2007 Toyota Fj Cruiser

Due to rust on my 2007 FJ Cruiser, I've had many unexpected expenses. I first was losing brake pressure and my brake lines had to be replaced after breaking when in a mechanic's shop. I've also replaced all four calipers, all the rusted pulleys on the engine, lower control arms that were so rusted that they had to be cut out, and hub assemblies for both front wheels. The hub assembly lead to a failed vehicle inspection for safety concerns. The exhaust pipe literally broke apart near the rear frame crossmember and was sitting on it, so had to be replaced. The exhaust manifold rusted apart and separated from the engine block, leading to dangerous fumes in the engine bay and horrible gas mileage. The O2 sensors were rusted in place and giving poor readings and had to be replaced. Turning the steering wheel became difficult and that was due to being extremely rusty, so it had to be replaced. Shifter cable and PRNDL switch had to be replaced due to not shifting into drive or lower gears. The front differential drain plug was so rusted that the dealership would not attempt to remove it. Now there are holes rusted through the body mount brackets, as well as the passenger side floor. The cargo area's floor where the charcoal EVAP canister connects to the vehicle has completely rusted through, and one of the subframe brackets rusted so badly that it was taken off by hand. Both subframe brackets need to be replaced. The rear control arm mounts are very thin due to extreme rust. My mechanic is now replacing coolant lines because they have rusted through and started to leak, and gas tank straps which were on the verge of failing.

SEVERE SUSPENSION BRACKET RUST ON MULTIPLE REAR AND FRONT COMPONENTS. I LUCKILY WAS ABLE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT WHEN BRAKING BUT MY ENTIRE CAR SWAYED WHEN THE REAR LATERAL SUPPORT BAR BRACKET BROKE RIGHT OFF THE MOUNT THAT IS WELDED TO THE REAR DUE TO RUST. I THEN INSPECTED AND FOUND MULTIPLE RUST AREAS ON FRAME AND OTHER SUSPENSION BRACKETS. MAKING THIS VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I AM AWARE OF TOYOTA'S ONGOING DILEMMA WITH USING THIS HORRIBLE UNTREATED STEEL AND HOPE THE NHTSA ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE. THIS IS NOT NORMAL CORROSION THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE NEGLECT IN SAFETY BY NOT HAVING THIS STEEL TREATED ON SUCH CRITICAL COMPONENTS OF A VEHICLES FRAME. HAD THIS INCIDENT HAPPEN ON THE HIGHWAY AT SPEEDS OF 55 MPH OR GREATER. SERIOUS INJURY AND/OR DEATH CAN OCCUR. IF I AM NOT THE ONLY CONSUMER HAVING THIS ISSUE ON TOYOTA FJ CRUSIER VEHICLES. I HOPE THE NHTSA ENFORCES A RECAL ON THESE FRAMES AND/OR CRITICAL SUSPENSION COMPONENTS. MY VEHICLE IS 16 YEARS OLD, I PURCHASED IT FROM A DEALER WHOM RECIEVED IT FROM THE ORIGINAL OWNER WITH 57,000 MILES ON IT. NOW CURRENTLY AFTER 4 YEARS OF OWNING THIS FJ CRUISER I ONLY HAVE 71,000 MILES ON IT. HAD THIS BRACKET CAUGHT ONTO MY BRAKE LINES WHICH IS LOCATED DIRECTLY BELOW THIS REAR BRACKET I WOULD HAVE LOST ALL ABILITY TO STOP MY VEHICLE.

FRAME AND SUSPENSION COMPONENTS ARE VERY RUSTY TO THE POINT OF A SAFETY CONCERN. I REPLACED THE REAR BUMPER WITH AN AFTERMARKET ONE TO DISCOVER THE REAR BUMPER SUPPORT WAS SO RUSTED IT WOULDN'T BE OF ANY HELP IN THE EVENT OF BEING REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER CAR. ALSO, THE REAR BUMPER COMES STOCK WITH 2 SENSORS SO WHEN BACKING UP WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN YOU GET CLOSE TO SOMETHING. BOTH SENSORS WERE NON-TRANSFERABLE TO THE NEW BUMPER BECAUSE THEY WERE SO RUSTED ON THE INSIDE WHEN YOU TRIED TO REMOVE THEM THEY CRUMBLED INTO BITS, A COMBINATION OF METAL AND PLASTIC. THE RUST WORKED ITS WAY UP THE WIRES AS WELL. NUMEROUS BRACKETS UNDERNEATH THE TRUCK WHICH HOLD WHAT APPEARS TO BE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS THE VEHICLE WOULD NEED TO OPERATE. IF ONE OF THESE COMPONENTS BROKE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED I WOULD NEED TO BUY NEW BRACKETS ALONG WITH THE NEW COMPONENT - NEW SCREWS WOULD ALSO BE REQUIRED ALONG SIDE A HOLY PRAYER THAT THE OLD SCREWS DON'T SNAP OFF WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REMOVE THEM. BY THE TIME I WAS DONE PAYING OFF MY VEHICLE AND HAVING MORE FREE INCOME TO PUT TOWARDS OTHER PRIORITIES I WAS CONSISTENTLY DELAYED WITH REPAIRES THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO KEEP FUNCTIONING. I HAD TO PAY FOR NEW TRANSMISSION LINES BECAUSE THE ONES ON THERE WERE SO RUSTED, IN A LUMP SUM I WAS NOT PREPARED FOR. POWER STEERING LINES WERE REPLACED ONCE AND THE POWER STEERING STILL HAS AN ISSUE HOLDING FLUID. I AM GOING TO CHOSE TODAY'S DATE AS THE DATE THIS OCCURRED BECAUSE NOW I AM AT MY WIT'S END WITH THE RUST. I TOOK MY TRUCK TO HAVE THE A/C RECHARGED TO BE TOLD ITS GOING TO BE ABOUT $2000 TO REPLACE ALL THE LINES AND THE CONDENSER THAT IS RUSTED PLUS LABOR. WHILE ON THE LIFT THE MECHANIC TOLD ME TO COME TAKE A LOOK UNDERNEATH MY TRUCK AND HE SHOWED ME HOW EXTENSIVE THE RUST HAS BECOME AND THAT I MIGHT NEED TO HAVE SOME WORK DONE ABOUT THE RUST FIRST BEFORE HE CAN FIX THE A/C.

2007 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER. THERE IS WIDESPREAD AND SIGNIFICANT RUSTING ON THE FRAME AND DRIVETRAIN COMPONENTS. WELL-MAINTAINED, AND NOT LOCATED IN A SALTY ENVIRONMENT, NOR AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THE ROADS ARE EVER SALTED. THIS VEHICLE IS UTILIZES THE SAME FRAME AS ANOTHER TOYOTA VEHICLE (4RUNNER), AND THAT VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED WITH THE FRAME-RUSTING RECALL DURING THE SAME TIME PERIOD THIS VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED.