Toyota Dealer Battery Sabotage

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by brojones, Jun 12, 2018.

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  1. brojones

    brojones New Member

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    AutoNationToyotaWinterPark is VICIOUS. THIS SHOP SABOTAGED MY PRIUS TO SELL ME A HYBRID BATTERY FOR $2500 !!!

    I hesitated to go here due to past bad experience but my 2007 Prius had a new knock in the engine so I went to the closest dealer this one. The service rep Oscar first came with a bill of $589 for 3 coil replacements and then tried to tell me my oil was "2 quarts low" and reccd an oil change. I declined (not believing him b/c I change the oil myself and knew it was not 2 qts low) saying I would top it off on pick up. He quickly said "oh dont worry we'll top it off no charge." He was lying and knew I would discover that when i went to top it off.

    Long story short they kept my car for 5 days; when i went in it only had the "check engine" light on. I spoke to Service Mgr Stewart Burzee before getting my car b/c Oscar had told me the bill was now $690. Burzee was like Jimmy Stewart in "Mr Smith Goes to Washington" in person but I later learned that all the friendly chatter about why I should not use a non-Toyota dealer hybrid battery replacement service and what a great deal he would get me was because they had sabotaged my car. After paying I got my car and was shocked that a big red triangle warning light was on the check engine light was still on and two or three other warning lights were lit on the dash. Only the check engine light was on when I dropped my car off. This was after I paid the $535 Stewart had so "graciously" reduced my bill to. That Stewart had a razor to go along with the "howdy doody" routine and its cutting the bottom out of your pocket. I drove away having severely worse performance than when I came in and it became clear that the electric engine was not working at all (only the gas engine). Where the Multi Function Display had shown the hybrid battery charging to 5-8 bars before it is now showing a blank white box indicating apparently no battery function. The car struggles to make 50 mph and then sticks there as though on cruise control. Before I had no problem cruising at 80 mph or above. My cruise control worked now it does not. This is just what I discovered on my drive back home yesterday.

    I know this was sabotage because I had a great running car with only the knock and one warning light driving it there and now it limps along. I suspect that whatever they did would also make it impossible to get the non-Toyota hybrid replacement to work. Stewart spend at least 10 minutes talking me out of that solution to a problem that I did not even know I had at that point.

    My name is Hastings Jones and this is legit and I will back it all up. This is just the start for me.
     
    #1 brojones, Jun 12, 2018
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  2. kenoarto

    kenoarto Senior Member

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    3 coil replacements?
     
    #2 kenoarto, Jun 13, 2018
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  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    welcome!

    how many miles on her?
     
    #3 bisco, Jun 13, 2018
  4. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    The 2007 is 11 years old, it could just be coincidence the battery failed after not driving for 5 days. We hear this often when people leave their cars at the airport and return to a car with the red triangle
     
    #4 JC91006, Jun 13, 2018
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  5. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

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    Gen 1,2 and now Gen 3 batteries are failing all around the world and a large cottage industry of battery rebuilders has developed who repair/replace these batteries including using new Toyota packs.

    Or the dealer purposely sabotaged your battery.

    What sounds more believable/reasonable?
     
    #5 fotomoto, Jun 13, 2018
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  6. Andyprius1

    Andyprius1 Senior Member

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    Fight it with everything you have, they are incompetent and corrupt. Hopefully you have witnesses before they sabotaged, your wife? It’s bad enough, the money they make anyway, they also have to ruin your car.
    I’m now inclined to take a picture, before and after, Dealership Maintenance.
     
    #6 Andyprius1, Jun 13, 2018
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  7. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    It's actually pretty hard to make a battery fail, even if one were to try
     
    #7 JC91006, Jun 13, 2018
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  8. dubit

    dubit Senior Member

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    Listen to the posters above, it's 11 years old... Your inclination to declare sabotage could end up getting you sued. So if your positive, you better have the proof to back it up.
     
    #8 dubit, Jun 14, 2018
  9. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    It may be worth the ~$75 cost to have your own equipment to read and clear error codes as well as see Hybrid Battery data.
    - Android phone/tablet ~$50
    - Elm 327 Bluetooth OBDII adaptor ~$20
    - Torque Pro app ~$5
    I really think anyone with an older Prius should have these items as standard tools.

    When a hybrid battery fails it will affect other systems. For example, it will make the car make the cruise control not work.

    Arming yourself with some data using diagnostic tools will help you.
     
    #9 ericbecky, Jun 14, 2018
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  10. Andyprius1

    Andyprius1 Senior Member

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    Whether it’s called sabotage or incompetence doesn’t matter, what he needs is redress, where can he go, who can he call? He is seeking our help. The car definitely came out worse than it went into the dealership.
    That portion is easy to prove with a cooperative dealership.
     
    #10 Andyprius1, Jun 14, 2018
  11. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

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    Letting a weak battery sit in the heat for 5 days is enough to trip fail codes/turtle mode. BTDT
     
    #11 fotomoto, Jun 14, 2018
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  12. Andyprius1

    Andyprius1 Senior Member

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    Hello Hastings, Myself, I would go Post # 9 and try to return the car to its original condition. Certainly the basic maint. applies here, rebooting, 12V and eventually checking the HV modules. I f you are not a DYI then you have a tough roe to hoe. Then you must depend on other sources. I am really shocked that you received this kind of treatment. Keep us posted. TY
    PS Should you not be a DYI, your pretty much fracked.

    You may be right, but, then again, you may be wrong. The codes would help.
     
    #12 Andyprius1, Jun 14, 2018
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 18, 2018
  13. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i may be crazy, but it just may be a lunatic you're looking for.
     
    #13 bisco, Jun 14, 2018
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  14. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    Hopefully soon we get a different station or song on for this thread:whistle:.
     
    #14 Raytheeagle, Jun 14, 2018
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  15. Andyprius1

    Andyprius1 Senior Member

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    USE THE MULTI-QUOTE FUNCTION!!!!
    USE THE MULTI-QUOTE FUNCTION!!!!
    USE THE MULTI-QUOTE FUNCTION!!!!
    USE THE MULTI-QUOTE FUNCTION!!!!
    USE THE MULTI-QUOTE FUNCTION!!!!
    USE THE MULTI-QUOTE FUNCTION!!!!
    USE THE MULTI-QUOTE FUNCTION!!!!



    Shortly after buying my 2005, new, I noticed 3 idiots standing around with a charger at hand and holding the +/- cables ready to hook up, with,.........the hood up. I took pity on them and showed them where the battery was. At that time there was no 12V connection up front.
    I had observed that car in the showroom before with the fob inside the car, I thought that’s dumb. The three mechanics had apparently zero training on the car. I wanted to laugh but also sympathized with them.
    John L Sullivan Toyota Dealership, I wanted to spank.

    I absolutely agree, nice post Eric.

    Well....you know........just to be safe. Poor shop practices. He should have require permission before every maintenance action, but apparently did not.

    All the World art queer, save thee and me. and......I sometimes wonder about thee.
     
    #15 Andyprius1, Jun 14, 2018
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  16. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    no need to wonder any longer.:whistle:
     
    #17 bisco, Jun 14, 2018
  17. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    Many modern cars disable the cruise control if there is a general fault (check engine light) in effect. This is done to prevent the possibility of the car damaging itself.

    Honestly it sounds like they got into the car, did the diagnostics and worked out that the car needs a new battery, and then (as is common) put down all the tools next to the half-taken-apart car to wait for approval.

    The approval never came, so (I'm speculating) they did a hasty reassembly and rolled it out the door. And they may not have taken the steps needed to attempt normal operation (reset computer etc) because they knew that the next step should be wholesale replacement.

    It doesn't look like a good situation but it also doesn't look like sabotage.
     
    #17 Leadfoot J. McCoalroller, Jun 14, 2018
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  18. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    THIS is a BAD way to start.
    You are accusing them of a criminal act......and YOU might end up the one going to jail.

    Get a lawyer and stop spouting off in public.
     
    #18 sam spade 2, Jun 14, 2018
  19. Andyprius1

    Andyprius1 Senior Member

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    Sloppy methods, but, makes sense.

    Unfortunately there are consumers who know little about cars and nothing about electricity. Our schools are failing. Many cannot even change a tire, that’s sad. Hopefully the OPs not one of them.
    Buying a old car is always chancy and advance knowledge is required.
     
    #19 Andyprius1, Jun 14, 2018
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 18, 2018
  20. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    Well, if brojones returns I'd be happy to chat through some ideas with him. My number is in my signature.
     
    #20 ericbecky, Jun 14, 2018
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