There’s no denying that the Toyota Land Cruiser is an iconic SUV. However, unfortunately for the Land Cruiser, its iconic status hasn’t bought it perfection. That being said, these are the most common Toyota Land Cruiser problems that you should know about before buying one.

How reliable is the Toyota Land Cruiser?

The Toyota Land Cruiser is well known for being a reliable SUV. In fact, according to Consumer Reports, the 2021 Land Cruiser earned itself a four out of five predicted reliability rating. While that’s certainly not a perfect score, it is still pretty impressive. It also speaks to the Land Cruiser’s reputation for being a reliable SUV.

Has the Toyota Land Cruiser been recalled before?

According to the NHTSA, the 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser does not have any open recalls at this time. However, that’s not to say that it has never been recalled before. In fact, the NHTSA reports the 2019 model has been recalled a total of three times. 

According to the NHTSA, the 2019 model was recalled because its fuel pump may fail, the text on its load capacity label was too difficult to read, and the SUV’s seat belt sensor wire may break, which would deactivate the front passenger airbag, knee airbag, and passenger seat-mounted side airbag.

Keep in mind that earlier model years have been recalled too. For used Land Cruiser shoppers, it’s important to check whether or not the specific model year you’re looking at has been recalled. Fortunately, doing so is pretty straightforward. Simply visit the NHTSA recall website and either search by model or enter the vehicle’s vehicle identification number (VIN) in the search bar. 

The most common Toyota Land Cruiser problems to know about

We’ve talked reliability and recalls. Now, let’s talk about the most common Toyota Land Cruiser problems you should know about. According to CarComplaints.com, the most common Toyota Land Cruiser problems include issues with the SUV’s oil usage, rough shifting, and its engine stopping suddenly.

Based on Repair Pals’ data, those aren’t the only common Toyota Land Cruiser problems that you should know about. Several owners have also experienced problems with the power steering pump leaking on higher-mileage models. Several owners have experienced problems with the SUV’s power windows and mirrors failing, its automatic transmission not shifting correctly at high-mileage, and problems with the SUV’s EGR system too. 

Here’s the thing, while some of the Land Cruiser’s problems may be common, there’s no predicting what problems your Land Cruiser could end up experiencing. And, unfortunately, according to Repair Pal owners of this SUV bring it to a repair shop for unscheduled repairs an average of 0.7 times per year, compared to an average of 0.4 times for all vehicle models.

Is this iconic SUV worth buying?

In the end, there’s a lot to like about the Toyota Land Cruiser. It’s known for being a reliable SUV, and this year’s model hasn’t faced any recalls. And while the Land Cruiser does have some common problems to contend with, is there really such a thing as a problem-free SUV?