Toyota Customer Service BLOWS!!

[GRRRR8]

Once again, Toyota SUCKS! Similar situation to George. Customer goes in and is told that it needs a $3500 transmission, customer doubts it and is referred to me. In less then 20 minutes I find out it has a bad ECM. I print all the necessary info for the customer and they replace the ECM. 2 months later it has a check engine light and I check it and it has a bad O2. The customer does not want to deal with Toyota any longer, so he has me fix it. Upon removal I find the threads have galled and the converter will have to be replaced. He takes it to Toyota as it has a Federal 8/80 warranty and Toyota says its not covered. I have to deal with this POS Don Hugh that is a real smart ass and has never heard of galled threads. When I asked why did the O2 that is 6 inches across come right out, he just started scrambling and saying it wasnt covered. In the past 2 years this is over the 100th issue I have heard about where the dealer flat out sucks and cant diagnose their way out of a cardboard box, and they dont take care of their customers when it is obviously their fault. Is this why they have 25 billion in cash? I will never recommend Toyota to anyone EVER! Honda never has this issue and when they did they extended their warranty to 140,000 on O2s for this issue. This had to be the worst customer service I have ever experienced!

[Chewy]

Feel better Charlie? :)

It's ONLY going to get worse IMO.

Just wait...


Chris

[GeorgeInNePa]

It seems they are mostly concerned with appointment times and making sure they get the most warranty dollars they can.

Did I mention that the 3rd visit, where they finally replaced the bad axle was warrantied under "steering concern" not "auto transmission" like the first axle and transmission?

They made sure to break it up so they would get paid, even though they fucked up and dicked me around for almost two weeks.

I will never deal with Toyota/Scion of Scranton (Pa.) again. They are, at best, incompetent and at worst, dishonest.

[GRRRR8]

Its happening at Toyota dealers across the USA. Just go to some automotive sites and read the horror stories of Toyota customers and how they were ripped off.

[jnak]

That's what happens when a company sees huge success. They get cocky and think they can do what they want, and stop doing the things that made them successful in the first place.

[Slizzo]

Something like this happened to my girlfriend with her BRAND SPANKING NEW 2009 Camry. She had the bad luck of getting one of the thousands of Toyotas with a defective White paint job.

A day after taking delivery of the car, we noticed that there were brown splash marks on her quarter panels behind each tire. To me, it looked like something in the tire shine that the dealer had put on her tires reacted with something that it had picked up from the road and thrown all over her quarter panels. We tried to clean off the gunk best we could, even her brother (who is a lexus mechanic) couldn't get it off.

We took it to the dealer to have them look at it. After trying to get it off they came to the same conclusion as us; it had actually worked it's way into the paint on her car.

Now, after the dealer looked at it, they said that they would repaint the car; but for a fee (go freaking figure). We both threw a coniption and the dealer offered to bring in a Toyota rep to look at it. Well he came to the conclusion that my girlfriend had driven the car through a dirty street (the dealership was just built and the parking lot wasn't finished yet, therefore the DEALERSHIP was a freaking construction site) and it wasn't on Toyota nor the dealer to cover her paint under warranty.


I mean, really? It's pretty clear that there is no way that she could have avoided not driving over a dirty/incomplete road as the flipping dealer is the issue here.



What's even worse is that her brother feels really bad, as this Toyota dealership belongs to the same owner as the Lexus dealer he works at. He knows that his dealership would have fixed the issue no problems, no questions asked. I feel sorry for the kid too, because he was treated like crap when he bought his Civic from the Honda dealer that is part of his chain. It's just insane.



Suffice to say, we tell everyone to stay away from this particular dealer, even her brother does the same now.

[norm8332]

I thought Toyota made good cars? My mom has one (2004 Camary SE) and the alternator is squealing like a stuck pig when cold. WTF!

Her Honda had 140,000 miles on the same clutch (!) And besides a new timing belt no work ever.

[GRRRR8]

I thought Toyota made good cars? My mom has one (2004 Camary SE) and the alternator is squealing like a stuck pig when cold. WTF!

Her Honda had 140,000 miles on the same clutch (!) And besides a new timing belt no work ever.

The belt needs to be retensioned depending on engine size.

[norm8332]

Thanks Charlie,

I'll give that a try. I thought it could be a bearing or something.

:headbang:

[PontiacDan]

makes me appriciate my merc mystic- POS/beater..

bought it at 30k, now it has 130k on the odometer.. in that time, the only thing i've done has been

timing belt & pulleys at 100k(maintenance--the old blet looked fine)
tune up at 100k(plugs, wires, 02 sensors)
new front brake pads at 100k(rears still look fine)
three sets of tires(only 14" wheels--tires are dirt cheap)
oh, and i change the oil about every 7000-8000 miles

its really been a good car

[r33pwrd]

My parents in law have had great luck with Lexus but everyone I know hates toyota service... good cars shitty service IMO.

[jboogie]

Just sold my 06 X-Runner to be able to get my G8 GT after a issue with the CATS. I had about 67K miles on it and they had to "check" to see if it was covered. I had to laugh at them. I told them to go ahead and check to see if its covered, but order my parts and fix it while your waiting on an answer.

My service guy was actually pretty cool but Toyota's practices and policies suck booty!!

[r33pwrd]

yep

[wyldman]

That's what happens when a company sees huge success. They get cocky and think they can do what they want, and stop doing the things that made them successful in the first place.

Yea that USED to be one of their strong suites. I worked at a Chrysler/ Dodge dealership a couple of years ago when Daimler sold out and the guy from Toyota bought in.
His motto was the customer is always right (like it should be) and if there was a problem , fix it. Which was a lot better than Chrysler's old motto of if there is a way to get out of it, lets do that instead. Guess Toyota is picking up Chrysler's old habits. 'Course all dealerships are different. Thats why when you find a good one ;stick with it.

[z51l9889]

It's not just Toyota. I had horrible problems with my 2002 Lexus IS and the dealer was completely non-responsive. I was fortunate in that I have worked in the auto industry for a long time and I knew exactly what to tell them to look for in order to fix my multiple problems with the car. Even still, it required a "conference" with the service manager, general manager, and owner (with me doing most of the talking :flame:) to get the dealer to agree to do the work I requested. When I got the car back, I still had issues and ended up having to re-do all their work myself.

That car was far worse than any other car I have owned by far, and I bought it specifically because of the reputation and customer service.

Needless to say, I won't be buying a Toyota-built product again.

[KenV]

I've been lucky so far with our '06 Tundra (battery leaked, all affected areas made good as new under warranty), but these stories don't make me feel good at all. Of course, the $30 oil change went up to $45 this last time, plus they told my wife to pull around for front pads......for $200. I have ceramics coming in the post for $25. I think those posts about Toyota forgetting what made them great are right on.

....I should have known something was up when the truck came in well under comparable USA offerings. Then again, I redeemed myself with the G8 so I forgive me. :D

[Chooch]

Hmm, I need to check dealers. We are thinking of replacing my wifes GRand Caravan AWD and I actually liked the new Toyota Venza. Or may get one of the GM versions of the Arcadia/Enclave Crossover. Just not sure we need a car that big now the kids are older (aka no pack-n-play, stollers etc..)

[bigtreepu]

:threadjacked: :poof:The Acadia's, fully loaded up, are freaking badass.....but expensive. Heated and cooled seats, DVD Nav that's integrated into HUD! DVD player in back. automatic lift gate, radio controls for tailgating, the list goes on and on and on. :) I would recommend it.
~Matt

[r33pwrd]

Hmm, I need to check dealers. We are thinking of replacing my wifes GRand Caravan AWD and I actually liked the new Toyota Venza. Or may get one of the GM versions of the Arcadia/Enclave Crossover. Just not sure we need a car that big now the kids are older (aka no pack-n-play, stollers etc..)

the new traverse looks pretty nice IMO... I just worry about it following the equinox and being worth 10K in 2 or 3 years.

[Chooch]

Tell me about it. But I keep cars on average for 10 years so, I dont care on the depreciation as it will be paid off for 4 plus years when we go for a new one. I am leaning towards the GMC Arcadia, Buick Enclave, Chevy Traverse Trio for the trailer towing capability, and with the kids, since we do take long trips, NEED DVD built in. Else the other stuff my wife and I can live without, but we shall see.....