NHTSA Complaint #10127370 — 1995 TOYOTA CELICA

I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT TOYOTA CORPORATION COVER REPLACEMENT OF THE IDLE SPEED CONTROL VALVE AND FIND A PERMANENT RESOLUTION OF MY ONGOING PROBLEM WHICH HAS BEEN OCCURRING EVERY 3 YEARS, STARTING IN 1999. THE IDLE SPEED CONTROL VALVE WAS INITIALLY REPLACED JULY 28, 1999 (INVOICE #C10120). APPROXIMATELY 3 YEARS LATER (APRIL 8, 2002), THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED AND THE IDLE SPEED CONTROL VALVE HAD TO BE REPLACED AGAIN (INVOICE #W66160). TOYOTA OF BERKELEY AGREED TO REPLACE THE IDLE SPEED CONTROL VALVE AS OUT OF WARRANTY GOODWILL. APPROXIMATELY 3 YEARS AFTER THE SECOND REPLACEMENT (BEGINNING OF 2005), I STARTED EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. I ASKED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT (TOYOTA OF SANTA MONICA) TO LOOK INTO IT WHEN I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR SERVICING. THE SERVICE EMPLOYEES CHECKED IT OUT AND SAID THE CAR STARTED WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. AFTER NEARLY SPENDING $800 ON NORMAL MAINTENANCE OF MY CAR (60,000 MILE MAJOR SERVICE, TIMING BELT REPLACEMENT AND BRAKE REPLACEMENT), I WAS INFORMED BY A TOYOTA EMPLOYEE, WHO RETRIEVED MY CAR AFTER THE SERVICE WAS COMPLETE, THAT MY CAR DIED WHEN HE STARTED IT. I HAD HIM TALK TO THE RED TEAM REPRESENTATIVE FREDDIE VALENCIA AND HE MADE A NOTE OF IT IN MY FILE. HE ASKED ME TO PROVIDE HIM MY OLD INVOICES SHOWING THE IDLE SPEED CONTROL VALVE REPLACEMENTS SO THAT HE COULD SHOW HIS MANAGER, JULIAN SARKASSIAN (SEE ATTACHED). TO MY DISMAY, JULIAN REVIEWED THE INFORMATION AND INFORMED ME THAT TOYOTA WOULD NOT COVER ANOTHER REPLACEMENT. I HAVE ALWAYS HAD HIGH OPINIONS OF TOYOTA QUALITY AND CUSTOMER SERVICE UNTIL NOW. TO HAVE THIS COSTLY REPAIR OCCUR EVERY THREE YEARS DOES NOT LIVE UP TO TOYOTAS HIGH-QUALITY REPUTATION THAT I, MY FAMILY, AND FRIENDS RELY ON. I HOPE THAT THE TOYOTA CORPORATION WILL CAREFULLY REVIEW MY ATTACHED SERVICE RECORDS AND COVER AN APPROPRIATE REPAIR TO PERMANENTLY SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.