THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN THE SPRING OF 2002 WITH A FULL WARRANTY. IN APPROXIMATELY THE SUMMER OF 2002, THE VEHICLE HAD AN OIL CHANGE. SEVERAL MONTHS LATER, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO EMIT BLUE SMOKE AND THE ENGINE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THE OIL WAS REPLACED WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO TAKE THE VEHICLE FOR A LONG DRIVE TO BURN OFF THE OIL. WE DID SO. THE VEHICLE BROKE DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT BACK TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND WE WERE TOLD THAT THE ENGINE IS RUINED AND WOULD COSTS APPROXIMATELY 6,000.00 TO REPAIR DUE TO OIL PROBLEMS.
2001
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL
ON MAY 29,2013 AT APPROXIMATELY 1 PM, I WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WAITING FOR APPROACHING TRAFFIC TO CLEAR SO THAT I COULD MAKE A LEFT TURN. SUDDENLY, I HEARD A BUZZER ALARM AND NUMEROUS DASH BOARD LIGHTS LIT UP, INCLUDING ABS, VSC, BRAKE, ETC.COMPLETING THE TURN, I REALIZED THAT THE BRAKES WERE VIRTUALLY NON FUNCTIONAL AND REQUIRED EXTREME FORCE TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE. I DROVE TO MY NEARBY HOME AT A VERY SLOW SPEED AND PARKED THE VEHICLE IN MY GARAGE. UPON RETURNING FROM A TRIP I HAD THE TOWING COMPANY FLATBED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THEIR DIAGNOSTICS CONCLUDED THAT THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE BOOSTER HAD FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. TOTAL COST IS $3100 INCLUDING A SLIGHT DISCOUNT SINCE I HAVE BEEN A CUSTOMER FOR OVER 16 YEARS. THE SERVICE MANAGER COULD NOT RECALL A SIMILAR REPAIR DURING HIS 18 YEARS WITH THE TOYOTA AGENCY. I CONSIDER MYSELF FORTUNATE THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN I WAS STOPPED. HAD IT HAPPENED AT FREEWAY SPEEDS OR DRIVING DOWN THE LONG AND STEEP ROADS IN MY COMMUNITY I COULD HAVE HAD A SERIOUS AND PERHAPS A FATAL ACCIDENT. I HAVE A PHD IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING WITH OVER 32 YEARS OF INDUSTRIAL EXPERIENCE. THE BRAKE SYSTEM ON THIS VEHICLE HAS A LATENT DESIGN FLAW WITHOUT A FAIL SAFE BACKUP. TOYOTA SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE, REDESIGN THE FAULTY COMPONENTS, NOTIFY OWNERS OF THE PROBLEM AND RECALL ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES. I SPOKE WITH A REPRESENTATIVE TO HAVE TOYOTA PICK UP THE REPAIR COST. OF COURSE, THEY DID NOTHING, QUOTING THE EXPIRATION OF THE WARRANTY, ETC,ETC.I BELIEVE THE ONLY RECOURSE IS FOR THE NHTSA TAKE ACTION AGAINST TOYOTA. *TR
