NHTSA Complaint #10064008 — 2003 TOYOTA PRIUS

MY TIRES WERE WORN TO THE CORDS, ALL FOUR OF THEM, ON BOTH SIDES, THE INSIDE WAS WORSE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER (TOYOTA OF GLENDORA) AND ASKED THEM TO CHECK IT AND THE ALIGNMENT, AMONG OTHER THINGS. I HAD JUST 22,667.0 MILES ON IT. THEY CALLED ME AND SAID THE TIRES WERE JUST "WORN OUT" AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ALIGNMENT. I TOOK IT TO FIRESTONE (WHO WARRANTIED THE TIRES) AND WAS TOLD BY 3 DIFFERENT PROFESSIONALS THERE THAT THE TIRES WERE NOT WORN OUT, THAT THE SIDE WALLS WERE DESTROYED DUE TO FAULTY ALIGNMENT. I HAD TO PAY FOR 4 NEW TIRES AND AN ALIGNMENT. I WROTE TO TOYOTA WHO REFERRED ME BACK TO TOYOTA OF GLENDORA. TOYOTA OF GLENDORA CONTACTED ME BY PHONE AND DENIED EVER TELLING ME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ALIGNMENT. THEY CLAIMED THEY COULDN'T FIX THE ALIGNMENT BECAUSE ALL 4 TIRES WERE BAD. I CLAIMED THEY LIED ABOUT THE ALIGNMENT TO KEEP FROM KEEPING IT OVER NIGHT AGAIN, BUILDING UP TO THE LEMON LAW. I FEEL THEY DAMAGED MY ALIGNMENT WHEN THEY REPLACED MY ENTIRE RACK AND PINION STEERING IN OCT 03, THEY DENIED THIS SAYING THAT REPLACING THE RACK AND PINION DOESN'T AFFECT THE ALIGNMENT. THEY DIDN'T TELL ME ABOUT THE DAMAGE TO THE TIRES WHICH THEY SHOULD HAVE NOTICED LAST TIME THEY ROTATED THEM. I WANT THEM TO PAY FOR MY ALIGNMENT AND PERHAPS MY FOUR NEW TIRES, THEY REFUSED AND HUNG UP ON ME. I WROTE TO TOYOTA AGAIN AND THEY RESPONDED WITH A LETTER DEFERRING TO THE DEALER, TOYOTA OF GLENDORA.*AK