Good Sam member Darrell Powell sent the following request to Action Line:
We purchased a new Toyota Tundra in 2007 and the Extra Care Platinum warranty from Toyota of Des Moines. We have always had the truck serviced regularly at Toyota dealers. Toyota of Des Moines installed new struts at 30,000 miles. The service manager said the technician removed the lower ball joints to install struts on both sides.
While traveling in Canada with our truck towing our travel trailer on July 6, 2011, we needed repairs on the left-front suspension. The lower ball joint had one bolt missing, and the other bolt was loose and partially unscrewed. We took it to Cochrane Toyota in Alberta. The service technician said the bolts had been removed to install the new struts and weren’t tightened and torqued properly. He said the bolts were installed at the factory and should never have been removed.
The service manager called Toyota of Des Moines and discussed the problem. They requested we return the parts for their inspection, which we did. They inspected the parts, and on August 2, the service manager said they would cover our claim and planned to cut us a check that week using Toyota of Des Moines’ liability insurance, not our Toyota extended warranty, which would not cover it because it wasn’t a factory defect. The Toyota Extra Care representative said when the technician removed the bolts it basically voided our warranty. The total cost of repairs, parts and labor was $3,734.85 in U.S. dollars plus a foreign transaction fee of $74.69, totaling $3,809.54. As of this date, we have not received any payment at all.
We called Toyota Customer Care, and they said they would reimburse a goodwill payment of $2,336.78 in Canadian currency, which covers parts only. We believe Toyota of Des Moines should pay the balance of $1,472.76 because they loosened the bolts. We are enclosing copies of the Cochrane Toyota bill, the Toyota Extra Care warranty, our Visa bill and a letter from Ron Short, service manager of Toyota of Des Moines, and ask for your help in obtaining reimbursement for the repairs and labor.
After Action line sent a petition to Toyota, Good Sam received the following email from Darrell Powell:
Today we received a check for $1,472.76 from Toyota of Des Moines, which is the balance due for the labor repairs on our Toyota Tundra. We greatly appreciate Action Line’s help in resolving our claim! Not sure we would have received the check without your help. Again, thank you very much.
Since 1981, the Good Sam Club’s Action Line has helped resolved thousands of disputes between members and businesses. If you have an RV-related consumer issue and would like assistance, contact Action Line.
Brian
My 95 Accord works great, I think Honda probably makes the most reliable cars. Although I am a fan of ford as well. I also own a 97 Pontiac Sunfire and MAN does that thing stink it’s broken down right now and I’m afraid it may be a timing chain. I think GM has been improving lately but they had a lot of problems from around 1990-2004
Gary Rode
I had to smile about the Toyota warranty issues from Des Moines. I bought a new Toyota Corolla in 2005. The four wheel alignment was out so I could barely hold it on the road if there was any ice at all but Toyota would not cover it on warranty. Next, my car would barely start when it was hot. I complained about it and there was a computer upgrade required on my car. I had to pay for that as well as Toyota warranty would not cover it. No wonder Toyota grew so quickly. They didn’t believe in covering anything on warranty. I like the car but would never buy another one because of the two minor issues that I just mentioned.
Roy Unger
My Dodge 3500 diesel dropped an injector nozzle into the cylinder. Dodge would not cover it. Love the truck but hate the company. Never another Dodge for me.
Thomas
Justin…you need to read alittle better as so does Mr Bruce, the tech that did the sorry work on the truck did of it in the USA. What does that have to do with where the truck came from?? The work was done in Des Moines, maybe this place or state is located in the USA. Who knows. I would think the both of you would really gaine some useful insight if you would check out where and who is building the cars you are talking about. Maybe its not really about who, what and where, it could be all about why? As in why say I feel sorry for someone who just bought a better car/truck than I drive and even payed less for it!! Think About It!
Thomas
You must be one of the lucky ones, Mr Bruce Smith. I don’t feel sorry for anybody that buys a better built car or truck, no matter where it is made. If that is what they think and want. I had a 1988 dodge truck that came into our drive brand new. Never was so proud as when we got rid of the pile of junk!!! Traded that pile in on a 91 Honda Civic. Wich was made right here in the USA, Maryville, Ohio to be sure. The only thing ever to be replaced on it was a alt. and 1 oil pan gasket. Drove that car everyday for 11 yrs. Than made another sad mistake, got another dodge…Lord help me for making another bad call. Won”t go into details about the major trouble with this one, but I will say that there will NEVER…NEVER be another sorry doge product in my drive unless somebody else drives it. So…I really feel sorry for those that do buy some of the junk made in this country and has to go thru the trouble of getting it fixed Also, it was a 1988 dakota! Yes buy American, but do your home work First!!!
Justin
I agree with Bruce Smith 100%. That is the first thing I thought of when I was reading the initial complaint. Buy American!!!
Bruce Smith
I really feel sorry for anyone that buy’s a Japanese Vehicle. I have a 1992 Dodge 3500 diesel and I will challenge anyone to what ever they would like to do, Mine against their’s. My truck has 430,000 miles and I would take it anywhere in the 49 states pulling what ever I want without even worring about ANY break downs. It also gets, after all those miles, city 18 mph and road 20, not as good as some newer trucks, but I am happy with that. The chalenger’s truck has to have 400,000 at least, if you can find one still running. I also have a 1926 Ford model”T” coupe of which I would take again anywhere in the 49 states and have a teardrop trailer that will follow it because it has to, Also have a 1979 Postal Jeep and as before the same goes for that one, and last have a 1992 Dodge Dakota of which again would do the same as the others. I don’t know why anyone would buy a japanese vehicle after what they did to us at Honolulu. Enough said. BUY AMERICAN