NHTSA Complaint #10292197 — 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY

I PURCHASED A NEW TOYOTA CAMRY IN 2003. APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS LATER THE DRIVER'S ELECTRIC SEAT FAILED. THE GEARS LOWERING AND RAISING THE BACK PART OF THE SEAT WERE GRINDING AND COULD NOT POSITION THE SEAT BACK IN A COMFORTABLE POSITION. TOYOTA OF MANHATTAN BEACH REPAIRED THE SEAT IN UNDER WARRANTY INSTEAD OF REPLACING IT AS I HAD REQUESTED. APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS LATER THE CHAIR FAILED AGAIN IN THE SAME MANNER. TOYOTA OF PASADENA REPAIRED IT UNDER WARRANTY IN 7/07 INSTEAD OF REPLACING THE SEAT AS I HAD REQUESTED. HOWEVER, THEY FAILED TO FIX THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. IN SEPTEMBER/09 THE SEAT FAILED YET A THIRD TIME IN THE SAME MANNER. (IT IS HARD TO TELL WHEN EXACTLY THE SEAT ACTUALLY FAILED SINCE I EXERCISE THE CONTROLS NO MORE THAN ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR). I BROUGHT IT IN TO TOYOTA OF PASADENA FOR INSPECTION. THEY TOLD ME THEY WOULD LOOK INTO HAVING TOYOTA REPAIR IT UNDER WARRANTY BUT NEVER CALLED BACK. AFTER COMPLAINING TO TOYOTA CORPORATE TOYOTA OF PASADENA'S CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER CALLED BACK AND TOLD ME THEY ONLY WARRANT THEIR WORK FOR ONE YEAR. I TOLD HER THAT THE SEAT WAS A LEMON AND SHOULD BE REPLACED UNDER THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY. I ALSO POINTED OUT TO HER THAT IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE IF THE SEAT BECAME STUCK IN THE WRONG POSITION BUT SHE DIDN'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING MORE. *TR