Toyota Land Cruiser
Reliability, NHTSA Complaints & Recall History

Safety Recall

Safety Recall

Safety Recall

Safety Recall

Safety Recall

Safety Recall

Safety Recall

2018 Toyota Landcruiser. Potential vehicle crash, injury, damage, loss of value, reduced lifespan & reliabilty. Issue #1 - 2-3 times a month I experience shift shock. The transmission hesitates shifting up between 1->2 gear or down 2->1 gear at less than 15 mph. Depending how far you push the accelerator to force it to shift into gear, the car can shift into gear after hesitating so hard it feels like the vehicle was hit from behind. Dealer checked for codes and nothing was recorded despite being an anomalous event and Toyota having a HISTORY OF SHIFT SHOCK. 2016-2017 Landcruiser and issued a TSB [XXX] Contacted Toyota to report the issue and was told they have not received any reports for my year or later, which is likely untrue. If the ECU/TCU was coded to log shift shock I think they’d have a lot of reports. FYI Toyota is having similar issues with the 2025 Lexus GX550. Issue #2 - shift hesitation of 1-2 seconds before shift shock may result in a crash or injury. Normally experience shift shock slowing down close to a stop in left turn lane to cross oncoming traffic. The pause results in a delay of acceleration that may result in a crash causing injury and damage to property. Transmission hesitation/shift shock can also occur slowing down for a red light changing to green where you almost come to a stop then need to accelerate suddenly. The hesitation may result in the vehicle being rear ended due to loss of speed/control. Issue #3 - shift shock could also result in a crash or loss of control dealing with slippery conditions caused by rain, snow, ice. I live in Colorado and experience all 3. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Driving on trail ridge road in Estes park. Fuel boiled and gas flowed out of the vehicle around the gas cap. It presents a real fire and environmental risk in addition to causing property damage to the vehicle by potentially damaging the paint with the boiling fuel. The government has not done anything to address this design flaw with Toyota despite it being known for decades. This has been present with the 80, 100, 200 series vehicles plus the Toyota Tundra, Lexus GX and Lexus LX. There are a frightening number complaints about this. Just google Landcruiser, Tundra, Lexus GX, Lexus LX and fuel boil. Post #54 on this thread gives a good explanation as to the problem and cause (design flaw). https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/gas-fuel-vapors-fumes-visible-from-gas-door.1255549/page-4

THE VEHICLE WAS IN A FRONT COLLISION OVER 50MPH AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA LAND CRUISER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V887000 (AIR BAGS). CHEROKEE COUNTY TOYOTA (301 LIBERTY BLVD, CANTON, GA 30114, 770-383-1434) WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THERE WAS NO TIMEFRAME FOR WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS DID NOT ILLUMINATE AS DESIGNED AND THE VISIBILITY RANGE WAS LIMITED TO THIRTY FEET. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS PROVIDED CASE NUMBERS: 1904090864 AND 190421-000096. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE CASES WOULD BE CLOSED SINCE TOYOTA DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS WORKING AS DESIGNED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 TOYOTA LAND CRUISER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V887000 (AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS). THE CONTACT CALLED AUTONATION TOYOTA LIBERTYVILLE AT 224-993-9001 (LOCATED AT 1180 S MILWAUKEE AVE, LIBERTYVILLE, IL 60048) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 TOYOTA LAND CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V887000 (AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS) EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR REPAIR. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH HAMPTON TOYOTA (6191 JOHNSTON STREET, LAFAYETTE, LA, 337-984-5010) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO REMEDY. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXHIBITING AIR BAG FAILURE. WHEN A PASSENGER WAS SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR FLASHED "AIR BAG ON" AND "AIR BAG OFF". THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR DEFECTIVE HAS TURNED AIRBAG OFF AND THERE HAS BEEN AN OPEN RECALL SINCE DECEMBER 2018. IT HAS BEEN UNSAFE FOR PASSENGERS TO RIDE IN THE FRONT SEAT.

THE CAR (LIKE MANY OTHERS) ALLOWS PRESET SEATING POSITIONS TO BE STORED IN MEMORY. UP TO THREE PREFERENCES CAN BE STORED. NOTHING IN THE VEHICLE PREVENTS FULL RECLINE OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT FROM BEING PROGRAMMED AS A PREFERENCE. THE CONTROLS FOR THE PREFERENCES ARE ON THE DRIVER'S DOOR. THESE VEHICLES ARE OFTEN EQUIPPED WITH SEAT MOUNTED LCD SCREENS FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT OF SECOND ROW PASSENGERS. THESE SCREENS PIVOT OUTWARD TO ALLOW FOR PASSENGERS OF DIFFERENT HEIGHTS. THIS COMBINATION OF FUNCTIONS ALLOWS (ESPECIALLY WHERE THE VEHICLE IS A RENTAL VEHICLE IN THE CASE I EXPERIENCED) FOR THE FOLLOWING ISSUE TO OCCUR: PREVIOUS DRIVER SETS A PRESET SEATING POSITION IN PARTIAL OR FULL RECLINE. NEXT DRIVER INSTALLS A REAR-FACING CHILD SEAT BEHIND DRIVERS'S SEAT. NEXT DRIVER EXITS THE VEHICLE AND TOUCHES PRESET BUTTON ON DRIVER'S DOOR AS THEY EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE SEATBACK WILL THEN BEGIN TO RECLINE AUTOMATICALLY. AN LCD SCREEN THAT IS TILTED UPWARDS WILL IMPACT THE NECK OF AN INFANT IN A REAR-FACING SEAT AND CRUSH THE INFANT'S THORAX. THE RECLINE FEATURE CONTAINS NO SENSOR TO DETECT AN OBSTRUCTION. THE FORCE OF THE RECLINE MOTOR EXCEEDS NORMAL HUMAN STRENGTH. THE INCIDENT I EXPERIENCED WAS WITH AN OLDER (FOUR-YEAR-OLD) CHILD IN A FORWARD-FACING SEAT. AS I EXITED THE VEHICLE I MUST HAVE TOUCHED ONE OF THE SEATING PRESETS. THE SEAT-BACK BEGAN TO RECLINE CRUSHING MY DAUGHTER'S LEGS. VEHICLE HAD TO BE REENTERED AND RESTARTED IN ORDER TO OVERRIDE THE RECLINE.

Water pump failed at under 60k, but was just over 60k miles when I brought into Toyota Dealer (Rudy Luther, Minnetonka MN). Toyota denied claim and won’t stand behind a water pump failure. This part doesn’t have any maintenance needed per manufacture documentation within the miles I have on vehicle. Further - this is becoming a topic within many forums that Toyota has an issue with water pumps and is fully aware of this. I’d like to see Toyota take care of this issue and pay for this repair.

Purchased a new 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser in September 2025. This SUV is prone to windshield damage due to its pitch angle. 4/16/2026 traveling on highway a flying road rock cracked the windshield. The windshield was replaced on 4/23/2026. On 4/25/2026, while traveling on highway another rock chipped the windshield. This seems to ba a defect and a potential hazard. I have also noticed that the windshield gets more bug/insect encounter than my other land cruisers (I have had 2002, 2006 and 2016 LC). This seems to be a major problem with the windshield. Web search seems to also confirm this defect with other newer/remodeled LC owners.

Truck has 11000 miles. Waiting in drive thru, felt a jolt, like someone rear ended me. 3 warnings came on “system malfunction, Hybrid system malfunction , and drive/start malfunction. Truck was stuck in 2nd gear. Drove to parking lot, turned truck off. Was able to drive to dealership. 23 days at dealership, replaced transmission under warranty. Solenoid problem.

Several of us on the Toyota forum are noting that the portion of the sunroof positioned toward the rear seat does not form a proper seal and is letting water into the vehicle. This in turn puts electronics at risk or being compromised and unsafe driving conditions.

Spontaneous shatter of rear passenger tempered glass. No prior damage to window.

The owner reports that at slow, consistent speeds [approx. 1–10 mph] on an incline, including steep paved city roads and well-maintained alpine roads, the transmission/EV temperature increases quickly. Under similar low-speed inclines where speed fluctuates [approx. 1–25 mph], temperatures rise rapidly and result in overheating. This occurs both on-road and off-road. Once the transmission exceeds normal operating temperatures, reverse, 1st & 2nd gears exhibit abnormally harsh engagement, often with an audible thud and a physical impact felt by the driver and passengers. Multiple diagnostic attempts have been made at the dealership level. The only confirmed finding was elevated transmission temperatures. Because the transmission has not fully failed, no diagnostic fault codes are stored and no warnings have been logged by the vehicle, including the overheating transmission alert, no repair or corrective action has been offered. The only recommendation has been to operate the transmission manually and use 4L during slow-speed driving. Attempts were also made at the corporate level, which resulted only in redirection back to the dealership with the same workaround having been advised. When the owner asked whether 4L should be used during stop-go traffic on an incline while on a freeway, a Toyota representative confirmed that it should. This guidance is considered misinformation, as it contradicts Toyota’s 4WD user manual and could result in catastrophic engine and transmission damage. The owner has remained in communication with the dealership; however, no meaningful efforts have been made to resolve the issue. As Toyota has stated there is no available fix, the owner has been advised to pursue arbitration.

Everytime I put my car in reserve the brakes screech so long. I have noticed it on other Land Cruisers as well. I am fearful of something happening with the brakes. Safety is obviously a priority and I have not seen anything from Toyota on this.

The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser Hybrid equipped with Yokohama Tires, Tire Line: Geolandar X-CV, Tire Size: 265/60/R20, DOT Number: 14UOHY6L2462. The contact stated that while his wife was driving 60 MPH, the rear driver's side tire unexpectedly experienced a blowout. A tire message was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact's wife pulled over and had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic, who replaced the rear driver's side tire. The tire was original equipment. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The tire manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The tire and vehicle failure mileage was 5,000.

As I was driving with my family at normal freeway speeds, a loud explosion rang out from the top of vehicle. The sunroof glass exploded and fell onto us below. There was no other cars near us, and no overpass. When the glass exploded, it sounded like a bomb, and appeared pressure was the reason, as it exploded upward, leaving the shape of an exploded volcano on the top of the sunroof. No rock or other object could have caused this from the outside: the impact would have had to come from inside of the vehicle. The vehicle is currently at the dealership being inspected.

We have a brand new Toyota Land Cruiser which is roughy two months old with just over 2000 miles on it. The plastic on our side views mirrors are literally melting as is the plastic on the side of the doors. The dealership refers to this as a “common” Toyota compliant called solar convergence which is NOT covered under the manufacturer’s warranty. While the immediate damage is not causing a loss of visibility as the distortion continues it certainly will at some point. We have yet to receive a cost repair: Toyota should be forced to recall all Land Cruiser which use plastics known to be prone to solar convergence and replace all plastic at no charge. This is simply appalling that they are allowed to use these cost cutting materials in something as important as a side view mirror.

The driver’s side mirror vibrates at highway speeds (to the point of blurriness, distortion, distraction). My local Toyota dealership confirmed the issue, however they said it happens on all land cruisers so they aren’t willing to repair it. It’s a manufacturing defect and safety issue. It’s totally unacceptable and if the issue exists across the entire product line, Toyota should be held responsible for fixing the issue through a recall process.

The Land Cruiser sent me to the ER for 6 staples in my head. When reaching in through the rear window I hit my head on the sharp camera mount. It has a very hard edge that is also mounted much lower than the window opening.