FJ Cruiser - Major Stress Cracking issues.
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Lexus Champion
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From: Tennessee
The general consensus is that this is quite a bit more common on modified vehicles that were taken off-road, but has also happened on some stock vehicles that have hardly seen more than a paved road in their life. And regardless it's not like this group of people is all giving these FJs a harder beating than any other group of off-roading enthusiasts. The FJ is marketed specifically as an off-road vehicle... Toyota even shows it in half their marketing material flying over dirt roads and rock climbing. So to excuse Toyota on behalf of most but not all of these structural flaws occurring because the owner took the vehicle off-road just makes no sense. Nobody would excuse Jeep if their wranglers had an issue like this.
The FJ is marketed specifically as an off-road vehicle... Toyota even shows it in half their marketing material flying over dirt roads and rock climbing. So to excuse Toyota on behalf of most but not all of these structural flaws occurring because the owner took the vehicle off-road just makes no sense. Nobody would excuse Jeep if their wranglers had an issue like this.
This is not good for Toyota. Perhaps the FJ is more poser mobile than real off road vehicle.
I knew about this case awhile ago but I didn't want to stir up any controversies on here. But since it's out in the open already, let discuss this 
Threxx is right on about what he said. If Toyota marketed this vehicle as an off-roader, it damn better be able to. Of course if the driver takes his car to the grand canyon and starts jumping off of cliffs, that's a different story. These guys probably dont jump more than a few feet off the ground. The chassis SHOULD be able to withstand that abuse.
I am anxious to see what Toyota has to say about this. Just because most SUV don't even see dirt road, doesn't mean you'll get away with it by making sub-par chassis.
Threxx is right on about what he said. If Toyota marketed this vehicle as an off-roader, it damn better be able to. Of course if the driver takes his car to the grand canyon and starts jumping off of cliffs, that's a different story. These guys probably dont jump more than a few feet off the ground. The chassis SHOULD be able to withstand that abuse.
I am anxious to see what Toyota has to say about this. Just because most SUV don't even see dirt road, doesn't mean you'll get away with it by making sub-par chassis.
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Out of Warranty
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: Houston, Republic of Texas
Looks like tears are appearing at crumple points designed to concentrate stress and shear under a frontal impact. That would seem to mean the vehicle is being jumped and repeatedly landed nose low (typical) to transfer that shock load through the suspension to the body. Otherwise, where is this impact load coming from to try to collapse the front end rearward? It would be interesting to compare the wheelbases of the cars with this kind of damage to a new one.I suspect some of the damage seen with the aftermarket bumper has nothing to do with the bumper itself, but with the type of enthusiastic driver who installs the macho-looking iron.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,474
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From: Tennessee
It can - though on a BOF vehicle it's unlikely to provide much support, the body of a BOF vehicle and the various components of it can and do definitely act as an assist to the frame itself. If you don't believe me look at some of the body panels in trucks after they've been doing some hard core off roading and look where dents, creases, and cracks are formed in areas that never had anything hit them and don't have anything 'hanging' off of them.
ental.
ental.
Lead Lap
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 542
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From: Aledo
dime. Trash in the paint. Broken pinch welds in the package tray. World stander transmissions over full/under full. The list goes on and on. I know this because I test drive all the new Toyota's for my dealership. I have not seen a cracked inter fender on a FJ yet but it dose not surprise me. Lets look at The 3VZ-FE and the 5VZ-FE head gasket recalls (VO6 and XO1). The battery recall on the prius. Last but not least google "1996 Toyota TACOMA Recall ID from NHTSA: 96V129000". I cant for the life of me think of the campaign number on this one. We are seeing
Tundras shell there 3rd members and the cracked Tacoma composite beds. I still think that Toyota builds a good CAR. (they have there problems but who doesn't) The trucks and SUVs...... Sad to say, I am not surprised. One last thing. the new Scions (xB & xD) will not have this problem. there is no real
inter fender as we know it. you can reach from inside the engine compartment
and put your hole hand, FLAT on the back side of the fender.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,553
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From: San Diego, CA
The general consensus is that this is quite a bit more common on modified vehicles that were taken off-road, but has also happened on some stock vehicles that have hardly seen more than a paved road in their life. And regardless it's not like this group of people is all giving these FJs a harder beating than any other group of off-roading enthusiasts. The FJ is marketed specifically as an off-road vehicle... Toyota even shows it in half their marketing material flying over dirt roads and rock climbing. So to excuse Toyota on behalf of most but not all of these structural flaws occurring because the owner took the vehicle off-road just makes no sense. Nobody would excuse Jeep if their wranglers had an issue like this.
It's amazing to me how far some people go to blindly defend Toyota/Lexus