Programming of Customizable Features Refused By Dealer

There are many message here by others who have had the same problem but got their dealer to change these items. My delivery service person also said the same thing. Toyota's lawyers are being overly cautious for no reason. I simply took my car to the regular service department and pointed to the manual and asked them to make the indicated changes. With no hesitation (or charge), they did. What a relief!!!

Find the messages others have written about more cooperative dealers and take them to your dealer. Also, ask them to show you where in your state's vehicle code a reverse beeper or seat belt warning beeper is required.

Personally, I find the reverse beeper to actually be a saftey hazard! it is annoyingly distracting. Pity the person who has a long driveway to back out of! Since it can't be heard outside the car, it can't be claimed that it's a safety warning for nearby pedestrians.

Stu

 

If they refuse to customize the "customizable features" be sure to let them know that most dealers don't have any reservations about turning off these ridiculous beepers. Tell them you will have no trouble finding a dealer that will turn them off and that they will have your future business.

These beepers are not safety features, they are not required by any state's vehicle code that I know of, and as stated above the reverse beeper is actually a safety hazard.

 

Well, the one advantage of a domestic brand vehicle is that the driver can go into the Driver Information Center (GM, Ford, and Chrysler refer to it with different terms) and change those sort of settings on their own

I really wish Toyota would allow their owners to do the same. Fortunately, my dealership was quite friendly and allowed all my customization (Alarm confirmation volume, headlight off delay, etc) with no problems

 

My dealership required some coercion, not because of "safety requirement", but because the service department was going to back bill the sales department for the minimum service charge to hook up the computer. I explained to my salesman that setting those functions was part of pre-delivery preparation that must be included in the price. I also made him aware that other dealers I'd spoken with were more than happy to do it and I would be fine with buying from them instead if he was going to insist on charging me for it.

 

Sounds like it might be time to bring out the heavy guns. First complain to Toyota on the phone that the car was not properly configured when delivered and that their beeps are assinine. Second, find some manager and explain that if the car isn't configured properly the customer satisfaction survey will contain the lowest scores on every line in every category. If they still don't give a crap then it's time to screw the salesman & the dealer.

 

Demand what you like, if the dealer refuses to make your car less safe then that is his right. If he did what you request would you pay for that dealers defence in a civil court if someone was hurt because the vehicle had been made less safe, against any claim made against them for damages? Would you pay those damages for the dealer?

Find another dealer if you really want your vehicle made less safe. I suspect you can find Toyota dealers in the local phone book, ring around and ask their service advisers.

 

I think you are right JimN, some of them do seem to care about the customer satisfaction survey. It won't hurt to complain to Toyota either. They really should allow us (customers) to customize or own customizable options.

I wonder if these options will need to be reconfigured if the 12 Volt battery is disconnected?

 

Initially my dealer didn't want to reset the backup beep as a 'liability issue'. I pushed a bit and reminded them that it wasn't shut off, it was reduced to 1 beep therefore there was still a warning, it was a Toyota customizable option etc. I got this change without too much trouble, although I was told I was the 1st to ask for it. They wouldn't shut off the seat belt beep as it was a 'liability issue' in the event someone in service, unaware that it had been shut off, moved the car blah blah blah. I didn't push it as other cars I've owned had the seat belt beep and I use my seat belt so it shuts off anyway. It's not that much of a bother to me. The backup beep was one I would have fought to change.

 

Pat,

I agree with you 100% on this issue.

Why would any dealer expose themselves to any potential lawsuit which could easily bankrupt their dealership??? Toyota Corporate should have made these items customizable by the owner/driver so liability rests with the owner - just like if the owner/driver decided not to use seatbelts.

Keith

 

Agreed that Toyota should have made these items user-customizeable. But the reason the dealer should do it is because the owner is instructed in the owner's manual, by Toyota Corporate, to ask their dealer to do so. Seems a clear enough assumption of liability to me. Besides, even in good ol' United States of Lawsuit, do you really think someone could make a liability suit stick because your car wasn't beeping at you the entire duration of your unbelted trip? I'm sure some schmuck might try it, but I'm pretty sure they'd lose, too.

 

If you spill hot coffee in your unbelted lap?

 

The owner's manual (edited by Toyota Corporate Lawyers) may instruct the Owner to have the Dealer perform the task and therefore shifting implied liability from Toyota Corporate to the Dealer (which in most cases are not owned and operated by Toyota Corporate). Just because Toyota Corporate puts the instruction in "The Book" doesn't mean that it is Ok. There is a very "clear assumption of liability here" - it is transferred to the Dealer. This is similar to the hypothetical case where I suggest that you go rob a bank if you want more money. Let me assure you that you will be the one that goes to jail. I may or may not join you depending upon my lawyers defense.

Dealers have every right to protect themselves. If I were a Toyota Dealer, I'd complain bitterly to Toyota Corporate, to correct this and make it an Owner configurable option (and thus shifting liability to the owner - where it belongs). In the interim, if I were a Dealer, I'd black-out (with ink) in the owner's manual the recommendation that the Owner have the Dealer make the changes (and accept all implied liability).

I understand that this puts the Owner in a pissing contest between the Dealer and Toyota Corporate. -- Not a good position to be in.

Keith

 

If you wait long enough the seat belt beep stops. This also happens in other vehicles. How many other cars have a backup beep only hear inside the car? Are they all unsafe? IMO we're only half-screwed by Toyota putting this stuff in the car. Maybe they should have added a "change oil" beep that starts every 5000 & can only be turned off with the Toyota scan tool. Everyone should complain to Toyota that these should be owner configurable.

 

fwiw, it's pretty typical for dealer service departments to refuse to do this.

 

Don't know what the statistics are, but there are plenty of reports on the forum here of dealers who did do it, including mine. Many are reluctant at first, probably because the normal prep person cannot make the change and has to take the car over to the service department to get it done; but an awful lot of them come around with a bit of persuasion.

 

No trouble with mine. It was the first 2010, and the Service Manager had his shop foreman do it. They saw it as a nice learning opportunity.

 

I gave my sales person a list of what i wanted done a week before the car came in and when i picked it up they were all done.
Including no dealer badge/sticker on the car.

 

That is the best solution, make it part of the pre-delivery inspection and let them know there should be no charge. I have done the same thing.

 

Whoa! before I buy, I will make sure they disable it!

While I own it, due to laws and Corporate regulations on age etc. I do deliver pizzas at least 15hrs a week, in these times, I am in reverse 1/4 of the time, and the beeper would get quite annoying pretty dang quick!!!!