Toyota Customer Service Experience

When it comes to those things, you do have to be the squeaky wheel. You should have asked to speak to the rep's "supervisor." Unless the person is a CEO, everybody has a boss.

Otherwise, live with it. You've just learned the hard way that extended warranty is generally not a good idea when it comes to Toyota or other reliable cars.

 

I totally understand your frustraction since I have an engine undercover that has a piece knocked out of it also. I think you would have much better luck writing a nice but stern letter to the head in the regional office ( I'm not sure if Toyota has regional offices like Ford,GM and Chrysler does) but your service manager should be able to tell you who to write a letter too. I think the people on the phone just read what they are supposed to say and really have no authority.

 

While I agree it would have been nice for them to replace it for you, as you mention they have no obligation to.

While it may only be a hundred dollars to keep you happy, if they made these exceptions for everyone it would be millions of dollars. I have seen Toyota go above an beyond to replace things out of warranty for no cost or dealer cost when they had no obligation to. Perhaps if you call a couple more times you may get somewhere.

Remember extended warranties would not be sold if they were a good value to the purchaser most of the time. You might want to look up the statistics on profit for any warranty program like electronics retailers, appliances, vehicles, everything. It is pure profit and the failure curves for these devices are either immediate (DOA, dead on arrival due to manufacturing) then drops dramatically to nearly nothing (if it works after burn-in/break-in, then it is likely to continue working indefinitely) and then creeps up slowly as age becomes the factor. You can bet that warranties are made such that they end right before the slow creep up hits nominal.

 

If it makes you feel any better? I agree with you tumbleweed.

A lot of times in Prius Chat when someone complains about being denied warranty service because the problem happened "close" to the expiration of the warranty and/or there are extenuating circumstances the individual feels makes their case "special"...a lot of times I side with Toyota.

But in your case? I think you are being totally honest with Toyota, and totally honest with yourself.

It is really too bad Toyota won't cooperate in this case. Especially because you have been a long time supporter of Toyota and Prius, one that cared enough to purchase an extended warranty and one that has purchased multiple Toyota's in the past.

Sometimes however we become victims of the system. Then to cop out? It really becomes nobodys fault. Toyota Customer Care looks at the specific parameters of your claim, they apply definitions that they must....and Viola! You are denied.

You'd wish that perhaps it would be possible to break out of the confines of definition in some cases, and evaluate on more immediately human terms. Such as the good will value of a long time Toyota customer. But as I'm sure you know, the problem becomes IF Toyota does it for you? Then how about the next guy with a similar scenario? Sometimes institutions must be somewhat draconian in their application of definition.

But it's too bad in this case that it has at least temporarily created a bad taste in your mouth about a company and product I know you have supported.

 

OP: Why should Toyota take your word for it that the part failed prior to 36k miles ?

 

Come on Sage...they won't take his word...and you can argue that perhaps they shouldn't...

But if you remove this claim from the mechanization of the customer care and Toyota Warranty claim "system"...it would be nice if they did.

I think Toyota could look at the OP's ownership history, and vehicle maintenance history and warranty claim history and pretty quickly figure out if this was a case of someone who makes numerous claims or attempts to obtain fraudelent warranty replacement.

They won't take his word for it...that's kinda the whole point.

 

I think the point is that OP expects his/her word to be enough. See the difference ?

 

I don't think the OP has that expectation at all.

"Everything Toyota told me is technically correct and by the book, they don't owe me a thing."-tumbleweed

 

Tumbleweed,

I feel your frustration. I would hope that in a smilar situation that Toyota would have replaced the under cover for me.

I would normally side with some on here saying if they did it for you then they would have to do for everyone else. In this particular case, with an existing TSB for engine undercover issues and your long time Toyota loyalty, I would expect some leniency in the rules here. Especially with your Service Manager agreeing with you.

Honda replaced a power door lock on my wife's Accord at 38k miles, outside of the 36k warranty period, because they agreed that this was something that should not fail with normal wear and tear in this time frame. This was a similar cost as the engine under cover. Being my first Toyota I was in hopes that they would be similar in their customer support. And this was my first Honda.

Dwight

 

Next sentence:

"But I don't have good feelings about Toyota anymore. The people I talked to at Toyota Customer Care don't care about customers."

 

Maybe the American manufacturers are coming around ... I had a similar issue with my Dodge 3500 Pickup. The water pump ($600 installed) failed 2 months after the time had expired (but still well under the mileage) on my warranty. I pleaded my case with the dealer to no avail. On a lark, I emailed Chrysler corporate. In a week or so, I spoke to a rep there and he advised me that because I had purchased several Chrysler products (5 over my lifetime), they would take care of me. Within 3 days I had a check in hand for $500 ($100 deductible). Maybe Toyota needs to learn a thing or two from Chrysler about customer service - LOL.

 

Nah. Try pleading your case that the pump failed ages ago, and your current odo reading that is way past warranty should be ignored.

 

My dealer gives me free oil changes--two a year, so I've never been under the hood.
If there was a problem like this, they probably would have solved it without telling me.

One thing I find irritating: they will not use the tire pressures you tell them. They say they did, but they use the Prius spec.

 

no charge work outside of warranty is such a hit or miss situation. i wonder how the process moves up and down the toyota chain of command?

 

You are not alone Toyota will try to avoid warranty work any time the can, but the dealers are the real crooks and liars, they think every one is the same annoying customer who doesn't understand the car or just confused, they are wrong big time most of the Prius owners are technically oriented or at least identified with the car reading and understanding many of the car facts.

It's unfortunate that in your case the dealer tried to help but Toyota didn't

In my opinion I have owned many cars before this is my first Toyota and I have a very bad experience with Toyota "DEALERS" every time something was wrong I had to call Toyota corporate headquarters to complain and get it done right!

 

I understand your frustration, but the terms of the warranty are pretty clear - a problem has to be brought to the attention of the dealer before 36k miles - if so it is covered.

There have been more than a couple similar posts where someone has had an issue with something that would have been covered under warranty, but they are past the 3 year/ 36k period. In it they all tell of trying to get Toyota to cover some or all of the repair, and in a few cases they were successful. A big part of the argument was that the warranty period had ended pretty recently or some other reason why Toyota should shell out for the repair.

But let me ask you the flip side - your car is just inside the warranty period - say it rolls into the dealership with 35,900 miles and there is a significant warranty repair to be done. What would happen if Toyota asked you to pay half because the warranty was all but done. The answer would be a heck no and the outcry would be huge. Why is it so very different in reverse?

In this case it would have been nice, but not something that you should have expected. The dealer was out of place telling you that replacing it was no problem without first checking or he should have done it himself out of pocket. We all know the terms of the warranty when we buy the car - if they are not acceptable buy something else - perhaps a Hyundai with their 10 year/ 100k warranty.

 

Look in lower right corner of link.

Toyota Help

shows how waiting longer to buy is helpful.

It does stink the part isn't covered under extended warranty. Tough call because you're logging something like 23k miles / year. Hopefully they make an exception for good cause.

 

Yeah? So?

That is the RESULT of his experience. His personal feelings. He's entitled to them.

tumbleweed is a long time poster. So I know from experience that this isn't a 1 time, disgruntled owner just griping.

If this was an unknown moniker? Or someone who just signed up to Prius Chat just to vent their singular disatisfaction?

As I have in the past? I'd be much more apt to say, Sorry, but you have no recourse and you probably don't deserve it...

But given the known history of tumbleweed? Even if like himself, I realize he technically might not have much leverage for recourse, I can still commiserate, and unlike you, I do NOT jump to the conclusion the tumbleweed "expects" Toyota to take his word about anything. Infact if you read his post, it's clear he does NOT.

 

Tumbleweed - IMO -- Your dealer IS the one that should have gone to bat for you on this one.

And for those of you who hold to the belief of "strict adherence" to the terms of the warranty - If the man had 36,001 miles and he brought it in for a warranty claim -- should he be turned down???