In June of 2017 my 2005 Toyota Tundra began leaking power steering fluid from what was determined to be a rusted steering rack. In examining the failure, I gained concern and came to believe that this was a safety hazard.
Let me explain that I have been driving Toyotas exclusively since 1983. Friends describe me as a dedicated Toyota owner and a spokesman for Toyota who believes in the superior quality of Toyotas. I was disappointed and appalled at how Toyota does not value my 34 years of devotion. Our relationship stops here. I will never purchase another Toyota again. When the time comes I will be purchasing Hondas.
I took my Tundra to my trusted mechanic who completed the repair on 6-28-2017. He also expressed concern that this failure was also in his opinion a safety hazard but could find no recalls on the issue. He further explained that he had never seen the component rust out in that particular area.
After I picked up my Tundra I telephone Toyota, 800-331-4331, and spoke with a representative who was polite and explained the following:
• There were no recalls for my vehicle’s steering rack.
• There were no reimbursement programs available.
• My vehicle was out of warranty.
• I should have perhaps taken my vehicle to an authorized dealer.
• Toyota does not reimburse for third party repairs.
Let me make it clear that I am not requesting a full payment for the repair – just come “goodwill†with at least some contribution from Toyota for the expense. Since there are no recalls or reimbursement programs available that sounds like Toyota should be interested in examining that rusted steering rack as it could be defective.
The out of warranty statement made by the Toyota representative suggests to me that twelve years old is simply too old to expect a Toyota to last. The reason why I paid so much for that Tundra is because I expected it to last longer than twelve years. Toyota sent out recall notices for the frame to be checked for rust. Why not the steering rack?!
Why not take my Toyota to a dealer for service or repairs? Pay attention to this answer for it holds truth for all dealerships. They are not trusted by many.
Here are two examples why I prefer to take my Toyota to a trusted local mechanic whom I have known for many years and have a professional relationship with him.
Many years ago, we owned a 1993 Toyota Camry and received a notice in the mail for a free oil change from a Toyota dealership. I thought that perhaps I should take them up on the offer since I had never taken a vehicle to the dealer for service or repair – this is an inherited disorder handed down from my father.
Ironically, I had just had my transmission fluid changed from a trusted mechanic and I myself had just replaced the air filter. I took my Camry to a Toyota dealership south of Lenexa Kansas who performed the oil change and upon check-out was given a long list of needed service and repairs. Two of the items listed were the transmission fluid and the air filter needed changing. When I confronted the checkout lady she said, “it’s the opinion of our mechanic that those items need changed.†I explained that the mechanic was dishonest and that is why I never come to these places. If her mechanic could not tell the difference between dirty and clean transmission fluid and a new clean air filter that I did not want him ever touching my vehicle again.
When I came home I checked both items and confirmed that both the transmission fluid and air filter were indeed clean.
My second example of why I don’t take my vehicle to the dealership for service or repairs involves my wife’s 2001 Sequoia that had a recall on frame rust just a few years ago. I took the Sequoia to a different Toyota Dealership who said that the frame was fine but there were several items of concern. One item was the front brakes that needed replaced immediately. In fact, it was unsafe to be driving the vehicle.
I told my wife to purchase the front brake pads and that I would take care of it. I’m no mechanic but I was a mechanic in the Marine Corps and also achieved a “Doctors of Motors†certificate from high school. I have a little understanding of motor vehicles.
The vehicle would stop fine and was using no brake fluid. But one Sunday I took the front wheel off to replace the brake pads and was astonished to find a significant amount of brake pad remaining. I took out a metal scale and measured all my existing front brake pads and compared them to the new brake pads and found that I had fifty percent remaining. Do you see why I am skeptical of dealerships?!
We drove that Sequoia about two years on those front brake pads the dealership mechanic said needed changed immediately.
Don’t bother to insult me with excuses. I know not all dealership mechanics are dishonest or perhaps unable to accurately measure brake pads. But I’m afraid that if I bring my vehicle to a dealership my vehicle might fall into the hands of one that is.
I prefer to do business with local businesses when possible and with folks that I have a relationship with. I find it offensive and degrading to suggest that my mechanic is not capable of replacing a rusted steering rack. My third-party repair has nothing to do with the fact that my Tundra suffered a rusted steering rack.
I might mention that upon speaking with the Toyota representative I requested to speak with a supervisor. I was placed on hold for an extended period of time and then told that no supervisor was available and that one would return my call within 24 hours.
The next day I received a call from a Supervisor. The supervisor regurgitated the same information as the Toyota representative had. Several times I apologized to her that I wasn’t angry at her personally but she was representing Toyota and I was very pissed off. The supervisor was professional and polite as she essentially explained that Toyota didn’t want to examine my complaint.
The contents of this writing were sent to both American and Japanese Toyota Administrators. Neither administrators were interested in the issue. This is merely a manifested explanation that Toyota and I are not related anymore. When time comes for my 2010 Camry to be replaced it will be with a Honda Accord. When this Tundra reaches its maturity date it will be replaced with a Honda Ridgeline. Apparently, Toyota seems to think it’s worn out already – 97,250 miles.
Thirty-four years of devotion is a lot of time to throw away. It’s too bad that Toyota does not appreciate my loyalty and patronage. It’s also disappointing that for a few hundred dollars this writing would not have taken place. I guess this old guy, like his truck, is simply not that important to you.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
DISAPPOINTED WITH TOYOTA
In June of 2017 my 2005 Toyota Tundra began leaking power steering fluid from what was determined to be a rusted steering rack. In examining the failure, I gained concern and came to believe that this was a safety hazard.
Let me explain that I have been driving Toyotas exclusively since 1983. Friends describe me as a dedicated Toyota owner and a spokesman for Toyota who believes in the superior quality of Toyotas. I was disappointed and appalled at how Toyota does not value my 34 years of devotion. Our relationship stops here. I will never purchase another Toyota again. When the time comes I will be purchasing Hondas.
I took my Tundra to my trusted mechanic who completed the repair on 6-28-2017. He also expressed concern that this failure was also in his opinion a safety hazard but could find no recalls on the issue. He further explained that he had never seen the component rust out in that particular area.
After I picked up my Tundra I telephone Toyota, 800-331-4331, and spoke with a representative who was polite and explained the following:
• There were no recalls for my vehicle’s steering rack. • There were no reimbursement programs available. • My vehicle was out of warranty. • I should have perhaps taken my vehicle to an authorized dealer. • Toyota does not reimburse for third party repairs.
Let me make it clear that I am not requesting a full payment for the repair – just come “goodwill†with at least some contribution from Toyota for the expense. Since there are no recalls or reimbursement programs available that sounds like Toyota should be interested in examining that rusted steering rack as it could be defective.
The out of warranty statement made by the Toyota representative suggests to me that twelve years old is simply too old to expect a Toyota to last. The reason why I paid so much for that Tundra is because I expected it to last longer than twelve years. Toyota sent out recall notices for the frame to be checked for rust. Why not the steering rack?!
Why not take my Toyota to a dealer for service or repairs? Pay attention to this answer for it holds truth for all dealerships. They are not trusted by many.
Here are two examples why I prefer to take my Toyota to a trusted local mechanic whom I have known for many years and have a professional relationship with him.
Many years ago, we owned a 1993 Toyota Camry and received a notice in the mail for a free oil change from a Toyota dealership. I thought that perhaps I should take them up on the offer since I had never taken a vehicle to the dealer for service or repair – this is an inherited disorder handed down from my father. Ironically, I had just had my transmission fluid changed from a trusted mechanic and I myself had just replaced the air filter. I took my Camry to a Toyota dealership south of Lenexa Kansas who performed the oil change and upon check-out was given a long list of needed service and repairs. Two of the items listed were the transmission fluid and the air filter needed changing. When I confronted the checkout lady she said, “it’s the opinion of our mechanic that those items need changed.†I explained that the mechanic was dishonest and that is why I never come to these places. If her mechanic could not tell the difference between dirty and clean transmission fluid and a new clean air filter that I did not want him ever touching my vehicle again.
When I came home I checked both items and confirmed that both the transmission fluid and air filter were indeed clean.
My second example of why I don’t take my vehicle to the dealership for service or repairs involves my wife’s 2001 Sequoia that had a recall on frame rust just a few years ago. I took the Sequoia to a different Toyota Dealership who said that the frame was fine but there were several items of concern. One item was the front brakes that needed replaced immediately. In fact, it was unsafe to be driving the vehicle.
I told my wife to purchase the front brake pads and that I would take care of it. I’m no mechanic but I was a mechanic in the Marine Corps and also achieved a “Doctors of Motors†certificate from high school. I have a little understanding of motor vehicles.
The vehicle would stop fine and was using no brake fluid. But one Sunday I took the front wheel off to replace the brake pads and was astonished to find a significant amount of brake pad remaining. I took out a metal scale and measured all my existing front brake pads and compared them to the new brake pads and found that I had fifty percent remaining. Do you see why I am skeptical of dealerships?!
We drove that Sequoia about two years on those front brake pads the dealership mechanic said needed changed immediately.
Don’t bother to insult me with excuses. I know not all dealership mechanics are dishonest or perhaps unable to accurately measure brake pads. But I’m afraid that if I bring my vehicle to a dealership my vehicle might fall into the hands of one that is.
I prefer to do business with local businesses when possible and with folks that I have a relationship with. I find it offensive and degrading to suggest that my mechanic is not capable of replacing a rusted steering rack. My third-party repair has nothing to do with the fact that my Tundra suffered a rusted steering rack. I might mention that upon speaking with the Toyota representative I requested to speak with a supervisor. I was placed on hold for an extended period of time and then told that no supervisor was available and that one would return my call within 24 hours.
The next day I received a call from a Supervisor. The supervisor regurgitated the same information as the Toyota representative had. Several times I apologized to her that I wasn’t angry at her personally but she was representing Toyota and I was very pissed off. The supervisor was professional and polite as she essentially explained that Toyota didn’t want to examine my complaint.
The contents of this writing were sent to both American and Japanese Toyota Administrators. Neither administrators were interested in the issue. This is merely a manifested explanation that Toyota and I are not related anymore. When time comes for my 2010 Camry to be replaced it will be with a Honda Accord. When this Tundra reaches its maturity date it will be replaced with a Honda Ridgeline. Apparently, Toyota seems to think it’s worn out already – 97,250 miles.
Thirty-four years of devotion is a lot of time to throw away. It’s too bad that Toyota does not appreciate my loyalty and patronage. It’s also disappointing that for a few hundred dollars this writing would not have taken place. I guess this old guy, like his truck, is simply not that important to you.
Sincerely,
Disappointed In Lenexa
- Gale S., Lenexa, US