Recall (finally) SOSH-X22-1A - airbags

Still waiting. Anyone hear any news of this going forward anytime soon?

 

Any concerns for my 2013 Prius, manufacturers Oct. 2012 ?

It's black, and sometimes I park it in the sun.

I can start picking an orientation that puts Sun on the passenger side. (maybe I should start doing that anyway just to keep my side cool (?) )

My limited experience with recalls is that there may be complaints outside the coverage period, but to minimize costs, a car company may limit the coverage period anyway to save money.

OTOH, did Toyota put new air bag parts in for the mid-generation refresh ?

Thx

 

I received a follow-up letter from Toyota announcing they have developed a remedy. I was at the Toyota dealership yesterday to get supplies for an oil change and made an appointment. They were already full this week so I have one for next Wednesday. They ask to keep your car for a half day.

 

I have some trepidation about dealership damaging or mis-assembling the car's interior, am inclined to hang back, let them work out the bugs with someone else's car first.

 

Not a bad idea. The A-pillar is easy to remove and reinstall. However, because it's designed to pop off if the airbag inflates, there's a retaining piece which holds it about two inches from the door, so it doesn't fly into at the velocity of an expanding airbag.

Once you pop the a-pillar loose, you need to reach in with needle nose pliers and rotate the black plastic retainer about 90 degrees, and then it releases right away. If you don't know this, you'll tug and tug and yank and stretch and deform that plastic. Until they simply rotate it ninety degrees. Let them figure that out on another car.

(No, I'm not a "guru," I'm just a guy who installed a car stereo in my Prius).

 

Yea, I was not disappointed to hear they were already booked this week for the same reason. The Service Advisor said they had already completed quite a few cars.

I still plan to take pictures around the A-pillars for before and after records.

 

I hadn't received the confirmation letter from the dealership that the parts were in to complete the side curtain air bag recall so I called them last week. The parts have been available and in stock for more than three weeks. The service was done today, along with a check (via Techstream) of the health of the EGR valve. No need to service the EGR at this time. I guess I have until April 2017 for that, if it goes bad in the meantime.

The total service time was 1.75 hours. I was told beforehand that it might take between 3 and 4 hours. The tech had already done a dozen or more of the these, and everything looked clean and in the right place.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that they didn't have to disconnect the battery to do the service. I hate losing the data.

 

Update:

Is it just me or are Toyota dealerships just not as good as other dealerships when it comes to service?

I received a phone call today informing me that my appointment has been cancelled due to lack of parts!!

Me: How do you not have parts for an appointment that was scheduled last week?
Service Advisor: I must not have scheduled your appointment.
Me: Yes you did.
SA: Weeeelllll, I will have to call you next week when the parts get in to reschedule your appointment.

And this SA's card says he is the Assistant Service Manager!!

I have had more screw-ups at this dealership than any other. They will never admit they screwed up either.

 

Come on, cough it up -- Which dealer?

 

My dealer had more inventory of parts in stock than they had service appointments scheduled. In stock as in right there in their building.

 

It's just you, lol. Honda dealerships can drop stinkers with the best of them, don't get me started.

 

The name of the dealership? Hendrick Toyota of Wilmington.

 

I have a 2007 Honda Accord and have not had the type of service problems at the Honda dealership. It sounds like you are a long time Honda owner though.

Now don't get me started on the Ford dealership of the past

 

Hey, some car dealers just have a bad decade or two if they don't have their morning coffee.

 

Our nearby Honda dealership had one GREAT service manager. Would come out, explain your options, very thorough and conscientious. Sadly he didn't last long.

 

Our Honda dealer is like that now. They have probably the best Service and Parts departments that I have ever dealt with for nine years now. They offer Lifetime Warranty on all of their vehicles.

The whole "culture" of the Honda dealership is just so customer oriented. It is very refreshing.

I guess they have spoiled me and it makes the other dealerships hard to live up to their standards.

By the way, since I named the Toyota dealership the Honda is Stevenson Honda.