2011 Toyota FJ Cruiser Tires & Wheels Problems

ON APRIL 30TH, 2011 I PURCHASED A NEW, 2011 FJ CRUISER VIN# [XXX] FROM JERRY DURANT TOYOTA. EIGHT WEEKS PRIOR, ON MARCH 4TH, 2011 TOYOTA SUBMITTED A REPORT (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID# 11V148000) - INDICATING ITS INTENT TO CONDUCT A RECALL OF CERTAIN TOYOTA VEHICLES WITH "ACCESSORY" (TRD) WHEELS. MY FJ CRUISER WAS A "TRD" MODEL VEHICLE. MY VIN CAN BE SEARCHED AT TOYOTA AT HTTP://TOYOTA-B0B.IMAGESPM.INFO/ I WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THIS RECALL AT THE TIME I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, NOR WAS THE RECALL REMEDY PERFORMED BEFORE DELIVERY OF THE VEHICLE TO ME BY THE DEALER, AS REQUIRED BY FEDERAL LAW. ON MAY 10TH, 2011 I DELIVERED THE VEHICLE TO TEXAS TOYOTA OF GRAPEVINE FOR A WHEEL BALANCE ISSUE UNDER WARRANTY. I WAS THEN NOTIFIED BY THE SERVICE ADVISOR OF AN ACTIVE RECALL ON MY NEW FJ. DURANT TOYOTA MAINTAINS THAT THE INTENT TO RECALL DOES NOT MARK THE START DATE OF THE RECALL AND THAT THE OFFICIAL RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 5TH, 2011. THERE IS NO PUBLIC INFORMATION TO SUPPORT THE MAY 5TH DATE, AND DURANT FAILED TO PROVIDE PROOF (AS REQUESTED) OF INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORTING THE MAY 5TH START DATE. DURANT AND TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION DENIED MY REQUEST TO CANCEL THE SALE AND RETURN THE VEHICLE BASED ON THE DEALER'S FAILURE TO DISCLOSE AND REPAIR THE RECALL PRIOR TO SALE. DURANT/TMC REQUESTED THAT I SEEK ARBITRATION WITH TOYOTA; HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THIS CASE IS VERY CLEAR AND DOES NOT WARRANT AN ARBITRATED/COMPROMISED SOLUTION BUT RATHER AND FULL RETURN/REFUND IN A STRAIGHFORWARD PROCESS. IN SUMMARY, DURANT KNEW OF THE RECALL INTENT AND KNEW THE RECALL TO BE SPECIFIC TO THE TRD EDITION TRUCKS AND SUVS, INCLUDING MY FJ CRUISER. DURANT CLAIMS TO HAVE RUN THE VEHICLE VIN PRIOR TO DELIVERY AND RECEIVED A CLEAR REPORT. CLAIMING THAT MY VIN WOULD NOT HAVE APPEARED UNDER SEARCHES UNTIL MAY 5TH. DURANT KNEW, BASED ON THE 4 MARCH FILING, THE RECALL WOULD EVENTUALLY INCLUDE TRD FJS, INCLUDING MY VIN. DEALER: JERRY DURANT TOYOTA 5100 U.S. 377 GRANBURY TX [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE DAY I BOUGHT MY NEW TOYOTA FJ I TOOK IT TO A TIRE SHOP FOR LARGER OFF-ROAD TIRES. I WATCHED THE TECH AS HE CHANGED TIRES AND REMOUNTED THE WHEELS. HE CAREFULLY TIGHTENED THE LUG NUTS WITH A TORQUE WRENCH, BUT ON ONE, IT WAS OBVIOUS TO HIM AND ME BOTH THAT THE TIGHTENING EFFORT SUDDENLY GOT EASIER. HE MADE ANOTHER EASY 1/4 TURN AND THE STUD CAME OFF. THE MANAGER LOOKED AT THE STUD AND SAID IT HAD TO HAVE BEEN OVERTIGHTENED PREVIOUSLY BY THE FACTORY OR WAS DEFECTIVE. THEY FIXED IT. ABOUT 4 MONTHS LATER I WAS PUTTING ON MY WHEELS AFTER INSTALLING A SUSPENSION LIFT. I USED A TORQUE WRENCH SET AT 80LBS AND BEFORE IT EVER GOT TO A NORMAL TIGHT THE STUD TWISTED OFF. PLEASE LOOK AT THIS FORUM THREAD: HTTP://WWW.FJCRUISERFORUMS.COM/FORUMS/PROBLEMS-DEALER-SERVICE/85927-BROKEN-WHEEL-STUDS.HTML THERE ARE LIKELY MORE THREADS ON THIS SUBJECT AND THERE IS ALSO MENTION OF SIMILAR THREADS ON A TOYOTA TACOMA SITE. I HAVE REMOVED/REPLACED MANY DOZENS OF WHEELS IN MY LIFETIME AND BEFORE BUYING THIS FJ HAD NEVER BROKEN A STUD EVEN THOUGH I PUT FAR MORE EFFORT INTO TIGHTENING STUDS. *TR