How would you handle a dealer / Toyota issue like this if it was your car???

[Raizinman]

My plan is to go to the other dealer further from me and have a sit down with their foreman explaining Toyota's incompetence and ask him if he "gets it". I need to find someone within Toyota that gives a sh1t, if such a person exists.

Yes, sounds like a good plan. Sit the foreman down and explain to him about Toyota's incompetence and keep asking the shop foreman if he "gets it".

This is the same company he works for, gets his paychecks from, and will be getting his pension from. Shop foremen always like it when a customer comes in and explains incompetence to them, heck, it just brightens their whole day........ When he pulls up your file on the computer, that lists the YouTube videos and perhaps even this forum, I'll bet he will bring out the red carpet for you too. Don't forget to mention a lawyer in your family, like they have never heard that one before.

 

[redgtxdi]

Yes, sounds like a good plan. Sit the foreman down and explain to him about Toyota's incompetence and keep asking the shop foreman if he "gets it".

This is the same company he works for, gets his paychecks from, and will be getting his pension from. Shop foremen always like it when a customer comes in and explains incompetence to them, heck, it just brightens their whole day........ When he pulls up your file on the computer, that lists the YouTube videos and perhaps even this forum, I'll bet he will bring out the red carpet for you too. Don't forget to mention a lawyer in your family, like they have never heard that one before.

You're probably right. Flowers & chocolates it is, then. 🙄

Heck, if I'm really nice and maybe approach the lot on my knees, perhaps they'll even let me buy a car there some day! 😀

 

[PhoKingGuy]

Yes, sounds like a good plan. Sit the foreman down and explain to him about Toyota's incompetence and keep asking the shop foreman if he "gets it".

This is the same company he works for, gets his paychecks from, and will be getting his pension from. Shop foremen always like it when a customer comes in and explains incompetence to them, heck, it just brightens their whole day........ When he pulls up your file on the computer, that lists the YouTube videos and perhaps even this forum, I'll bet he will bring out the red carpet for you too. Don't forget to mention a lawyer in your family, like they have never heard that one before.

If I ever had you as a service writer I would make sure you were fired before I left the dealership.

You are an example of what is wrong with the service industry, dont bullshit anything. I don't have the "privilege" of driving your car, you have the privilege of getting my money and making sure EVERYTHING I complain about is taken care of. If you disagree, I would be glad to have a talk with your supervisors about your poor service.

 

[mvbighead]

I would also suggest taking down your YourTube videos.

I am curious, why on earth should he do this? I have posted a video about a creak coming from the brake pedal in my vehicle, which allowed others to help me diagnose the problem.

Are you suggesting that his videos are somehow not allowed by Toyota? If others are having this same issue, his videos could send people with the same problem his way so he can help them identify and correct their issues.

So why would he remove the videos? Because they hurt Toyota's precious reputation?

 

[mvbighead]

Yes, sounds like a good plan. Sit the foreman down and explain to him about Toyota's incompetence and keep asking the shop foreman if he "gets it".

This is the same company he works for, gets his paychecks from, and will be getting his pension from. Shop foremen always like it when a customer comes in and explains incompetence to them, heck, it just brightens their whole day........ When he pulls up your file on the computer, that lists the YouTube videos and perhaps even this forum, I'll bet he will bring out the red carpet for you too. Don't forget to mention a lawyer in your family, like they have never heard that one before.

Red carpet??? The man spent $30k on a car that acts as if it was something he spent $4k dollars on that was 10 years used. I am sorry, but you are completely in the wrong here. I don't giving a flying fiddle-stick what kind of inconvenience this puts on a dealer tech/foreman. This is the kind of issue that should not exist on a brand new vehicle.

As for the lawyer and videos? They're proof of a problem and someone with legal knowledge who can aid the customer in determining what Toyota should be responsible for. His videos don't contain commentary that have any talking whatsoever that slanders Toyota in any way. Just a simple video of evidence of a problem that exists in a BRAND NEW VEHICLE.

I have recently gone looking at very inexpensive (<$5k) trucks for utility work around the house, and I can honestly say that NONE of them made funny steering wheel noise or had rattling parts in the interior. These were trucks with 150-200k miles, and the interiors were relatively solid. The fact that the OP bought this car brand new and that you are arguing for the dealer is baffling to me.

Basically, Toyota can treat him as a lost customer... or, they can do the right thing, and try to earn his respect through providing great service. At this point, it sounds as if they are doing anything but that, simply because it is a hassle to them. As if dropping off your brand new vehicle for service every 2 weeks isn't a hassle to the customer.

 

[redgtxdi]

Well, I wish I were kidding and that this was a horrible joke......but driving to work today, anticipating what I'm gonna do walking into the stealership for the 3rd time for the same steering issue, I hear this from over my left shoulder........

http://youtu.be/JSE7gwvav8M (from my seat)

http://youtu.be/68lZ0XP6bTk (coworker who sat in back for me to record)

I don't even know what to do or say. I really, really, really want to like this car. And I really WANT this car. I don't think I should *have* to buy an RX350 to get the "well put together" version of this car. And I also really don't want to lemon law or arbitrate this thing. I'm about 99% sure I'll lose at least SOME money on that either way anyhow.

Any suggestions?

I've got it in me to chase this down too, but I'm beginning to feel like a fool. 🙁

 

[theevilsharpie]

Well, I wish I were kidding and that this was a horrible joke......but driving to work today, anticipating what I'm gonna do walking into the stealership for the 3rd time for the same steering issue, I hear this from over my left shoulder........

http://youtu.be/JSE7gwvav8M (from my seat)

http://youtu.be/68lZ0XP6bTk (coworker who sat in back for me to record)

I don't even know what to do or say. I really, really, really want to like this car. And I really WANT this car. I don't think I should *have* to buy an RX350 to get the "well put together" version of this car. And I also really don't want to lemon law or arbitrate this thing. I'm about 99% sure I'll lose at least SOME money on that either way anyhow.

Any suggestions?

I've got it in me to chase this down too, but I'm beginning to feel like a fool. 🙁

I drive a 2002 Toyota Corolla with about 130K miles on the odo. It's hit a few curbs 😳, been physically driven on (I'm not kidding D🙂, off-roaded, bottomed-out *hard* more times than I can remember (had to drive on blown front struts for a few months), has endured more than a few emergency evasive maneuvers, and I routinely drive it like a stole it. And before I owned it, it was a rental car for a year, so who knows what happened there.

And yet, your car has more rattles than mine.

Cars are mass-produced, so defects will happen occasionally. However, your car is developing so many rattles so quickly that I'd suspect it might have been damaged in transport from the factory to the dealer. Also, rattles are the result of two solid surfaces striking each other, so they're only going to get worse over the live of the car.

Your car is under warranty, so keep bringing and escalating as necessary until the dealership or Toyota gets tired of dealing with it and offers to settle. You've test-driven other Venzas which (presumably) were rattle-free, so unless each and every Venza that rolled off the line is a steaming pile of shit, you may be able to resolve all your problems by just getting another Venza.

 

[redgtxdi]

Here's a quote from a guy over at TN who just ended it all (venza ownership, not his life) which makes me wonder *if* another one solves it or if it's just not a well built/designed car......


Red (et al), I tried the A pillar disassembly and got it back together. Still rattled. Found a solution to quiet this POS once and for all. I traded it in on a 12 Camry SE yday. So my 7-mo old Venza w/7800 miles is now gone. The bath I took wasn't an entire body cleansing w/full massage--trade-in net was
-$2.7K (from purchase price). Got the SE for $2300 under invoice at 0 %APR for 48.

I consider that $2.7K loss as an OK extended test period/short-term lease (w/o the $3500 due at signing and 36-mo contract w/early term fee). Moreover, the incentives/negotiating room on the Camry was not nearly as good when I acquired the Venza--best I could do back then was closer to invoice at a 2.79%. That about makes up the lost $2.7K I suppose. But the pain and suffering is harder to quantify.

Funny thing is I was worried that a used car mgr would quickly notice the rattles and I'd be stuck. Lucky for me, the guy didn't even drive it!

To all rattle-free Venza owners, count your blessings and enjoy. To those of you embroiled in the rattle battles, my heart goes out to you. As for me, I slept like a baby last night knowing all was quiet on the western front.

🙁

 

[redgtxdi]

Welp!!! It's official!!!



"WE MADE A COUPLE CALLS TO OTHER SPECIALISTS AND THEY JUST MAKE THAT NOISE. IT'S THE GEARING MECHANISM IN THE VENZA TURN SIGNAL. SOME MAKE IT WORSE THAN OTHERS BUT THEY ALL MAKE IT."



Are you abso-flippin-lutely, positively, 100%, bonifiably KIDDING ME???



I couldn't believe the words that I heard. They have tried what they can with the rest of the parts of my car.....(my rear driver door started rattling something fierce yesterday on my way to the dealer as if to mock me)....but the steering was what I was going there for.



I took a young mechanic with me yesterday to show & tell ALL as the foreman was out sick and my writer said he trusted this guy. (He's the one who prompted calls to get an answer on it). They found out that TSB is obsolete and doesn't apply any more to any post 10 Venza. He definitely tried, but couldn't find a fix.



I am quite literally embarrassed for Toyota. This is NOT the car company I've known for the last 25 years.

I'm at a total loss. Just total loss. Who says that? What car company says sh!t like that? "Here's your POS $30K car........Toyota.......we make it easy on you!!!"

F-A-C-E- F-L-I-P-P-I-N-G P-A-L-M!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[theevilsharpie]

Welp!!! It's official!!!



"WE MADE A COUPLE CALLS TO OTHER SPECIALISTS AND THEY JUST MAKE THAT NOISE. IT'S THE GEARING MECHANISM IN THE VENZA TURN SIGNAL. SOME MAKE IT WORSE THAN OTHERS BUT THEY ALL MAKE IT."

I'm sure they have one or two other Venzas on the lot. Make them prove it.

 

[redgtxdi]

I couldn't stay at the dealer today but I did happen upon my in laws' neighbors tonight who have a venza almost identical to mine except theirs is a 2010. They said theirs doesn't make noises except for road noise so after sharing quite a bit, they were looking fearful when I asked if I could test their steering wheel.

Even I was surprised but theirs did it too, right on command. The wife made a joke about being hard of hearing but they both heard it and didn't seem thrilled about it. (though, honestly, they don't strike me as the type that will do anything about it which is a shame but I'm sure exactly what will make Toyota very happy. Toyota Kool Aid anyone?) 😡

Edit: As another sad update, there was a member on TN who thought theirs was fixed after the spiral cable was replaced which shocked me as mine wasn't. Well, last night they reported that it's back again.

A thought that popped into my head is that if the Venza, Highlander and RX350 are so similar (and other Camry derivatives?) then why don't they do it?

And how fast do you think Toyota would find a fix if ALL RX350's did it? 😱

 

[redgtxdi]

So, the call came today.............

I blew up email boxes yesterday with video proof ad nauseum and threw my complaints as far up the flag pole as I could go. I didn't get a call from the celebrity himself, but I expect to meet with some people with clout from Toyota next week. I think the proof of something very obviously wrong and the reply from the previous "top" of the ladder being, "that's just how it is" got somebody's attention.

Wish me luck because I see 3 possible scenarios and I don't know which to hope for.....

1). They take my car, listen to everything, sympathize with my plight and rip the interior apart, including the steering and create a rattle free, creak free interior that one should get out of a new car, if for nothing else, at least the first year, eh? (maybe even create a new TSB for other venza owners?)

2). They take my car, listen, sympathize but admit they don't, won't, whatever....pursue a fix and consider my various complaints (including steering) a matter of consequence and stand by their "operates as designed" mantra I saw on the invoices.

3). They decide it is better for them to offer to deal me out of my car at which point I don't know what I would do.....except conclude this latest experience of new car ownership to have been an utterly sickening affair.

???

 

[redgtxdi]

Hallelujah, the thing is fixed!!! If for no other day than this night......the flippin thing is fixed!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vomg49xKFBg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

After meeting with Toyota VIPs yesterday, they took me seriously and there was no talk of lemon law, arbitration or, "That's just how it is. They all do it.". Amazing what a difference some pull makes, eh? 🙄

So after all the lies and crap.......the glovebox replacement solved what they wanted to go to lemon law/arbitration for. And the part that fixed the steering noise was a fraction of the steering column and spiral cable. 'Twas the turn signal assembly after all. I don't know if it will be permanent, but if I have to have it replaced every 6 months for the rest of my ownership, I think they'll do it. They addressed a couple other annoyances too and they did pretty good. It ain't perfect, but after this I'll arm myself with dynamat and shut this car up come hell or high water.

I can't describe how nice it is to drive a quiet car. THAT'S what a new car's supposed to sound like!!! :thumbsup:

 

[theevilsharpie]

Glad to hear you had a happy outcome :thumbsup: