2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser

Watch out for

Reputation: what owners and the press report. Tap one to see what to check.

• Water inside All years One source so far

  What to check: Feel for wet or moldy carpet, and look for silt behind the low door seals and stains low on the carpet.

  A blocked air-conditioning drain can cause it. A truck that has been in deep water is one to walk away from.

  Sources ¹¹

• Frame rust or cracks All years One source so far

  What to check: Look at the frame for rust and cracks, above all under the engine.

  Sources ¹¹

• Sagging seats All years One source so far

  What to check: Notice on the test drive whether the seat sinks toward the floor.

  Sources ¹¹

• Faulty off-road electronics All years One source so far

  What to check: Try A-TRAC and the rear locker. A blinking light on the dash means a fault.

  Sources ¹¹

Rare catches

Rare options, colors and interiors to look out for, and whether finding one is good news.

• Good find Trail Teams Ultimate Edition Package

  Only in the last model year¹

  2,500 built¹

  Why it is a good find: AutoGuide says the final Trail Teams Ultimate Edition had all the best off-road equipment Toyota offered from the factory.¹²

• Good find Heritage Blue Color

  Only on the 2014 Trail Teams Ultimate Edition¹

  2,500 built¹

  Why it is a good find: It marks the Trail Teams Ultimate Edition, which AutoGuide says had all the best off-road equipment Toyota offered from the factory.¹²

• Good find Radiant Red Color

  A Trail Teams Special Edition color^5,7

  Why it is a good find: It marks a Trail Teams Special Edition, which AutoGuide names, with the TRD models, the most desirable FJ Cruisers.¹²

Recalls

• 14V475000 2008–2014

  The tire placard may give the wrong spare tire size and pressures.^{13,14,15,16,17,18,19}

• 14V539000 2014

  Lower ball joint or control arm bolts may be loose, which can lead to a loss of steering control.¹⁹

• 15V081000 2014

  A weld on the intermediate steering shaft may be weak. The shaft is replaced.¹⁹

• 20V012000 2014

  The low-pressure fuel pump in the tank can fail and stall the engine.¹⁹

What buyers say

Reputation: what owners and the press report

• Sought after: 2009 and later trucks 2009–2014 One source so far

  Autotrader.ca's used review recommends a 2009 or later, after the cracking around the fenders and door openings was addressed.¹¹

• Avoid: Modified or hard-used trucks Non-factory wheels, tires or suspension Less sought after One source so far

  The same review says to avoid trucks with non-factory wheels, tires or suspension, and any that have been used hard off-road.¹¹

Before you pay

Open the buyer's checklist

Every warning and recall for this generation, with a box to tick.