Auris Lights On/seatbelt Off/door Open Buzzer

[Miseryguts]

My last car had a warning "bong" for lights on/seat belt/door open etc.

If you left your belt off the bongs were very quiet then if ignored got louder and louder.

Also my Auris has not got the auto headlights and on/off and one occasion I got out of the car with them left on.

The hand book says that there is a buzzer warning for all these things.

I thought "what buzzer".

Today I tested it out in the garage.

I left the lights on and went to get out and listened.

What a pathetic excuse for a warning buzzer.

My hearing is not great so I asked my neighbour to listen,his word were "is that it"?

He said it sounds like a mouse squeaking.

Maybe the system was designed for BATS !!!

I know the seatbelt warning is displayed on the dash but come on the handbook says BUZZER not SQUEAKING MOUSE.

I took it back and asked the service guy to check it out,its normal.

I said yes maybe for a 20 year old's ears what about a 67 year old and my 40 year old neighbours ears.

Would have rather kept my old car except it was stolen when it was 1 year old,I thought I would give Toyota a go,beginning to wish I hadn't bothered,what with the other issues I have had.

[Bemused2]

On my Auris the seatbelt/lights bleeping is loud enough to be heard easily. And yes I am even older than you ! There must be something wrong with it. Having said that my indicator bleeping is barely noticable, impossible to hear it in traffic or with the radio on. Cannot not be bothered to have it checked out anticipating the stock reply, there all like that.Sorry to hear your having other problems, as mine, apart from the above, is the best car I have ever had.

[Miseryguts]

Funny thing is that I can hear the indicator in traffic with the radio on with no problem.

Yes,I received the "stock" answer.

I notice you have a 2010 Auris,the service guy did say they made a change on the new model so that may be the answer.

Anyway,looks like I will just have to live with it.

The seatbelt warning on my previous car, if ignored, became so loud that you HAD to put your belt on.

Anyway,whatever !!

[timbooo]

I find them more than loud enough to be annoying. Maybe the little speaker/buzzer has fallen out of it's mount and become muffled.

If you think the dealer is fobbing you off (more than likely), why sit in a couple of their display cars and try them out for comparison? They'll need to be hooked up to power, which often they're not. Ask to see the headlights working or test the radio if you don't want to arouse suspicion ;)

[Miseryguts]

I'm spending far too much time in the dealer with all the other problems with the car.

I'm giving them until the first week in Jan to sort everything out, if still not happy then its goodbye Auris.

[Bemused2]

Sounds as if your having a lot of problems. Is just the inaudible buzzer and sparkly bumpers or further issues?

I believe Toyota have a return and replacement policy on second hand cars, could that be a possibility if they cannot fix it to your satisfaction.

To buy another car will cost a fortune in depreciation on your present car, and you may not get a five year warranty. Anyway hope you manage to get it sorted.

[FROSTYBALLS]

Headlight bulbs as well - HIR2's, so there is no upgrade available.

[Miseryguts]

Sounds as if your having a lot of problems. Is just the inaudible buzzer and sparkly bumpers or further issues?

I believe Toyota have a return and replacement policy on second hand cars, could that be a possibility if they cannot fix it to your satisfaction.

To buy another car will cost a fortune in depreciation on your present car, and you may not get a five year warranty. Anyway hope you manage to get it sorted.

Apart from the bongs the main problems are all bodywork related.

The trouble is that the salesman and the sales manager are not singing from the same song sheet.

Example,on delivery I noticed there was a slight chip on the edge of the glass on the rear hatch door.

No problem says salesman we will replace the glass.

Sales manager, NO WE WONT !!!

Bonnet covered in loads of scratches (over zealous valet guy) not there when I first looked at the car.

While driving to take the car in to have the bonnet sorted I picked up a huge stone chip.

I bought some touch up paint,once again the salesman said as a sign of good faith we will fix the stone chip when we do the bonnet.

Thank you very much.

Later in the day got phone call from salesman saying sales manager say they can't fix the chip free of charge,it will cost £50,fix it,I said.

Bonnet better but not good.

One of the plastic anti stone chip strips on the rear door entry was peeling off.

As the car was due to go in for mud flaps they said they would replace the strip at the same time.

Took car in,sat and waited,all done says the girl.

Went back to the car and guess what,no replacement strip.

They would have let me leave without telling me.

Girl says the car will have to go to the body shop for that (still waiting to hear).

There are one or two other bits and bobs including the bumpers,all of which I am STILL waiting hear about.

I had a meeting with the Sales Manager,"I would like to offer you a free service and I will send you written confirmation".

Still waiting for that as well,something tells me that the car and I will have long parted before a service is due.

On the upside the car runs very well,stick a new body on it and it would be perfect.

[Miseryguts]

Update,I called my dealer (yes I called them) to be told that a toyota rep will be looking at my bumpers in the new year (I have emailed pictures to the dealer).

Should prove interesting.

The service manager says they are wrong,the salesman says they are wrong,the sales manager well I not sure WHAT he knows or thinks,my local body shop says they are wrong even my next door neighbour says its a rubbish paint match so why have I got to go back yet again to let Mr Toyota look at it.

Oh well,here we go again.

[timbooo]

As far as I can tell, they want you to not-be-bothered so they introduce as much BS as possible. I got bumped in traffic the other week, the rear bumper plastic collided with whatever's inside it revealing the "four dots of crashed-ness" that I have seen on many other Toyotas. To me it seems clear that whipping out the bit of black plastic and sticking in a new one is the obvious solution. To the garage, oh no, *intake of breath through teeth* that'll need a week in the garage so the "expert" (never has the word been so incorrectly used) from the insurance can come and look at it, then we'll sand down and buff out (or spray, I'm not sure). Hours of labour vs. a few pence of plastic. Natural choice, yup.

Anyway, translation: "come on, don't bother. You know you don't want to lose your car for a whole week over this."

WELL YOU WON'T WIN. I WILL TAKE THE BUS FOR A WEEK OUT OF SHEER PRINCIPAL! ;)

[Miseryguts]

Don't worry about tenacity !!!

I used to keep Bull terriers and once their jaws close and lock they never let go.

That fitted me down to a T.

That was me a couple of years ago but now things have changed.

I care for my wife who has Alzheimers and I am her sole carer.

The reason a bought a Toyota was their reputation for producing a reliable quality product.

Leaving my wife alone, for all these "jaunts" to the garage is very stressful and a situation I wanted to avoid.

My last car was driven from the garage the day I bought it and it was only returned 12 months later for its first service (they even collected from my house to save me leaving my wife).

I thought Toyota would be as good,it seems that I got that wrong.

The alarm bells should have rung when I saw they were Made in Britain,problem is the bumpers were sprayed in Fairyland judging by the amount of sparkle on them.

Oh this is not to mention the upholstery,it looks like it has been stitched by a drunken fairy (probably the same one that sprayed the bumpers).

[Truthseeker]

Could your maybe post pictures of the bumpers and seats so we can make a judgement.

I assume this is the latest generation Auris, or was it the previous model?

If the latest - hatch or estate (Sports Tourer)?

[Miseryguts]

Sorry no pictures.

I haven't got a digital camera ,I had to go a friend to take the pictures which he emailed to the dealer.

[Miseryguts]

My friend still had the pictures on his camera.

See what you think...

Sunlight makes it look bad.

[timbooo]

That is pretty weird. I don't know if I missed it, but was there any previous information on a bumper change or respray in the car's history? I don't believe it would drive out of the factory like that. It looks like someone had a go at paint matching (and, to be fair, did fairly well with a tricky task) rather than replacing with a factory sprayed bumper in the correct colour.

That's the trouble with these fancy paint jobs - repairs. We had a Nissan Micra previous to our Auris that was to all intents and purposes "white", but in fact was a slightly shiny slightly speckled paint ("pearl white"). We got a dent in the door from a doddering neighbour and the dent shop did an impressive job but close up it was obviously not the same.

So how's it all going, are you giving into it yet ;)

I felt awkward with loads of things at first (count yourself lucky not to have an MMT) but I'm settling in with "our Alan" now.

I never realised changing car would be such a big deal (only the second one I've owned). That Micra was a packhorse I tell ya.

(Alan the Auris... doesn't everyone name their car??)

[Miseryguts]

Both front and rear bumpers are the same condition,so I would rule out accident damage to both bumpers.

The car was only 2 months old (it was ordered in error) with less than 80 miles on the clock.

The independent paint shop guy was pretty sure it was a factory paint job not an aftermarket one following an accident..

Maybe I should only get it out the garage on dull days because its not so noticeable then (it shows up slightly "grey" due to the amount of spark in it).

I am supposed to take the car in for the Toyota "rep" to look at it,after 6th Jan as he is on holiday.

To be honest I am not too bothered what he says.

If its "live with it " I will sell the car.

If he says "respray" and I don't like the outcome I will sell the car.

I am not paranoid about these things,( ok I am a bit) but when I clean a car and step back to look at it I like to see a job well done,not well done,pity about the bumpers !!!

I will have to take a £2500 hit if I sell it but it will be worth it not to look at that abortion every time I wash the car.

Since I passed my test in 1967 I have owned many black cars (I like black,it suits my nature,I'm not called miseryguts for nothing) and this has got to be the worst car I have EVER owned with regards to paint match.

To be honest I wish I still had my old car (it was stolen),it was black metallic,even the wheels, and the paint matched perfectly,including the bumpers.

Its getting to be a standing joke with my neighbours the comments range from "are those bumpers supposed to match" to "don't those bumpers belong on a christmas tree".

HA HA it was funny,now its not.

[timbooo]

Oh dear. Nice neighbours, haha. Maybe you can sue Toyota for emotional distress ;)

Oh well. What's on the cards to replace it?

It does seem like you should be able to return it, rather than having to take a hit on selling it, but you sound like you've given up on that avenue?

[Truthseeker]

It really is noticeable in the 3rd photo. I would be like you and hate it every time I looked at the car.

I would definitely stick out for a full refund, as you may have trouble selling it like that, even at a loss as any prospective savvy purchaser would suspect accident damage.

Good luck!

[Miseryguts]

I will wait and give the Toyota rep a chance to give his views.

As far as another car goes I am not too sure.

I like the Auris (apart from the dodgy paint,scratched bonnet,chipped screen etc)joking aside I could part ex it for another one.

The sales manager can't hold the bumpers against me because he said "that often happens", pointing to his own car as an example, so it shouldn't be a issue.

I have also considered the Honda Civic as a possible replacement.

We will wait and see.

[timbooo]

If you like the Auris but Toyota really d!ck you about, take a look at the i30; I found it felt very similar and looks pretty similar (on the outside at least) too. Similar specs as well, including the standard issue rear view camera (which I don't think I can live without anymore).

I sat in a Civic. If you think the view out of the back of the Auris is a bit limited, try glueing a surf board across it: bingo, you've got the Honda. ;)

[Bemused2]

That paint job is clearly not right. Even though it has just 80 miles on the clock that does not mean it has not been in an accident. Somebody could have run into the back of it and pushed it into another vehicle at slow speed, that would justify both bumpers being in need of a re-spray. Albeit badly. Cannot believe it left the factory like that.

£2500 is a hell of a lot to loose over a bad paint job on the bumpers. Wait until next week and see what the rep comes up with.

[Miseryguts]

I used to have an i30 a couple of years ago,good car,the new one looks very good indeed.

Truth being told the rear end of both civic models has always looked a bit of a miss mash,almost like they didn't know what to do with the rear end.

Funny thing was that I chose Toyota on the basis of their reputation.

The end result is that I have NEVER owned a car that been back to the dealers so many times in such a short space of time.

All the cars that I have owned in recent memory have been collected on the day I bought them and NEVER returned until the service was due.

I even had 2 Peugeot 307 sw (not at the same time) and I admit to being a bit nervous because of Peugeots reputation for reliability .

Both of them worked fine for over 40,000 miles each with just services.

Just goes to show what happens if you believe all the hype,or not.

[FROSTYBALLS]

Our new cars (17) have only been Japanese brands (Nissan, Honda, Mazda & Toyota) plus one Korean spanning the period 1987 to now. 9 have had one fault within the new car warranty, and 8 have had no faults at all. Nothing else.

Of the five Toyotas we've had, two have had one fault within the new car warranty period (one with a broken cupholder [my 2009 Auris] and tailgate struts replaced due to corrosion on one [2006 Corolla])

Chap I used to work with bought a new 307CC, and that car was with the dealer for repair on average every ten weeks during the 3 years he had it (his calculation). Faults ranging from power steering, brake disc replacement due to judder (replaced twice all round), engine management, and problems with the hood mechanism.

When he had parking sensors fitted by the dealer, the right hand sensor was installed (literally) two inches lower than the rest (the dealer fit sensors were a different fitting to the factory fit). So the dealer swapped the rear bumper assembly for one with the factory fitted sensors.

A few weeks later my colleague noticed the demonstrator had the right hand sensor two inches lower than the rest .........

[timbooo]

The problems with the car are unfortunate but it seems to be the biggest problem is your cruddy dealership. Could try sending some pics of the bumpers over their heads but I'm not sure how the company structure works or if anyone would pay attention.

[Truthseeker]

I think Toyota UK are aware as he is waiting for the Toyota rep to inspect.