2007 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER Complaints

THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION NEEDS TO OPEN AN INVESTIGATION INTO REPORTS OF FRAME RUST AND CORROSION PROBLEMS FOR THE 2007 ' 2014 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER. THIS IS THE SAME ONGOING SAFETY PROBLEM AS THE SEVERAL PAST RECALLS ON OTHER FULL FRAMED TOYOTA VEHICLES. EXCESSIVE FRAME CORROSION 'ROT' STARTING IN JOINTED METALS WITHIN THE FRAME STRUCTURES IS RUSTING FROM THE OUTSIDE AND THE INSIDE OUT. IN RECENT OBSERVATIONS NON-JOINTED RUST METAL IS ALSO SUFFERING RUST THROUGH IN OTHER PARTS OF THESE FRAMES. MY PERSONAL VEHICLE EXHIBITS ALL THE SIGNS OF EXCESSIVE RUSTING INCLUDING ONE RUST THROUGH HOLE AT THE REAR CROSS MEMBER LOCATION UNDERNEATH THE REAR BUMPER. THIS LOCATION IS NEITHER ACCESSIBLE NOR VISIBLE WITHOUT THE BUMPER REMOVED. THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE CROSS MEMBER EXHIBITS LARGE SEVER FLAKING RUST PRESENT BOTH OUTSIDE AND INSIDE THE FRAME. THE MAIN FRAME, LOCATION BEHIND THE FRONT WHEEL, EXHIBITS SEVERS LARGE FLAKING RUST INSIDE THE FRAME. THE OUTSIDE WITHIN THIS AREA ALSO CONTAINS A HALF SIZE DOLLAR RUST AREA THROUGH THE FIRST FRAME LAYER THAT INITIALLY APPEARED AS SURFACE RUST. IN CONCLUSION WHAT APPEARED AS NORMAL SURFACE RUST CAN INDEED BE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY CONCERNS. THE FRAME IS RUSTING INSIDE OUT AT AN ALARMING FAST RATE, MUCH FASTER THAN THE 60'S FJ40 FRAMES I HAVE RESTORATION EXPERIENCE WITH. I WAS INFORMED PER MY DEALERSHIP THE RUST WOULD BE DOCUMENTED BUT NOT CONSIDERED ABNORMAL AND NO RECALL WAS IN PLACE.

THE STRAPS THAT HOLD THE FUEL TANK INTO THE TRUCK ARE MILD STEEL AND SIT IN A PAN THAT TENDS TO COLLECT WATER THAT IS SPLASHED UP WHILE DRIVING IN WET CONDITIONS. ONE OF THE TWO THAT HOLD MINE IN DISINTEGRATED AND DROPPED THE TANK. THE OTHER IS NOT FAR BEHIND. THE REST OF MY UNDERCARRIAGE IS IN MUCH BETTER CONDIFTION THAT THE FUEL TANK RETAINING STRAPS WERE.

UNSAFE FRAME RUST WHERE OTHER COMPONENTS CONNECT. SIMILAR TO ISSUES FOUND WITH TOYOTA TACOMA RECALL, WHICH HAS AN IDENTICAL FRAME AND DRIVETRAIN. THERE IS VERY LITTLE RUST ELSEWHERE ON CAR.

FRAME HAS COMPLETELY DISINTEGRATED WHERE THE REAR UPPER CONTROL ARM LINKS MEET THE CROSSMEMBER, MAKING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE AND FAIL THE NH STATE INSPECTION. THE LINKS BROKE FREE WHILE DRIVING ON A RURAL ROAD. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION WE FOUND RUST PERFORATION ON FRAME RAILS WITH THIN AND FATIGUED METAL IN THE SAME GENERAL AREA.

FRAME ON REAR PASSENGER SIDE CORRODED AND RIGHT REAR STABILIZER BAR COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM THE FRAME WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY

FRAME HAS RUST THROUGHOUT. HAD TO REPLACE GAS STRAPS BECAUSE RUSTED THROUGH AND BROKE. REPAIR AXEL BEARING.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MUFFLER AND ENTIRE FRAME WERE CORRODED AND DETERIORATED WHEN TOUCHED. THE CONTACT CALLED DCH FREEHOLD TOYOTA (LOCATED AT 4268 US 9 S, FREEHOLD, NJ 07728, (732) 810-1048) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO CALL THE MANUFACTURER. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 1905240531. THE MANUFACTURER REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,000.

WHILE DRIVING, MY EXHAUST BROKE FROM HITTING A POTHOLE. WHEN I TOOK TO THE SHOP FOR REPAIR, WE NOTICED SO MUCH RUST ON THE FRAME. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT AT MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT INSPECTED, WE FOUND THAT THE FRAME IS EXTREMELY RUSTED WITH HOLES IN THE BACK PIECE BY THE BUMPER. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP OPENED A CASE. THEY ALSO SAID FOR ME TO CONTACT CORPORATE TOYOTA AND OPEN A CASE. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP SAID THEY TAKE THIS EXTREMELY SERIOUS BECAUSE OF THE TACOMA RUSTED FRAME RECALL. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY CAN NOT MAKE A DECISION AND THAT IT MUST BE MADE BY CORPORATE. THE DEALERSHIP SUPPLIED THE PICTURES SO CORPORATE COULD SEE THE FRAME ROTTING. I STAYED IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH A DEALERSHIP REPRESENTATIVE THE ENTIRE TIME. EVERY CONVERSATION THAT I HAD WITH TOYOTA CORPORATE ENDS WITH THEM SAYING 'SORRY, THERE IS NOT A RECALL RIGHT NOW'. THE DEALERSHIP REPRESENTATIVE BECAME FRUSTRATED AND EVEN SAID SHE WOULD NOT PUT HER KIDS IN THE FJ CRUISER BECAUSE ITS UNSAFE. EVERYONE AGREES THAT A 2007 FJ CRUISER FRAME SHOULD NOT BE RUSTING OUT LIKE THIS. FINALLY, THE DEALERSHIP WAS WHO TOLD ME I SHOULD CONTACT NHTSA AND START THIS PROCESS. I HAVE BEEN READING ON FJ CRIUISER SPECIFIC FORUMS RECENTLY ABOUT OTHERS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. IT SEEMS REALLY WIDE SPREAD.

WILL NOT RETRACT. LOOKS LIKE IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP WILL NOT HELP, ONLY CHARGE TO FIX REPLACE PART. BELT IS LOOSE ACROSS CHEST AND WILL NOT EVEN FEED BACK INTO THE MECHANISM.

TOOK THE TRUCK INTO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE ON THE BRAKES AND THEY TOLD US THE FRAME WAS RUSTED OUT. THERE ARE LAWSUITS ON CERTAIN TOYOTA MODELS THAT TOYOTA IS HONORING FOR FIXING. HOWEVER, WHEN WE CALLED TOYOTA THEY TOLD US THAT THE FJ CRUSIER WAS NOT ONE AND THEY COULD NOT HELP US OUT. WE DO NOT AGREE WITH THIS SINCE THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A PROBLEM WITH TOYOTA VEHICLES. WE FEEL THAT THEY OWE US A NEW FRAME FREE OF CHARGE. THIS IS A REPLACEMENT COST OF $6,000.00 WHICH WE FEEL THEY SHOULD PAY.