Has Anyone Attempted Reimbursement for Leaf Replacement Using Aftermarket Springs Due to Recall?

I'm curious if anyone was able to successfully get reimbursed for them replacing their real leaf springs out-of-pocket since the recall had no remedy for months and most can't be w/o their vehicle. I would think that at least a portion of the cost could be absorbed by Toyota given the nature of the recall being a safety issue and the temporary fix being not to drive until further notice.

Has anyone attempted this?

 

I submitted all the required forms but havnt heard back yet...

 

Whats forms...and where do we get them. Dealers?

 

Interested in this. Been hearing about the leaf recall for a long time, had a friend who actually broke his stock TRD springs. So I upgraded to Dakars in March to be ahead of the problem. Finally got the official recall letter today. Going to try and see if I have any success with some reimbursement

 

I never received the recall notification, so last July I ended up replacing my springs myself (they didn't break, but they were in a constant negative arch, and I could never haul anything in the bed without bottoming out over the slightest bump in the road). This past February my notice came in the mail. I noticed in the fine print on the back it directs owners who've "had to replace the faulty components" to submit their information to a specific office with Toyota. I haven't submitted yet, and haven't seen anything about forms yet, but I'm looking to start that process. If anyone else has, let me know how it went. If not, I can post here.

 

Yeah so unless you had the work done at a Toyota dealership and have a work order number, you won't get reimbursed. I tried to get my Dakars paid for. Since I did the work, they will not pay for them.

 

Same for me. Denied for doing my own work. Sucks when they say a part is bad and may fail...but we will let you know what we can do. And a year or so later they come up with something.
If you added aftermarket springs (like Dakars) you've upgraded anyway. I think you are better off.
I mailed all paperwork as requested by Toyota Corporate and was very promptly denied.
Side note...anyone in Oregon need some OEM leaf springs, no rust, 2005 DCSB TRD OR?

 

got reimbursed after getting them replaced by a non-Toyota shop. Save those receipts and be prepared to make many phone calls and wait over a year to get the $$$.
They'll give you a fax # or send registered mail.

 

Right on, good to hear. Did you have aftermarket leafs installed or just oem replacements? I had dakars installed, and not by the dealer.

 

Before the remedy, I had installed whatever the truck spring repair shop stocks.
looked exactly like OEM and ride height was the same and fairly soft

this happened on my '98 twice as well, WTF, don't haul much load and occasionally tow a 1000 lb trailer.

been 2 years now, see how they do, maybe get lucky and a Toyota shop will replace when they break again

Toyota made me go to their shop and get a verification statement that replacements were truly installed. Were the statements from the repair shop I faxed not good enough? AND they had to make calls to the shop twice to verify the two separate repairs and hold up the reimbursement for over a year.

Between the phone calls, two trips to the repair shop and a trip to the dealer, I spent a dozen hours of my time.

 

Not gonna lie...it really grinds my gears that Toyota won't reimburse us guys who already replaced them on our own dime. Just because I made the effort and installed the replacements myself while they decided to drag their behind getting a fix in, I get stiffed. I love my truck, but holy cow is this recall a piss poor way to take care of the customer.

 

Wow, that's some effort you put in. Glad that it came through after all that work. We'll see if I have the time and effort to do the same..

Agreed. They took way too long to officially address it. I just couldn't wait as I use my truck a ton, and the leafs and carrying support are a huge part of that. They really just need to address it from the factory and add beefier oem springs for certain applications.

 

Got my reimbursement check today. I sent a copy of the invoice (ordered my skyjacker leaf packs from Amazon). And not even a month later got reimbursed for the full amount including shipping and taxes. I did fabricate a persuasive letter to accompany the receipt and a copy of the letter Toyota sent me highlighting the portion where it states that if The springs have already been replaced by aftermarket of same or better quality that OEM that Toyota will reimburse the customer. I also got notification via e-mail that my claim for reimbursement was received and it was being reviewed to determine if it qualified for reimbursement and if it did, that it will take about six weeks to get the check, but it only took three weeks.