Problems · NHTSA complaints
1996 Toyota Land Cruiser problems
Owners filed 12 complaints about the 1996 Toyota Land Cruiser with NHTSA between Jan 1997 and Aug 2019. The most-cited component is service brakes, hydraulic (5).
Complaints
12
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Service brakes, hydraulic5
- Fuel/propulsion system1
- Vehicle speed control1
- Latches/locks/linkages1
- Equipment1
- Engine and engine cooling1
- Visibility1
- Structure1
- Child seat1
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 27, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
6
2
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 6 |
| 1998 | 2 |
| 1999 | 0 |
| 2000 | 0 |
| 2001 | 0 |
| 2002 | 0 |
| 2003 | 0 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2005 | 0 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Service brakes, hydraulic
5 reports1 crash
“CONSUMER EXPERIENCING BRAKE WEAR. BRAKES HAD TO BE REPLACED THREE TIMES WITHIN TWO YEARS. DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS IS NORMAL FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK”
Fuel/propulsion system
1 report
“FUEL (GAS) TANK DEVELOPED A STRESS CRACK. LEAKS GAS IF FILLED TO 3/4 OR ABOVE.”
Vehicle speed control
1 report
“1996 TOYOTA LAND CRUISER. CONSUMER STATES UNDESIRED ACCELERATION. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE IS CERTAIN THAT THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION HE EXPERIENCED WAS NOT MECHANICAL IN NATURE BUT, RATHER A COMPUTER SOFTWARE OR OTHER ELECTRONIC MALFUNCTION. THE SITUATION OCCURRED AT TIMES WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS NOT BEING USED WHICH MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE FLOOR MAT OR LINKAGE STICKING TO BE INVOLVED. THE CONSUMER STATED WHATEVER THE PROBLEM IS, IT DOES NOT TRIGGER ANY CODES IN THE VEHICLE'S COMPUTER. ON ONE OCCASION, THE CONSUMER ALMOST CRASHED INTO A HOUSE WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED TO RETURN TO IDLE AND THE BRAKES WERE NEARLY UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE . *JB”
Latches/locks/linkages
1 report
“1996 TOYOTA LAND CRUISER PURCHASED NEW BY ME WITH APPROXIMATELY 89,000 MILES. AT APPROX 88,000 MILES, THE DRIVER'S DOOR HANDLE MECHANISM FAILED. IN PARTICULAR, THE OPENING MECHANISM BROKE WITHOUT ANY PRIOR INDICATION OF IMPENDING PROBLEMS. AS A RESULT, THE DOOR WAS UNABLE TO BE OPENED FROM EITHER INSIDE THE VEHICLE OR OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. IT WAS NECESSARY TO CRAWL OUT OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT FROM THE PASSENGER DOOR (AND BACK IN TO DRIVE TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR). THE DEALER HAD TO REMOVE THE INTERIOR DOOR PANEL WHILE THE DOOR WAS CLOSE RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE PANEL AND SEAT. THEREAFTER, THE DOOR OPENING MECHANISM WAS REMOVED AND REPLACED. TOTAL COST FOR PARTS AND LABOR WAS APPROXIMATELY $750 PLUS THE ADDITIONAL $350 COST TO REPLACE THE DAMAGED DOOR PANEL. *JB”
Equipment
1 report
Engine and engine cooling
1 report
“WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY A TOYOTA DEALER IN MORROW, GA THAT THIS AUTOMOBILE HAS ENGINE SLUDGE. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD NOW THAT THE ENGINE HAS LOCKED UP, DUE TO ENGINE SLUDGE.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.