2007 Toyota Fj Cruiser

I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR AN INSPECTION AT MY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TODAY. I WAS TOLD IF I'M GOING TO SELL IT OR TRADE IT IN THAT NOW WOULD BE THE TIME TO DO IT...THE TECH SAID THERE ARE SOME VERY WEAK AREAS ON THE FRAME AND THAT IT COULD FRACTURE WITH IMPACT OR MAYBE WILL EVENTUALLY BY HITTING A BAD POTHOLE. THERE IS A LOT OF CORROSION AND IT SEEMS ODD BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN STORED ALWAYS IN A GARAGE AND ONLY HAS 55,000 MILES ON IT. IT'S BEEN MAINTAINED PERFECTLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MAINTENANCE MANUAL. THE CLERK TOLD ME THAT TOYOTA CAN'T FIX IT AND WON'T BE ABLE TO FIX IT ONCE THE FRAME FRACTURES. IT SEEMED FRIGHTENING TO ME THAT THEY SUGGESTED I SELL IT TO SOMEONE ELSE AND NOT DISCLOSE THIS POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING ISSUE. I HAVE READ THE EXTREME UNDERCARRIAGE CORROSION IS PRETTY COMMON AND OTHERS ARE HAVING WORSE ISSUES THAN I HAVE SO FAR. I HAVE ALSO NOW READ THAT THERE WAS A MASSIVE RECALL DUE TO THE SAME ISSUE WITH CORRODED FRAMES ON SEVERAL OTHER MODELS IN THE TOYOTA LINE IN THE VERY RECENT PAST THAT ENDED UP IN A MASSIVE, ALMOST 4 BILLION DOLLAR RECALL. I'M PRETTY SURE THE FJ SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN IT. I HOPE YOU WILL LOOK INTO THIS BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE IT MAY SAVE SOME LIVES DOWN THE ROAD. MY FATHER WAS THE DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH FOR STATE FARM FOR OVER 30 YEARS AND WAS ON THE BOARD OF THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY SAFETY INSTITUTE AS WELL. HE INSISTED I REPORT THIS IMMEDIATELY AND WE BOTH HOPE YOU TAKE THIS INFORMATION VERY SERIOUSLY AS I AM NOT SOMEONE WHO COULD SELL A VEHICLE WITH SUCH AN INCREDIBLY UNSAFE FURTURE AND HOPE TOYOTA WILL DO THE RIGHT THING AND REPLACE THE FRAMES ON THESE VEHICLES AS THEY HAVE WITH ALL OF THE OTHERS.

WENT TO GAS STATION TODAY TO FILL UP MY FJ WITH GAS AND THE FUEL TANK STRAPS BROKE IN 2 PLACES. THE BOLTED AND PINNED CONNECTIONS ARE STILL THERE BUT THE ACTUAL STRAPS HAVE DETERIORATED AND SNAPPED RIGHT IN HALF. THE FUEL TANK IS NOW HANGING DOWN COMPLETELY IN THE REAR. FIRST THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT WHICH THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR AT ALL, NOW THE FRONT SEAT BELT DOES NOT WORK AT ALL AND NOW THE FUEL TANK IS ABOUT TO FALL OFF ON THE ROAD. WHAT A HAZARD.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE PLACED IN NEUTRAL IN ORDER TO STOP. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED BEFORE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (JOHN ELWAY'S CROWN TOYOTA, 1201 KETTERING DR, ONTARIO, CA 91761), BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE DEALER WOULD HANDLE THE SITUATION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 154,209.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING 62 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED, BUT THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO RIDGEWAY SUNOCO SERVICE CENTER BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT UNKNOWN PARTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED (T J TOYOTA INC, 6698 NY-56, POTSDAM, NY 13676, (315) 265-3350). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

THE SEAT BELT IS STUCK IN THE OUT POSITION 24/7 AND WILL NOT RETRACT. IT IS APPARENTLY A COMMON PROBLEM. IT IS KNOWN THAT THESE SEAT BELT RETRACTORS ARE FULLY RUSTED AND READY TO FALL APART. IT IS UNHEARD OF IN A VEHICLE THAT IS 10 YEARS OLD. IT MUST BE FAULTY CONSTRUCTION / ENGINEERING OF THE PART. TOYOTA WILL NOT HONOR ANY SUCH REPAIRS TO SAFETY EQUIPMENT, UNLESS 3 YEARS OR LESS, WHICH IS A SURPRISE BECAUSE ONE WOULD THINK HAVING THE LIABILITY OF FAULTY SAFETY EQUIPMENT SUCH AS SEAT BELTS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY AND POSSIBLE CAUSE OF DEATH DUE TO SEAT BELT NOT RETRACTING AT ALL. A SEAT BELT DOES NO GOOD IF STUCK IN THE ALL THE WAY OUT POSITION.

WHEN STOPPING AT A RED LIGHT OR STOP SIGN, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS NOT DOWN SHIFTED TO FIRST GEAR. SO WHILE STOPPED, THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY LUNG FORWARD AS IF HIT FROM BEHIND. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FOR PEDESTRIAN CROSSING IN FRONT OF THE CAR. THERE IS A VERY REAL POTENTIAL FOR THE CAR TO HIT A PERSON WHEN IT LUNGES FORWARD. SINCE REALIZING THIS PROBLEM, I INTENTIONALLY HOLD DOWN THE BRAKE HARDER THAN I SHOULD HAVE TOO. THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION BUT I THOUGH THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE IS VERY DANGEROUS. THE VEHICLE HAS APPROX 70,000 MILES AND ALTHOUGH THIS PROBLEM WAS HAPPENING FROM TIME TO TIME, IT IS BECOMING MORE FREQUENT TO WHERE I HAVE TO ASSUME IT EVERY TIME I COME TO A STOP.