I've started this thread with the hope that ALL FJ Cruiser owners will be made aware of a potentially serious problem that may affect their vehicle.
There have been a number of documented cases of the inner fender well aprons bulging, cracking, and ripping on 2007 FJ Cruisers - and as of this time, there has been no "official" announcement by Toyota regarding this issue.
At this time, the "official" cause has not been determined (or at least has not been revealed publicly by Toyota). While not publicly acknowledging the issue at this time, Toyota has been repairing vehicles on a case-by-case basis under warranty. There are several members of this forum, myself included, who have been using their affected vehicles as "guinea pigs", allowing Toyota to document, photograph, inspect, and remove parts for analysis in determining the cause and repairs required to alleviate the problem.
It appears this problem in more prevelant in earlier models, but that is not conclusive. It also appears aftermarket equipment and off-road usage are not the cause of this problem, and Toyota has not denied coverage to anyone because of the equipment installed on or the usage of their FJCs.
There are several threads in the "Problems / Dealer Service" section of this site that contain more details, pics of some of the affected vehicles, and polls that we hope all FJC owners will take the time to repond to.
Not all dealers are aware of this problem, either. If you suspect your vehicle might be affected, contact your dealer for an inspection by the local Toyota field engineer. This will document your situation to protect your future warranty coverage regarding this problem should it occur later, and if affected, present your available repair options. At this time, Toyota has introduced redesigned inner fender well apron panels, and they are replacing those panels, along with the front core support, in order to eliminate the problem.
The panels that are bulging / ripping are crush zones designed to reduce the tranfer of impact forces in the event of an accident. So, this problem has the potential to affect vehicle safety in an accident if damaged panels are not replaced. PLEASE TAKE THIS ISSUE SERIOUSLY AND HAVE YOUR VEHICLE INSPECTED FOR SYMPTOMS.
These are threads in the "Problems - Dealer Service" section of this forum that are related to this problem:
Engine Bay Body Rips
Body Rip File NHTSA Complaint
http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forum...pond-poll.html
Please check out these threads, check your vehicle, and spread the word among other FJ Cruiser owners - the vehicle you save may be you own.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Larry
