Bad Dealer Experience and Need Advice

Ok. So this has been bothering me for a while now. I need some advice on what I can/could do.
The tl/dr is that after multiple service attempts, I finally got my truck back and it drove different. The dealership beat the hell out of it and my 6 month old truck with less than 5k miles on it at the time now drives like a 10 year old truck since this happened.

What can a person do to get 1. coverage over any permanent damage caused and 2. some kind of reassurance that they didn't just half life my truck.

Details below:
Here is the timeline (last year):

• December - Brought in for a Break issue from the factory for the second time (first formal - the first time they told me that the smell of burning brakes was normal - HA). 1437 miles - out 1437
• 1/25 - Second time back in to shop - 1988 - out 1988 - still shaking while decelerating
• 4/5 2602 miles in - 2605 miles out - still shaking while decelerating/braking
• 4/10 dropped off again. This time I told them that it was not coming back to me until resolved. gave it to them with 2602 miles - and got it back (4/13) with 2657
• 4/13 - when I came to pick it up 3 days later - the windshield was broken so they needed to fix that before I brought it home
• they fixed the issue but the truck drives different

Here is my main issue (this makes my blood boil)

• All this under 5,000 miles on the truck
• When I received my truck back, it no longer drove the same. This was a brand new truck that now drove like a 10 year old truck
• I gave Toyota service my brand new truck to take care of a Toyota issue and the truck they gave back to me had clearly been driven into the ground and abused by the service techs.
  
• Checking the drive history provided by the Toyota app showed a TON of driving back and forth, harsh cornering, lots of heavy acceleration.
• I understand that techs need to drive to get a sense for the issue, but this was excessive abuse of my truck.
• Then they broke the windshield
• While on a test drive, the tech even stated, “yeah, I beat the hell out of it..” Thanks.

There are a number of other items now, that even if these are part of driving a tacoma or are to be expected, I have lost faith in the brand and the service department for this.
I saved up for years and waited months for this truck. To have an issue from the factory result in this many service trips, then abuse by the service technicians who return my truck to me now driving differently (slower acceleration) and with a broken windshield, shows me that these guys are not concerned for the damage they may do to these vehicles or for the impacts their actions have on the long term of these vehicles.

Today, I worry about the shimmy my truck has around 40-45 mph when decelerating with no break, the potential damage done to my truck’s transmission, and whether or not this vehicle is now going to last as long as a Toyota should. If I drove this truck like the techs did, it would be a total shit box by now.

What do I do? Is there anything? I am open to any suggestions. Thanks in advance.

 

So just to be clear.....your truck has driven like shit since April 2024?

 

Basically, yes. like shit since April 2024. I work from home so not many miles get put on it. I have felt defeated since this because what am I really going to do about it? we have 1 dealership within 150 miles and its still under warranty. So...I walk in there and yell? that doesnt do anything. This just lingers on and on and drives me crazy. I feel like something needs to be done about it and time just keeps ticking away.

 

Contact the head of the service department and the dealership GM. Calmly explain the issues and request a meeting to where they will come on a test drive with you. See what that gets and engage toyota's customer engagement team if needed.

 

Talk to a lawyer. I had a buddy that had an issue on a brand new car. In the shop a bunch for same issue. He was able to have a lawyer get his money back plus some under the lemon law.
Just an idea…probably something I would do.

 

Have you spoken to the service manager/head of service dept. for the dealership? Contacted the owner of the dealership? Contacted Toyota Customer Service or your regional Toyota Dealership customer care office? Knock on wood, but I am dealing with an issue with my 4th gen as well. Toyota's Brand Engagement Center has been very helpful so far in moving my case through the system and keeping me abreast of the progress.

Try them out as you have nothing to lose. I just looked up the customer care number for Southeast Toyota Distributors and got forwarded to the Brand Engagement Center when I called.

 

What does "no longer drove the same" mean? Or "drove like a 10 year old truck"?

Does it wander or pull to one side? Does it make strange noises? Does the suspension seem bouncier?

For my truck, I personally "beat the hell out of it" on a regular basis, for the past 13.5 years, and while it does look 10+ years old, it drives just as good as it did when new. Any time I felt something different it was usually pretty simple to do some diagnosis, sometimes with the help of TacomaWorld experts on here, and get it remedied.

Can you give some descriptions more than it's different?

 

Define, precisely, how driving it has changed. What specific characteristics are you noticing have changed?

Can’t imagine you’ll get much mileage (HAH!) with the dealership without being a touch more descriptive than “drives like a 10 year old truck”.

ETA- Person above me beat me to the click.

 

Great questions and thanks for the suggestions so far.

I will define "Driving Different" and "Driving like a 10 year old truck" - the pickup/power when accelerating went from having some 'get up and go' to being sluggish and feeling slow to respond. Another example, increasing speed for passing on the highway went downhill drastically. This is my first Taco and I don't expect it to be 'quick off the line' but it comes off the line like dog $h1t at this point.

Something that may not be related but wasn't noticed until the first repair was completed was this next one, also has me the most concerned...when decelerating from 45 mph to 40 or 50 to 45, just taking a foot off the gas/no brake, the truck will shift fine/as expected but then there is the lurching/wobbling feeling like a tire is out of balance. A tire is not out of balance. Happens in 2nd/3rd gear. This was not noticed at all until after the initial issue was fixed. Can beating the crap out of a new truck by flooring it repeatedly eff up the transmission?

This is all part of the problem. Can't walk in and be like "its different". Always open to interpretation and easy for those that will say that its impossible to tell and that they did nothing wrong. Summary, Acceleration went out the window and now I am concerned they effed the transmission by flooring it repeatedly with less than 5K miles on it.

 

Sounds to me like someone stabbed the hell out of the brakes and warped the rotors. It'll be real hard for you to prove they did it.

AND brake rotors are considered a wear item and not covered under warranty.

The good news is: this can be easily fixed. Just buy new rotors.

To check if the rotors are warped, get on a straight road and go about 50 mph, then let go of the wheel and hit the brakes.

If the rotors are warped, the steering wheel will shake and the truck might try to turn to right or left. Pay attention and be careful!

I dont have any advice on how to deal with shitty people at a dealership except, go to another dealer.

I wouldn't keep giving the same idiots the truck to abuse.

It's not a typical reflection of the brand, sadly, there's just shitty people everywhere.

 

Sounds like an old pos WJ that i used to have, it would pulse and shake during stopping. The calipers would freeze up and warped the rotors. Some times it would feel like I had a log tied to one side of the axle when they would lock onto the rotors and I'd have to pump the brakes to get it to release.

I remember one time i was sitting at the light and there was smoke rolling out the rear tires lol

 

@Newwt You are not far off. That sounds a lot like the original issue. The thing came from the factory "with an overtightened rear brake". Rotors were all shot and the dealer had to push for some TSB in order to fix all the rotors, brakes etc. Still no need to beat the crap out of my truck. You could feel it when you came to a stop from 25-30 mph. I posted in here (TW) back when it was happening.

 

Unfortunately taking any vehicle to the Toyota dealership for any kind of service is always a crap shoot.

Not sure what to tell you about your truck, but at the very least you're going to have to either
1. Find a good dealership to perform service (good luck)
2. Find a trustworthy mechanic ( good luck)
3. Perform basic general maintenance yourself.

Sorry for your bad experience, but many Toyota owners (not just Tacoma) have gotten screwed at the dealership.

 

It’s been 10 months.
It’s not worth your expense (physically, mentally, or monetarily) to “fix it”.

Seriously, if it bothers you this bad.
Get rid of it.

 

Yes .. dump it

 

What’s your evidence that “they beat the hell out of it” from your post it looks like they drive it about 60miles total. Did you go on any tests drives with them to confirm the exact issues? Or was some vague description you expected them to figure out?

 

FYI, it's "Brakes" not "Breaks". Makes for easier reading when I'm not trying to figure out what broke. But, if I were in the OP's shoes I would be irate. Then I would contact Toyota, explain the situation and ask for a case number. Whether yes or no then go to another dealership, preferably one with good Yelp ratings and have them download any computer logging regarding top speed, cornering, braking etc. to see how far they "beat the hell" out of it. Also have the new dealership do a complete inspection and troubleshooting, hopefully covered by your case number. Then go from there on what they find. If Toyota doesn't cover the inspection and they uncover abuse, you'll get reimbursed by the original dealer or you can use the four magic words, "talk to my lawyer" and file a complaint with the BBB. I'm sure Toyota would not like a substandard dealership service department muddying their name.

 

I'm betting the tech saying he beat the hell out of it would be a good clue that they beat the hell out of it along with a broken windshield.

 

You seem to be equating "Flooring it" with "beating the crap out of it".
I floor my truck all the time on the freeway to get around slower drivers, several times a week i would say and my transmission is fine. Getting the RPMs up for some power doesn't hurt it, I also have 105K miles on my truck.
These trucks aren't as fragile as you think.

 

Get rid of it before it gets worse. What would make it better? You can lease a LC 250 for 459 a month or get something else to drive.