2007 Toyota Fj Cruiser

I WAS CLEANING THIS VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THERE ARE TEARS IN THE SHEET METAL OF THE BODY. AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION ONLINE, I FOUND SEVERAL PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE. I AM FILING A COMPLAINT IN THE HOPES THAT TOYOTA TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS ISSUE. IN A CRASH I DO NOT KNOW HOW WELL THE DEFECTIVE BODY PANELS WILL HOLD UP AND PROTECT THE PEOPLE IN THE CAR. *TR

THE DRIVER FOOT REST (DEAD PEDAL) ON THIS CAR BRAKES LOOSE EASILY AND BECOMES A LOOSE OBJECT UNDER AND AROUND THE DRIVER FOOT PEDALS. I HAD MIND COME LOOSE WHILE DRIVING AND DIDN'T REALIZE IT UNTIL I ATTEMPED TO STOP MY CAR AND WAS UNABLE TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAUSE THE BROKEN FOOT REST HAD LODGED IT'S SELF UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL AFTER BRAKING LOOSE. I ENDED UP HAVING TO SWERVE AROUND THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME ON THE HIGHWAY TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT, BEFORE STOPPING WITH THE E-BRAKE ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS! *TR

THE INNER FENDER OF MY 2007 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER HAS DEVELOPED A NOTICEABLE TEAR, BETWEEN THE DESIGNED SAFETY CRUMPLE ZONES. THIS AREA IS OBVIOUSLY NOT STURDY ENOUGH TO SUPPORT NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS OVER TIME. ONCE THIS WEAK POINT IN THE INNER FENDER TORE, IT DISTORTED THE OUTSIDE FENDER DISTANCE (GAPS) BETWEEN THE FENDER AND THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. I FIND THIS TEAR TO BE AN ALARMING ALTERATION IN MY FJ CRUISER AND I WORRY ABOUT THE SAFETY OF MYSELF AND MY FAMILY. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THIS IS COMMON AND IF A FIX HAS BEEN DISCOVERED! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WAS RUSTED FROM THE INSIDE TO THE OUTSIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS AN ISOLATED EVENT CAUSED BY ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

CRACKS HAVE APPEARED ON BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES ON THE INSIDE OF FRONT FENDERS. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS OF THIS ON THE INTERNET INCLUDING FORUMS AND EVEN FACEBOOK PAGES. IN SOME CASES THE FENDERS HAVE BULGED OUT. I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND THEY CLAIM THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM. THEY COULD NOT TELL ME IF THIS COMPROMISES THE STRUCTURAL SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE. THIS ISSUE SEEMS TO BE IN THE 2007 AND EARLY 2008 MODELS. I LOOKED AT A FRIEND'S 2007 FJ CRUISER AND HE ALSO HAS THESE CRACKS. IT IS INTERESTING THAT TOYOTA HAS NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS ISSUE BUT SEEMS TO HAVE REMEDIED IT IN NEWER MODELS. THE FOLLOWING IS TOYOTA'S RESPONSE (IN PART) TO MY COMPLAINT: "WE ARE UNABLE TO WEIGH THE LEGITIMACY OF THE INFORMATION FOUND DURING YOUR ONLINE RESEARCH, AS THE DETAILS OF THE INDIVIDUAL CONCERNS ARE NOT KNOWN TO US. FOR THAT REASON WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTACT OUR OFFICES REGARDING YOUR TOYOTA VEHICLE, SALES, OR SERVICE EXPERIENCE SO THAT IT CAN BE FULLY ADDRESSED, AND ANY TRENDS IDENTIFIED. THE WARRANTY FOR THE FENDERS IS THE WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR THE FRONT INSIDE FENDERS IS 3 YEARS OR 36,000 MILES, WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST FROM THE VEHICLE'S DATE OF FIRST USE. OUR RECORDS INDICATE THAT DATE IS SEPTEMBER 2, 2007. ONCE THE VEHICLE IS BEYOND THESE WARRANTY PARAMETERS, THE COST OF REPAIRS BECOMES THE OWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY. PLEASE BE AWARE THE INFORMATION YOU HAVE PROVIDED IS USED IN COMBINATION WITH WARRANTY CLAIMS AND OTHER CUSTOMER CONTACTS TO TRACK TRENDS WITH OUR VEHICLES. IF IN THE FUTURE A SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGN (SSC)/RECALL OR WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT IS ISSUED THAT WOULD COVER YOUR SPECIFIC ISSUE, AND YOU HAVE ALREADY MADE REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE, TOYOTA WOULD REVIEW YOUR REPAIRS FOR REIMBURSEMENT AT THAT TIME. " *TR

THE CHASSIS IS SO CORRODED AND FULL OF RUST IT HAS GOT TO A POINT OF LOOSING THE STRENGTH AND INTEGRITY OF THE WHOLE BODY. THIS IS VERY WORRISOME SPECIALLY IF THE CAR IS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE THE FRONT PART CHASSIS CANNOT RESIST THE IMPACT. THIS HAS TO BE RECALLED BY TOYOTA OR AT LEAST FIXED IN SOME WAY LIKE THEY DID WITH THE TACOMA AND TUNDRAS. *TR

THE LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT, I DIDN'T HIT ANYTHING PRIOR, AND I TRIED TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND BRING IT TO A STOP. I GOT IT TO BE ABOUT 40 MPH BEFORE I HIT THE CEMENT RAILING ON THE BRIDGE. PLEASE CALL [XXX] AT [XXX] CLAIM NUMBER PA[XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

2007 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE POOR DRIVING VISIBILITY AND OTHER MULTIPLE DEFECTS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAD DIFFICULTY SEEING ONCOMING TRAFFIC AT INTERSECTIONS. IT APPEARED THE DECISION TO GO WITH A HALF DOOR ON THE VEHICLE WITH A SHORT FRAME WAS THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE POOR VISIBILITY. ALSO, THE INABILITY TO EXIT THE VEHICLE FROM THE BACK SEAT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, WAS IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT THE FRONT PASSENGER OPENING THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR FIRST. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED SPACE LEFT BETWEEN THE END OF THE ROOF AND THE BEGINNING OF THE REAR DOOR DRAINED SO POORLY THAT LEAVES AND OTHER NATURAL DEBRIS WOULD BUILD UP TO THE POINT THAT, WHEN IT RAINED, WATER WOULD LEAK INTO THE CARGO AREA. ALSO, DESPITE THE CLAIMED GAS MILEAGE REPORTED ON THE WINDOW STICKER (20 MPG) THE CONSUMER NEVER ACHIEVED MORE THAN 17.1 MPG, EVEN THOUGH THE BULK OF HIS DRIVING WAS DONE ON THE HIGHWAY.