NHTSA Complaint #10465618 — 2011 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER

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