Last Saturday I had more spot welds fail that hold outer fender to inner fender, think only thing holding outer fenders on are at the structure front doors hang off of.

And I was on a trail at slow speed one could drive in a Prius. As you know this rig has never been jumped or bottomed out.

Need to get rid of it - good luck on that with front clip falling off.

Also last night we decided to take the FJ to my B-Day dinner & 2nd time in a week dash is lit up like a xmas tree

Back to shop it goes again

Well Emptied the FJC & took it in for more repairs & have Darrell sheet metal screw the outer fender brackets back on. Service, check what codes its throwing again since dash is lighted up like a christmas tree again. ect.

Both sides sound like this plus front clip/frame flexes so much Its even breaking the top mounting tabs on the grill

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIHk8zrjiNo

How many miles are on your f-j what codes is it setting.i work @ a toyota shop.

How many miles are on your f-j what codes is it setting.i work @ a toyota shop.

24k miles - code last time was for left bank lean, don't have code # on me FJ is still in the shop. Will find out today if it's same code again.

Well I've been trying to find out since 15 Oct 07 if Toyota was going to fix my FJ & found out today. Toyota Corporate is Not going to back their product or honor the warranty on my FJ Cruiser - excuse is that it's lifted & it's a user issue not a product/design problem. Good luck with your FJ's & hell will freeze over before I buy another Toyota product.

My web page dedicated to the FJ Cruiser that I'm just starting. http://rides.webshots.com/album/569086712jgHQHb

Plus YouTube Video from yesterday. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIHk8zrjiNo

That sucks their not fixing it.what about check engine light.is this the dealer telling you they will not fix this or toyota corporate telling them without looking at it.ive wheeled with alot of fjs with lift kits and never seen that.

That sucks their not fixing it.what about check engine light.is this the dealer telling you they will not fix this or toyota corporate telling them without looking at it.ive wheeled with alot of fjs with lift kits and never seen that.

Looks like stock gas cap is going & causing codes, time will tell. Toyota Corp is not willing to fix it, not surprised from rumblings from others in the know.

Have you thought about a lawyer? Maybe getting a few written opinions from expert welders on the weld quality...? Might take some doing but could help you out in the long run. I too have had a minor issue with spot welds when the captive nut on my front sway bar broke off within a month of purchase, looked like there was barey even a tack holding the thing on.

Well mine is back in the shop & different dealer for xmas lights, rough running, odd shifting & hopefully inner fenders.

As for lawyers trying to take on TMC is like trying to take on GM in its glory days besides only one that wins in the end are the lawyers. :rolleyes:

should have bought a jeep.

ha!

should have bought a jeep.

ha!

LOL

I have a Jeep just need to get her back on the road - http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=739478

i was thinking about getting an FJ next. i'm almost finished with my commander.

now i'm not so sure.

LOL

I have a Jeep just need to get her back on the road - http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=739478

Update on mine - total BS on all counts - denied coverage on all issues - sincerely wish you good luck with yours.

Click on pic will take you to full size version.
http://inlinethumb18.webshots.com/40785/2697291700050172860S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2697291700050172860fGDSmU)

ps: custom decals for F&R windows plus hood are ordered & shipped - thanks Tigger.

I kind of agree with the trouble codes and engine running rough scenario because those MAFs are very sensitive. Most of the reusable filters cause havoc on them. Hell, they don't like being driven on the street with an oem paper filter after 30-60k miles without being hit with some brake cleaner. But having mud in there is part of wheelin.

As far as having cracked fenders and broken spot welds, that is unacceptable. Regardless what size tire or vehicle use, the body should not fall apart. If the fenders haven't been hit or rubbed against anything, there is no reason for them to fail. As much of a yota nut as I am, just one more reason to not buy something new from them. They are getting to be sore vaginas just like the other auto manufacturers.

What happened to Toyota? How many headgaskets did they change even though they were out of warranty? Probably hundreds of thousands, and that helped to buy them the reputation they have today. Sounds like they are pissing away that rep pretty quickly...

Got my decals last Saturday & installed the back one. Below are suggestions

given for more decals by friends making fun of a bad situation.

"Honk if any parts fall off"

"Keep Back 500 Feet, My Front End Could Fall Off Any Minute"

"Feel my fender bulges"

"Feel my Bulges & Check Out my Cracks"

And this one is already installed.
http://inlinethumb10.webshots.com/43785/2730617990050172860S500x500Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2730617990050172860qspHbS)

I kind of agree with the trouble codes and engine running rough scenario because those MAFs are very sensitive. Most of the reusable filters cause havoc on them. Hell, they don't like being driven on the street with an oem paper filter after 30-60k miles without being hit with some brake cleaner. But having mud in there is part of wheelin.

As far as having cracked fenders and broken spot welds, that is unacceptable. Regardless what size tire or vehicle use, the body should not fall apart. If the fenders haven't been hit or rubbed against anything, there is no reason for them to fail. As much of a yota nut as I am, just one more reason to not buy something new from them. They are getting to be sore vaginas just like the other auto manufacturers.

On the TRD CAI

Opened it up & filter was dirty on outside but looked like new inside, intake tube clean, sensor clean, throttle body clean! - no mud inside like I was told on the phone by dealer!

No signs that dealer did any more than open the cover to airbox & tell me I need to spend almost 500 bucks. cover was only finger tight & unless they redusted everything else on the outside thats all they did.

I hate to sound like a dick but I am with Mr. Toyota on this one. You pay to play, you mod your fj to fit bigger tires put a heavy front and rear bumper and you wonder why shit is falling off. And if you wanted a cruiser you should have bought a real fawking land cruiser, Go get a welder and start fixing the dam thing and keep up the maintenance every day on the trail.

I hate to sound like a dick but I am with Mr. Toyota on this one. You pay to play, you mod your fj to fit bigger tires put a heavy front and rear bumper and you wonder why shit is falling off. And if you wanted a cruiser you should have bought a real fawking land cruiser, Go get a welder and start fixing the dam thing and keep up the maintenance every day on the trail.

Especially after owning one I don't consider a FJC a real cruiser. These problems are happening more to FJCs that are stock & never wheeled. I added very little weight & only went from 32s to 33s on my build. Yeah in hindsight I should of bought an 80 series but hey I didn't know any better back then.

I see your point about the fj it is not built like the old Toyota that's why I don't recommend them to people. The fj 80's are the last of good quality built Toyota's brought to the U.S.. All the others Toyota are built for U.S. market, If we can get the non u.s. market Toyota's here in the states they would put the domestic makers out of business.

The FJC has some major issues that aren't mod or user related, I really wish it lived up to the Iconic Land Cruiser 40-80 series but it falls short.

Having wheeled the last couple years with SNLC a club made up mostly of 40s 60s & 80s I now know better. I too wouldn't recommend any US spec LandCruiser after the 80 series the last great one sold her with live axle F&R.

Blog with videos dedicated to Floppy - http://worst4x4xfar.blogspot.com/

I have a 07 FJC, I have a custom built 4" lift, 34" tires and a ton of all-pro parts on it. It also has a custom ford 9" rearend in it!! Because i'm way to hard on it. However My rig has almost 40,000 miles on it. And don't get me wrong my parts list is a mile long!! But i tow 6000 lbs with it all the time and i wheel the crap out of it. I have had no problems with the front fenders. Thank god!!

But i agree you have to pay to play.

Are you referring to this from my blog:

"Needless to say Floppy who is less than two years old I now consider a beater.

This is due to loss of resale value from the following:

Inner fender bulges & cracks, whole front clip is shifting & out of alignment, failure of welds fixed with sheetmetal screws & fender washers, windshield again is toast, tough looking interior is cheap has aged very poorly, paint on these isn't very durable so mine is chipped & scratched, also waiting for defective ring gears to fail."

I didn't realize it at the time but floppy was a beater after only being 6 months old. If I knew then that Toyota was going to screw me I would of gotten rid of the FJ back then.

I have been wheeling since I was 3 & this is the only rig that has left me stranded. I just don't trust it anymore.

Once again I'll say all the major issue I've had with my FJ are NOT user or mod related but poor design or materials.

i never thought my 02 4wd burban was a real wheeler .i go on dirt roads and tow my 87 toy to wheel,thats about it.my 87 toy has all sorts of mods. and i still break it.no dis on you guys but when i go wheeling with a group there is always some on breaking something,always.and yaeh if i bought one of those i'd be pissed to.

i never thought my 02 4wd burban was a real wheeler .i go on dirt roads and tow my 87 toy to wheel,thats about it.my 87 toy has all sorts of mods. and i still break it.no dis on you guys but when i go wheeling with a group there is always some on breaking something,always.and yaeh if i bought one of those i'd be pissed to.

Thanks & my latest video in part is a result of my perils with Floppy my FJ Cruiser - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeS_uja4tXI

"This are Design & Materials Issues not User or Modification Issues"

If you are going to play the warranty game, you need to play by the rules. I thought it was common sense that a modified vehicle voids almost all, if not all, factory warranties on vehicles. Unless they were installed by the dealership/manufacturer. you really need to learn to mod the vehicles, after they are your and paid for, and the warranty that protects the vehicle sold not the vehicle built out of it. Take it to a smog shop, if it fails on hc and co, it is probably just the o2 is bad, telling the injectors to flow more and still reading lean.

you ever seen what happens to a lifted toyota truck? the aprons crack right down the middle. the fronts of the frames snap at the front crossmember. the frames break at the box unless reinforced. you fix it, cause you built it.

If you are going to play the warranty game, you need to play by the rules. I thought it was common sense that a modified vehicle voids almost all, if not all, factory warranties on vehicles. Unless they were installed by the dealership/manufacturer. you really need to learn to mod the vehicles, after they are your and paid for, and the warranty that protects the vehicle sold not the vehicle built out of it. Take it to a smog shop, if it fails on hc and co, it is probably just the o2 is bad, telling the injectors to flow more and still reading lean.

you ever seen what happens to a lifted toyota truck? the aprons crack right down the middle. the fronts of the frames snap at the front crossmember. the frames break at the box unless reinforced. you fix it, cause you built it.

While I appreciate your input & realize auto manufacturers are know to take line, so please check out the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnuson-Moss_Warranty_Act

In very recent cases Toyota is loosing one these issues & they have the burden of proof.

"This are Design & Materials Issues not User or Modification Issues"

While I appreciate your input & realize auto manufacturers are know to take line, so please check out the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnuson-Moss_Warranty_Act

In very recent cases Toyota is loosing one these issues & they have the burden of proof.
losing on non factory/dealer modified vehicles cases? Or stock vehicle cases? the warranty is for defects in their design in the product and the parts in it. and covers the labor of replacing the parts with no cost to the customer. Strengthening or changing a component makes other areas weaker. that bill is from 1975, and if it solely had any standing, it would be used in every modified vehicle warranty suit, and turn cars in for lemon laws because of the vehicle owners modifications.

If what you say is the purpose for this bill, there could not be any dispute with warranty issues. What does your warranty say about modifying the vehicles suspension? anything pop up? if there is nothing saying that your lift does not void the warranty, then they would have to fix it. what it is is cause and effect. the only thing i would cover if they didn't void your whole warranty, would be the o2 sensor you are probably going to need. It is an emission component and should be covered for the first 5 years of the vehicle.

Plenty of threads on FJC design/materials/production issues from, glass to frame failures - http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums/problems-dealer-service/

I'm going into later stages of CHF so I don't want to waste any more of my time explaining how I & many others got screwed over by Toyota. Last week after some pondering I decided on Floppy's future & decided to gift her to a friend after I'm gone - http://worst4x4xfar.blogspot.com/2009/01/floppys-future-caregiver.html

Time to see if I can pull my families old lawyer out of retirement - he beat GM & was instrumental in getting the Corvair pulled off the market.


i think this statement speaks VOLUMES for you and your intentions. :shaking:
glad you made it your personal crusade.
Toyota's downfall was catering their vehicles to an ignorant american public.

and by your vids, i would also deny your warranty.

http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums/1277223-post2940.html

Its not only affecting aesthetics or resale value of OUR (im using ours because when this issue gets exposed further it will wreak havoc to other potential future owners and resale values of FJ that doesnt have this symptom will suffer) FJs but the structural integrity is compromised (as someone pointed out regarding the doors). I dont anticipate a "herbie cut in half", but what Ive read on the numerous thread is that it starts out bulging then due to stress from body flex, it gives up and cracks. People then wait for TMC or their dealers to "investigate" while the crack gets bigger (the waiting can take several weeks to months accdg to some). Then the boxed aprons are then installed and these FJ victims signs a waiver that they can NOT discuss this issue to anyone and that this is a one time offer by TMC!

So the catch 22s are, if TMC gets a better solution in the future then it might not be covered anymore since youve signed their waiver. If you wait few yrs and hope for this "better soln" then your eyes might just turn white while your fender crack might spread externally and longer. However, if you try to fix it yourself bypassing TMC, you just gave (TMC) a thumbs up to void your warranty or fix on the fender plus this will cost you more money out of pocket.

To cut it short, the owner at this point has very little leverage over TMC. They are also hoping (im sure) that the NHTSA filing does NOT reach a minimum quota for the gov't. to issue a recall. But a combination of class action lawsuit with NHTSA filing and media coverage will definitely make TMC's mgmt get the ball rolling much faster.

Yes the FJ is diff. from Landcruiser, 4runner or Taco but IMO part of why they do not have this issue is that they have been developed for so many generations (back in the 80s) while the FJ literally was produced 1.5yrs after being unveiled on the Auto Show. And yes all of the other Toyota vehicles have been heavily moddified and abused but no fender issues that I have seen even after a decade of offroad usage (except the Prado, FJs platform derivative). Im sorry that I have to disagree with you on "maybe bulges/tears are just part of the parcel of using (or abusing) a new-age vehicle". I just find it unacceptable that with the advancement of engineering and technology, TMC had overlooked this. I agree that no vehicle is perfect and recalls/TSB are common BUT it is IMO minor compared to fender cracking+rapid rust devt. I cant imagine the cost of fixing this issue out of our pockets.

I too, love my FJ, and like you have owned several 4x4s in my lifetime. My 4runner & LR Defenders have never had cracking on the fenders (rust was only observed after 15yrs) and yes they were primarily for offroad use.

i think this statement speaks VOLUMES for you and your intentions. :shaking:
glad you made it your personal crusade.
Toyota's downfall was catering their vehicles to an ignorant american public.

and by your vids, i would also deny your warranty.

Twist that into what ever serves your own agenda - I was making the point that to take on a GM or Toyota you better get yourself the best, meanest SOB lawyer you can find.

As far as agenda I would like to see this design law fixed on all effected vehicles before it leads to someone getting seriously injured or killed. I have nothing to gain - hell will freeze over before they fix mine since I went so public after waiting Only 14 months for a decision from TMC. Me signing the required non disclosure after inner fender replacement is a mute point after launching a blog.

Those videos were shot after my warranty was denied for having a lift & a scratch on my skid plate - I like technical trails & not the kind out their trying to break my sh*t, I have pushed it some but only after warranty turned out not to be worth the paper it's written on! - I have never wheeled mine harding than displayed in toyota advertising or by the Trail Team's FJs.

Toyota's downfall shouldn't be blamed on it customers but for releasing a bad product to soon that was also based on another product (Prado) with the same known issues & was handled in the same fashion by Toyota.

the FJC has pretty much nothing to do with the decline of toyota in the united states market.
i agree they should fix the fender on unmodded rigs.
the crumple zone structure on the car was constructed and required directly because of DOT and americans not being able to drive.

where should you really place blame?
whether or not the prado has similar problem is moot IMO because they are still the same platform base as the runner and taco.

the FJC has pretty much nothing to do with the decline of toyota in the united states market.
i agree they should fix the fender on unmodded rigs.
the crumple zone structure on the car was constructed and required directly because of DOT and americans not being able to drive.

where should you really place blame?
whether or not the prado has similar problem is moot IMO because they are still the same platform base as the runner and taco.

Whatever they did wrong on the Prado they carried over on the FJC, most likely suspect isn't the failing inner fenders but to much frame flex & front clips body mount configuration causing metal fatigue.

The inner fender failures are more common on un-modified FJCs & ones that have never been wheeled. It's not a user issue & aftermarket bumpers seem to actually slow down the advent & progression of bulges/cracks.

I understand all 4x4 manufactures are challenged trying to meet safety & milage standards while trying to avoid having it fall apart on the street & trail.

I'm more disappointed in Toyota's tactics of delay, delay, delay - lying - warranty denied to myself and others, than the FJCs design flaws.

And then there is the flaming, personal attacks & hate mail for those that go public with our concerns. I usually watch this video, chuckle & go on with my life. :laughing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxdxZ47JouU&feature=channel_page

I truly wish the FJC didn't have these issues, as you have seen by my videos does damn good for having IFS:D

Bitch and moan:shaking:
Post some pictures that prove your issues are not user and modification related. You don't need a lawyer to fight a major manufacturer...you can file a Lemon Law claim and represent yourself. I did it against Ford and won. However, it sounds like your concerns are caused by your own actions...and you know it. Otherwise you would put it in front of a judge and let him decide.
Your air filter is covered in mud/dirt and you think it should be warranty:shaking:
It states clearly in the RO from the dealer that the welds were broken due to impact. Also clearly not a warranty issue. If you don't like it, and if its not true, quit internet bitching and file Lemon Law; meet with a judge and make Toyota make the repairs.