Combination Meter Warranty Enhancement

Good news and bad news. I dropped off my 2007 Prius today and just got a call that they replaced the CM unit, but it's "worse than the old one". So I'm getting a rental while replacement #2 is on order.

So my guess is that they are sending out refurbished units that really aren't fully tested. This makes me feel particularly confident in this program. I'll report back when there's more to tell.

edit: Unless...this is a huck story and they're really shipping back the CM to be repaired. Anyway, I got a 2013 Corolla to drive around until my Prius is ready to roll.

 

You gotta put the key in and get to first level on, then pull key out...

 

Can't tell you how much I love Priuschat! Had a couple of "blank out" incidents on my 2008 and was pretty worried and puzzled. We just bought a new 2013 YESTERDAY, and had been thinking to trade in the 2008 because of this intermittent problem. Lo and behold, after reading this article, realized it was the combination meter. Car is at the dealer now, and they are replacing the combination meter as well as some overdue service. We'll be keeping the 2008! BTW, they said they would need to replicate the "condition" then I said the TSB said that replication was not necessary, just describing the symptoms/behavior. Told them I just bought a new car from you and expected more. Guess they decided they wanted a happy customer. Thanks again everyone here!!!

 

I got my Prius back in only a few days and after having driven it on a long road trip I can report that this second replacement CM works as advertised.

I note that the reverse beep is half the period of the original CM unit, but that's no biggie at all, just an observation.

Thanks for everybody's guidance!

 

Surprise surprise: My 2009 Touring Package 6 looks like it's got the same symptoms as what is stated in the failure of the CM, except for two details: (1) My SmartKey system failed about ten days ago before the dashboard went dark and (2) my turn indicators also failed.

 

You have a 2009, so you should be in good shape for a while yet. But as to a "good faith" repair, I can report that's unlikely. I just experienced the problem for the first time on my 2005 last weekend, and then again mid-week. Took it in for replacement under the program, and learned that the original owner bought it November 5th - so I'm beyond the 9-year timeframe by a matter of 4-5 weeks. I pleaded my case to Toyota corporate, where it went absolutely nowhere. They won't budge on this, so if you're approaching the timeframe, watch verrrry carefully.

 

So you bought your 2005 before November of 2004?

If it's really been more than 9 years, you got good service out of the car. They can't warranty it forever and have to draw the line somewhere.

I took my combination meter out before I even knew about the warranty because I was going to send it in and pay the $100 to have it fixed. But the day after I took it out, I found out about the warranty. The local dealership took the car disassembled and did the repair.

 

Sorka,

I actually bought the car used in October 2007 as a certified used car from Toyota. I didn't know exactly when the original owner bought the car, until the dealer called me to tell me the bad news; that the date of first use put me 5 weeks beyond the warranty period.

Everyone has probably at one point or other felt screwed by a warranty expiration date, a due date, or some other timeframe that they happened to fall just the wrong side of. Customers are understandably upset when missing such a deadline by the skin of their teeth, especially when missing it means bearing a cost that may be a burden to some; to others, it may be impossible to bear. When a manufacturer takes a hard line in a situation like this, they're certainly following the "letter of the law", but at significant cost to customer goodwill. This is no doubt what gave rise to the concept of warranty grace periods. If a product fails a few days after a 1-year warranty expires, it's understandable for the customer to feel cheated by the manufacturer if they're left out in the cold. A grace period allows a manufacturer to make the customer feel he/she is being treated fairly, while still consistently applying a clear policy. Some manufacturers may publicly state the grace period as part of the warranty policy, while others keep the grace period a matter of internal knowledge only. Either way, a customer on the edge of warranty coverage can be cared for under the policy, turning a negative customer experience into a positive one. The customer who might have been most vocal about feeling they were wronged by the company might instead become an equally strong advocate for the company.

Legally, of course, a company is only obligated to do what they put in writing. Toyota has every right to deny warranty coverage even one day beyond the warranty expiration - and I'm told by the dealer they have in fact done that regularly. Possibly it's to avoid legal troubles arising from inconsistent enforcement of warranty policy? I just think it's a shame they've chosen to handle things that way. Officially incorporating a reasonable grace period into the policy could go a long way toward increasing their reputation with customers (past, present, and future). The costs would likely be negligible, and very possibly be offset to become a net positive as customer behavior is swung to their favor over time.

 

Can someone please tell me how this coverage works? My car has been having this problem for a couple months with the Combination Meter not working. I don't know when the "date of first use" is as I bought it used, but it is an 06 with a manufacture date of March of 2006. I believe that would put my car at 8 years.... still under warranty... right? What I don't get is how my car could be under warranty, but the last poster having an 07 and not?

 

Any Toyota dealer can tell you when the car first went into service. It is in their records. Doesn't matter if the car was sold by them or a Toyota dealer in another state. Ask your "service writer" for the information. They can print it out for you or verbally tell you what the date of "first use" was.

 

They bought the car used in 2007, the car itself was a 2005, thus out of warranty.

 

Hey everyone,

I just dropped off my car today at Keyes Toyota (Southern California). They told me it would take 2-3 weeks. Does that sound right? If so, Toyota is paying a hefty price for just the rental car. Btw, stealership will tell you that they have to replicate the problem in order to fix the meter. How would they actually do this? It's pretty unpredictable. But, thanks to this thread, I learned that it doesn't have to be replicated for them to fix it.

 

The time is for Toyota to custom program a new combo unit to your total miles odometer reading and deliver it to the dealer.

JeffD

 

Just got my car today; it took 13days. Toyota's bill was like $1700 (rental car included). Appreciate Toyota taking care of their customers--will definitely buy another car from them.

 

It is good to know that Toyota is standing behind their product and their customers. Glad to hear it all worked out for you.

 

My 08 Prius has experience the same issue, and the suggestion solution works for 3 times so far, so currently the combination meter functions.
As I call the Fred Anderson Toyota to report this issue and request them service the combination meter, they turn me down and told me they only accept and willing to take a look on the issue when the issue happen again.
Not happy about their respond.

 

You should talk to the service manager, Toyota states you just have to notify them of the problem, they don't have to physically see it as it doesn't occur all the time. Print out a copy of the extended warranty and show it to them if you have to.

 

If they still don't budge, find another dealer. The one I went to brought up the extended warranty before I did.

 

Odd. My 2009 had the same problem and I took it apart to send in the CM to be rebuilt by another company. However, I fond out about the warranty extension before actually sending in the meter but after I'd taken the entire thing apart.

My local toyota dealer was still willing to take our Prius in it's disassembled dash state and replace the CM. They delivered it back to me fully re-assembled.

They did not require the problem to be occurring at that moment or proof of any kind. They simply took my word for it. Toyota Corp does not require proof of the problem occurring at that moment before they'll pay a dealer to fix it.

You're dealer screwed you.

 

Wanted to report my experience with the CM issue.. see if anyone has any suggestions.

I have an 2004 Prius with a failing CM. I did get the warranty letter when everybody else did, but didn't see the problem at that time. I live in Los Angeles and we don't get much cold weather. The problem did pop up once a few winters ago, but the next time I turned it was fine again. Happened a few other times (and I should have brought in the car right at that moment).

When I read the letter, it was not clear to me that the problem didn't need to be reproduced. In my past experience, the dealer needed to actually see the problem if it was an intermittent one.

Well fast forward to last week and the CM started failing almost every time I turned on the car. We even had a problem where we could not turn off the car! Even if I held down the power button. So one time when it happened I left the car on, and drove it straight to the dealership so they could see it. They confirmed the issue and thought we could get it fixed under the warranty (even when I called Toyota that morning they said after it was diagnosed, then we could talk about coverage of the repair).

The dealer called me and said Toyota said they would not cover the repair. The $1400 was on me. Ouch! I called Toyota Corporate and explained my case... the person would not do anything for me regarding this defective CM.

Knowing what I know now.. I should have brought in the car when I first got the letter (which makes it more like a recall honestly.. which is what it should have been). While the car is getting on the old side, I do think Toyota should step up and fixes these defective boards for their customers. I guess since they called it a 'Extended Warranty' they can't help people later... versus if they had called it a recall. Seems a bit sneaky to get out of the responsibility.

If something fails on the car.. I should be responsible, except in this case I feel they should step up (at least partially) since it's safety related (no speedometer, no gear position indicator, etc), it's related to the odometer (which they are the only ones who can re-program it), you can't turn off the car with this problem, and the fact that it's a known defective part and not a random failure.

Well thanks for reading. I guess I can try to get a used part and just hope it doesn't fail as well? I always felt that Toyota really took care of their Prius customers (they did fix alot of other defects in the car over the years), but they have let me down on this one.

-Peter