The 2014 FJ Cruiser with the 1GR-FE 4.0L V6 is generally bulletproof, but suffers from secondary water pump failures, exhaust manifold cracks, and occasional transmission oil cooler leaks. The engine rebuild frequency in repair data is concerning and points to oil consumption issues affecting some units.
Excessive Oil Consumption / Piston Ring Failure
Occasional · high severity
Typical onset: 80,000-150,000 mi
Symptoms: Burning a quart or more every 1,000 miles, Blue smoke on startup or acceleration, Fouled spark plugs, misfires, Low oil pressure warning if neglected
Fix: Piston ring replacement requires full engine teardown, honing cylinders, new rings, gaskets, and timing components. 25-35 labor hours. Some opt for reman short block swap instead at similar labor cost.
Estimated cost: $4,500-7,500
Secondary Water Pump Failure
Common · medium severity
Typical onset: 60,000-100,000 mi
Symptoms: Coolant leak near firewall on passenger side, Reduced heat from HVAC, Whining or grinding noise from pump, Check engine light with heater circuit code
Fix: Electric auxiliary pump behind the engine. Access requires moving intake components or working from underneath. 2-3 hours labor, OEM pump recommended over aftermarket.
Estimated cost: $400-650
Exhaust Manifold Cracking
Common · medium severity
Typical onset: 70,000-120,000 mi
Symptoms: Ticking or tapping sound that increases with RPM, loudest when cold, Exhaust smell in cabin, Visible cracks between runners or at collector, May trigger O2 sensor codes eventually
Fix: Rear manifold (bank 2) cracks more often due to heat retention. Manifold replacement requires removing heat shields, O2 sensors, and sometimes starter. 4-6 hours per side. Aftermarket headers are an upgrade path but require tuning.
Estimated cost: $800-1,400
Transmission Oil Cooler Line Leaks
Occasional · medium severity
Typical onset: 90,000-140,000 mi
Symptoms: ATF puddle under front of vehicle, Low transmission fluid level, Harsh or delayed shifts if fluid level drops, Pink fluid residue on radiator or frame
Fix: Steel lines corrode where they connect to cooler at radiator. Replace both lines and cooler if integrated into radiator. 2-3 hours labor, requires lift and draining coolant. Flush transmission after repair.
Estimated cost: $500-900
Front Lower Ball Joint Wear
Common · high severity
Typical onset: 80,000-120,000 mi
Symptoms: Clunking over bumps from front suspension, Wandering or loose steering feel, Excessive tire wear on inside edge, Failed state safety inspection
Fix: Ball joints are pressed into lower control arms. Some techs replace entire arm for ease (2 hours per side), others press new joints in (3-4 hours per side including alignment). Toyota issued recall for some units. Always do alignment after.
Estimated cost: $600-1,200
Evaporator Core Leaks
Occasional · medium severity
Typical onset: 100,000-150,000 mi
Symptoms: Oily film on windshield inside, Sweet smell from vents, AC blows warm, low refrigerant pressure, Refrigerant won't hold charge after refill
Fix: Evaporator is buried behind the entire dash assembly. Dash removal, HVAC box disassembly, evap replacement, reassembly, vacuum test, recharge. 12-16 hours labor. This is a dash-out job — expensive but permanent fix.
Estimated cost: $1,800-2,800
Rear Differential Pinion Seal Leak
Occasional · low severity
Typical onset: 70,000-110,000 mi
Symptoms: Gear oil drip from front of rear diff, Oil coating on driveshaft, Whining noise from rear if oil level drops significantly
Fix: Pinion seal wears from heat and age. Requires driveshaft removal, crush sleeve and pinion nut replacement, torque to spec while checking bearing preload. 2-3 hours. Confirm diff fluid type — many FJs have limited-slip requiring friction modifier.
Estimated cost: $350-550
Owner tips
Check oil level every fuel fill — catch ring wear early before engine damage
Inspect exhaust manifolds annually for cracks, especially if you hear ticking
Flush transmission fluid every 30k if towing or off-roading; Toyota 'lifetime' fluid is not actually lifetime
Secondary water pump is cheap insurance to replace proactively at 80k
Undercoat frame and suspension if in salt states — ball joints and lines corrode quickly
Buy one if oil consumption history is clean and secondary water pump is done; avoid high-mileage units with no service records or visible manifold cracks.
AI-assisted summary drawn from NHTSA recall data, our labor-times database, and platform knowledge. Not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on a specific vehicle.
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Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) recalled certain 2018-2019 4Runner, Highlander, Camry, Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Sienna, Tacoma and Tundra, and Lexus RC 300, RC 350, GS 350, GX 460, IS 300, LC 500, LS 500, LX 570, RX 350L, and 2019 Toyota Avalon and Corolla, and certain Lexus NX 300, and ES 350 vehicles on January 13, 2020.
On March 4, 2020, Toyota expanded the recall to include certain 2014-2015 Toyota 4Runner and Land Cruiser, 2018 Avalon, Corolla, 2014 FJ Cruiser, 2017 Sienna and Lexus 2018 ES 350, 2018-2019 GS 300, 2013-2014 GS350, 2014-2015 GX 460, IS 350 and LX 570, 2014 IS F, 2018-2019 IS 350, LC 500H and LS 500H, 2013-2015 LS 460, 2015 NX 200T and RC350, 2017 RC 200T and RX 350. Toyota also removed the 2018-2019 Toyota 4Runner and Land Cruiser and 2018-2019 Lexus GX 460 and LX 570 and 2019 NX300 from inclusion in this recall. On March 19, 2020, Toyota expanded the recall to include 2015 Lexus GS350 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Consequence: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began May 4, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 20TB02 and 20TA02 for Toyota vehicles and 20LB01 and 20LA01 for Lexus vehicles.
STEERING · 15V081000
2015-02-10
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 weld.
Consequence: If the intermediate steering shaft weld fails, there would be a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy: 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.
EQUIPMENT · 14V828000
2014-12-30
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. The accessory attaching fasteners were not tightened with the proper torque, possibly causing the accessory to detach from the vehicle.
Consequence: Accessories that detach from a vehicle may result in a vehicle crash and/or personal injury.
Remedy: 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 number for this recall is SET-14B.
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 bolts which secure the front lower ball joint to the steering knuckle and/or the front suspension lower arm to the front cross member assemblies might have been tightened with insufficient torque when the front shock absorbers and springs were replaced during the installation process.
Consequence: 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 detach from the steering knuckle or the front cross members, causing a loss of steering control, which could increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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 proper torque. For any missing bolts, dealers will install new ones. The recall began on November 7, 2014. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS · 14V475000
2014-08-04
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."
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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.
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