Fortuner Handling: Are you affected?

[Dirk]

This thread is aimed at Fortuners owners, who are affected by the handling issues reported here and in the press.

If you are not affected, please do not post here, it WILL be deleted! As will off-topic discussion, there are other threads for that

Carte Blanche is researching a programme on the reported Toyota Fortuner (pre 2009 facelift model) handling issues. They have been folllowing the content on the forum, and require the input of affected Fortuner owners.

There are many owners who upgraded suspensions etc at their own cost, they are also affected, and should also try and take part in this process.

You can contact:

Carol Albertyn Christie
Producer: Cartle Blanche
[email protected]

If you want them to contact you instead, please PM me and I will forward your contact details.

Dirk

[Hannes P]

Yes I was affected by this as well. After many conversations and letters to TSA, I decided to change the suspension, which now could affect the warranty of the vehicle, but for the safety of my family and my own, the damage to my pocket was R13k later. TSA still blames the tyres and inexperienced drivers. I gave my name to Carol if they would like to ask more questions.
Need some more Fortuner owners behind this.

[Dirk]

Need some more Fortuner owners behind this.

I have mailed all members where they indicated they drive a Fortuner.

[Henktc]

Good day, Yes, I was affected by this problem but in a small way with some loss of control at low speed on corrugated road. I followed the developments in the media and decided to upgrade my Fortuner's suspension as a precaution.

[Dirk]

Good day, Yes, I was affected by this problem but in a small way with some loss of control at low speed on corrugated road. I followed the developments in the media and decided to upgrade my Fortuner's suspension as a precaution.

Please do contact Carte Blanche with your own experiences. I think it is important for them to get feedback from as many owners as possible.

[prsoo]

Good day, I also had the 2008 Fortuner which I now
changed for the newer model. I noticed that when
driving on a roads with a minimal amount of gravel
there was very little or no traction. TSA changed
the tyres for me however I did not get to go off road again.
Regards

[Hannes P]

Please do contact Carte Blanche with your own experiences. I think it is important for them to get feedback from as many owners as possible.

I did sent the link to Carol from Carte Blanche and surely she will be following this thread.

[MountainBOY]

When is Carte Blanche doing the review of this?

[Dash]

Yesterday (24 February 2009) I almost lost my family. My wife and our little 11 month old boy was pulled out of a 4x4 Diesel Fortuner that rolled 3 times. They're both fine, thank God, along with my sister-in-law and brother-in-law who was driving.

Driving along at UNDER 80km/h on a dirt road with corrugations in the Free State, without warning the vehicle suddenly lost grip at the back and fishtailed, then rolled. A tree, cliff or whatever would have put them in coffins today. My brother in law is the most conservative driver you will ever meet, and with our baby in the car he was even more cautious. He was going slowly for the conditions of the road and much slower than he would have driven in any other 4x4. A farmer friend passed them on the same road before the accident in his bakkie and later commented he couldn't bear driving behind them any longer because it was frustratingly slow for him. Bottom line is I dare Toyota to even try and suggest that he was speeding or driving too fast for the conditions of the road. Clearly he was driving too fast for the capabilities of the Fortuner which is sub-standard.

We are all very angry right now after reading all the testimonies of other rolls, but relieved that everyone survived to tell the tale. Carol has made contact with us. Watch this space.

[fanatics]

I own a 2007 Toyota Fortuner D4D 4x2 and I have queried about the handling problem with my Toyota Dealer in Durban.
The service manager advised me that if my vehicle had handling problems on gravel roads or if its involved in a rollover and I did survive, I should then contact them about changing my tyres, other than that, I should drive normally and not let this issue worry me.

How’s that after spending R 315 000

Also, interestingly enough, Toyota has now upgraded the tyres on the new spec 2009 fortuner to 17 inch and changed the rims.
I think its only fair that they admit the problem and do a recall on all fortuners and upgrade everyone’s tyres irrespective of issues or not.

Regards
Ravesen

[Dif]

Also, interestingly enough, Toyota has now upgraded the tyres on the new spec 2009 fortuner to 17 inch and changed the rims.
I think its only fair that they admit the problem and do a recall on all fortuners and upgrade everyone’s tyres irrespective of issues or not.

Regards
Ravesen

I or rather my vehicle is affected. Enough said in the original thread though.

The new Hilux is now fitted with the "old" 16" Fortuner rims and 265/70/16 General Grabbers!

The tyres are not the issue, but I won't repeat everything in the previous thread. Go read there.

[Drizzt_ZA]

I have a Fortuner which I upgraded OME suspension and BFG tires. Although dirt road riding is much more stable I have had some incidents of bump steer from the rear axle even with the upgraded kit.

With all the bad publicity on this issue now, I fear I may be married to my Fortuner now.

[HappyCamper]

2008 V6 Fortuner

Clearly seems that I'm not the only one with a problem. I've had the most shocking services from Toyota and have actually tried to take it further with Toyota SA but they just refered me back to the dealer principle in this regard. I tow a lot as well and that seems to make the situation worse. Doesn't matter if the vehicle carries load or not the same scary ride persists. And it is not due to inexperience, I've been lucky to have owned a large number of different vehicles and have never had this problem, currently also have a LandRover and its a dream on the dirt compared to the Fortuner. I got so upset with Toyota in December that, if I could have gotten hold of them I would have strangled someone. Sick and tired of the "what do you want us to do replies". What to do? Fix It. Don't want to endanger my familie's lifes.

[RiaandL]

I was also effected and also made some additional investments in my 2008 FT V6. It is still not sorted out, and the next step is a new, upgraded suspension, which I still need to budget for.... It is an ongoing issue and I am in 100% support to get TSA to sort this out. I have sent my detail to CB.

Thanks guys!!

[Goget'em]

Qoute:
Carte Blanche is researching a programme on the reported Toyota Fortuner (pre 2009 facelift model) handling issues. They have been folllowing the content on the forum, and require the input of affected Fortuner owners.

Dirk,
Glad to hear this. Yes, I bought a new Fortuner 4.0 V6 beginning 2007 (Standard) and nearly rolled it on two occasions. I traded it in beginning 2008 for a new 3.0 Diesel 4x4, put on BFG’s and the problem was still there on the new vehicle. In October, last year, I had the “Gatswaai” occur on no less than 7 occasions while I did the Namaqua 4x4 route and visited the Richtersveld, with tyre pressures of 1.8!

By the way, here is a copy of my comments I was going to post on your previous thread, but I was too late as you had already closed it.

WHATEVER YOU DO, JUST DON’T CLOSE THIS THREAD. It was, is and remains a constant thorn in the thigh of TOYOTA and the only effective pressure on them. I was one of those who met with Toyota’s Ferdi de Vos and his team outside Pretoria last year. Those of you who were there will remember him saying that this forum of yours is a GREAT CONCERN OF TOYOTA AND IS HURTING THEM. If you discontinue this thread, it will put the biggest possible smile on the face of Ferdi de Vos! You will remember that Ferdi and the 2 test drivers of Toyota explained that the Fortuner was not in the class of the PRADO, PAJERO etc! That is why it is much cheaper than the other vehicles. When the “gatswaai Phenomenon” occurred, whilst the 2 Toyota test drivers took me and my colleague out in their Fortuner, they explained it as quite normal for this kind of vehicle. IT IS, THEREFORE, NOT A QUESTION OF WHETHER THE “GATSWAAI” EXISTS OR NOT, but rather a question of whether the “Phenomenon” is a problem or not. According to Toyota it is not, whilst according to me it is a ticking time bomb. So PLEASE keep this thread alive. Every existing member or new person that joins with his/her criticism (even if it is similar to previous ones) drives a new thorn into the thigh of Toyota SA. In conclusion: Whether a 4x4 off-road vehicle which can not do speeds higher than 70 – 80 km/h on corrugated surfaces (without its rear end paying the driver a visit), classifies as a “Phenomenon” or a “Problem”, I leave up to you.

[Cas]

Hi to all.

I thought that my FT was immune to the handling issue since I'm not an off-roader. This is my family car (great for lugging everything except the kitchen sink),and used on tar only.

A few weeks ago,I hit a pothole at about 80km/h and wound up on the oncoming lane. The vehicle was totally out of my control,and I'm ever so grateful that my family and I escaped unharmed. This had nothing to do with driver error. My major grievance is that my family's safety was compromised due to poor stability at a very moderate speed.

After this horrific experience,my priority is to settle for another vehicle,definitely not Toyota because of their blatant denial of the stability issue and customer satisfaction/service is non-existent. My first and last Toyota.

M2.5CW

[Gazza]

Hi Guys,

As I have mentioned on the site before, after tyre pressure and load experimentation and then new tyres that made no difference, I had a set of Bilstein shocks fitted.
Problem solved. The vehicle is not correctly damped. With the expertise at Afrishox and the engineers in Germany they have developed Fortuner shocks that have made an unbelievable difference to my vehicle.
Toyota's solution of fitting new tyres with a stiffer sidewall lessens the spring effect of the tyre thus helping the over worked OE shocks cope.
Thats my theory anyway, it is working!

Gazza,

PS. Dirk I have given Carol my details. Thanks.

[Elinas]

Hi Dirk,

Thank you for Carol Christie's contact details. I'll be getting in touch with her. Who knows - maybe Toyota will pay a bit more attention to us that way?

Regards
George


Fortuner 3.0 D4D 4x2
(Bridgestone Dueler A/T)

[jcdup]

I do not do much driving on the dirt, but have had a few minor "gatswaai" experiences when the road is heavily corrugated.

PS: Stock standard 3.0D with original tyres.

[PRA]

I have had 2 serious and one very serious instability incidences occur while driving my D4D 4X4 Fortuner at under 70km per hour on corrugated roads. Trying to deal with Toyota on this matter has been impossible and their attitude has been supercilious.
In the end I have fitted four Koni shock absobers and the instability problem has gone.
I certainly will be contacting Carol.