NHTSA Complaint #10208962 — 2007 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER

WITHIN 6 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING MY VOODOO BLUE 2007 FJ CRUISER, I BEGAN NOTICING RANDOM PAINT CHIPPING ON THE BODY OF MY VEHICLE. I HAVE NEVER PUT MY CAR THROUGH A CAR WASH, NOR HAS IT EVER BEEN OFF-ROADED. I BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF MY SALES REP AT THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT AND HE PROCEEDED TO ASK ME IF I HAD EVER DRIVEN THROUGH ANY CONSTRUCTION SITES, WHICH I HAD NOT. HE THEN REFERRED ME TO A TOYOTA PAINT SPECIALIST WHO THEN PROCEEDED TO TELL ME THAT THIS IS VERY COMMON BECAUSE LEAD IS NO LONGER AN INGREDIENT IN THE PAINT, WHICH IS CAUSING IT TO BECOME VERY BRITTLE. SINCE I AM LEASING THE CAR I WAS CONCERNED THAT I WOULD BE CHARGED AT LEASE TERMINATION FOR THIS BUT WAS ASSURED BY THE SPECIALIST THAT THIS WAS CONSIDERED "NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR" ON THE CAR. HE SUGGESTED THAT I PURCHASE TOUCH-UP PAINT AND APPLY AS NEEDED. HOWEVER, IT HAS NOW BEEN WELL OVER A YEAR AND THE PAINT NOT ONLY CONTINUES TO CHIP FURTHER, BUT I'VE BEGUN TO NOTICE A FEW SMALL AREAS WHERE THERE IS ALSO CORROSION DEVELOPING. AT THIS POINT I PLAN TO BRING THE TRUCK BACK IN TO GET SOMETHING IN WRITING CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM AND LIABILITY. I DO NOT WANT TO GET SCREWED AT THE END OF MY LEASE TERM. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF PAINT CHIPPING IN THIS WAY, ESPECIALLY NOT ON A NEW VEHICLE. I EVEN PURCHASED A 2007 PRIUS RECENTLY AND HAVE HAD NO ISSUES WHATSOEVER WITH THE PAINT ON THAT VEHICLE AND IT IS DRIVEN UNDER THE SAME CONDITIONS AS THE FJ - CITY AND HIGHWAY ONLY. *TR