TOYOTA REFUSING TO UPHOLD WARRANTY!!

Brought my 95 Tacoma into local dealer for Rust Perforation Check in April of 2009 and they told me my frame passed. Brought it back into different dealer a year later who stated I have a huge hole in frame and given the thickness of the frame, it clearly took more than a year to develop. So I qualify for the Buyback Warranty that Toyota is offering right? Wrong. Toyota told me I missed the 15 year extension as my truck went into service in Oct 1995. If I brought the truck in one month prior, they would not let me leave with the truck as it is determined by Toyota it be "UNSAFE TO DRIVE", but since I was late, it was OK for them to release the truck to me?? I have been fighting with Toyota Corp. for some time now and stress with them that the hole was missed in 2009. Despite my letters, all I get is a nasty, rude case manger telling me "too bad you missed the cutoff"! [FONT=&quot]I am now in a very difficult position as Toyota Motor Sales has deemed the truck “Unsafe to Drive” due to “Inadequate Corrosion-Resistant Protection” applied by Toyota. As my primary vehicle, I will not put my family or other drivers at risk and cannot sell this truck knowing that it unsafe to drive.

[/FONT]

 

Sounds like it's time to contact a lawyer if you haven't already. Not much else to do.

 

X2 that's really the only logical next step.

 

X3, best of luck with this situation. keep us posted!

 

x4,
if only honda made a truck with a 6ft bed and not weird lookin nobody would be having these problems!

 

Yea i know its a genius idea that hasn't failed in over 30 years! You can lock in the rear independent suspension too!
At least honda backs up their warranty issues. Its horrible that people are going through this among many other issues with toyota warranty problems.

Good Luck with your frame rust man!

 

Aside from getting a lawyer, there are other routes.

1) Arbitration
2) Better Business Bureau
3) The Consumer Complaints/Reports division of a media outlet!!! The last thing Toyota wants/needs is more negative news reports.

 

Can you get a copy of the 'warrantee inspection' from back in 2009?

Chances are - if the dealership said it 'passed' back in 2009 and there's no other details on the paperwork, then there's really nothing you can do to prove they were 'wrong' (at that time).

From Oct 1995 to Dec. 2010 is more than 15 years....and technically, you're outside the 15 year warrantee period.

I'm not sure a lawyer can do anything for you based on the information you've given. The amount of money you'll pay a lawyer will probably exceed the amount of money Toyota would give you for your truck.... Is it really worth going through the hassle?

 

go to the dealership and have a throttle sticking problem

 

Thanks for the support. I originally attempted to talk to Toyota via the phone but spoke to a very rude and nasty Case Manager, who basically said "too bad". When I asked to speak to her supervisor, she initially refused and said that Customer Support Supervisors do not talk to customers! She eventually gave me a name. I spoke to a supervisor the next day who was even more unprofessional and told me that he was the highest person in Toyota I could speak with and his decision to deny the warranty claim was final. He said I was lucky he called me back as supervisors don't talk to customers!!
He encouraged me to contact the President and CEO of Toyota, the BB and the Attorney General. So I wrote to the CEO and many other VP's pleading my case and letting them know that my family and I are loyal customers and would be purchasing another Toyota if they honored their warranty.
The answer was "the hole may have been overlooked in 2009, but you are now out of the warranty period".
So, I filed complaints with the BB, NHTSA, Consumer Protection Agency, The Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission. I also contacted several well respected writers in the auto world at the NY Times and a local news station is considering "investigating" my complaint. I was hoping not to bring additional bad press to Toyota, but they left me no other alternative.

 

subd

 

Sounds like you are on the right path, but it sucks you have to do all of this. Hope it all works out.

 

Just curious... What is the blue book value of your truck? What value would Toyota buy it back for?

 

I've learned a lesson myself. Never buy a used vehicle without having the dealer put it on a lift and looking under it yourself.

Not only for the obvious like rust, but also for turned bolts and nuts.

 

Yes it sucks that they missed it the first time but depending on where the hole is and how large it is it may not be that big a deal. Someone who's good with a welder and some good rust threatment products from a place like Eastwood could get just about any of these trucks that were still being driven back into fine shape ready for several more safe years on the road. I repaired where one of the spring hangers broke off the frame on my Landcruiser due to rust. It's probably stronger than it ever was now and you can barely tell it's been repaired. Years ago I helped a friend rebuild the frame on an 80's toyota pickup that actually broke right behind the cab. Again it sucks they missed it but you are now out of warranty. Time to either fix it yourself or get it fixed. Or sell it for parts.