Engine Bay Body Rips - Page 216

webshot · 01-31-2008, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Novastorm previously said:

There is no way I will buy an FJ now, after reading this thread. And I was so set to get one. My wife and I test drove one and I had some great internet quotes. It was just a matter of deciding on a color and then negotiating the trade-in. But this defect really worries me. As a previous poster commented, this could really affect resale value and that is part of the reason I was excited about getting a Toyota.

It's going to be so hard each time I see an FJ on the road. Hopefully they'll fix it on the '09s and I'll just have to wait. Man, and I was willing to overlook the visibility issues, doors trapping you in a parking lot, no sunroof...it's just such a cool truck, but the wife would kill me if I got it now

I've never heard of a problem with the "doors trapping you in a parking lot"! This is a new one.

I'm still not convinced that every FJ has this problem. I don't have bulges on my FJ and there are several others on this board who beat the crap out of their FJ's who also do not have bulges or tears.

If your serious though, I respect you decision and ask you a favor. Contact Toyota's customer service and tell them as well why you decided not to purchase the FJ.

They can be reached at:

Phone: 800-331-4331
Mon - Fri, 5:00 am - 6:00 pm PST
Sat, 7:00 am - 4:00 pm PST

Thank you!

Novastorm · 02-01-2008, 10:25 AM

I just called Toyota as you suggested. I spoke to Patricia, who took down my information. She then transferred me to Jason. He informed me that there is no recall for the FJCruiser. There was a tire problem on some 2007s but that was taken care of.

I explained to him what I'd been reading on the forums (cited fjcruiserforums.com). He said that it was most likely people doing extreme stuff with their trucks and going over huge rocks, etc. I explained that...

1-the FJ catalogue shows FJs going over boulders in every picture so they are being marketed as offroad vehicles and therefore should be designed to go offroad as seen in Toyota's own pictures.

2-many people here on the forums are getting the bulging without going offroad.

He then went on to say that they don't pay attention to what is said on the forums, corrected himself and said that there are people who do watch the forums for problems but that there was no word at Toyota that this problem existed. He did say he had an FJ himself which gave him some more cred and made me think he must be an ok guy

He then said that they would log my concerns and I told him to get back to me if there is any more info.

After hearing this I've decided to hold off on the FJ purchase as much as it pains me. Maybe they'll get a fix for the 09s? Maybe they'll figure out a fix that can be made on existing models? But I just don't think I can make that gamble until Toyota officially recognizes the problem. I hope it all works out for people with FJs and I'll continue to lurk and see what develops.

**spincycle** · 02-01-2008, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Novastorm previously said:

I just called Toyota as you suggested. I spoke to Patricia, who took down my information. She then transferred me to Jason. He informed me that there is no recall for the FJCruiser. There was a tire problem on some 2007s but that was taken care of.

I explained to him what I'd been reading on the forums (cited fjcruiserforums.com). He said that it was most likely people doing extreme stuff with their trucks and going over huge rocks, etc. I explained that...

1-the FJ catalogue shows FJs going over boulders in every picture so they are being marketed as offroad vehicles and therefore should be designed to go offroad as seen in Toyota's own pictures.

2-many people here on the forums are getting the bulging without going offroad.

He then went on to say that they don't pay attention to what is said on the forums, corrected himself and said that there are people who do watch the forums for problems but that there was no word at Toyota that this problem existed. He did say he had an FJ himself which gave him some more cred and made me think he must be an ok guy

He then said that they would log my concerns and I told him to get back to me if there is any more info.

After hearing this I've decided to hold off on the FJ purchase as much as it pains me. Maybe they'll get a fix for the 09s? Maybe they'll figure out a fix that can be made on existing models? But I just don't think I can make that gamble until Toyota officially recognizes the problem. I hope it all works out for people with FJs and I'll continue to lurk and see what develops.

This has been covered, more or less. The telephone staff at corporate are only notified of issues once a) the problem has been analyzed & identified, and b) a fix has been implemented. They are not told about ongoing investigations by technical staff & engineers. Toyota is a BIG company, with staff in many, many countries and facilities.

There *are* people at Toyota working on this, that much has been made clear to several of us by Toyota employees, it's just that no approved, final fix exists, and until it does the $8/hr guys on the telephones won't know much.

Still, it's good to call and file a statement with them, if only so that ssome bean counter someplace has a record of it.

Commander Bowman · 02-01-2008, 10:31 AM

If all potential buyers that have hesitations on purchasing did this AND ALL current FJ owners who are AWARE of this would simply voice their concerns to TOTOTA, it may make the "wheel" a little squeakier!!

makaser · 02-01-2008, 11:14 AM

Quote:

webshot previously said:

I've never heard of a problem with the "doors trapping you in a parking lot"! This is a new one.

I'm still not convinced that every FJ has this problem. I don't have bulges on my FJ and there are several others on this board who beat the crap out of their FJ's who also do not have bulges or tears.

If your serious though, I respect you decision and ask you a favor. Contact Toyota's customer service and tell them as well why you decided not to purchase the FJ.

They can be reached at:

Phone: 800-331-4331
Mon - Fri, 5:00 am - 6:00 pm PST
Sat, 7:00 am - 4:00 pm PST

Thank you!

So you've never had to get a kid out of the back seat, while parked next to another car in a parking lot, having both doors open? Then only to find yourself with the kid out of the car and barely able to close the back door to let the kid move over so you can then close the front door? I simply try not to park next to other people, even if it means I have to walk a bit. I could use the exercise anyway.

And like I've said before, I'd knock on some wood if I were you. I said the very same thing you did a few months ago with 22K miles. Literally days later I checked my rig and low and behold, i have bulges on both sides. I would say that on a 1-10 scale, the wheeling I've done is about a 6, so far. But I have plans.

I don't think there is any doubt that wheeling them exaserbates the issue, but it's definitely not the cause.

webshot · 02-01-2008, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Commander Bowman previously said:

If all potential buyers that have hesitations on purchasing did this AND ALL current FJ owners who are AWARE of this would simply voice their concerns to TOTOTA, it may make the "wheel" a little squeakier!!

This is my line of thought as well.

webshot · 02-01-2008, 12:35 PM

Quote:

makaser previously said:

So you've never had to get a kid out of the back seat, while parked next to another car in a parking lot, having both doors open? Then only to find yourself with the kid out of the car and barely able to close the back door to let the kid move over so you can then close the front door? I simply try not to park next to other people, even if it means I have to walk a bit. I could use the exercise anyway.

And like I've said before, I'd knock on some wood if I were you. I said the very same thing you did a few months ago with 22K miles. Literally days later I checked my rig and low and behold, i have bulges on both sides. I would say that on a 1-10 scale, the wheeling I've done is about a 6, so far. But I have plans.

I don't think there is any doubt that wheeling them exaserbates the issue, but it's definitely not the cause.

I dont have kids, so this is not a problem for me.

sincityfjc · 02-01-2008, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Commander Bowman previously said:

If all potential buyers that have hesitations on purchasing did this AND ALL current FJ owners who are AWARE of this would simply voice their concerns to TOTOTA, it may make the "wheel" a little squeakier!!

X3 - If I were aware of this and other issues the FJ Cruiser has I would of instead bought another Jeep.

Commander Bowman · 02-01-2008, 01:51 PM

Quote:

sincityfjc previously said:

X3 - If I were aware of this and other issues the FJ Cruiser has I would of instead bought another Jeep.

So then PLEASE FJ lovers SQUEAK LIKE A "GIANT" NEW YORK RAT!!!!

You may not have bulges or cracks YET, but I'd bet MANY people down the line will find this structural failure appear (and I don't gamble).

Speak NOW, or forever hold your front end up!

sincityfjc · 02-01-2008, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Commander Bowman previously said:

So then PLEASE FJ lovers SQUEAK LIKE A "GIANT" NEW YORK RAT!!!!

You may not have bulges or cracks YET, but I'd bet MANY people down the line will find this structural failure appear (and I don't gamble).

Speak NOW, or forever hold your front end up!

My fender bulges started back in Oct 07, took to dealer on Oct 15th to document problem, Then filed complaint with NTSB & Toyota Corp. So far being blown off by Toyota & that pisses me off more than multiple issues with my FJ