I went today to my local Toyota dealer to perform the latest recalls on my 2004 Prius. I specifically went for the Combination Meter recall because several times the car wouldn't turn off properly and the meter would be blank. I spent all morning at the dealer when they returned my car they said they didn't fix the Combination Meter because they weren't able to recreate the problem. The recall states its an intermittent condition! Is this legal? Can they refuse to do a recall? They told me to take a picture when the problem occurs to me again and then they would fix it. Please tell me what I can do. Has this happen to anyone else? Where can i complain about this? Thank u!!
All of the recalls I have had done have been no-questions-asked transactions. Dealers get paid for these by Toyota so I can't imagine them declining to do one. UNLESS for some reason Toyota was cracking down on when the recall is needed. I have experienced this with other cars, where a recall has a symptom attached to it and if you don't exhibit that symptom you don't qualify. Do you have another dealership nearby?
Carry a camera, hell most phones have a camera. Snap the shot, directly email it to the service manager. Let them know what time you be arriving for the fix!!! Or find another dealer
Is this a TSB or actual recall? If it is a TSB, it will not fix it unless the problem shows up. If it is a recall, do you have the recall letter?
I know it is frustrating but you are not the first person to post on here where a Toyota dealer would not perform a TSB repair due to not being able to recreate the problem. In fact it seems to be quite common but seems to differ from dealer to dealer. As stated above, take a picture with your phone camera the next time it happens and then take it back to the dealer.
It's a warranty extension, not a recall... My dealer did the same thing to me. After they told me they didn't do any work on it, I told them I knew the warranty extension instructions clearly state it is not necessary for them to replicate the problem and I would like them to go ahead and replace the part as indicated in the warranty extension instructions. They agreed. They get paid from Toyota for the work, I don't understand why they wouldn't want what amounts to free money (even if the work wasn't necessary).
I had a similar experience with my dealer and the Front and Rear Brake TSB's. The Service Advisor told me that they would drive the car and see if they could replicate the problem. I told him that the rattle only occurred in cold weather and this was August and my warranty expired at the end of the month. He still acted like he did not want to do the TSB work. I had printed out the TSB's and showed him where nowhere on the TSB were there any instructions for the dealer to replicate the problem and my car VIN was included in the TSB. He begrudgingly agreed to do the work once he realized that he was not going to change my mind. Once we got past this point he was as polite as he could be. It is almost like the SA's are trained to try to do whatever it takes to talk the customer out of doing warranty work. Like you I am not sure why this is.
I had the same thing. I e-mailed Toyota motor sales directly, who in turn contacted my dealer. Long story short, my dealer is now going to replace the intermittent combination meter under warranty for me.
