I actually don’t have much to say about it. There are things happening, and people are still writing to me.
I also had a Fortuner D-4D 4×4 that I purchased in October 2008. At the stage I asked the Toyota dealer if the instability problem was sorted out and I was told that there are no problems on the Fortuner. The Toyota dealer fitted a Toyota tow bar to the Fortuner as I told them that I will be towing a caravan. I even fitted a Toyota supplied drop plate to the tow bar. I also bought a trapezium stabilizer to make absolutely sure that I am correctly rigged. I felt from the start that the Fortuner was not very stable on the road without even towing anything. I thought at first that it was my impression as I had a Toyota D-4D 4×4 double cab before the Fortuner. I could never tow the caravan above 90km as it felt like if you are on a rough see with a small boat. When the Fortuner went in for its 20000km service (5 October 2009), I complained about the swerving saying that it feels if the shocks are gone. The Toyota dealer then informed me that I had the wrong batch of General tyres
on the Fortuner. Looking at the batch of tyres, the new batches were already available 4 months before I purchased the Fortuner and still Toyota fitted the wrong batch, putting the life’s of myself and my family in danger. Toyota insisted that I should replace the tyres with the new General or else they will not pay for the reminder of the km left on the tyres. At that stage, I had no confidence in the General tyres and fitted BF Goodrich A/T tyres. On 5 November 2009 I went on leave with my wife and grandson (2 ½ years old) to the Kruger Park towing my caravan. I could feel that there was a difference in the handling but still it was an afford to keep the Fortuner on the road. In Caroline I stopped to make sure that every thing was still ok with the caravan, checking tyres, see that nothing shifted in the caravan etc. At about 10km outside of Carolina towards Baberton, the Fortuner just started fish tailing at 86 km/h. It was a strait road with a downhill (not very stee
p) I tried to accelerate to straighten the caravan, but this just worsened the problem. We started swaying all over the road and I just felled that I could not control the Fortuner any more and I tried to get the speed down as far as possible before swaying into the armco barriers overturning the Fortuner and caravan. Luckily no one was seriously injured.The bad about the situation is that I drove 15 Toyotas already. I could not come in contact with any of the Toyota management (I was refused to speak to management). The best I could do was to talk to the Customer Service department or the local Toyota dealer. Toyota did not even want to allow me to be present when they inspected the Fortuner and accident scene. Toyotas conclusion is that nothing braked before the accident that could cause the accident and that I was driving with non Toyota approved tyres. (BF Goodrich A/T) Toyota can say as much as they want, but my feeling is that the suspension of the Fortuner is at fault. How many accidents must there be or lives lost before they admit it? At my question to Toyota as to why they did not recall the Fortuners with the faulty tyres in the first place, their answer was that if I do not phone them, then I don’t have a problem.
That’s the sad part. The good part of the story is that the new car seem to be brilliant on the road, and off the road. Even Andrew St. Pierre White seems happy, and that’s a first!
See the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eGC4sbXDVc
I have some information regarding Carte Blance exposes etc, which I can’t talk about at this stage. This leaves me in a position where I cannot really respond to all the comments I receive, but I will still publish them as they are received.
KC
July 30th, 2010 at 12:51 pm
I bought my 30D Fortuner in April 2010 (Face Lift). 10 000km on the clock. I must admit that I had NO bad experiences at all. Towing a 2008 Penta and it is only a pleasure. I took my vehicle to Buschmansnek with 75km dirt / unpaved road with NO problems with a speed of 80 -100km. I drove a 30D Hilux for four years before the Fortuner
My question: How is it possible for some owners that experience NO problems and others with a total other view of it? If it was really a bad or un-safe vehicle, WHY are there so many of it on our roads? Thank you Toyota for a very good vehicle and an affordable diamond on my premises.
May be it is a case of jealousy makes you nasty. I rest my case!
May 22nd, 2010 at 9:01 am
I consider buying a new Fortuner but is very much concerned about the apparent stability problems experienced by a (large) number of Fortuner drivers.
I did enquire at our nearest Toyota dealer about the stability related allegations and was assured that Toyota made some improvements to the suspension (other than changing the type of tyre) and that the stability problem have been sorted out and no longer exist.
Is there anybody who owns and drives a 2010 Fortuner model who could comment about the stability of the Fortuner?
March 26th, 2010 at 2:49 pm
I have been seriously thinking of buying a new Fortuner, however after reading all these posts, I am a bit concerned. Has anything changed with these vehicles based on all the issues or are the new ones just the same with the same issues.
A friend rolled one two years ago on a dirt road almost killing his mother (months of rehab), not to mention his wife and child who where also injured.
February 26th, 2010 at 8:43 am
Hi Kaptein: hoop my naam lui nog ‘n klokkie. I had an accident some 2 and a half years ago and the pictures were posted on your web site: I afterwards requested that you rather remove it.
Wil nie ou koeie uit die sloot grawe nie; but with Toyota splattered all over our TV screens and newspapers it just bothered me why we tolerate all TSA’s excuses whilst 1 or 2 accidents in the USA got them to recall millions of cars and apologise….
If the Fortuner were to be sold in America/Europe/Australia or any other first world country I’m pretty sure more apologies would have followed. Ons suig ook maar lekker aan die agterspeen….
March 17th, 2010 at 2:50 pm
Hi Elkin
I remember you really well. Thanks for getting in touch again, and my apologies for not responding to your mail. I was sure I replied, but it seems that there is no record of it, so here goes again.
I agree with everything you say. This whole Toyota thing just seemed to have gone to a grinding halt. There must be a good reason why the Fortuner is not sold in the States and UK, and this whole sordid unintentional acceleration affair maybe give us a good idea why not.
Go well Elkin. What car are you driving these days?
February 4th, 2010 at 3:33 pm
Kaptein, do you have any stats onhow many of the “Fortuner accidents” were in 4×4′s and how many in 2×4′s? Would be interesting to know.
February 4th, 2010 at 3:59 pm
Hi Pieter
I don’t have access to those kind of stats. I agree with you, it will be really interesting to know
KC
January 27th, 2010 at 4:47 pm
Mine has 66000km on the clock and having just returned from Kaokoland and the corrugated Puros road I dont understand the issue of handling errors being reported on. The previous time we did the Puros road was in a Tdi Defender and it is just the same.
Maybe the problem is driver related.
February 4th, 2010 at 3:12 pm
Pieter, thanks for your post. I know there are many people who are very happy with their Fortuners, and you seem to be one of them.
There are others who are not, and as I am sure you know, Toyota is in the news for massive quality problems.
Maybe the problem is not driver related.