My horrible Prius experience thus far! Can I claim Lemon now??

wow...

 

It is true, we get grumpy if you never state any facts, just vent emotion. While other people have linked threads this MIGHT be about, the OP has been fact free this whole thread.

 

In case it hasn't already been mentioned, you are entitled to contact Toyota Corporate and 'open a case' with a number to let them know of the situation since you have been 4 times for repair. You ought to document everything for later.

This is one of the first things I did when I had a brand new Suzuki motorcycle with 100 miles on it, oil started weeping from cylinder head. Ended up 3 weeks wait for the new cylinder head part, 1 week for mechanic to free up and 1 week to repair.
5 weeks total to repair the bike right during riding season in August 2006.

I ended up getting some compensation for the hassle.

 

I don't believe the OP said anything about how he relates to the service dept. staff. If you go in with a cooperative attitude you usually get more attention in a positive way. OTOH, if you start off being noisy and offensive, that will turn a lot of people off and they react by being less helpful. However, it is perfectly acceptable to let them know that you are seriously unhappy, as long as you are polite about it.
I agree with the poster who suggested opening a case with Toyota Customer Service. You'll find the number in your owner's manual. Good luck to the OP.

 

Yes; you can claim lemon now. You are officially a lemon!

 

Now, now; he looks young in his avatar. Maybe he'll mellow with age. I sure did.

 

sorry but again this and the one before posts are just way to vague !!! My steering wheel also vibrate on many roads at high speed because they build the road in segments and when the speeed is "right" you get vibration (which matches perhaps some of the harmonics of the shocks/dampers etc)

Is it vibratiting on every roead at every speed ??? Is it making steering straight hard (like it vibrates side to side ???)

Please you need to be able to describe your problem in more details not to me or here in prius chat but also at the dealer ship .. otherwise you have no chance to claim it a lemon even if it is :-(

Just to say the car doesn't drive as you "expected" it should .. just not going to be enough.

 

Cars are made by man, and man makes mistakes. Wether or not toyota makes less is debatable, but if I spent $25,000 on a car or anything else for that matter it had better work. Or whoever sold it to me had better make it work or replace it. Unfortunately it's not that easy with cars sometimes.

 

OK something specific ... good start make sure you get this IN writing from the dealership ... that is the first step ... then call Toyota Corporate .. they most likely (more then the dealer) will try to make you whole not sure new car or whatever .. but GET EVERYTHING from the dealership in writinng (email !!!! works magic) and good luck

 

The solution seems simple. Hire a lawyer. Tell the lawyer that money is no object, it's just about principle and then relate everything to the lawyer that you have posted online. Free advice for free, you don't have to thank me.

 

Hey I'm an old fart and did not have any trouble following your line of thought. For 25 grand it had better be right. If how you handled yourself on here is any indication of how you handled yourself at the Dealer you did just fine( espically being from NY LOL). There was some attitude here but it wasn't from you kid.

RAL

 

Sorry to hear the problem persisted. Time to call Toyota Corp. And start reading up on NY's Lemon Law, so you can start building a case and protect yourself. Although it would be unlikely that it would have to come to that if you talk to the Toyota Corp. office. The dealership is required by law to send a copy of your complain to Toyota, but it would expedite your case if you contact them yourself. Good Luck.

New Car Lemon Law Fact Sheet | Eric T. Schneiderman
http://www.bbb.org/us/new-york-lemon-law/
New York Lemon Laws - Lemon Law Attorneys at DMV.org: The DMV Made Simple

 

You're on your way to getting the problem identified & solved as the dealer experienced the situation and recognizes that it isn't right. I understand you don't like hanging around the showroom for half a day. The dealer probably doesn't want you hanging out either, I wouldn't want you there. People talk. Irritated people with problems talk more. They should have offered or you should have asked for a ride to work (presuming it is close). They could have delivered the car to you at the end of the day (a good test drive for them) and you could have returned the driver to the dealership (a good test drive for you). Now you have a loaner on Toyota's dime.

Vibration can be caused by any number of things or maybe a couple of things in combination. Diagnosis takes time. You BELIEVE you're getting screwed over by the dealer & Toyota. Do you know who's taking it in the shorts? The poor mechanic that your car was assigned to. Nothing personal, and no offense meant, but you dropped off the job ticket from Hell. Whatever time the mechanic spends investigating is billed at $0 per hour. If it ends up being something simple he may be paid for a fraction of an hour. Most of the time your car is in the shop it is sitting there waiting for that guy or someone to have some free time to take another look at it or to try "the next thing".

Did they try swapping out all 4 tires from a Prius that does not vibrate?

Best wishes for a "speedy" resolution.

 

I find this to be one of the most combative and self-righteous automotive-based on-line communities in which I participate. Even the bilious vitriol in The Car Lounge pales in comparison to some of the hit-and-run poo-flinging which goes on around here.

 

I was told I could find Rod Serling in this thread.