires installed by Toyota or dealers prior to the vehicle's first sale. The affected vehicles may list incorrect spare tire size and/or cold tire inflation information on the tire placard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 110, "Tire Selection and Rims for Passenger Cars."

Risk: If the spare tire is inflated to the incorrect pressure provided on the placard, tire failure may occur while it is being driven on, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: For the involved vehicles, overlay stickers to correct the tire placard will either be mailed to owners or provided to dealers for placement over the incorrect information on the placard. The recall is expected to begin in September 2014. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

Exterior lightingApr 25, 2013 · NHTSA campaign 13V163000 · 208,000 vehicles

Problem: Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2007-2013 FJ Cruiser vehicles manufactured January 25, 2006 through February 23, 2013 and equipped with a Toyota Auxiliary Driving Lamp Kits mounted to the front bumper. These lamp assemblies include 55 watt bulbs and due to this wattage and mounting angle, the combination of the upper beam headlamps plus the auxiliary lamps are too bright and exceed the maximum light output allowed for an upper beam headlamp. Therefore, these vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."

Risk: Light intensities above the maximum allowable limit could cause increased glare for oncoming traffic and increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the 55 watt bulbs with 35 watt bulbs, free of charge. The recall began on June 6, 2013. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

Equipment:other:labelsApr 9, 2013 · NHTSA campaign 13V123000 · 7,525 vehicles

Problem: Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2010-2013 Toyota Tundra, 2010-2012 Rav4, 2012 Toyota Sequoia, 2010-2011 Toyota Corolla, 2010-2011 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser, 2010-2013 Toyota Venza, 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner, 2010-2013 Toyota Tacoma, 2011-2012 Toyota Sienna, 2012 Toyota Prius, 2013 Scion FR-S, 2011 Scion XD, 2011 Scion XB, and 2012 Scion TC vehicles. These vehicles were sold with labels that were outside the allowable one percent of accuracy of actual weight added. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) Number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Risk: An inaccurate label could lead to owners overloading their vehicles and tires. An overloaded vehicle can result in a tire failure which may result in a vehicle crash, personal injury, or property damage.

Fix: Southeast Toyota will notify owners and provide a corrected label with instructions concerning its installation. A small group of the affected vehicles will need additonal remedies which are still being developed. The recall began on May 28, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.

Seat belts:front:anchorageMar 15, 2013 · NHTSA campaign 13V098000 · 209,000 vehicles

Problem: Toyota is recalling certain model year 2007 through 2013 FJ Cruiser passenger vehicles. The retractors for the front driver and passenger seat belts are mounted in the access door (rear door) panels of the vehicle. Due to insufficient strength of the access door panel, cracks may develop in the panel if the access door is repeatedly and forcefully closed over an extended period of time.

Risk: If cracks occur in the panel around the lower retractor anchor, the seat belt retractor could become detached, which could increase the risk of injury to an occupant in the event of a crash.

Fix: The safety recall began on June 6, 2013. Toyota will mail an interim letter to owners late in April 2013. Remedy notifications to the owners for the repair will begin in late May 2013. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

Please consider opening or expanding an investigation into frame, underbody, brake-line, and suspension-mount corrosion affecting Toyota FJ Cruisers. I own a 2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser 4WD. A professional inspection found multiple fluid leaks, heavy rust, rusted exhaust, leaking rear shocks, and brake…

Structure · received May 8, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11736593

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…

Steering · received Feb 11, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11717366

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

Air Bags · received Mar 14, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11648412

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…

Structure · received Aug 5, 2024 · NHTSA complaint 11606446

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 &…

Suspension · received May 23, 2022 · NHTSA complaint 11465817

Other Toyota FJ Cruiser years

← 2012 FJ Cruiser · 2014 FJ Cruiser →

See all Toyota FJ Cruiser problems by year, every Toyota model, or the Toyota VIN decoder.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser?

Owners most often report structure, suspension, air bags problems. The top one, structure, accounts for 10 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser?

Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser a good year?

Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other FJ Cruiser model years, the 2013 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.