Hi Scotty,
Just wanted to share with you a hard to believe experience happened to me personally.
I bought a brand new 2021 4Runner. We felt something not normal with the transmission happening occasionally and were mistaking ourselves thinking no way anything goes wrong with a brand new Toyota transmission. Thinking maybe because it’s our first time buying a truck and it might be different from regular cars. Couple time there was no reverse on R and loud engine noise when shifting sometimes. We sent it to the dealership to be checked and they said there was nothing wrong with it, and they couldn’t duplicate the problem. Like 10 days after, we had the check engine light on. Took it back and they said they would have code now for diagnosis.
called me later saying the whole transmission needs to be replaced! Ya, you heard me right, brand new 4 Runner couple months old with couple thousand miles needs transmission replacement!
just to make long story short. The transmission was defective from the beginning, came from factory defective!
Called Toyota corporate explained the situation and asked for a replacement car or my money back. All what they offered is fixing the car under warranty and guess what, with a remanufactured transmission!! Not even a new one.
please share my experience on your YouTube channel, tried to share my experience with you there but didn’t know how.
Do you still believe in Toyota and their dependability?!!
I’m curious, where was your 4Runner built? And where was the transmission built?
Japan.
Also, it’s very surprising that a Toyota with a decade old design and a decade worth of manufacturing has gone awry.
Did they say what the cause if the broken transmission was?
No. They said it was defective from factory!
I don't think this means Toyota doesn't have quality and dependability anymore, i guess it's just your bad luck in this case that there was this defect with your car. Overall, they've shown to have good quality and dependable cars (it's not like Hyundai or Kia for example that most of their cars come with issues), but yeah something like this can happen. I had a friend with a brand new cr-v that had transmission issues but under our states lemon law they were given another brand new one and they've been driving it since then with zero issues. So now that they're saying they will change the transmission with a remanufactured one I would say look into your states lemon law to see if they can get you covered; I for sure wouldn't accept a remanufactured transmission as a replacement, but I would be totally fine with being given another one of the same vehicle.
Hi
Problem figured out after like 6 months of buying the car. We felt something wrong from the beginning, but were mistaking ourselves. Specially problem was happening occasionally.Not sure if Lemon law applies in my case. I’m in Ca so, lemon laws applies here.
I’m not satisfied either with their solution, they have a really bad corporate customer service. Or at least the one who’s helping me. They have only one representative for west coast, was not able to deal with someone else.
Wish this can reach Scotty, I want to see his opinion on Toyota customer service!
"The Lemon Law applies to most new vehicles purchased or leased in California that are still under a manufacturer’s new-vehicle warranty." so as far as timing you can still use lemon law. As far as their resolution I stated in my initial response that I wouldn't accept a remanufactured transmission either; I would push for getting either a new vehicle or a refund. But yeah while waiting to hear what Scotty thinks about this it wouldn't harm if you try the lemon law route especially given Toyota wanting to give you a remanufactured transmission; it might work out and you could end up getting a new vehicle or a refund.
I know that with lemon law you can get a replacement or refund if problem discovered the first month. After that, it only works after giving the seller enough trials to try to fix the problem. After I think the fourth time you might request the refund or replacement. Not sure if my understanding of the law is correct though.
There is no indication that for a replacement or refund the problem has to be discovered within the first month after purchase. I will include the link below and you can read about it specifically under the California lemon law section.
https://oag.ca.gov/consumers/general/cars
Thanks
With a car that new there's no way I'd say "sure gimmie a reman." I'm not sure how long that trans model has been used but if it's relatively new & they're already hucking remans, sounds like the toyota frame debacle.
Stick it to em so they know such garbage won't be tolerated.
