NHTSA Complaint #10637657 — 2008 SCION XD

I WAS DRIVING MY 2008 SCION XD WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION HOME FROM ERRAND RUN, CLOSE TO HOME. NEAR A BUSY INTERSECTION, THE GEARS FAILED. NO WARNING, NO ENGINE LIGHT. A KIND GENTLEMAN HELPED ME PUSH THE CAR INTO A NEARBY PARKING LOT. DURING THE AUTOPSY, MY MOST EXCELLENT MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE THROW-OUT BEARING IN THE CLUTCH BROKE. THE CAR HAS ONLY 24,300+ MILES. THE PART'S FAILURE WAS NOT CAUSED BY IMPROPER USE OR EXCESSIVE WEAR! THIS WAS A FAULTY PART. I CAN ONLY THANK A HIGHER POWER THAT I WAS NOT ON A HIGHWAY OR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WHEN THIS HAPPENED, BECAUSE THERE WAS FULL LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE STEERING SYSTEM & MOBILITY. GUESS IT WASN'T MY DAY TO DIE IN A HORRIBLE CAR CRASH. CALLED TOYOTA TO ASK FOR REMUNERATION FOR THE $1,350 REPAIR JOB AND THE $140 FOR THE RENTAL CAR BECAUSE THE REPAIR TOOK A WEEK. THE PART IS COVERED BY THE WARRANTY, BUT TOYOTA REFUSED TO PAY FOR ANYTHING BECAUSE THE REPAIRS WERE NOT PERFORMED AT A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP! APPARENTLY TOYOTA PUTS THE "T" IN STUPID - AND HOW MANY CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS ARE THEY FIELDING THIS WEEK? LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS, I CONTACTED STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE HELP LINE. HOPEFULLY THE AG'S CASE WORKER WILL BE A BETTER RESOLUTION THAN "NO, WE WON'T PAY FOR THE FAULTY PART THAT IS UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE ONLY PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL TOYOTA DECODER RINGS ARE ALLOWED TO FIX IT." RIDICULOUS. ONE RING TO RULE THEM ALL AND IN THE DARKNESS BIND THEM! *TR