2012 Toyota FJ Cruiser: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
40 NHTSA owner complaints · 5 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 40 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 2.86
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
My frame is corroding at a rapid rate and needs to be addressed by Toyota! I truly believe that this was cheap way of selling cars without the proper undercoating affecting these trucks later on most Toyota trucks had the frames replaced buy the dealers with the same problems that these fj cruisers have, this needs to be addressed asap.
The contact owns a 2012 Toyota FJ Cruiser. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact became aware that the passenger’s side seat belt was inoperable. The seat belt was not able to stretch or lock into place. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure milea…
Took vehicle to a machine shop to have frame undercoated. The machinist found that the frame had holes in it due to rust. He found that the tab gusset bracelet was cracked ( the part of the frame that holds the A-Arm in place). He said that the vehicle was not safe to drive and needs a new frame. The vehicle has 109,000 miles on it. Toyota should have a recall on all Toyota FJ.I contacted Toyota and was denied any h…
Recalls: 5 campaigns (1 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 14V475000 | Equipment:Other:Labels | 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. |
| 13V123000 | Equipment:Other:Labels | 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… |
| 13V098000 | Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage | 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. |
| 12E046000 | Equipment | Toyota is recalling certain Toyota Racing Development (TRD) brake kits, P/N PTR09-35070, and TRD High-Performance brake kits, P/N PTR09-35100, installed by Toyota vehicle processing centers and sold by Toyota dealers as an optional accessory for model year 2007 through 2012 Toyota FJ Cruiser vehicles. The subject TRD brake kit is specifically designed for… |
| 13V163000 | Exterior Lighting | 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… |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a full-size SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 19 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,250
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Structure11 complaints · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,070–$2,920
- Steering9 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Unknown Or Other8 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Seat Belts5 complaints · typical job: Pretensioner or retractor replacement (1.5 h labour + parts)$360–$800
- Suspension5 complaints · typical job: Struts, springs and control-arm bushings, one axle (4.0 h labour + parts)$780–$1,580
- Wheels3 complaints · typical job: Wheel bearing or hub replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$460–$920
Other Toyota FJ Cruiser years
Toyota FJ Cruiser years to avoid, and the best years to buy →
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Toyota FJ Cruiser?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Structure (11 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2012 Toyota FJ Cruiser a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 80/100, computed from 40 NHTSA complaints and 5 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2012 Toyota FJ Cruiser's most common problem?
11 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2012 Toyota FJ Cruiser sit in the Structure group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is body, subframe or corrosion repair: about 6.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,070–$2,920 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2012 Toyota FJ Cruiser cost to run per year?
About $5,724 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $28,620 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2012 Toyota FJ Cruiser have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for the 2012 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 1 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 04/08/2014. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other fullsize suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2012 Toyota FJ Cruiser really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Thin evidence — 40 complaints, 5 recalls on record
- 40 NHTSA complaints on record (2.9/yr of exposure) — in line with a typical year of this model (2.5/yr)
- 5 recall campaigns, 1 touching safety-critical systems
- Thin complaint record — this score is held close to the model's own average rather than read as evidence of quality