repaired · 2017 Q4
Front assembly: seat heater/cooler
Risk. If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
2009 Toyota FJ CruiserProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 7 owner complaints about the 2009 Toyota FJ Cruiser, most often about the power train. It is covered by 10 safety recalls, and for recall 16V-396 the manufacturer reports only 24% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through August 5, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Calreyn88, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2009 Toyota FJ Cruiser has problems
7 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
3Power train
2Suspension
2Seat belts
2Structure
1Visibility
1Service brakes, electric
1Vehicle speed control
1Air bags
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 3 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes, electric | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
10 recalls
2009 Toyota FJ Cruiser recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2016 Q2
Front assembly: seat heater/cooler
Risk. Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.
repaired · 2016 Q1
Other: labels
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…
no report yet
Exterior lighting
Risk. Light intensities above the maximum allowable limit could cause increased glare for oncoming traffic and increase the risk of a crash.
Show 6 more recalls
no report yet
Front: anchorage
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…
no report yet
Frontal: sensor/control module-inactive
Risk. If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for…
no report yet
Tires: pressure monitoring and regulating systems
Risk. FAILURE TO WARN OF TIRE DEFLATIONS IS A NON-COMPLIANCE WITH FMVSS 138 AND COULD LEAD TO TIRE FAILURE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
no report yet
Other: labels
Risk. A DRIVER MAY OVERLOAD A VEHICLE WHICH MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
no report yet
no report yet
Other: labels
Risk. INCORRECT LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS COULD RESULT IN THE VEHICLE BEING OVERLOADED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Toyota.
Best & worst years
2009 vs. every other FJ Cruiser year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the FJ Cruiser median. How we score
'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2009 Toyota FJ Cruiser safety ratings
2009 Toyota FJ Cruiser w/SAB 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Rollover: 3 stars (26.7% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words
What FJ Cruiser owners report
Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
THERE IS RUST ON THE VEHICLE FRAME THAT IS FAR WORSE THAN REASONABLE FOR A VEHICLE OF THIS AGE. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES FROM THIS TIME AND IS KNOWN TO BE CAUSED BY COMPROMISES THAT TOYOTA MADE IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ENTERING INTO TRAFFIC, HE HEARD A BREAKING NOISE AS THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD FRACTURED INTO SEVERAL PIECES. THE VEHICLE…
THE TOYOTA FJ CRUISER'S SEAT BELT IS ENGINEERED HAZARD BASED ON IN SEAM DESIGN OF THE CHASIS. IN THE EVENT OF A SIDE IMPACT COLLISION OR THE SEVERANCE OF THE DOOR FROM THE BODY OR SHELL OF THE VEHICLE THE PASSENGER CAN BE EXTREMELY INJURED BY THE DESIGN OF SEAT BELT, OR CATAPULTED FROM THE VEHICLE.…
Own a 2009 FJ Cruiser?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.