[quote=Relic hunter;557381]Good evening to all, My neck hurts after reading this, but I feel compelled to add my thoughts. I don’t think this poll or any other is going to resolve this issue. If every FJ owner on this forum responded to a poll, any poll, it would only tell you there’s a problem, we know that now!
Theirs enough speculation here for a “good who done it”, but not much else. So lets dispense with the speculation about bumpers, skid plates, lifts…etc. Doc and others have given good examples of the forces needed to cause such damage. Good job to those who have reasoned through the problem. Reps on the way!
Toyota is really the only entity that has the resources and vested interest to solve this issue, lets let them do that! I’m not speaking out my @#$#$@! I had a bulge on the driver’s side, but nothing like what I’ve seen here. NO, I had a bulge that needed no ruler or any other device to see. It was that obvious! The “bulges” I’m seeing here are normal variations in manufacturing. I checked 5 new FJ’s for comparison when I found my problem. The Toyota rep looked at my FJ for nearly an hour. He examined to many places to mention. He asked about all the mods (see below for mods). I had scraped skid plates and desert pin-stripping too. Yes I wheel my FJ, sometimes hard! I NEVER TOOK PICS, THERE WAS NO NEED, Toyota fixed the problem. The inner fender well was replaced, end of story!
If this is an engineering problem then its in Toyotas interest to fix it, and I believe they will. Bad press will not sell FJ’s and Toyota knows it! My sympathy to those who have this problem. My hope is that it will be resolved in a timely manner, but I think it will be several months before anything definitive happens.
PS: No cracks… yet!
PSS: The Toyota rep never identified the cause of the bulge.
Thank you for your post! Quite interesting that your dealership took care of it.
Could you let us know about that place? A responsible service manager like that is what we need...
The history of the advertising campaign proves it was focused at the off road crowd first. Many of us even went to Trail Teams events to wheel with the teams as they showed us how well the vehicle was engineered for the dirt. They also went as far as to say it was the most off road capable vehicle Toyota had ever made. It is going to be interesting on how they handle this issue, they are going have to find a way either to fix it, or as they did with some of the 22r engines(my 1983 for example) warranty it for the lifetime of the original owner owning it. Whatever comes of it, I think with the amount of people having trouble here, it is time to get the DMV involved. Just linking this thread would be a huge help in getting action started.
Another point regarding the Trails Team vehicles: I worked on them, and they all have ARB bumpers and 3" Revtek spacer lifts. So not only is Toyota advertising the FJC only in off -road related publications, and providing literature at the dealers that is all off-road trails and aftermarket equipment ads (FJ Cruiser, issues #1,2,&3), but they have modified their own demo vehicles that they tour around the US showing off the FJC's prowness in all types of off-road terrains. It would be very difficult, even with all their corporate disclaimer mumbo-jumbo on every ad and brouchure, for Toyota to claim a customer is using his vehicle in an unreasonable manner with an aftermarket bumper, lift, and off-road travel.
I think they will have to step up and deal with this issue, or face a pretty interesting legal challenge - can you advertise something to appeal specificallyto a specific niche market, and then deny warranty coverage for those in that niche market who use and outfit the vehicle in the manner demonstrated to them in the field, in the ads, and in the dealer brouchures use to make the sale ??? Talk about a rough road ahead....
__________________
" I'm not aware of too many things, but I know what I know, if you know what I mean..."
"Your enthusiasm for the subject borders on the interesting..."
Good evening to all, My neck hurts after reading this, but I feel compelled to add my thoughts. I don’t think this poll or any other is going to resolve this issue. If every FJ owner on this forum responded to a poll, any poll, it would only tell you there’s a problem, we know that now!
Theirs enough speculation here for a “good who done it”, but not much else. So lets dispense with the speculation about bumpers, skid plates, lifts…etc. Doc and others have given good examples of the forces needed to cause such damage. Good job to those who have reasoned through the problem. Reps on the way!
Toyota is really the only entity that has the resources and vested interest to solve this issue, lets let them do that! I’m not speaking out my @#$#$@! I had a bulge on the driver’s side, but nothing like what I’ve seen here. NO, I had a bulge that needed no ruler or any other device to see. It was that obvious! The “bulges” I’m seeing here are normal variations in manufacturing. I checked 5 new FJ’s for comparison when I found my problem. The Toyota rep looked at my FJ for nearly an hour. He examined to many places to mention. He asked about all the mods (see below for mods). I had scraped skid plates and desert pin-stripping too. Yes I wheel my FJ, sometimes hard! I NEVER TOOK PICS, THERE WAS NO NEED, Toyota fixed the problem. The inner fender well was replaced, end of story!
If this is an engineering problem then its in Toyotas interest to fix it, and I believe they will. Bad press will not sell FJ’s and Toyota knows it! My sympathy to those who have this problem. My hope is that it will be resolved in a timely manner, but I think it will be several months before anything definitive happens.
PS: No cracks… yet!
PSS: The Toyota rep never identified the cause of the bulge.
Looking at the pictures of the 'new' vs 'old' fenders, in addition to the additional welds, it also looks like they spaced out the crumple spots a little farther apart. In the ones that are ripping, the 'crumples' are nearly on top of each other.
THe members of this forum would appreciate the cooperation of the trails team drivers with this issue at hand. If any trails team driver would please inspect his/her ride for the symptoms described on this forum regarding engine bay inner fender well bulging and tearing, and report back, by post or pm, you would do all those you sold on the FJC a great public service.
I can't believe, given the usage those vehicle are put through, that they would escape this problem UNLESS they were "repaired" or "prepared" for its occurance...
P.S. - pics would be nice, too...
__________________
" I'm not aware of too many things, but I know what I know, if you know what I mean..."
"Your enthusiasm for the subject borders on the interesting..."
A fix will prolly come along from toyota in the
form of a reinforcement plate, and/or inner
fender replacement, but the value loss to the
owners, how can they fix that ?... ...
I own two FJ's, 5933, and 16xxx on the vins',
no signs yet of any cracks, but the are the
older style inners...
Vehicle (welded in place part) cracks and needs
to have the spot welds drilled out and so on in
order to replace the part... This is the same as
being in an accident with your vehicle and having
to get it repaired, it will not be the same as it
was... There will be areas(firewall) that have spot
welds that can not be accessed to be touched up
with paint to seal the welds... Also, Getting the
new pieces back to the exact location as factory
and at factory quality will be impossible since this
repair will be done by hand, also Toyota does have
their own body shops, they will be subbed out...
Now, If they weld the cracks and then install a
stiffener, the crash rating will be changed, and
could this new part now become a spear so that
in a collision it will come visit you thru the firewall...
Also, You now will have a flawed vehicle, that
even if you don't have cracks yet, will be perceived
as such when you go to resale, and the price you
get will show that loss...
