NHTSA Complaint #10254434 — 2001 TOYOTA ECHO

MY 2001 TOYOTA ECHO OIL LIGHT CAME ON SO I CHECKED THE OIL AND IT WAS FULL. I DROVE TO THE PLACE WHERE MY OIL WAS CHANGED LAST AND MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE LIGHT STAYED ON UNTIL I TURNED OFF MY ENGINE AND WOULD REAPPEAR FROM TIME TO TIME. WHEN MY CAR STARTED MAKING A LOUD CLANKING NOISE, I GOT CONCERNED AND WAS READY TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER WHEN IT COMPLETELY LOST POWER AND I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER. THERE THEY TELL ME THAT BECAUSE I DID NOT MAINTAIN MY VEHICLE PROPERLY, ENGINE OIL SLUDGE OCCURRED. I PROVED TO THEM MY VEHICLE WAS VERY WELL MAINTAINED FOR OVER 5 YEARS SO WHY THE SLUDGE. THEY INFORMED ME THAT BECAUSE I BOUGHT MY CAR USED, THE PREVIOUS OWNER DID NOT MAINTAIN THE CAR PROPERLY. IT WAS A LEASED CAR THAT I BOUGHT USED IN 2003. THE DEALER IS TELLING ME IT WILL COST ABOUT $3000 TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. *TR