2012 Toyota Fj Cruiser

I HAD TO REPLACE THE DRIVE SHAFT AT 105K MILES. IT WAS WORE OUT INTERNALLY AND MAKING A HUGE JOLT. THERE IS NO REASON A DRIVE SHAFT SHOULD WEAR OUT AT THIS MILEAGE. I HAVE NOT BEEN HAPPY WITH THIS VEHICLE AND HAVE OWNED MANYTOYOTAS. THEY USUALLY HOLD UP BETTER THAN THIS. WHEN BRAKING OR HITTING THE GAS AFTER BEING STOPPED IT WAS A JOLT LIKE YOU HAD BEEN REAR ENDED. I HAVE READ ONLINE THAT A LOT OF DIS ARE HAVING THIS ISSUE. IT SHOULD BE RECALLED

I DROVE ON I-10 LA GRANGE WHEN THE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR VIBRATED AND TILTED TO THE RIGHT. THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE TREAD PEELED OFF AND THE TIRE BLEW. WE REPORTED THIS INCIDENT TO BRIDGESTONE WITH CASE NUMBER 748575. THE COMPANY SENT ME A LETTER AND SAID IT WAS PRESSURE PROBLEM. BUT JUST BEFORE THE TIRE BLEW, THE PRESSURE LIGHT WAS NOT ON. SO I BELIEVE THE QUALITY AND SAFETY IS AT ISSUE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE IT AND RECALL THE PRODUCT, DUELER H/T 684 II P265/70R17. I BOUGHT THE FOUR TIRES ABOUT A YEAR AGO.

THE WINDSHIELD OF THE FJ CRUISER SEEMS TO BE UNUSUALLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO PITTING UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. WHEN THE SUN OR ONCOMING HEADLIGHTS SHINE ON THE WINDSHIELD IT BECOMES EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SEE THE ROAD. THE WINDSHIELD SUDDENLY APPEARS TO BE DIRTY AND TRANSLUCENT. REFERENCE VEHICLE IS A TOYOTA CERTIFIED USED VEHICLE. IN OVERCAST CONDITIONS THE WINDSHIELD IS FINE AND APPEARS FINE FROM A DISTANCE. HOWEVER, CLOSER INSPECTION REVEALS MASSIVE PITTING THAT APPEARS AT FIRST LIKE DIRT. INSPECTION OF THE HOOD PAINT, ROOF, WIPER ARMS, PLASTIC HEADLIGHT LENSES AND TRIM REVEAL NO SIMILAR DAMAGE. ONLINE FORUMS SEEM TO CONFIRM THIS AND OWNERS PREVIOUSLY DRIVING THE SAME ROUTES AND USING VEHICLES WITH VERY FLAT WINDSHIELDS SUCH AS JEEPS SEEM TO BE REPORTING THAT THIS PROBLEM IS NEW TO THEM AFTER PURCHASING THE FJ CRUISER. MANY REPORT THEY HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD NUMEROUS TIMES FOR PITTING. I HAVE VEHICLES WITH OVER 200K MILES ON THEM WITH NO SUCH APPARENT PITTING. THIS SEEMS TO BE A WEAKNESS WITH THE GLASS AND IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN LIGHT HITS IT AND THE ROAD AHEAD IS NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE. HERE IS ONE ONLINE THREAD: HTTP://WWW.FJCRUISERFORUMS.COM/FORUMS/GENERAL-DISCUSSION/38932-WINDSHIELD-PITTED.HTML. *TR

THE DESIGN OF THE VENTILATION SYSTEM IN THE FJ CRUISER (AND OTHER TOYOTAS) ALLOWS EASY ACCESS FOR DISEASE-CARRYING RODENTS TO ENTER THE VENTILATION SYSTEM AND THE CABIN. IN THE SOUTHWEST DEER MICE ARE CARRIERS OF ANTIVIRUS, A SEVERE RESPIRATORY DISEASE SPREAD VIA THE FECES AND URINE OF THESE MICE. (NEARLY 30% OF THE DEER MICE IN NEW MEXICO ARE INFECTED AND EVERY YEAR PEOPLE CONTRACT THE VIRUS USUALLY VIA SWEEPING MOUSE DROPPINGS WHILE CLEANING ENCLOSED AREAS. CHECK THE CDC WEBSITE.) BECAUSE THE MICE CAN EASILY ACCESS THE CABIN FILTER AND BLOWER THEY COULD SPREAD THIS VIRUS TO OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE VENTS AND DIRECTLY BY INFESTING THE INTERIOR. MY LOCAL DEALER HAS DEALT WITH MANY RODENT NESTS INFESTING TOYOTAS--SOONER OR LATER SOMEONE WILL BE INFECTED WITH THIS DEADLY VIRUS. THECENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL DOCUMENTS THE SERIOUS THREAT OF ANTIVIRUS. I PARK A HONDA ACCORD AND A CIVIC NEXT TO MY FJ AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS INFESTATION PROBLEM. THE AIR VENT UNDER THE WINDSHIELD COWL AND ALL OPEN VENTS NEED TO BE SCREENED TO KEEP RODENTS OUT OF THE VEHICLE. UNDER WARRANTY TOYOTA SHOULD RETROFIT WITH SCREENING ALL ACCESS POINTS THAT ALLOW RODENTS TO ENTER THE CABIN. *TR

AS TOYOTA AND MANY, MANY FJ CRUISER OWNERS ARE WELL-AWARE, THERE IS A STEERING VIBRATION ISSUE THAT OCCURS SOMEWHERE IN THE 55-65 MPH RANGE THAT CAUSES THE STEERING WHEEL TO SHAKE BACK AND FORTH PRETTY VIOLENTLY. AS ONE OF THE PREVIOUS COMPLAINTS STATED, THERE IS A VERY ACTIVE COMMUNITY OF FJ CRUISER OWNERS ON INTERNET FORUMS THAT ALSO HAVE THIS PROBLEM...BUT I DON'T THINK THEY'RE AWARE OF THIS COMPLAINT PROCESS OR HAVE THE TIME TO DO IT, OR SOMETHING. I'M USING AFTER-MARKET WHEELS AND TIRES THAT WERE PROFESSIONALLY INSTALLED BY VERY COMPETENT PEOPLE, SO I'M VERY CONFIDENT IT'S NOT AN ISSUE WITH MY WHEELS OR TIRES. I WOULD LIKE TO ECHO OTHER COMPLAINTS AND SAY THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AND FIXED. *TR

THE DRIVERS SEAT SINKS/FALLS WHILE DRIVING. THE MALFUNCTION OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY BASED UPON DRIVERS WEIGHT, VEHICLE SPEED AND LOAD, DRIVING CONDITIONS AND ROAD CONDITIONS. AS THE SEAT FALLS, THE SEAT BELT TIGHTENS. THE SEAT FALLS AT AN ANGLE DOWN AND AWAY FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE FOOT CONTROLS MAKING DRIVING UNSAFE. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO HAMER TOYOTA IN NORTH HILLS, CALIFORNIA, AND TO FRONTIER TOYOTA IN VALENCIA, CALIFORNIA. I HAVE MET WITH SERVICE MANAGERS AND CUSTOMERS RELATIONS MANAGER. AT BOTH LOCATIONS, THE SERVICE PERSONNEL AND THE SERVICE MANAGER HAS STATED THAT THE PROBLEM IS COMMON TO TOYOTA FJ CRUISERS FROM 2007 TO CURRENT, BUT THAT TOYOTA HAS NOT DEVELOPED A REPAIR FOR THE PROBLEM. ON THE FJ CRUISER FORUMS/BLOGS, FJ CRUISER OWNERS REFER TO IT AS THE "SINKING SEAT SYNDROME." I MET WITH TOYOTA MANAGEMENT STAFF, KAYLA SULLIVAN, WHO SAID TOYOTA WAS AWARE OF THE SEAT MALFUNCTION PROBLEM WITH FJ CRUISERS BUT THAT THERE WAS NO REPAIR FOR THE PROBLEM. [XXX] ADMITTED THAT TOYOTA HAS RECEIVED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS. SHE SAID TOYOTA HAD REPLACED ENTIRE SEAT ASSEMBLIES IN THE PAST BUT THAT THE PROBLEM RECURRED, SO THAT SHE WOULD NOT AUTHORIZE THE SEAT IN MY VEHICLE TO BE REPLACED WITH AN EXACT PART THAT IS KNOWN TO MALFUNCTION. I WAS KISSED OFF. I ENTERED INTO THE PROCESS WITH CALIFORNIA DISPUTE SETTLEMENT PROGRAM WHO DENIED MY REQUEST TO HAVE TOYOTA TAKE MY VEHICLE BACK UNDER THE LEMON LAW. CDSP STATED THAT THE SEAT MALFUNCTION COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED AND EXAMINED AT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THUS COULD NOT BE EVALUATED. I WAS KISSED OFF. MY VEHICLE WAS PAID OFF, WAS UNDER WARRANTY, AND TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS AND TOYOTA MOTORS BOTH ADMITTED KNOWLEDGE THAT THE SEAT MALFUNCTION WAS COMMON TO TOYOTA FJ CRUISERS FROM 2007 TO PRESENT. THE MALFUNCTION IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR DRIVERS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE DRIVER'S SEAT OF MY FJ CRUISER SINKS AND FALLS WHILE DRIVING. THE SEAT FALLS DOWNWARD AND TILTS BACK AND AWAY FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AND FOOT CONTROLS CREATING A SERIOUS TRAFFIC HAZARD TO THE DRIVER, OCCUPANTS AND OTHER PERSONS. I HAVE WORKED WITH TWO TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS INCLUDING SERVICE MANAGERS AND CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGERS, EACH OF WHICH HAVE SAID THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM TO FJ CRUISERS FROM THE INITIAL 2007 YEAR THROUGH THE CURRENT MODEL. I HAVE ALSO WORKED WITH THE TOYOTA MANUFACTURER'S REPRESENTATIVE WHO REAFFIRMED THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL VEHICLE FROM 2007 THROUGH THE CURRENT MODEL, BUT THAT TOYOTA DOES NOT HAVE A REPAIR FOR THE PROBLEM. TOYOTA DEVELOPED AN INITIAL TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN IN 2008, BUT THE NOTED REPAIR FAILED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM AND THE BULLETIN WAS RECALLED. TOYOTA HAS DETERMINED THE PROBLEM IS AN "ANNOYANCE" AND CAN BE RESOLVED BY RE-ADJUSTING THE SEAT AS NECESSARY WHEN IT DROPS, NECESSITATING THE RELEASE OF THE SEAT BELT WHICH TIGHTENS AS THE SEAT DROPS. TO DATE, TOYOTA HAS REFUSED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM AND I AM FOLLOWING THE CALIFORNIA LEMON LAW FOR ADJUDICATION OF THE MATTER. I HAVE ADVISED TOYOTA THAT IF I AM IN A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT AS A RESULT OF THE SEAT MALFUNCTION, THAT I WILL ADVISE ALL PARTIES AND INSURANCE COMPANIES AND PROVIDE ALL MY VEHICLE DOCUMENTATION. *TR

MY TRUCK'S STEERING WHEEL SHAKES VIOLENTLY BETWEEN 55 AND 65 MPH WHEN OUTFITTED WITH OFF ROAD LT CATEGORY TIRES. THE SHAKE IS OFTENTIMES VIOLENT AND ENERGETIC, AND CAN MAKE THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THE TRUCK IS A DEDICATED OFF ROAD CAPABLE SUV AND SHOULD EASILY TOLERATE SUCH TIRES. THERE IS A VERY ACTIVE ONLINE COMMUNITY OF FJ CRUISER OWNERS, AND THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN DISCUSSED THERE AD INFINITUM WITHOUT SOLUTION, AND HERE IS A LINK TO ONE OF THE BETTER THREADS WHERE IT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED ... HTTP://WWW.FJCRUISERFORUMS.COM/FORUMS/NEWBIE-DISCUSSIONS/113533-2010-FJ-TRAIL-TEAMS-EDITION-SHAKING-HIGH-SPEED.HTML THE PHENOMENON STRONGLY SUGGESTS A TIRE BALANCING ISSUE, BUT MANY ATTEMPTS ALONG THOSE LINES BY MYSELF AND OTHERS HAVE FAILED. THE CURRENT CONSENSUS AMONG MEMBERS OF THE ABOVE FORUM WHO ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE IN VEHICLE MECHANICS IS THAT CHANGES TOYOTA MADE TO THE SUSPENSION/POWER STEERING SYSTEMS IN 2010 TO MAKE THEM MORE SENSITIVE ARE THE ROOT CAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. SOME SORT OF UNDAMPENED VIBRATIONAL RESONANCE OR HARMONICS SEEM TO FEED BACK THROUGH THESE SYSTEMS FROM MANY TIRE BRANDS AND TYPES TO CAUSE THE PROBLEM. TOYOTA'S DEALERSHIPS SEEM LARGELY UNABLE TO CORRECT THE ISSUE SINCE IT SEEMS TO BE A DESIGN/ENGINEERING ISSUE. TOYOTA THE MANUFACTURER HAS RECOGNIZED THIS PROBLEM IN VARIOUS MODELS OF VEHICLES IT PRODUCES AND HAS PROVIDED RECALLS. SO FAR IT SEEMS UNWILLING TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM WITH FJ CRUISERS. THOSE OF US AFFLICTED WITH THE PROBLEM TRY TO DEAL WITH IT BY AVOIDING THE 55 TO 65 MPH SPEED, BUT THAT IS DIFFICULT. I PERSONALLY SPEED A LOT WHICH IS DANGEROUS TO MYSELF AND OTHERS BECAUSE THE VIBRATIONS TEND TO GO AWAY AROUND 70 TO 75 MPH FOR WHATEVER REASONS, AND I FEEL I'M SAFER DRIVING AT 70 MPH WITHOUT VIBRATIONS, THAN AT 55 - 60 WITH VIBRATIONS. *TR