1. ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON ALERTING US TO A PROBLEM (CHECK ENGINE, SERVICE ENGINE, ETC.). AFTER ALLEGED REPAIR, SPOUSE DROVE TO FAMILIES HOUSE APPROXIMATE 600 MILES AWAY AND FOUND A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF OIL HAD LEAKED FROM THE SYSTEM - OIL HAD BEEN CHANGED AS PART OF THE FIX. A SECOND DEALER, AT THE NEW LOCATION, "FIXED" WITH THE SAME HOSE AGAIN, WITH SIMILAR RESULTS, THOUGH MY SPOUSE ONLY DROP 120 MILES. SHE IS UNABLE TO CONTINUE THE TRIP HOME DUE TO THIS ISSUE. 2. AFTER TAKING TO DEALER, WAS TOLD THE VVT OIL LINE WAS A KNOWN FAULTY PART AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. WAS NOT A "FORMAL" RECALL, BUT WAS CONSIDERED AN INTERNAL RECALL TO TOYOTA THAT NEEDED TO BE FIXED FOR "FREE". BOTH DEALERSHIPS CLAIMED TO HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM, THOUGH THE ENGINE IS STILL LEAKING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF OIL. THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF DATA ON THE WEB THAT ADDRESSES THIS OIL LINE AND THE ASSOCIATED ISSUES. 3. PART WAS REPLACED, BUT WITH SAME TYPE (PART NUMBER, COMPOSITION, ETC.). BASICALLY, A "NEW" BAD PART WAS REPLACED. FURTHERMORE, THE FIRST DEALERSHIP INSTALLED VARIOUS GASKETS AND SEALS INCORRECTLY, AND STILL GAVE THE CAR A SAFE RATING FOR A 600 MILE TRIP. THE SECOND DEALERSHIP MERELY REPLACED A BAD OIL LINE WITH ANOTHER BAD OIL LINE. *TR
2004
TIRES
TIRES WERE WEARING OUT QUICKLY; THEY HAD ABOUT 22,000 MILES ON THEM. I CONSULTED WITH DEALER REGARDING ROTATION AND WAS TOLD THAT ONE TIRE WAS WORN ENOUGH TO REQUIRE REPLACEMENT. I ASKED FOR THEM TO DO SO AND THE TECHNICIAN WENT AWAY. HE LATER RETURNED TO ME WAITING AND TOLD ME THAT THE TIRES WERE "RUN FLATS" AND REQUIRED ALL FOUR TO BE REPLACED. I ASKED ABOUT REPLACING WITH REGULAR TIRES SINCE RUN FLATS COST ABOUT $1350. IT WAS AT T HAT TIME I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO ROOM FOR A SPARE. I DECIDED THAT WAS RIDICULOUS AND HAD TIRES REPLACED WITH REGULAR TIRES. I HAD TO PURCHASE AN EXTRA WHEEL AND HAVE IT STORED ON THE TOP OF THE VAN! THIS INFORMATION SHOULD BE PROVIDED TO CONSUMERS UP FRONT BEFORE PURCHASE! I WILL NEVER BUY A CAR THAT HAS RUN-FLATS AGAIN! ITS A TOTAL RIP-OFF!!*JB
