NHTSA Complaint #10626222 — 2005 TOYOTA TACOMA

TOOK OUR 2005 TOYOTA TRUCK INTO THE TOYOTA DEALER FOR A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT P0333. THEY SAID THAT IT WAS A CABLE THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY REPLACED BY ANOTHER TOYOTA DEALER DUE TO RODENT DAMAGE. SINCE THE CAR ONLY HAS 2000 MILES SINCE THAT REPAIR AND A TOTAL MILEAGE OF 12,000 MILES WE FOUND IT UNBELIEVABLE THAT THEY WOULD QUOTE US A "DISCOUNTED" RATE OF 2,318.00 TO REPAIR THE CABLE AGAIN. WE TOLD THEM THAT WE DID NOT WANT TO SPEND THIS MUCH MONEY ON A CAR THAT ONLY HAD 12,000 MILES.THE CAR GOT REPAIRED AT A FRACTION OF THE COST THEY WANTED AND IT TURNED OUT THAT THEY HAD NOT TIGHTENED DOWN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND UNPLUGGED A SENSOR ON STARTUP. THEIR COST TO REPAIR WITH A SUPPOSED 8 HOUR DISCOUNT WAS 2318.00. THE EVENTUAL COST FROM A NORMAL MECHANIC WAS 374.00. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN LESS BUT THE EXTRA TIME TO CORRECT THEIR ERRORS COST MORE MONEY. ON THE INTERNET THERE ARE MANY OWNERS OF THIS SAME TYPE OF VEHICLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS TYPE OF DAMAGE BEING CAUSED BY RODENTS EATING INTO CRITICAL WIRING. WIRING THAT CANNOT BE REPAIRED WITHOUT THE TOYOTA DEALER CHARGING 3000.00 PLUS FOR LABOR. THIS IS A SCAM. IT WOULD BE EASY FOR THE TOYOTA ENGINEERS TO FIX THIS CABLE SO THAT IT COULD NEVER BE EATEN BY ANYTHING AGAIN. ALSO MY MECHANIC AND OTHERS HAVE ASKED "WHY DO THEY EAT THIS CABLE AND NO OTHERS IN THE SAME AREA"? THEY ARE OBVIOUSLY MAKING THE WIRE COATING OUT OF MATERIALS THAT ATTRACT THE RODENTS TO IT. THIS IS A CASH COW REPAIR FOR THEM AND THEY ARE NOT ABOUT TO MAKE IT SO THAT THE RODENTS DO NOT EAT IT. A NORMAL MECHANIC CHARGES 374.00 TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM VERSUS 3000.00 FOR THE DEALER! THIS IS PROFESSIONAL ROBBERY THROUGH DESIGN AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED FROM A FEDERAL STAND POINT. I HAVE ALL OF THE PAPERWORK AND THE CABLE THAT IS IN PRISTINE CONDITION EXCEPT FOR THE EATEN AWAY END IF YOUR DEPARTMENT WOULD LIKE TO EXAMINE IT. *TR