Toyota - Brown Toyota Of Charlottesville Horrible customer service Charlottesville Virginia
During a yearly state inspection performed at a non-Toyota shop, the mechanic discovered a fuel tank check valve recall on my 2002 Celica. I was never notified by Toyota of this recall, and after moving to Virginia I sent four letters to Toyota Financial Services with my change of address, my address was never changed until I called TFS. Still no recall notice.
I took my Celica to Brown Toyota in Charlottesville for a brake noise and the recall. They looked at the brakes for three hours, couldn't determine what was wrong, charged me for an hour of labor, and told me the recall part would be in the following week.
Three weeks pass, no call from Brown. I stop by and the service department says they'll check on it with the part department and call me. No call. Four weeks later I stop in again, same story. Will call me back before the end of the day. No call. Two weeks later, I stop by again. Now I'm told my car "may or may not be applicable". We'll call you.
Needless to say, I've never heard from them again. For all I know, I'm driving a literal bomb, since I have no idea what the fuel tank check valve does. This is my first and last Toyota.
John
Charlottesville, Virginia
U.S.A.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Rilo
Scottsboro,Alabama,
U.S.A.
That's what happens when Americans try to run a Japanese company.
#3Consumer Suggestion
Mon, October 11, 2004
Customer service and quiality go straight down the tubes. I don't blame you folks for never wanting to by another Toyota. Most Toyotas are American made now and for me that's just one more reason not to buy one. Don't misunderstand me, I'm an American. But we never have been able to build a quality automobile. Just junk that only lasts 5 to 7 years. I've got a '79 Honda that I bought new. Know what? It still runs fine and I've never had to overhaul it. If it were American made, I would have had to rebuild the engine 3 or 4 times.
Charlene
Vienna,Virginia,
U.S.A.
You are FAR FROM ALONE!
#3Consumer Comment
Sun, October 10, 2004
Thank you for your account about not being notified by Toyota about the recall on your vehicle.
You are FAR FROM ALONE!
Why, even though came out and PUBLICLY announced a "generous and unprecedented" ENGINE OIL GELATION program on 3.3 million Toyota/Lexus vehicles, it did NOT send out all the letters that it claimed it did to the affected owners.
What is the reason for this? After all, most all of the owners who got NO LETTER never changed addresses at all! Most learned nothing about this "unprecedented" program from the Toyota and/or Lexus dealerships themselves! Most were completely in the dark about the matter until they did their own independent internet research on the matter.
Imagine how these Toyota owners felt when they found out the truth?!? They felt cheated. They were mad that the company HID the facts and tried to cover the truth about the widespread and known engine problem.
Recall? Didn't you know that Toyota will tell you that there are very few of these? Know why? It is because it can BLAME THE VEHICLE OWNER for most all the problems first. It can do this at government agencies, too, and it can feel secure in knowing that these same agencies don't have the funding to pursue the matter fairly.
Most all the sludge-affected vehicle owners know by now that Toyota isn't about to issue a REAL recall if it isn't forced to do so. It IS willing to make some empty promises, though, according to many owners. These same owners feel that the reason it does this is to get the government off its back if too many questions are asked. They also feel that Toyota, in so doing, is trying to prevent the backlash against its own reputation. The Toyota owners do NOT feel that the actions are in their best interests because when all is said and done, Toyota often simply does not follow through with its public promises.
This is WRONG, according to the Toyota owners. Many have vowed, as a direct result of this lack of follow through and/or inability to admit to problems in its vehicles, never to buy another Toyota or Lexus.
Gee, can you BLAME THEM? I am sure that Toyota will do so if it can!