Dealing with vehicle issues can be incredibly frustrating, especially when they’re persistent and costly. This rings true for one 2007 Toyota Fj Cruiser owner who encountered significant transmission problems, despite early attempts to address a concerning symptom.
From the outset, this FJ Cruiser, purchased with a mere two miles on the odometer back in ’08, exhibited a strange preload/shudder. Countless visits to the local Toyota service center yielded no solutions, as technicians were consistently unable to “duplicate” the described issue. Adding to the owner’s woes, a dealer-installed TRD Cold Air Intake (CAI) kit led to recurring check engine lights and trouble codes. Eventually, the Mass Airflow Sensor (MAS) was replaced, and the TRD CAI was removed in an attempt to resolve the code issues – a situation still under discussion between the dealership and TRD. This all occurred around August.
Fast forward to June 2014, the initial shudder morphed into a much more pronounced and disturbing problem. Between 1000 and 1500 RPM, the FJ Cruiser would shudder intensely, sometimes quite violently, until the driver accelerated or decelerated. Initially, Toyota technicians suggested a CV joint issue. However, the owner suspected otherwise. While acknowledging the CV boots did need replacement, the owner pressed for a more thorough diagnosis, leading to a stark revelation: a failing transmission and torque converter. The extended warranty offered limited relief, covering only $2000 of the substantial repair bill, leaving the owner with a significant out-of-pocket expense. This unfortunate situation directly impacted planned upgrades, such as an Expedition One front bumper.
This experience raises critical questions. Is this 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser transmission issue an isolated incident, or does it point to a more widespread factory defect? Could discussions about a class action lawsuit be warranted? The owner, already contemplating legal action regarding the troublesome TRD CAI kits, now faces another potential avenue for collective action.
While this is just one owner’s account, it highlights the potential for significant and expensive problems in the 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser model year. For current and prospective owners, this story serves as a cautionary tale and a prompt to be vigilant about any unusual transmission behavior.
