Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
Not so. That same year Dec 2011 the wheel bearing and hub broke and the front stabilizer links needed to be replace. Finally, just last month, Oct 2012, my inverter died again! I had it towed in and they were VERY VAGUE on what the problem was especially when I insisted that I already had the inverter replaced at the very same dealership prior to the recall. The only thing they said is that they replaced the inverter, but NOT THE COMPUTER CHIP!?!? This time the computer chip was bad but I also needed to replace my regular battery as it was dead. 2 days later, I paid the $225 for the new battery and took my car home. The very next day...you guessed it... my inverter is dead AGAIN! Another tow ride into the dealership, where they do not call me for 2 more weekdays. Finally, they call very excited to tell me that there is nothing wrong with the car, just a wire was not tight enough during the last repair. When I picked up the car, I had to ASK that they pay for the second tow. I left the dealership, determined I would never see my service crew again, and drove straight to another dealership and traded in that "DAMN CAR"!
So, my friends, thank you Edmunds for the blog and to all those that contributed to it, it has made a huge difference in handling this situation. And to Toyota... well let's keep this a family show and just say you will never get my business again!
Thanks
BTW I did receive a call from Toyota Headquarters yesterday but only after I sent an email.
So I begin my research online and see mention of inverters going bad, I wonder if this is what's happening to me, and did removing the 12volt battery trigger it somehow? I replaced the 12volt battery last summer with no issue.
I live on an island in the middle of the gulf of Alaska and there is no dealer here...does this car problem sound familiar to anybody else's?
Feeling thankful to have read this thread before beginning any type of discussion with Toyota. :confuse: :sick:
Thanks in advance. :confuse:
Would anyone know if the current models have a different and more reliable inverter system?
Thanks.
It's not a comfortable car and not worth the HH premium and if you get the inverter problem, you're totally screwed. Why look for trouble?
Today, the dealer called and told me there is nothing wrong with the car. Apparently the messages I saw are not showing up on the computer, and the messages are gone now. They suggested I come and pick it up. They dismissed my idea that the computer chip had also failed. I called Customer Service at 1-800-331-4331 and they took my complaint and indicated that it is up to the Customer Service person at the dealership how to handle it. (According to the Service person, the Customer Service rep told him to tell me there was nothing they could do for me.) I'm to expect a call from him in 3 days or less. I'm leaving the car at the dealership until this is worked out because I'm afraid to drive it. Does anyone have advice for moving forward?
How do you get a case manager?
We take to the dealer who explains it's the hybrid inversion part - and that the repair will cost $11,000. We review with the case manager - and they offer $1,500 toward a new car. That's it -- claiming they look at number of Toyota's bought (this was our first), if routine service is done at dealership(s) (we didn't), and number of miles out of warranty. No appeal process - our case manager said the decision is final - he basically replied - sorry folks, you are screwed. Any suggestions from any of you would be appreciated!
Now it's acting up way more often, maybe 2 x day. Happens when you go from stop to rapid acceleration (throttle 2/3 open) and is easy to reproduce. I took a video of the message and took it in. The Svc Advisor said this time there would be no troubleshooting charge and he would have his Sr. Master Tech work on it.
They took the same video and sent it to Toyota Tech Svcs. TTS made the tech take a "snapshot" of the computer output and send it in. Next day they advised tech to flush and replace inverter coolant at my expense as this was a maintenance item that is usually done at 90K service. I was on the hook for @$269. I gave then the ok to proceed Today the tech did the flush and replacement, problem still there. Again he had to take a "snapshot' and send to TTS. Finally TTS are convinced, that its an intermittent inverter failure problem. Inverter has been ordered. The Svc Advisor says its like $14,000 job and he wants it done and off his books. I guess they don't like having expensive parts sitting in inventory. So far Svc Advisor says it's covered under warranty
Will Update when Inverter is replaced. Hopefully the battery has not taken a beating cause that's also $10K+ job.
People who come in for the recall repair work from now on will have the component board insider the inverter with the failing Power FET Transistors replaced at a cost of about $4K to Toyota.
I plan on selling this car within a year when the extended warranty runs out. No way I want to have repair bills like that paid out of pocket.