T27 Driver And Passenger Door Fracture.

[mcorban]

Hi folks

I'd just said i'd let ye know of an issue i found on my 2011 T27 Avensis.

I was inspecting the door straps (only term that comes to mind) between the hinges on my front doors.

I found that they had started to crack the door skin. I referred this to the main dealer, and had both door replaced under warranty.

I must say the way it was dealt with by Toyota was excellent. My car had just gone out of warranty, and because it kept it main dealer serviced, they honoured the warranty claim.

The door strap mechenism is also upgraded to prevent this in future.

I was speaking to the panel beaters and he informed me he has seen a good few (approx 3 a week) over the past few months.

Just an acknowledgment to Mr T and a warning to anyone who may intend purchasing one to keep an eye out for it.

[FROSTYBALLS]

Not a new issue - see

http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/131254-new-avensis-2009-front-door-alignment/

http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/160076-front-door-metal-cracked-on-avensis/?hl=%2Bdoor+%2Bcracks

[mcorban]

Maybe not a new issue, but the panel beater was adament there has been quite a few and he has more booked in, for the coming weeks. I counted 12 old doors in his workshop that had to be shipped back to Mr T for scrapping. The main dealer i dealt with had informed me they had a few claims. My car is pretty low mileage 2011 (65000km). Time will tell though.

Alot of SH avensis over here have originated in the UK, and as such may not be covered by Toyota Ireland.

The new model has been modified also, as i have been informed.

Either way i had a good experience with Mr T here in Ireland and would like to acknowledge that.

They even have me thinking of trading to a 2015 model in the new year.

[FROSTYBALLS]

The Avensis is reportedly being facelifted in 2015 - to include the BMW 1.6 and 2.0 litre diesel engines.

[mcorban]

Might be worth holding off ^_^

I heard about the BMW connection with the 1.6, anyone any ideas on the bmw unit (good or bad)

[avensisd4d786]

Hi Mike.. nice result.. is the 2.0 a bmw engine too?

[FROSTYBALLS]

From what I recollect, the agreement with BMW covered both the 1.6 and 2.0 litre diesel engines. Putting the 1.6 in the Verso I think took precedent, as compared to competitors in the European market, there was a hole in the Verso range (and there is no hybrid).

[DBrock]

Hi, I've been having excessive wind noise at motorway speeds. The dealer has replaced a few door seals to no avail. I've just noticed that I have the cracks on both front doors. Is the fault with the cracks and wind noise related?

What have been the outcomes with the cracks and replacement under warranty?

Many thanks

[FROSTYBALLS]

Have a look at the two links to previous threads in post 2.

[DBrock]

My car went back to the dealer and they looked at the cracks. A claim under warranty has been refused. The warranty doesn't cover body work. It's now been referred to Toyota UK. Awaiting a decision. Guess I'll have to buy some ear defenders so I can drive it.

[DBrock]

Toyota GB has refused to repair or contribute to the repair. I'm very disappointed with Toyota.

Not sure what to do next, any thoughts? Considering contacting Which? and Small Claims Court.

[FROSTYBALLS]

You said in post 10 that a claim under warranty had been refused. Which warranty - your car is well outside the 3 year/60,000 mile new car warranty, and cracks aren't corrosion so the 12 year anti-corrosion warranty won't be applicable. Do you have an extended warranty? Does the car have a Toyota service history?

[DBrock]

Hi

I bought the car 3/14 as an approved Toyota from Benfield Toyota in Leeds with 1 year warranty and bought an additional year.

When I bought the car it didn't have a full Toyota service history but since then I've only had it serviced by Toyota

[Heidfirst]

was your additional year's warranty an official Toyota Extended Warranty or some other one sold by the dealer?

[DBrock]

It was an official Toyota one

[FROSTYBALLS]

What is covered and what is not covered under the Toyota Extended Warranty is detailed on the following page - https://www.toyota.co.uk/caring-for-your-toyota/warranty/extended-warranty.json

Paintwork and bodywork are one of the principal exclusions, and this cracking of the body would come under that exclusion. In my experience extended warranties cover mechanicals and electricals.

Your contract of sale would be between you and the dealer - not Toyota -, as it was the dealer that sold you the vehicle together with the extended warranty. So any civil action you are considering would presumably be against the dealer.

[DBrock]

Thanks Frostyballs.

That's something I'm considering. Need to seek advice first.

In my opinion the fault is a design fault - the metal is too thin where it is cracking therefore the car (and every avensis) had the fault when sold.

[FROSTYBALLS]

Even if it is design related, any contract would be between yourself and the dealer.

[TomdeGuerre]

what's the fix for that anyway, is it a thicker / stronger A pillar panel or is it just fitting a doubler to strengthen it?

[mcorban]

A strengthened door skin on the new door, and a modified door strap, with an extra bracket included on the door strap.

[TomdeGuerre]

A strengthened door skin on the new door, and a modified door strap, with an extra bracket included on the door strap.

Ooooops, mea culpa, just went back and looked at the beginning and it says the door's cracked, not the A pillar.

Thanks for clarifying.

[Heidfirst]

"in my opinion the fault is a design fault - the metal is too thin where it is cracking therefore the car (and every avensis) had the fault when sold."

nope, they modified the door in production. even then not all of the earlier cars will develop the issue (in fact I suspect a very few% do).

[DBrock]

So by modifying the design they eliminated a cause of a defect in the product. They would not have changed the design and production process if it wasn't a cause of waste - Kaizen & Lean

Toyota's manufacturing system aims to achieve a defect rate of Six Sigma which is 3.4 defects per million.

[coziosco]

I'm seeing this problem too. Currently chasing my tail trying to get Toyota to fix this under the bodywork warranty:

'..protects against rust perforation affecting sheet metal body panels as a result of a manufacturing fault. This warranty can also be transferred to any future owner throughout the 12 year period.'

I'm thinking it might be worth getting everyone together to contact Toyota as a group to ask them to remedy this issue? I agree with some others, if it's a fault lots of people are experiencing and it's been remedied with a different design on newer vehicles it's a manufacturing fault on the originals and should be sorted.

[FROSTYBALLS]

1 hour ago, coziosco said:

I'm seeing this problem too. Currently chasing my tail trying to get Toyota to fix this under the bodywork warranty:

'..protects against rust perforation affecting sheet metal body panels as a result of a manufacturing fault. This warranty can also be transferred to any future owner throughout the 12 year period.'

I'm thinking it might be worth getting everyone together to contact Toyota as a group to ask them to remedy this issue? I agree with some others, if it's a fault lots of people are experiencing and it's been remedied with a different design on newer vehicles it's a manufacturing fault on the originals and should be sorted.

The warranty you're referring to is the corrosion warranty. Alhough you may have cracks, these are probably due to stress rather than rust.