Toyota Warranty Policy Exposed

[speedwaydthom]

Very worrying to read the two page article in the Sunday Times today (5 February edition). If what is reported is true, then Toyota UK have really been taking owners for a ride and putting their safety in jeopardy (allegedly).

As the 5 year warranty is one of the manufacturer's big selling points, this report could have a huge negative impact on sales expectations.

[Roker]

It is still only 3 year in Ireland, against Hyundi 7 yrs

[duncerduncs]

Very worrying to read the two page article in the Sunday Times today (5 February edition). If what is reported is true, then Toyota UK have really been taking owners for a ride and putting their safety in jeopardy (allegedly).

Toyota GB can't be that worried about the story as there are no press releases refuting the story on their press site or the main TGB site...

[dervdave]

Actions speak louder than words :D

[Jamesbelfast]

Sometimes the lack of action speaks louder.

[dervdave]

Sometimes the lack of action speaks louder.

Exactly James, as I said `Actions speak louder than words` :)

[Phil_1985]

ummm what is the story?

[speedwaydthom]

Gist of the allegations is that Toyota dealers are penalised financially if they claim for warranty jobs that are not safety related and have not been flagged up by customer. Apparently a number of mechanics have been concerned about unpublished internal rules which in some cases may prevent them from reporting issues on the visual inspection reports which customers should receive after work has been carried out on their car.

Several examples are quoted including defect on Toyota Yaris which was deemed not to be safety related!!

Sunday Times must think there is something in the story to have it on the front page and two page coverage further on in the newspaper.

[dervdave]

: http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?p=21195579

[duncerduncs]

I'm trying to find the "shock" value of this story.

All manufacturers will do their best to avoid non safety related warranty work. Fact.

My friend has an Ford S-Max which had a fault with it's alarm. It was a design fault which led to the alarm sounding continuously due to water getting into the alarm siren (it was positioned very low down in the engine bay and wasn't water proof). Ford knew that all the sirens on non modified cars would fail, did they issue a recall?

Nope! They let the owners take the cost (about £350 fitted), as the cars would be out of warranty by the time the wiring fails...

[Richard Martin]

HHMM, two sides to every story I think. I think toyota are happy to do the works under warranty that need doing but probably do fine (or atleast threaten to fine) dealerships who are putting in claims for work which doesn't need to be done when its not related to safety or reliability and/or makes no difference to the client. It would be pretty easy to assign a new set of alloys to replace some so call corroded alloys a customer doesn't even know about or just about any engine part. If the dealership could just claim what ever they wanted they could do that without the customer even knowing, so maybe the fines are to deter false claims.

The article talks about this one Yaris where it needed a new steering column, it was in fact the dealership that made a stink about it. No real mention as to whether or not Toyota would or wouldn't pay for it only how the dealership interpreted the secret document. Their policy as stated in the article states they will repair items directly related to safety or reliability, you could say the steering column falls into both of those categories so I can't see how toyota could fine the dealership.

Sounds more like mis-interpretation by the dealerships rather than toyota not wanting to pay out on warranty. The talks of being told not to mention oil leaks to customers during the warranty period, yet toyota deny that and say they such issues would be repaired.

I think its probably 6 of one and half a dozen of the other. It doesn't help build confidence in dealerships though or even the brand so they either need to change the policy or make it clearer for dealerships to understand.

[acetip]

The fact that the dealer reports the defect wether safety related or not after the warranty has expired says it all. the warranty stinks.

If a customer has never had a reason to examin the well were the spare wheel fits, and there will be plenty who never even lift the boot carpet,but the workshop staff doing a service notice there is water getting in, is he not suppose to tell the customer untill the warranty runs out.

I had a brand new golf that had to go in a 1000 miles for the cylinder to be further tightened,it was not a service but they must have a check on the rest of the car cos they reported oil leaks from both drive shaft oil seals, leaking water pump,

cabin head lining unsecure though i had not noticed anything wrong.

also said the glow plugs heating was not staying as long as it should.plus stiching on one part of 60/40 rear seats was incomplete.

As i had the car for only just over a month and was working 12 hour might shifts

and never even had a chance to clean it i not realy had time to realy check it over.

but i had to take my hat off the Vw dealer as some of these faults were not safety related.

I had owned 2 other VW models either side of buying the golf and they were faultless.

[jedi134]

I would just like to add this has absolutly 100% nothing to do with me,

I just speak from my own experiences!!

But always good to hear others views :D

[sjbew]

read the article and shows the manufacturer as being disingenuous.

suggest someone makes a COMPLETE list of everything that could possibly go wrong and give it to the servicing department at EVERY service!

[cabcurtains]

Bored, Bored, Bored, Bored, Bored, Bored

[Lorna2]

Bored, Bored, Bored, Bored, Bored, Bored

Bored - very much so. But we'll all have to prepare ourselves for more boredom as the 'news'papers will very likely all be covering this 'story' tomorrow and we'll be sick of hearing about it.

[Daveyonthemove]

Scaremongering.

I'm sure Toyota probably have a better track record of honoring warranty work than most other makes.

I've never known any other manufacturer replace an engine outside of the original 3yr warranty, and a Head Gasket issue is not exactly a safety issue. If it goes on the motorway you end up coasting to the hard shoulder. When the accelerator pedal stuck open, you were in real danger. Both these issues have got procedures in place to sort the cars out free of charge.

[jedi134]

Bored, Bored, Bored, Bored, Bored, Bored

Bored - very much so. But we'll all have to prepare ourselves for more boredom as the 'news'papers will very likely all be covering this 'story' tomorrow and we'll be sick of hearing about it.

What do you do for excitment then?

[Lorna2]

Bored, Bored, Bored, Bored, Bored, Bored

Bored - very much so. But we'll all have to prepare ourselves for more boredom as the 'news'papers will very likely all be covering this 'story' tomorrow and we'll be sick of hearing about it.

What do you do for excitment then?

Ah wouldn't you love to know! ;)

[FROSTYBALLS]

See Toyota's response to the Sunday Times article: http://blog.toyota.co.uk/toyota-statement-on-the-sunday-times-article

[Richard Martin]

See Toyota's response to the Sunday Times article: http://blog.toyota.c...y-times-article

sounds a fair and genuine reply. I wonder how many dealerships have actually produced this secret document and made it viewable to others. Surely if it is as they suggest it would be very easy to prove.

[Roker]

Is this why the oil burning issue on VVTi engines took years to fix, because it was not a safety issue