#20
Mon, January 08, 2001
This is a CONSUMER TIP to RipOff Report #4149. It was sent by badbusinessbureau.com CONSUMER ADVOCATE Robert Sokol at [email protected]. Wilde Toyota refusing to help with an ongoing strut problem Wilde Toyota (Auto Dealers) CONSUMER TIP: Struts are the shocks of yester-year. On todays vehicles, struts should last between 80,000 to 200,000 miles. Whenever we replaced a set of struts on lower mileage vehicles, there was always a reason, usually accident related. Bending a strut by hitting a curb or large pothole can easily bend a strut causing the alignment to now be off. If the strut was bent due to an accident (curb, pothole, etc), then the dealership is correct, and the cost of replacement is yours. On the other hand, if the strut is not able to do its job, and the replacment parts are also wearing out quickly, then you might have a design flaw on your hands. If you feel this is the case, contact the Toyota zone representative for your dealership. Ask the service manager to schedule an appointment with him. You should also write to Toyota and request mediation. Mediation is good because if they lose, they are bound by the decision. If you lose, you are not bound by the decision. You might want to check the NHTSA web site to see if there have been any other complaints about struts on your model vehicle.