Open letter to Toyota - Urgent Safety Concern: Spare Tyre Mounting Issue on 2024 Land Cruiser LC250 – Ignored by Local Importer

Should Toyota look into this issue?

  • Yes

    Votes: 9 75.0%
  • No

    Votes: 3 25.0%

  • Total voters
    12

LC250UAE

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Dec 28, 2024
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Subject: Urgent Safety Concern: Spare Tyre Mounting Issue on 2024 Land Cruiser LC250 – Ignored by Local Importer

To: Toyota Motor Corporation – Customer Relations / Global HQ
From: Mihai Constantinescu
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Dear Toyota Global Team,

I am writing to raise a serious safety concern regarding the 2024 Land Cruiser LC250, purchased from Al Futtaim Motors in the UAE.

By chance, I discovered that the spare tyre mounted under the vehicle was excessively tightened against the undercarriage frame, causing visible sidewall damage. In the extreme heat of the UAE summer, using a compromised spare tyre could lead to catastrophic failure—especially considering the impact of pressure and high-speed travel. The risk of a blowout is real and life-threatening.

What’s more troubling is that this is not an isolated case. Over 60 customers have reportedly filed complaints to local authorities about the same issue, yet Al Futtaim Motors continues to ignore them. Despite the mounting evidence, there has been no public acknowledgment, inspection campaign, or proactive safety recall.

This situation has the potential to escalate into a reputational crisis for Toyota—similar in scale to past global recalls—if not addressed immediately and transparently.

I urge you to take this matter seriously and initiate a global-level inquiry into both the technical fault and the response of your regional importer. This is not about compensation—it's about preventing potential accidents and protecting the integrity of the Toyota brand.

Kind regards,
Mihai Constantinescu
Abu Dhabi, UAE
 

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With respect, in my opinion the depressions/marks are not damage. Over the years have noticed this on many vehicles, and the tire surface nor cord are damaged. What is the first photo, with liquid on the tire, attempting to show?
 
The car had 869km and was less then a month old when this was discovered. One of the impacted users has taken the tyre to a speciality lab in the UAE has deemed the tyre not safe for road usage. What you can see in the pictures is that you can rest your finger in the permanent idents created flush with tyre wall.

58 other signaled cases average between 2-3 months old cars with less then 2k kmon the odometer.
 
With respect, in my opinion, the depressions/marks are not damage. Over the years have noticed this on many vehicles, and the tire surface nor cord are damaged. What is the first photo, with liquid on the tire, attempting to show?
The picture with the tyre in back is to show that the tyre was not driven on and that I am no longer carrying it underneath the car
 
Meh (/mɛ/) is a colloquial interjection used as an expression of indifference or boredom. It is often regarded as a verbal equivalent of a shrug of the shoulders. The use of the term "meh" shows that the speaker is apathetic, uninterested, or indifferent to the question or subject at hand.
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Subject: Urgent Safety Concern: Spare Tyre Mounting Issue on 2024 Land Cruiser LC250 – Ignored by Local Importer

To: Toyota Motor Corporation – Customer Relations / Global HQ
From: Mihai ConstantinescuView attachment 31435View attachment 31436

Dear Toyota Global Team,

I am writing to raise a serious safety concern regarding the 2024 Land Cruiser LC250, purchased from Al Futtaim Motors in the UAE.

By chance, I discovered that the spare tyre mounted under the vehicle was excessively tightened against the undercarriage frame, causing visible sidewall damage. In the extreme heat of the UAE summer, using a compromised spare tyre could lead to catastrophic failure—especially considering the impact of pressure and high-speed travel. The risk of a blowout is real and life-threatening.

What’s more troubling is that this is not an isolated case. Over 60 customers have reportedly filed complaints to local authorities about the same issue, yet Al Futtaim Motors continues to ignore them. Despite the mounting evidence, there has been no public acknowledgment, inspection campaign, or proactive safety recall.

This situation has the potential to escalate into a reputational crisis for Toyota—similar in scale to past global recalls—if not addressed immediately and transparently.

I urge you to take this matter seriously and initiate a global-level inquiry into both the technical fault and the response of your regional importer. This is not about compensation—it's about preventing potential accidents and protecting the integrity of the Toyota brand.

Kind regards,
Mihai Constantinescu
Abu Dhabi, UAE
did you write this using ChatGPT? The last paragraph is very sus
 
Yes, chatgpt is my partner in crime. Also helped in finding a global email address in the Japan HQ where to send it. Just to be clear, for me it is a matter of principle, the way the local (a company that holds exclusivity) has chosen to ignore tens of complaints.
 
It didn’t rub through the lettering on the tire. It wouldn’t worry me in the least, but if you are concerned about it, you can place a piece of outdoor carpet over that section of the tire and put it back. Check it every year or so.
 
I am going to court with toyota uae... it is a principle. The tyre was taken to a TUV office that provides certificates for car parts. They deemed the tyre damaged, sidewall with high probability of the side giving out while driving is the car is under load or the air temperatures are high.
 
Care to share the TUV testing report for the audience here?
Thanks.

Also does anyone feel that the muffler is too close to the spare tyre near the tailpipe end at the back of the car? Feel that over time the spare will have a lot of muffler heat exposure on that side of the spare tyre. There should have been a heat shield piece in between the tyre and the exhaust piping + muffler.
 
I am going to court with toyota uae... it is a principle. The tyre was taken to a TUV office that provides certificates for car parts. They deemed the tyre damaged, sidewall with high probability of the side giving out while driving is the car is under load or the air temperatures are high.
Have fun storming the castle!
 
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