Symptoms
A bulge, then a crack or tear, in the engine-bay inner fender aprons at the crumple zones, usually on both sides. 2007 and early-2008 trucks are the usual victims. Owners have filed dozens of NHTSA complaints. In the worst ones, the fenders dropped and bound on the doors or changed the door gaps.
The fix, step by step
- Open the hood and look along both aprons behind the headlights.
- If you see a bulge, scrape back the undercoating: one IH8MUD member's 'small bulge' turned out to be a crack once a Toyota factory rep cleaned it off.
- Plenty of cracks stop growing.
- One 2007 owner cracked his at 58,000 miles and traded the truck at 107,000 with little change, and another's grew slowly after a hard landing in a ditch.
- Toyota's warranty fix used redesigned aprons with support brackets welded inside, which meant removing the dash and front end.
- An IH8MUD member warned that welding sparks under the dash started a fire that destroyed one FJ, so any welder needs to strip or shield the dash first.
- For a truck with open cracks, have a body shop weld and reinforce the apron, then seal and paint it.
- With a heavy steel bumper and winch, avoid dropping the nose hard.
Tools & part numbers
- Flashlight
- plastic scraper
- camera and tape measure to log crack length over time
- for the repair: welder, weld-through primer, seam sealer, paint
Where to buy the parts
Weld-through primerAmazon ↗
Automotive seam sealerAmazon ↗
Rust converter primer (RB9917)Rust Buster ↗Amazon ↗
Hunting a used or discontinued part? Search eBay Motors for Toyota FJ Cruiser parts →
Rated for a competent home mechanic with a decent tool kit. Confirm torque figures, fluids and procedures against the factory service manual for your VIN, support the truck on stands rather than a jack, and work at your own risk (disclaimer). Some parts links are affiliate links, which pay us a small commission at no cost to you.