NHTSA Complaint #10324096 — 2008 SCION TC

I BOUGHT A NEW 2008 TOYOTA SCION. WHEN MY CAR BROKE DOWN WHILE DRIVING, I HAD IT TOWED TO MY MECHANIC. HE SUGGESTED THE ENGINE WAS BAD AND WOULD NOT TOUCH IT. THEN I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERS. ITS' ENGINE DIED JUST SHORT OF THE WARRANTY MILES. FIRST THE DEALER TELLS ME OUTRIGHT THAT IN THIS ECONOMY THERE WAS NO WAY THE COMPANY WOULD REPLACE THE ENGINE. TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY, THEY CALLED ME TO SAY THAT THERE'S NO OIL IN THE TANK ( I JUST HAD A RECENT OIL CHANGE THE MONTH BEFORE) AND THEN THEY SAID THERE WAS WATER IN THE OIL TANK AND NEEDED MY PERMISSION TO OPEN IT AND CHARGE ME A $300.00 FEE. IF THAT WASN'T THE PROBLEM, THEN I WOULDN'T BE CHARGED. FINALLY, AFTER WEEKS WITHOUT MY CAR, THEY TELL ME IT NEEDS A NEW ENGINE AND I NEEDED TO PAY $7,000 FOR IT ON A CAR I STILL OWE $16,000 FOR. THEY SAY PERHAPS IF I SHOWED THE RECEIPTS THAT THE CAR WAS MAINTAINED, THEN MAYBE THEY WOULD WORK OUT SOMETHING, BUT NOT LIKELY. I GATHERED ALL THE RECEIPTS THAT I COULD FIND AND THEY REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE HANDWRITTEN ONES. THE ENGINE HAD TO HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE TO DIE UNDER 36,000 MILES. I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT MY CAR (DISMANTLED AT THE DEALERS) SINCE SEPT, 2009. I CANNOT AFFORD A NEW ENGINE LET ALONE WITH THE CAR PAYMENTS $550.00 EACH MONTH PLUS INSURANCE THAT I STILL HAVE TO PAY WITH NO CAR. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT ANY ENGINE SHOULD DIE THAT YOUNG WITH MAINTENANCE. I HAVE BOUGHT NEW CARS OVER 40 YEARS AND NONE OF THEM EVER HAD A BAD ENGINE THAT DIED. AND, ON AVERAGE I KEEP MY CARS FOR 5 YRS WITH APPROXIMATELY 60,000 MILES ON THEM. TOYOTA IS BEING UNFAIR. THEY TALKED DOWN TO ME BECAUSE I AM FEMALE AND OLDER. I AM NOT STUPID. THEY TOLD ME TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE THEM TO COURT. THIS IS NO WAY TO TREAT ANY CUSTOMER. *TR