Side airbags

good question. You are positive you don't have the side airbags? it would be a little tag on the side if your seat. Do you have curtain air bags?

this may not be possible to add on. The system has to know it's there.. be turned on for it.. then install side curtain aibag equipped chairs into the seats. It would be expected.

given time.. i'll be proved wrong.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(marjflowers @ Apr 16 2006, 09:18 PM) [snapback]240657[/snapback]</div>

What Package did you get?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(marjflowers @ Apr 16 2006, 10:06 PM) [snapback]240692[/snapback]</div>

I got Pkg 0, so no Side either. I would have gone for Pkg 1, but it wasn't in my area and I couldn't swing pkg #3 after 2006 price increases and Pkg3 increase.

 

The front will have side and curtain airbags as a package, there are only curtain airbags in the back as part of this package. The front seats have a tag on the side of the seat back saying they are airbag equipped. Upfront, the front window posts says if there is a curtain. In the rear the post at the back of the window will be labelled such if there is a curtain airbag. I know my neck FEELS as if it is a candidate for whiplash with the head rest being so far back. On the other hand instead of hot rodding I am now focused on driving slow enough to be in "stealth" mode. Opps, that probably means I'm more likely to be rear ended that hit someone head on. Anyhow it is an options package I hope to never use.

Hope this helps.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(marjflowers @ Apr 16 2006, 08:18 PM) [snapback]240657[/snapback]</div>

If you purchased the car with side airbags (having been told they were fitted by the salesman) and they were not fitted then the toyota agency you bought from should take the car back because it does not meet specifications or fit the airbags for free.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Orf @ Apr 17 2006, 03:10 AM) [snapback]240797[/snapback]</div>

I agree, that was Toyota's fault, not yours.

 

consensus: complain to toyota. loudly. they should be buying the car back from you so you can get one with the packages you thought you were buying. and no, i am not kidding. push them hard. you're not happy. it's the sales guy's fault. you were misled and the car was misrepresented. go to the dealer, and if that doesn't work spend some time on the phone with regional.

 

I agree. Call the sales person, manger, dealership to task. Look at the most recent safety data. I would be incensed. They should "know" this kind of details, backwards and forwards. This is not trivial. This is your life and your family and friend lives. I brook no compromise on safety and if they said it was there and it was not make them deliver! Do not, please, compromise, on this issue! We might have a tendency to blather on about some very trivial things around here, but this is not trivial! Be firm, be strong.

 

In the 2005, I found the airbags as follows:

Front curtain: on front post next to windshield
Side airbag: cloth tag near the headrest of the front seats nearest the windows
Rear curtain: on the rear post just behind the headrest.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(marjflowers @ Apr 16 2006, 10:06 PM) [snapback]240692[/snapback]</div>

Not dumb, misled. Sounds like you did everything right. I looked at the Toyota site because I did not remember seeing any packages without the side and curtain airbags. For my zipcode, in the mid atlantic region, they only sell the 2006 packages #3, 6, 7, & 8 - all having all the airbags. I guess whoever made that choice for this region did good. I then checked the full list of option packages and saw that only #2 comes without the extra side protection. That seems very odd! Even package #1 has the side & curtain airbags so only #0 (is there such a thing - Toyota TRAC cars?) and #2 are lacking.

Hope you can get your issue resolved in your favor.

- Tom

 

Marjorie-

way to go, stepping out there and saying something about this rather than quietly being unhappy and worried about this issue.

however, they need to be buying your car back from you. if they treat your current one like a trade-in, you will lose a fair amount of money on the deal and that burden should not be on your shoulders.

how long of a waiting list do they have? they should not have to "order another car" for this purpose. they probably have a few unspoken-for ones coming in every month. that's how you got yours, i see. they may just be delaying to push this into the future.

no big surprise that the sales creature decided that he didn't tell you it had side airbags. this would get him into some trouble- misleading a customer for the sake of a quick commission. which i'm assuming is what happened here. and yes, in this case the person does deserve the title "sales creature."

let us know how things go and good luck.

 

Good luck. Please keep us posted as to how things go.

 

I'm frustrated. I wrote this once and it didn't post. I'll try again. I hope I am not out of line.

First, be assertive, not aggressive. No need for you to be anxious or emotional, just firm. Stick to the facts, stay on topic: I requested air bags, didn't get them and I expect the situation to be rectified. Don't be afraid of being a "broken record" on this simple fact. I wouldn't initially emphasize I was mis-led, just that the salesman didn't know his product maybe (after all the sales manager when I bought my car came out and jacked up the price with just such an excuse). Let them stew and come to the conclusion it might have been deliberate just to make a sale. As there resistance grows you can state this directly. Politely encourage the salesman to fix it QUICKLY, that you are sure he can and will, and note that it would be to both your benefits, ie: work for you and you'll advocate postively for him and he'll save himself a lot of grief. My salesman was quite clear that my satisfaction directly impacted his employment, hopefully this is the fact at your dealership. When he doesn't fix it (if he does you might consult an attorney to be sure all the I's are dotted this time and the T's crossed), ask to speak to the roadblock, which will be the sales manager. It will be his job to stall. Stick to the facts and your need to have it rectified, again the message is that it is in his power to do so and you expect him to. Don't get distracted on to extranious topics. For example, the recent revelations regarding Prius and airbags is irrelevant. It strengthens your case by implication, but also may put you at risk of being painted as reactive and/or opportunistic. So do not linger long over that information. You bought and requested the car with bags before this was reported even, that is the relavent fact (sorry about my spelling). If he won't fix it, move to his boss. Work your way up to the owner of the dealership. It is his/her reputation in the community that is perhaps your best leverage. I think this may be more important than even his relationship with Toyota. I wrote Toyota once when I was accused of trying to "jew us down" by a sales manager (which I considered an ethnic slur even though I am atheist). All I got from Toyota was a non-descript form letter. (OK, point of pride that a sales rep would get that aggitated, the tables were turned.) If he is uncooperative I would write Toyota, approach the Better Business Bureau, approach the local TV stations (sometimes they have consumer advocacy programs), and contact an attorney. In this regard I am not thinking lawsuit, rather, a letter from an attorney says I mean business and I am not alone, and brings additional pressure. It would be worth the extra cost perhaps to consult a well-connected (in the community) high profile attorney, known as a bulldog and winner. After all, the letter is mainly for intimidation, not litigation.

Most of all, stay calm, stay on topic, be persistent, and refuse to go away without rectification.

I hope I have not crossed any boundaries with these specific suggestions. Hang in there, hand tough.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(marjflowers @ Apr 18 2006, 05:41 PM) [snapback]241745[/snapback]</div>

I would be very careful. These cars are in high demand. He wasn't truthful when he sold you the car. You shouldn't have to pay more than the difference between the package you have and the package you get. Not your fault the car is a few months old and has some miles on it. He was dishonest. Why should you take a financial hit because he lied.

I wouldn't even talk to the same saleman. I would go right to the manager.

You paid $23,500? That's what you should get for your car. You just pay extra for the difference between that package and the one you asked for. They'll take a hit? Tough. You're taking a hit in tax and registration too.