Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 30 complaints with NHTSA about the 2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser, and it carries 5 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | 8 | 27% |
| Steering | 4 | 13% |
| Fuel system | 3 | 10% |
| Service brakes | 3 | 10% |
| Electrical system | 2 | 7% |
| Suspension | 1 | 3% |
| Structure | 1 | 3% |
| Engine | 1 | 3% |
| Suspension | 1 | 3% |
| Seat belts | 1 | 3% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
Intermediate Steering Shaft Weld Failure: Recall concern. My car was built 7/25/2014. Recalls were initiated for FJ’s within the following date ranges 8/7/2013 - 8/20/2013 for this issue. My FJ has the same issue confirm
NHTSA complaint: Steering
The contact owns a 2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser. The contact stated that while cleaning underneath the vehicle, the contact discovered that the subframe was severely corroded. The dealer was made aware of the failure; however,
NHTSA complaint: Structure
Mice or rats consume the soy-based wires. They consumed one of the fuel injection wires on my 2014 FJ. The Toyota dealership charged me $896 for the new connector that was located under the intake manifold.
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
Excessive frame rust causing safety issue with suspension and crash danger. Yes my vehicle is available for inspection. My safety as well as other drivers safety are put at risk if the suspension fails causing my vehicle
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
FRAME IS SEVERELY RUSTING. WE TOOK TO TOYOTA DEALER TO GET A LOOSE SKID PLATE ATTACHED, AND MECHANIC TOLD US THAT THEY HAD TO REMOVE IT BECAUSE "THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT TO ATTACH TO AS THE FRAME HAS RUSTED AWAY. THE FRA
NHTSA complaint: Structure
Rear Body Mount rotted, frame very rusted and thin, could pose issue with structure. All the times bringing to dealer, nothing was mentioned regarding how bad the frame was.
NHTSA complaint: Structure
Frame corrosion and complete frame failure. The area compromised affected the steering of the vehicle. Luckily, the failure was discovered before failure at Highway speeds . No warning of any kind prior to failure. The
NHTSA complaint: Structure
Notable frame rust and corrosion. Available for inspection upon request. Safety risk if any parts of frame are rusted through and vehicle has no structural support. Confirmed by independent service center. Inspected dur
NHTSA complaint: Structure
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Toyota 4Runner, Tacoma, FJ Cruiser, Land Cruiser, RAV4, Scion FRS, and XB vehicles. The affected vehicles may have accessories installed by SET, such as running boards or other items, that were incorrectly installed.
Risk: Accessories that detach from a vehicle may result in a vehicle crash and/or personal injury.
Fix: SET will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and tighten the affected bolts, free of charge. The recall began February 23, 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's nu
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2014 FJ Cruiser vehicles equipped with an optional "Trail Teams Ultimate Edition" package, in which the front shock absorbers and springs were replaced at vehicle processing centers. In some of these vehicles the bolt
Risk: In this condition, one or both bolts could become loose during driving and fall out. If both bolts fall out from the front lower ball joint or the front suspension lower arm, these components could d
Fix: Toyota will notify owners of vehicles with the optional package installed, and dealers will inspect the torque of the bolts. If the bolts are found to be loose, dealers will retighten them to the pro
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
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
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2014 FJ Cruiser vehicles manufactured August 7, 2013, to August 20, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the intermediate steering shaft which connects the steering wheel and the steering gear box may have an inadequate we
Risk: If the intermediate steering shaft weld fails, there would be a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the intermediate steering shaft, free of charge. The recall began on March 6, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.
| Reliability raw | 72 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 80 | excellent |
| Maintenance | 78 | good |
| Depreciation | 75 | good |
| Performance | 65 | good |
| Efficiency | 35 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 30 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and structure is the most reported area with 8 of them (27%). There are 5 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 72/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 80/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2014 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 71/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.