LETTER TO TOYOTA: WE JUST HAD OUR DAUGHTER'S 2000 TUNDRA IN FOR BRAKE SERVICE AT THE DEALER. THE BRAKES HAVE A VIBRATION AND ARE IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT. THE DEALER HAS SAID THAT TOYOTA WOULD REPLACE THE BRAKES IF: 1) WE LIVE IN A MOUNTAINOUS REGION (WE DO) AND 2) THE TRUCK HAS LESS THAN 36,000 MILES (55,700). DEALER WANTED $2000+ FOR UPDATED FRONT CALIPERS AND WHEEL BEARINGS. OUCH! OUR DEALER ALSO SAID THAT TOYOTA HAS ACKNOWLEGED THAT THE BRAKES ON THESE VEHICLES WERE UNDER-DESIGNED FOR MOUNTAIN DRIVING. MY DAUGHTER HAS EXPERIENCED A SEVERE SHAKING PROBLEM WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, MY DAUGHTER IS AN AVID SNOWBOARDER AND REGULARLY TRAVELS OVER MOUNTAIN PASSES IN WINTER TO SKI AREAS. WE ARE SCARED TO DEATH TO HAVE HER DRIVE THIS TRUCK ANYMORE. CLEARLY THIS IS NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE BUT IS A DESIGN PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE REPAIRED BY TOYOTA REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE. HANDLING YOUR MISTAKE IN THIS MANNER IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO THOSE OF US WHO PURCHASED YOUR VEHICLE IN GOOD FAITH IN FACT, WE HAVE PURCHASE 3 TOYOTAS IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS AND I CAN ASSURE YOU, THIS IS OUR LAST. WEAK CUSTOMER SUPPORT! RESPONSE: FOR FURTHER CLARIFICATION, A TSB IS A HOW-TO GUIDE FOR TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS THAT EXPLAINS REPAIR PROCEDURES, REQUIRED TOOLS, ETC.; NO FUNDING IS ATTACHED TO TSBS; THAT IS, THE ISSUANCE OF A TSB DOES NOT MEAN THAT TOYOTA FUNDS THE COST OF THE PERFORMANCE OF THE REPAIR OR PROCEDURE DESCRIBED IN THE TSB. WE REGRET THAT THAT YOU REMAIN DISSATISFIED WITH TOYOTA'S POSITION. PLEASE ACCEPT OUR APOLOGIES FOR THIS SITUATION AND FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE YOU MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED; YOUR COMMENTS WILL REMAIN ON FILE AT OUR NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS. AS YOU HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE, THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPAIR COSTS REMAINS WITH THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE ONCE THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. AS TOYOTA HAS PROVIDED ITS FINAL POSITION IN THIS MATTER, THERE IS NO FURTHER ACTION TO BE TAKEN BY TOYOTA. HOW'S THAT FOR A CANNED REPLY??? *PH
2008
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
AS I WAS ABOUT TO COMPLETE PARKING MY 2008 TOYOTA TUNDRA IN A PARKING SPACE AT NORTHAMPTON HIGH SCHOOL, NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS THE TRUCK SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT A HIGH RATE, WENT OVER A CURB AND INTO A CHAIN LINK FENCE DOING CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO THE FENCE AND TRUCK. I HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE TRUCK AND HITTING THE BRAKE WAS NOT ENOUGH TO STOP THE HIGH ACCELERATION. I FINALLY MADE THE TRUCK STOP BY SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL AND SHUTTING OFF THE ENGINE. I WAS VERY LUCKY TO NOT HAVE BEEN HURT. IF THIS HAPPENED A FEW SECONDS EARLIER I WOULD HAVE HIT A GROUP OF STUDENTS WALKING IN THE PARKING LOT.THE STUDENTS WERE IN FRONT OF MY VEHICLE BEFORE I MADE THE RIGHT TURN INTO THE PARKING SPACE. IT WAS VERY SCARY, I AM VERY NERVOUS NOW DRIVING THE TRUCK. MY WIFE WILL NOT DRIVE IT. I CONTACTED TOYOTA IMMEDIATELY. THEY HAVE BEEN VERY DIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH. NOT RETURNING PHONE CALLS AND NOT MEETING DATES FOR WHAT THEY WILL DO. WHEN I FIRST CONTACTED TOYOTA, THE REPRESENTATIVE SAID TO ME "SO WHAT DO YOU WANT TOYOTA TO DO" AFTER I DESCRIBED WHAT HAPPENED AND HOW LUCKY I WAS NOT TO BE HURT OR HURTING STUDENTS IN A HIGH SCHOOL PARKING LOT. I HAVE OWNED TOYOTA VEHICLES SINCE 1970 - THEY SEEM TO HAVE LITTLE CONCERN FOR MY LOYALTY OR THE STRESS THIS INCIDENT HAS CAUSED ME AND MY FAMILY. *TR
