Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1997 Toyota Land Cruiser, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Equipment3
- Tires3
- Service brakes, hydraulic3
- Fuel/propulsion system2
- Power train1
- Wheels1
- Air bags1
- Vehicle speed control1
- Steering1
- Engine and engine cooling1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 4 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 4 1997 Land Cruiser vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 3 people died inside them, and 1 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1997 Toyota Land Cruiser failed the safety check 0.78% of the time — 51% less often than the average 1997 passenger car (1.60%). Median odometer at inspection: 200,761 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the Netherlands
53 first registered in 1997 are on Dutch roads; 77% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde27
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld19
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt11
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen10
- Remslang beschadigd, wapeningsmateriaal zichtbaar10
- Remleiding door corrosie aangetast10
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm9
- Lichtbeeld dimlicht onjuist8
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
679 cars built in 1997 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 787 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 925 of these cars first registered in 1997 took their annual MOT test. 63% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 1997 the figure was 64%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 1997 |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 7.0% | 11.8% |
| Suspension | 6.5% | 12.2% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 6.2% | 16.1% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 4.8% | 9.7% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 2.6% | 7.2% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 2.6% | 3.4% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
7 of these cars first registered in 1997 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 406,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
3,612 1997 cars are on the New Zealand register; 89% arrived as used imports, 6% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls
No recall campaigns cover the 1997 Toyota Land Cruiser.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Toyota told its dealers about the 1997 Toyota Land Cruiser: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 622728 | INFORMATION REGARDING SHOULDER BELT ANCHOR TAPE SET. *JB |
| 604667 | SUBJECT REGARDING TOYOTA DINGHY TOWING GUIDE. *TT |
| 600349 | SOME AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS MAY PRODUCE A CHATTER NOISE WHEN SHIFTED OUT OT REVERSE INTO EITHER NEUTRAL OR PARK. *YC |
| 53045 | EXHIBITING A MIL "ON" CONDITION (DTC CODE P0116- "ENGINE COOLANT TEMPERATRUE MALFUNCTION") UNDER CERTAIN NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS. *YC |
| 53033 | EXCESSIVE AIR CONDITIONING EVAPORATOR ODOR IS ACCURING IN VARIOUS VEHICLES. *YC |
| 53030 | EXHIBITING A MIL "ON" CONDITION (DTC CODE) P0116. *YC |
| 52240 | PUBLICATION CORRECTION INFORMATION. *JD |
| 51256 | A NEW BRAKE PAD HAS BEEN INTRODUCED ON THE 1997 LAND CRUISER. *JD |
| 50701 | LAND CRUISER (1FZ-FE) THERMOSTAT GASKET LEAK. *TW |
| 10244113 | TSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most 1979 ? 2023 model year vehicles may be available provided the requests meet the criteria listed in this Service Bulletin. Follow the Procurement Procedure in this bulletin to request a replacement certification label or VIN plate. |
| 10214323 | TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions |
| 10207946 | POL: This consolidated Tire Warranty Guide contains the complete warranty terms for all brands of ground and spare tires currently in use by Toyota. This information must be kept near the point of vehicle sale and be available to any customer that requests it. Customers can find this information on the Owner?s section of Toyota.com. Dealers can locate a copy of this guide on the Claims Processing & Resource Center in Dealer Daily as well. |
| 10197476 | Replacement vin plates. |
| 10197473 | Product general information. |
| 10190460 | Toyota Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements |
| 10190453 | TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions. |
| 10188913 | TSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most 1979 ? 2021 model year vehicles may be available provided the requests meet the criteria listed in this Service Bulletin. Follow the Procurement Procedure in this bulletin to request a replacement certification label or VIN plate. |
| 10187241 | TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions. |
| 10186195 | TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions. |
| 10174891 | TSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE April 07, 2020: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0032-20. Replacement Certification Labels and VIN Plates |
| 10174890 | TSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service Bulletin Nos. PG021-88, PG015-89, PG0015-90, PG002-91, PG002-93, PG005-97, PG007-01, PG007-07, PG006-01, PG004-97, T-SB-0144-08, and T-SB-0304-17. The aforementioned bulletins are obsolete, and any printed versions should be discarded. Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most 1979 ? 2020 model year vehicles may be available provided the requests meet the criteria listed in thi |
| 10152205 | TSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes SB No. T-SB-0101-11. Applicability has been updated to include 2016 ? 2017 model year vehicles. Service Bulletin No. T-SB-0101-11 is Obsolete and any printed versions should be discarded. Be sure to review the entire content of this bulletin before proceeding. When servicing interior electrical switches and components, please note the precautions in this bulletin to avoid damaging electrical components and switches. Many lubricants, cleaners, and automotive chemicals contain silicone or other compounds that may |
| 10145776 | Update on Technician Certification Requirements. |
| 10145749 | Technical Service Bulletin: OBSOLETE NOTICE: July 31, 2018: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0304-17. |
| 10145748 | Technical Service Bulletin: OBSOLETE NOTICE: July 31, 2018: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0304-17. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)