This is my tail of woe: 41k miles 69 days out of warranty. Did not get the extended warranty . Just out running errands and out of the blue the car starts (while the ICE is running) shaking. I could tell from experience it was miss firing. To make a long story shorter, got out the old scan tool, code P0304 pops up confirming my original diagnosis. Called a local dealer as I did not want to drive a long distance with a miss firing cylinder. They got me in Thursday morning and after around 12 hours of labor and a day and a half of having my baby they diagnosed that both the #3 & #4 coil packs had failed. Shocked that a part that should last 150k died at 41K, I immediately called Toyota Customer Care in Ca. After spending about a half an hour explaining the problem. They wanted to know what I like to see happen. Trying not to be too greedy, I requested that they pick up the cost of the coil packs and labor and asked if although out of warranty I could still buy the extended warranty. In any case I told the dealer to proceed so I don't have to spend anymore time with the Corolla that the local dealer so kindly lent me, no charge. "This having to use a key thing, gets old really fast".
That's all you could come up with. Lighten up it was said tongue in check!! Yes not having to take a key out to open a door or the trunk when your arms are full is wonderful.
i'm guessing this is an 05 since you're only a few months out of warranty. did they notice water in there at all?
Yes it is an '05 put in service October 21, 2004. No they didn't find water and I forgot to have them save the parts. So neither I nor they have any idea as to how or why the coil packs failed. In any case it cost me $625.00 to get a car 69 days out of warranty working.
Often a failed coil can be repaired with enamel paint. Oh well. Plugs or coils would have been the first place I would look for a misfire. A visual inspection and a few minutes with a multi-meter is normally all you need to test them.
Well it's finally resolved Toyota Motor Corp. is sending me a refund for the entire amount of $625.00 plus tax. This sort of makes my day. I still want to purchase the Extended Warranty which I now have to talk with Toyota Finance.
You gotta love and continue to buy from a company like that. They did not have to do anything. A lot can be learned from quality customer service
Absolutely, you also have to know who to send the emails to (i.e. the chairman of the board of Toyota) really can rattle some cages.
I believe that a good will warranty was definitely appropriate in this case given the low miles and the limited time out of warranty. I bought mine with the extended Toyota warranty; 7 years/100K miles just to be safe. I presently have 74,200 miles on the car without a single problem. But the comfort factor is still worth it. I have been looking at the Mini Cooper S with the automatic as a replacement in about 1 year. If I could transfer my carpool stickers to a new Prius, no question I would buy another.
