Has Toyota gone downhill?

[Christine88]

Finally got my Yaris to the dealer and they confirmed that my shift problem is the PRNDL sensor switch. They told me it will cost $589 installed. They said the switch is $333 which contradicts the invoice quote their parts department gave me which states $264.12 net. The quote state that the list price is $333 but the net is $264.12. Are they trying to charge me list? Anyway this switch problem is unacceptable for a Toyota. The main reason I purchase Toyotas is to avoid this kind unreliability but now I have to wonder if Toyota has gone downhill.

[jpmck03]

...Anyway this switch problem is unacceptable for a Toyota. The main reason I purchase Toyotas is to avoid this kind unreliability but now I have to wonder if Toyota has gone downhill.

Isn't this switch sensor that you said that you think might have damaged by hitting something, in another thread?

... I did run over something come to think of it but it was days ago maybe even a week. I remember hoping it didn't do any damage ...

What's unacceptable about that? You hit something, and that something damaged your car. I wouldn't say that that makes the car or the brand unreliable. I mean you wouldn't say that Wilson is an unreliable brand because their volleyballs down hold air when they get hit with a butcher knife, would ya?

[CTScott]

In your other thread, did you not mention hitting an object on the road a few days prior to the issue occurring?

I definitely think they are overcharging you, but considering that yours is only the second one I have ever heard of failing (and that it may not have been a true failure of the component) I wouldn't say that this is a common issue or indicator of failing quality.

[matti]

And let's not get started on the sticky accelerator pedals!

[IllusionX]

And let's not get started on the sticky accelerator pedals!

NEVER had the issue happening in my entourage. My dad even have a 07 Camry which was part of the recalled pedals.

[fnkngrv]

Buy the sensor through ToyotaPartsZone.com and save a great deal of money. They bring it into the dealer for install. If they are asshats and won't do it (They should since it is a Toyota OEM part) then take to an independent shop. There is a reason why they call them Stealerships.

As for your comments about Toyota quality they are honestly quite misfounded in this platform. They are extremely reliable and have been released as several models worldwide; Yaris, Vitz, Belta, Vios, etc.

[bronsin]

Finally got my Yaris to the dealer and they confirmed that my shift problem is the PRNDL sensor switch. They told me it will cost $589 installed. They said the switch is $333 which contradicts the invoice quote their parts department gave me which states $264.12 net. The quote state that the list price is $333 but the net is $264.12. Are they trying to charge me list? Anyway this switch problem is unacceptable for a Toyota. The main reason I purchase Toyotas is to avoid this kind unreliability but now I have to wonder if Toyota has gone downhill.

This sort of thing has been going on since I was 15 years old.:eek:

Which is why you want to fix your car yourself and avoid the dealer! :bow:

[Christine88]

Isn't this switch sensor that you said that you think might have damaged by hitting something, in another thread?



What's unacceptable about that? You hit something, and that something damaged your car. I wouldn't say that that makes the car or the brand unreliable. I mean you wouldn't say that Wilson is an unreliable brand because their volleyballs down hold air when they get hit with a butcher knife, would ya?

Yes I remember hitting something but did it hit the switch? Not likely I was told because they didn't see any physical damage and they said that it being on the side of the engine it's pretty well protected. I guess it's possible that it was struck but much more likely it just crapped out which brings me back to my original question of Toyota not being what it use to be. But I'm just speculating.

[Christine88]

And let's not get started on the sticky accelerator pedals!

Well I've never had that happen thank God.

[Christine88]

Buy the sensor through ToyotaPartsZone.com and save a great deal of money. They bring it into the dealer for install. If they are asshats and won't do it (They should since it is a Toyota OEM part) then take to an independent shop. There is a reason why they call them Stealerships.

As for your comments about Toyota quality they are honestly quite misfounded in this platform. They are extremely reliable and have been released as several models worldwide; Yaris, Vitz, Belta, Vios, etc.

I think they have already ordered the part. But They told me to bring the quote which clearly states $264. Hopefully they'll honor it. If not I'll complain and if I have to I'll start crying. That usually works.

[WeeYari]

In the manufacturing world everything has a % rate of failure. You're caught in the situation where it truly sucks to be the one getting hit with something in the near 0% failure rate.


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[roxy1]

yeah, I fail to see how one item going bad on a 6 yr old car equates to Toyota going downhill:confused:

[nortonfb]

if I have to I'll start crying. That usually works
And you're worried about Toyota's quality?
Norton

[bairjo]

The main reason I purchase Toyotas is to avoid this kind unreliability but now I have to wonder if Toyota has gone downhill.

You are correct, they are going down hill. This is the first time in my 55 years on this earth that i have heard of a Toyota needing a repair. Why compared to my Chevy s-10 blazer I traded in for my first Yaris, the need for one repair is just unacceptable. (This is alll sarcasm of course.) Don't even ask about how many things went wrong with my chevy...

How old is your car anyhow and how many miles on it when you ran over something and damaged it?

[Christine88]

yeah, I fail to see how one item going bad on a 6 yr old car equates to Toyota going downhill:confused:

6 years for a Toyota is nothing. I have a 2002 Echo hand me down from my dad that has almost 200K miles and has never had a major issue necessitating a tow to the repair shop so this problem for a 2011 is just unacceptable.

[kimona]

Under the circumstances, your complaint and your comment seem unreasonable.

[fnkngrv]

6 years for a Toyota is nothing. I have a 2002 Echo hand me down from my dad that has almost 200K miles and has never had a major issue necessitating a tow to the repair shop so this problem for a 2011 is just unacceptable.


Really sorry that you feel this way. Since 2002 manufacturing has become even more reliable. As previously stated ALL electronic components from the factory face the possibility of some type of failure. Let's be very realistic here. For all you know there could have been some type of electrical issue, or surge, or something else that could have affected the component. They are designed with certain tolerances however they can be fallible. Now if you had the part crap out on you within the first year or two then I would think you would have reason to complain however there is not one manufacturer out there that has a perfect track record.

Also you cannot necessarily hold Toyota responsible for a part they most likely did not actually create. Most items come from another manufacturer to be assembled by the automotive corporation. Your rationale would mean that even though Takata Corp for example manufactures air bags for many auto corps that inherently those auto corps are going down hill by default. This is misguided to say the least.

We aren't here to gang up on you, far from it, but many folks in this community are Toyota faithful and many have great experience as well as expertise and knowledge of their vehicles and the components in them. About the only way that I see that Toyota is going downhill is their lack of vision at this stage. The bland offerings they have which can barely evoke a passion for the company or their offerings. We purchased a 2012 Highlander for example late last fall. We will be trading it in by summer for several reasons however none of them mechanical or electrical, etc. Just comfort issues, lack of amenities at what is considered a higher level trim, and a few design quibbles.

Don't let this issue affect the care that you have for your vehicle. I totally get how there is an expectation as well as the cost associated, but honestly only having to deal with a few hundred dollars in repairs on a vehicle that is 6 years old isn't bad. Hell, if you avg that $333 out over the 6 years (possibly 7 depending on manufacture date and sale) that only equals roughly $55 bucks a year. That is a drop in the hat. :smile: I actually felt the same way when my rear main seal went on my 96 Tercel at only 54k miles. That happened just inside of 5 years, but it was the only issue ever with the car I had in the 10 years of ownership. To this day the car is now on the 3rd owner with over 270k miles on it. The only other items that went bad were wheel bearings and brakes which are wearable items and they took over 10 years to have to be replaced. I live in a small town area so I see the car all of the time.

People rarely really take the time to calculate cost of ownership on what they have. It can be a real eye opener. You essentially pay for anything that has moving parts each and every year no matter who makes it. :smile:

[bairjo]

6 years for a Toyota is nothing. I have a 2002 Echo hand me down from my dad that has almost 200K miles and has never had a major issue necessitating a tow to the repair shop so this problem for a 2011 is just unacceptable.

I take it you never worked in a manufacturing plant? While most manufacturers have a goal of zero failure rates....it is a goal, which is very rarely achieved in mass production of cars or the components put in them. However, it would be nice know the failure rate of your part in question. I suggest you do a little home work and maybe you can come up with that information. If they are having a high failure rate, then you have a point and an issue to pursue. Otherwise, your quality survey sample quantity consisting of your dads car and your car, well, just is not a good sample of what is out there. Good luck if you choose to look into it and let us know what you find out.

[jpmck03]

... it's ... likely it just crapped out which brings me back to my original question of Toyota not being what it use to be. ...

An average car is comprised of about 30,000 parts. [1 (http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/kids/faq/d/01/04/)]

So, 1 part out of the 30,000 parts on your Yaris breaking indicates that the manufacturing quality of all of Toyota has gone to shit?

[bronsin]

Im familiar with the ECHO and in my experience NONE of them had waterpump failures even at 100k+ miles. Waterpump failures in the Yaris you hear about all the time.

So in that sense, yeah, Im thinking Toyota isn't what it was.:thumbdown:

President Obama if you are reading this please put pressure on Toyota to make perfect cars like the ECHO again...:biggrin:

[roxy1]

the fact is the problems per 100 vehicles has gone down industry wide over the last two decades, and Toyota is consistently near the top of that list.

not only are they not going downhill, their overall quality is better than ever, empirically speaking.

I think Jackie Chiles can best sum up the theme of this thread.
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb313/roxy84_photos/imagesMDGD81VA_zpsa788a51e.jpg (http://s210.photobucket.com/user/roxy84_photos/media/imagesMDGD81VA_zpsa788a51e.jpg.html)

[The Limo 2]

I think the Toyota dealerships have gone down hill over the last 20 years. Before my 2007 I had a 1994 Camry V6. I never took the car to the dealer. Did my own maintenance or took it to an independent mechanic. I was at the mechanic one day for something shortly before my power train warranty was up and he told me that one of the valve cover gaskets was leaking and I should take it to the dealer and have it fixed under warranty.
I took the car to the dealer and when I picked it up the advisor told me that they replaced both valve cover gaskets. I asked him why. He said that if one was leaking then the other one would start leaking soon. This was about 2k kilometres before my warranty was up.
Forward to early 2010 (before the 3yr warranty was up) and same dealer. The remote on my key fob stopped working. When you pressed the button the light came on but it would not unlock or lock the doors. I took it to the dealer and they said that they would fix it. When I picked up the car the advisor told me they had reprogrammed the key and it was now working. In 2013, the key stopped working again. Same problem. I was told by the advisor that they could not fix it. That I would have to buy a new key. Naturally I complained and explained how they had fixed the key before. After making enough noise they reprogrammed the key again as a good will gesture but they said they would not do it again.
Rightly or wrongly, I will not use that dealer again.
Roy

[invader166]

I don't know what to say, I didn't buy my Yaris from a Toyota dealership, so I haven't really had any experience with them directly.

What I can say though, is that their customer service really needs some improvement. I once walked into a dealership simply to inquire whether it was possible to install A/C in my car. I was greeted with a bored sales-person on a computer, behind a parts desk, who practically ignored me until i waved at them from less than a meter away. (I was the only one there) When I asked them about the A/C, they just asked for my VIN, punched it in the computer, and gave me a simple generic "Yes. Costs $xxx."
No effort to try and sell me the product, advise me for or against it, or even give me any kind of details.

As for their products, I would say they're pretty solid, like everyone above has mentioned. I've had my Yaris for over a year, and the only problems I've had were a non-functioning horn due to a faulty connector (changed at the dealership I bought the car from after a week of ownership), and some non-functioning tail and side-marker lights due to a missing fuse.
(I don't know how important things like these aren't checked before selling a vehicle, but that's a discussion for another time.)

Overall though, I would say Toyota product quality = :clap: while customer service = :thumbdown:

[Superfly]

Eh, dealerships are hit or miss. My Toyota dealership is awesome. I love going there, the sales guys are really relaxed and the service department moves. It probably helps that they are owned by the same family that owns the BWM dealership next door. Now, the other ones my friends bought their Toyotas....not so nice in almost every way.

[El Kapitan]

6 years for a Toyota is nothing. I have a 2002 Echo hand me down from my dad that has almost 200K miles and has never had a major issue necessitating a tow to the repair shop so this problem for a 2011 is just unacceptable.

the echo is considered one toyota's most reliable cars ever made. the only complaint you really hear about them is that they are ugly. personally, i don't have a problem with how they look.

[IllusionX]

The hatchback did a good job. Not ugly at all...

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/02/11/ecf086960a5a3272f56fa712e2760327.jpg

[bronsin]

the echo is considered one toyota's most reliable cars ever made. the only complaint you really hear about them is that they are ugly. personally, i don't have a problem with how they look.

No the main complaint (by people like Edmunds) is the ECHO isn't a BMW and no one with any self respect would be caught dead driving one. :bellyroll:

[kimona]

The hatchback did a good job. Not ugly at all...

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/02/11/ecf086960a5a3272f56fa712e2760327.jpg

The Echo hatchback was an excellent looking little car. Unfortunately, Americans didn't get that model.

[IllusionX]

A few members back at the echofans forums in New England had imported them from Canada.

[nookandcrannycar]

My Toyota dealership is awesome. I love going there, the sales guys are really relaxed and the service department moves. It probably helps that they are owned by the same family that owns the BWM dealership next door. Now, the other ones my friends bought their Toyotas....not so nice in almost every way.

This ^^^^^. When I was rear-ended about a year ago, I gave the business (the Camry driver's insurance money :biggrin:) to Fred Haas Toyota. They have solved very small issues for me/done little things while I was waiting in line with my car...not charging me, and I have been able to bypass the service bay altogether on those occasions. They don't sweat the small stuff. They don't have to....they're the #1 Toyota truck dealer in the world, and I believe still the #2 Toyota dealer in the U.S., behind Longo Toyota in El Monte, California (L.A. area).

Just a bit North of Fred Haas on I-45, Gullo Toyota is great as well.

I've purchased items at both dealerships.

[nookandcrannycar]

The Echo hatchback was an excellent looking little car. Unfortunately, Americans didn't get that model.

Yep. If the Hatchback ECHO had been available in 2001 in the U.S., I would have purchased the ECHO hatchback rather than a Suzuki Swift.

[nookandcrannycar]

No the main complaint (by people like Edmunds) is the ECHO isn't a BMW and no one with any self respect would be caught dead driving one. :bellyroll:

:laugh::laugh:

[bronsin]

The Echo hatchback was an excellent looking little car. Unfortunately, Americans didn't get that model.\\

I saw one in Carmacks YK on my drive to AK in 2011.

It was like a cross between an American ECHO and a Yaris Hatchback...