2007 Toyota Fj Cruiser

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.

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.

READ DIFFERENTIAL HAS FAILED. YEARS AFFECTED ARE 2007-2009. IN 2010 TOYOTA ISSUED AN UPDATED STRONGER VERSION OF THE DIFFERENTIAL. WHEN DIFFERENTIAL FAILS IT CAN LOCK UP BOTH WHEELS AT HIGH SPEEDS THUS LOSING CONTROL. THERE ARE OVER 2000 COMPLAINTS ONLINE AND OVER 10000 COMPLAINTS WITH TOYOTA ALONE. IT IS NOT ONLY COSTLY IT IS VERY DANGEROUS. MINE BROKE AT 40 MPH AND I ENDED UP IN A DITCH. WHAT IF I HAD BEEN DOING 60 OR 70

PURCHASED FJ CRUISER IN 2010 WITH APPROXIMATELY 30,000 MILES ON IT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, UPON ACCELERATION AT LOW SPEED, THE ENTIRE VEHICLE STARTED VIBRATING; HOWEVER, THE VIBRATION STOPPED AS I ACCELERATED TO A HIGHER SPEED. I NOTICED THAT THIS ONLY OCCURRED WHEN I STARTED WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN D(RIVE) BUT NEVER OCCURRED IF I STARTED WITH GEAR SHIFT IN D2. COMPLAINED TO DEALERSHIP(TOYOTA SOUTH IN MORROW, GA) WHILE STILL WITHIN THE 60,000 MILE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. THE DEALERSHIP NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THEY EVEN SUGGESTED THAT I REPLACE MY U-BOLT. IN 2013, AFTER STARTING MY FJ, I HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING SOUND, SO I IMMEDIATELY TURNED IT OFF AND HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. I WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE DUE TO OIL STARVATION. I PARKED THE VEHICLE IN MY GARAGE UNTIL THIS YEAR(2016). I HAD IT TOWED TO THE SAME DEALERSHIP FOR ANOTHER DIAGNOSIS. HOWEVER, THIS YEAR I'M FINALLY TOLD THAT MY ENGINE IS FINE, BUT I NEED ANOTHER TRANSMISSION. THIS IS THE SAME TRANSMISSION THAT I COMPLAINED ABOUT WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY. TO MAKES MATTERS EVEN WORSE, THE SHADY DEALERSHIP KEPT NO RECORD OF MY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION WHILE UNDER WARRANTY. I CONTACTED TOYOTA'S CORPORATE OFFICE, BUT OF COURSE, THEY PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, AN UNKNOWN GRINDING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000.

AT MILD ACCELERATION AND ONLY WHEN BETWEEN 1,000-2,000 RPM THE VEHICLE STARTS TO SHAKE / RUMBLE FROM THE REAR SIMILAR TO DRIVING OVER RUMBLE STRIPS. THE RUMBLING STOPS AS SOON AS THE ACCELERATOR IS LET GO OF OR AS SOON AS THE VEHICLE'S RPM FALLS OUTSIDE OF THE 1,000-2,000 RANGE. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THIS IS COMING FROM THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLY. TOYOTA IS WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BUT REFUSES TO PROVIDE A FIX EVEN THOUGH THIS IS CLEARLY AN ISSUE OF DEFECT IN DESIGN OR BUILD. OUR GOVERNMENT SHOULD PROTECT THE TAXPAYER ON THIS ONE AND FORCE TOYOTA TO ENACT A RECALL.

I TOOK MY FJ TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID DRAINED AND REFILLED. THEY DECIDED TO DO A COMPLETE REVIEW ALTHOUGH I SEE NO TOOL MAKES THEY TOLD ME I NEED TO REPLACE MY REAR DIFFERENTIAL, AND TOLD ME AS IF THEY JUST KNEW IT WAS AN ISSUE. THE COST WAS $2360. I WENT HOME AND DID SOME VERY BRIEF RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE FOR 2009 AND LATER FJ CRUISERS. IN 2010 THEY CHANGED THE REAR AXLE. A HUGE NUMBER OF OWNERS ON THE FJ CRUISE FORUMS HAVE POINTED OUT THE ISSUE. THE COST AT THE DEALER WOULD BE TO REPLACE IT WITH THE SAME PARTS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN UPDATES AND WOULD FAIL AGAIN. TOYOTA CLEARLY KNOWS THE ISSUE AND MORE THAN LIKELY KNEW WHEN PRODUCING THE ORIGINAL FJS. MY FJ HAS NEVER BEEN OFF ROAD AND ONLY USED FOR NORMAL COMMUTING. I DON'T SPEED OR DRIVE POORLY, AND MY DRIVING RECORD IS COMPLETELY CLEAN. I FOUND A GOOD EXPLANATION ON AN AXLE WEB SITE. THE 2009 & OLDER FJ CRUISERS, 4RUNNERS, AND PRADO 120 UTILIZE THE 8' WHICH DATES BACK TO 1979, AND WAS ORIGINALLY USED IN 3000 LB MINI TRUCKS WITH 80 HORSEPOWER AND 27' TIRES. LATE MODEL MODIFIED TOYOTAS SUCH AS FJ CRUISER RUN AT DOUBLE THE WEIGHT, TRIPLE THE HORSEPOWER, AND MUCH LARGER TIRES TO TOP IT OFF. FOR THIS REASON THERE HAVE BEEN LOTS OF FAILURES, ENOUGH SO THAT TOYOTA UPGRADED THE REAR TO THE 8.2' ON THE 2010 & NEWER MODELS. IT MAY SEEM LIKE A SMALL UPGRADE BUT THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS SUCH AS BEEFIER CASTING, LARGER BEARINGS, LARGER PINION DIAMETER, LARGER RING GEAR DIAMETER, MORE TOOTH CONTACT, AND A BEEFIER 12 BOLT DIFF CASE. THIS MAKES FOR AN EASY SWAP FOR YOUR VEHICLE AND WILL UTILIZE YOUR EXISTING AXLE SHAFTS, BRAKES, ABS SYSTEM ETC. THIS IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE AS THIS COULD FAIL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.