Arm rest on driver's side cracked today..... (1 Viewer)

[gaylonw]

I read a couple of posts on this subject several times over the last two years.
When I get in the driver's seat of my FJ, I adjust my seating position with one elbow on the armest and the other on the armrest.(I am 6', 215 lbs)
Its a real quick habitual movement, no big deal.
Today after 3 years and 4 months, the armrest cracked, a small 1 1/2" cross with a little 1 " sliver of a moon shaped break where the verticle door panel meets the horizontal armrest area.
Took it to the Toyota Store and of course they have never seen such a thing.
Region SM will be in next week and he will look at it.

Has anyone had this happen recently. I need some recent examples of this failure and hopefully examples of the replacement parts and labor being done free under warranty on vehicles over 3 years old with 86K+ miles on them.
Mine is a 2007 TRD, purchased new 12/2/2006.............gm

 

[holmanm]

Not just you, do a Google search of "fj cruiser armrest crack" and you will find many others posting on other forums. I didn't see anyone who got it repaired for free even under warranty.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out. I'm 6'5", 315 lbs and no problems ... yet.

P.S. After driving today I remembered why I haven't had any problems, my elbow won't reach the armrest even though I keep the seat all the way down. I use the window sill for an armrest, hopefully it's stronger.

 

[gaylonw]

Good News.........They replaced my door panel!!

Not just you, do a Google search of "fj cruiser armrest crack" and you will find many others posting on other forums. I didn't see anyone who got it repaired for free even under warranty.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out. I'm 6'5", 315 lbs and no problems ... yet.

P.S. After driving today I remembered why I haven't had any problems, my elbow won't reach the armrest even though I keep the seat all the way down. I use the window sill for an armrest, it's strhopefully onger.

The Region Rep and my Toyota Dealership replaced my driver's interior door panel under "Goodwill"= for free!!
The part # is the same part # as the original, so Toyota has not improved it for 2007 model replacements despite the failures that are out there. So in the future, I will have to NOT use the arm rest on the door, as I change my driving postion. Lesson Learned, but hats off to my dealer and to Toyota for doing the right thing by me on this $500 repair,,,,,,,,,,,,,,gm

 

[Gibbs]

Congrats

 

[SupraTuRD]

Wow... that was very generous of them! I was going to help you out with a spare door panel that I have laying around. =)

 

[jmvar]

This happened to my friends FJ also. We are going to take the panel off and reinforce the back side of the armrest with fiberglass.

The armrest has some cracks in it but it is still completely intact. If you can get to it before you loose some of the plastic a fiberglass repair won't even be noticeable. I will take some pics when we do the repair.

 

[Kosmo]

Oh no...I thought you were referring to the armrest on the console side. Now I have to worry about the door panel too?

 

[gaylonw]

Damn Straight, the door side armest can not take your .............

Oh no...I thought you were referring to the armrest on the console side. Now I have to worry about the door panel too?

elbows being used to lift your butt off the seat; so when you adjust your seat position in the seat--- DON'T USE YOUR ELBOW ON THE DOORSIDE ARMREST or one day soon you will have a cross shaped crack where you apply the weight to the armrest with your elbow.
New door panel = $500+ repair if not in warranty.............gm