Toyota Of Concord RAV4 Catalytic Converter Original Equipment and Replacement Converter Defective Concord North Carolina
My daughter purchased a new 2002 Toyota RAV4 on 6/24/2002. In May of 2005 (45K miles), the check engine light came on with codes P0420 and P0430.
Toyota of Concord reprogrammed the car's computer. In Sept of 2006 (71K miles) the check engine light came on again with the same codes (P0420 and P0430).
At this point, the dealership replaced the catalytic converter, which was under warranty. However, when the converter was replaced, three of the four sensors that fit into the converter were damaged when they attempted to remove them and had to be replaced, costing me $545.00.
In Oct of 2008, (110K miles) the check engine light came on again with the same codes (P0420 and P0430), along with a rattle in the tail pipe. My mechanic (28 years experience)) checked the car over and determined that the rattle appeared to be due to the converter coming apart and leaving debris in the tail pipe.
I contacted the Service Manager at Toyota of Concord (Tracy Wease) who informed that, because the converter had been replaced under warranty, it only was guaranteed for one year and the guarantee had run out. She added that if the converter had been replaced OUT OF WARRANTY, it would have been guaranteed for 8 years or 80K miles.
I have been a licensed driver for 51 years, owning many cars during this time span and have never had a problem with a catalytic converter. To have two defective converters in a two year time span is amazing to me and I believe the dealership should replace the defective converter, at their expense.
I have spoken with the Toyota of Concord Customer Relations Manager (Vernita Reveron) a number of times in the past month and she tells me there is nothing that the dealership can or will do.
I am astounded that Toyota expects their customers to replace catalytic converters every two years. The price of the converter, the four sensors, and the labor could run as much as $1545.00
After this experience, neither I nor anyone in my family will ever purchase another Toyota, or do any business with Toyota of Concord again.
I currently drive a 1996 Ford Escort (130K) and a 1987 Ford F150 (140K). I have never had a catalytic converter on either vehicle.
Larry
Charlotte, North Carolina
U.S.A.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
John
Westwood, NJ,New Jersey,
U.S.A.
Sorry to hear of your troubles
#4Consumer Comment
Tue, December 16, 2008
I am a master warranty administrator with Volvo, so I know only their policy and procedures regarding replacement parts warranties and federal emissions warranties. The 8 year 80,000 mile parts and labor warranty is applicable to your catalytic converter. The oxygen sensors (there are 4 in a Toyota exhaust) are not covered under that warranty. The Federal Government only requires that your main engine computer and your catalytic converter be covered for this extended term. Once warranty pays the dealer for the parts and labor to fix your car under warranty, they do not guarantee this problem will not happen again. The replacement parts warranty holds true for 1 year, 12,000 miles from date of installation, whichever comes first.
Remember, when warranty pays for something, they do not warranty that part past your warranty expiration date. For example:
Your car has a 4 year 50,000 mile factory warranty. Your radio does not work and you have 49,995 miles on your car, but within the 4 year deadline. The radio is replaced under warranty. You leave the dealership and your car now has 50,002 miles on it. The radio again the next day does not work. You return to the dealership and find your warranty has expired and the radio that was replaced "free" yesterday will now cost you $800.00 to replace.
Every report I have read has stated the car should be fixed, the manufacturer must pay...
This extra work comes out of their general fund that is funded with new car sales - no wonder car prices are so high.
Remember - the dealership has no control over your warranty, even if you think they do. The person on the dealership level cannot authorize anything past the factory warranty. Any repair the dealership does to your car after warranty comes out of their pocket. Most of the time leaving a negative mark on your service file............ And we wonder why some people cannot get a appointment for 3 months.....hmmmm...
Karl
Highlands Ranch,Colorado,
U.S.A.
NEWEST 'TOYOTA CHRISTMAS SONG'!!! WORLDWIDE ALERT!!!! Please sing to the tune of.....
#4Consumer Comment
Tue, November 25, 2008
'CHESTNUTS ROASTING ON AN OPEN FIRE'.
Here we go-
RAV-4's broken every single day
Camrys sludging this is true
Corollas messed up
Airbags jammed they don't work
And Tundras they are sludging too!
Everybody knows that sludge infects Toyota cars
The sludge that makes your engine stop
I know it's a joke
Blowin' foul smellin' smoke
Watanabe screw YOU!
Toyota's Lawyers on their way
They're packing lots of lies and money on their sleigh
And every lyin' judge will do what's wrong
To keep Toyota alive and so strong!
I know that people have been kicked around
But now we're speaking out it's true
Watanabe will lie he will pay them all off
So TOYOTA, SCREW YOU!!
TOYOTA'S STOCK WILL go below $50 a share by 1-23-2009!!
BANK on it!!
'Google' this- ENGINE SLUDGE, and go to the consumeraffairs website about Toyota Engine Problems and read all of the complaints. Make sure to click on 'Airbags' when you are there and read all of them too! YOUR LIFE COULD BE IN DANGER IF YOU HAVE A TOYOTA AND YOU ARE IN AN ACCIDENT AND YOUR AIRBAGS DON'T DEPLOY!!
'Google' this- SUIT: DEFECT REPORTS ALTERED TOYOTYA PLANT, and read the Whistleblower lawsuit by Katy Cameron who was TARGETTED by TOYOTA because she stood up for the TRUTH!!
'Google' this- YOUTUBE TOYOTA SEQUOIA DEFECT, and watch the video of a Sequoia that flipped over on I-95. He could have been KILLED!
'Google' this- SEXUAL HARASSMENT TOYOTA, and read the $190 MILLION Lawsuit that Toyota SETTLED!!!!!!!! WHY did they SETTLE?????!!!
'Google' this- BUY A COROLLA GET BURNED LITERALLY, and read how Mr. Singh burned to death in his TOYOTA COROLLA!!!! Do YOU drive a COROLLA???
'Google' this- BALTIMORE SETTLEMENT CALIFORNIA TOYOTA, and read how TOYOTA TARGETTED African Americans & Hispanics & charged them HIGHER INTEREST RATES on their car loans because of their SKIN COLOR & inability to comprehend the English language!
TOYOTA TARGETS WOMEN!! WHITE WOMEN! WHITE WOMEN!!
TOYOTA is a corporation based on- LIES, DECEPTION, GREED, MANIPULATION, CORRUPTION, & the CONSTANT PURSUIT TO FINANCIALLY INJURE THE INNOCENT!!!
Spread this all over the WORLD-WIDE WEB!!
Thank you. I'm Karl, and I approve this Update!
More 'Toyota Christmas Songs' coming!
Karl
Highlands Ranch,Colorado,
U.S.A.
EXTREMELY URGENT: LARRY, YOU MUST DO THIS.......
#4Consumer Comment
Mon, November 24, 2008
You must go the Toyota Ripoff Report entitled- RIP OFF REPORT TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION USA MANIPULATION (you can 'Google' it!), and read the 'Update' entitled- 'A MECHANIC'S OPINION'.
It seems to me, from talking with this EXPERT mechanic, that the ROOT of your problem could be this- 'Too much heat, too much stress.'
If your RAV-4 is doing what many OTHER Toyotas are doing, you might have symptoms of ENGINE SLUDGE which is causing all of the malfunctions in your RAV-4, wouldn't you agree?
You might want to have your ENGINE tested for SLUDGE! I've heard it's an inexpensive test and it would get you the answer you might need!!! If you have a SLUDGE-INFECTED RAV-4, then the problems will continue on indefinitely, right?
JUST DO IT!!!! Get the RAV-4 tested for SLUDGE! Toyota already ADMITTED this in the Lawsiut that was settled for SOME Toyota owners. You can read all about it at the consumeraffairs website when you 'Google' this- ENGINE SLUDGE. It's to the right side under 'Airbags' complaints when you get to that site. Just click and read about the CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT that Toyota 'settled' with SOME customers.
Good luck, and guess what? A 'Toyota Christmas Song' will soon appear here!!!!!!!
I'm Karl, and I approve this Update!