Problems with Cambs Turner Toyota & Toyota Approved Extended Warranty

[jrvoss]

I purchased a 24 month Toyota Approved Extended Warranty with unlimited milage on 08 June 2011 with 93018 miles on my 05 Prius. It was purchased from Toyota Motorline in Canterbury. It received its 90K servicing at this time. the NSF drive oil seal was noted as leaking.

 

On 22/08/2011 I took the vehicle in to Turner Toyota in Cambridge at 98039 miles for its MOT and 100K service. Unfortunately when the car was collected I failed to notice that only an MOT and wiper blades and oil seals had been changed, as well as a pinhole noted on the "middle box". The 100k service had not been done. There was no note of why the oil seals had been changed.

 

On 09/02/2012 I took the vehicle in to Turner Toyota in Cambridge at 110198 miles for what I thought was it's 110k servicing, and failed again to notice that what I was billed for was the 100k service. The oil was very low, and I was told to bring it back in 1k for an oil consumption test. No note was made of any problem with the "middle box". However the pipe going into the 'blackbox" was leaking and new gaskets, and blackbox are needed. Brakes 60-65% worn. I asked what could be repaired under the service contract, and they said to leave it with them to look into. Frankly I forgot to follow up.

 

On 06/07/2012 I took the vehicle in to Turner Toyota in Cambridge at 120571 miles for what I thought was it's 120k servicing & MOT. This time I noticed and asked why the service intervals were off, and was told not to worry about it. This time I was advised that the water pump was starting to leak and the exhaust (blew?) from the black box. Again I requested servicing under the service contract.

 

It took until the 27/07/12 with frequent calling of Turner Toyota, including calling the Warranty Claim directly and the Customer Satisfaction Department directly to be advised that the clam was denied due to "service over leeway". I was first advised by Turner toyota that this was because the car had more than 100k on it, and then advised by the Warranty Claim department that this was because the car had not been serviced since 93k. I advised them that the service interval was incorrect, and after nearly another week I was given the same answer as they could not obtain the service records from Turner Toyota. Early today I was advised the claim had been denied due to the policy not being unlimited milage, and then one a PDF copy of the Warranty was faxed through, they changed thier story to say that the service over leeway is still the reason for the claim denial, but they are saying this is because I did not have the car serviced at 10k intervals.

 

Is there anything I can do? I feel as if I have been messed about by all three departments. I fell like Turner Toyota had a professional duty of care to do the 100k servicing in August 2011. It seems the Warranty Department and Turner Toyota have failed in any sort of professional communication with each other, and told me a string of different and conflicting reasons for denying my claim. Mainly I have a most terrible taste in my mouth from the whole experience, the amount of time and effort I had to put into it, and the feeling that by trusting Toyota professionals to help me make certain I was caring for my vehicle correctly I have been thoroughly let down. Even if I have no legal leg to stand on, I can say as a medical professional that if I had failed a client this badly some form of conciliatory gesture would be in order. Or can someone here help me go more public with a name and shame option? Thanks in advance.

[Conniff]

Is this extended warranty inclusive of servicing?

 

If there is no servicing included, I fail to see how you could have failed to notice the service wasn't carried out, the bill amount will have been shouting it out ??

[jrvoss]

Unfortunately that's not very helpful. I payed the bill, and no I didn't notice the price difference. What may be obvious to you was not to me from that standpoint. I had asked for a particular service and I had understood it to be done. Would you know the difference in price between a Basic Blood Chemistry Screen, a screen with CBC, or the various endocrinology screens? I do. Would you know when to do a screen for tT4 vs T4 vs TSH? They cost £200 to 300 difference, but are all called thyroid screens. And it jumps out to me on a vet bill when the wrong one has been done. That's my profession. Cars are not. I have a duty of care as a vet to make certain the right screening is done at the right time. I am not arguing that I missed catching them last August. I am wondering if anything can be done.

[Conniff]

Ok, lets not throw our toys out of our pram, and the comparison is a bit silly,.

 

Did you book the car in for a 100k service either in person or over the phone?

 

If you did, then ask to see the appointments book for that day and it should be shown there. If it is, get them to photocopy it for you and then follow procedure with first a complaint to the service manager. Further action will depend on what he says.

[heliosuk]

Blimmey Conniff..........touched a raw one there! Funny though, like the motor industry I believe there is a section on CAG dealing with the sharp practices of vets so I find this post rather amusing!! Pot calling kettle black!

 

Anyway as regards the OP's case and in the interests of being helpful and harmonious to another black art, what the OP has bought with the car is an insurance policy which has specific conditions and within those conditions will probably be a condition that the car is serviced in accordance with the manufactuers service schedule every 12 months or every 10,000 miles whichever occurs first. This will also have the condition that that it has to be within one month or 1000 miles either side. That's how warranty direct policies usually work or did do.

 

The problem is that this often goes against the grain of the manufactuer servicing schedule which can be longer. Usually the sales people don't have a clue as to how the policies work and what the implications are and often you will come across cars over serviced or that fall foul of the warranty policy guidelines. So the customer thinks they have a sure fire commitment to warranty but the service dept doesn't see it like this when it come in for service.

An experienced service advisor would know this at the time of booking the car in for the work done if they had followed a standard industry procedure but it seems they are being replaced by blonde Bimbos who know jack poo poo about cars. Well that's what happens in my local Toyota dealer.

 

OP should really be taking this up with the service manager at that particular dealership and they should take ownership of sorting the issue out if not refunding the policy. I cannot see anything on the legal route either as quite rightly the dealer thought the car was not due for the 100K service. But they should have made you aware. Essentially the OP is at fault for not adheering to the terms and conditions of the insurance policy at the time.

 

When taking out this insurance policy the service intervals effectively change to match that of the policy. Hence the rejections.

[Conniff]

I cannot see anything on the legal route either as quite rightly the dealer thought the car was not due for the 100K service.

 

It has nothing to do with the dealer what reading is on the clock, if you ask for a 100k service that is what you should get irrespective of what the clock reads.

[heliosuk]

Total rubbish Conniff. That's where Volvo fell down with Lifetime care in the eighties. What you are saying is that if you take your dog to the vet and say I want his/her annual injections 3 months early just because you want it they should do it even though it is not in the interests of the customer or the dog.

 

I would expect the vet to say no and bring him back later or in the case of the car say no. The problem here is the garage did the right thing and did not communicate it.

 

The dealer Service reception should have identified this as an issue when the car was wrongly presented for service.

[Conniff]

What the hell as a vet and a dog got to do with anything.

 

If I have 25 miles on my car and want a 50,000 mile service and book it in for such I expect it to be done, it is none of the garages business what mileage is on the clock.

 

Senario.

So I'm off on a 50,000 mile trip around Europe and want new discs and pads all round 'now' even though the ones on there are not even 50% worn, so I book it into Heliosuk garage. So up in the Himalayas (or somewhere exotic) my brakes fail because 'you' looked at them and decided they didn't need changing so did not carry out the instruction i gave you to replace them.

 

 

 

This has nothing to do with the service/warranty, in the op case he wanted a 100k service 'now'. Who is to say he wasn't going to come back in again next month for another 100k service.

[heliosuk]

I think it's called professional responsibility and acting in the best interests of the customer though in this case it wasn't communicated properly as pointed out. I would expect the same from a Vet.

 

How you relate the Himalayas to a trip around Europe puzzles me but one thing for sure is that Heliosuk garage would have asked the customer why he asked for it when it wasn't neccessary and advised accordingly. Had the customer said well I'm off to do the Alps in India then it might start ringing alarm bells.

 

If you book car into Heliosuk garage and insist I do it then I'll do it but believe it will be recorded. Service will not necessarilly be aware it could cock up an insurance policy.

 

 

 

LikeI am trying to point out, the professional approach would be to advise against and direct when it was needed the same way with a Vet I would expect the same with my dog.

Edited August 19, 2012 by ims21

[Westmead Fan]

shocking things from a main dealer. i only recently started working in a garage (not a mechanic)

 

if a customer has a car full serviced regularly and there car had there last one at 50k mileage and at 51k they want a full service and book it in.

what do i tell them no you don't need it?

 

these warranty products are not worth the paper they are printed on, people think nearly all things are covered when in reality not alot is and they will wriggle out of nearly every warranty claim due to as they put it 'wear & tear'. last thing double check the policy because normal warranties don't include car service plans, read the small print