NHTSA Complaint #10860745 — 2007 TOYOTA CAMRY

THERE WAS A RECALL ON MY 2007 TOYOTA CAMRY. IN FEBRUARY 2016 TOYOTA TOOK POSSESSION OF MY VEHICLE FOR 3-4 WEEKS TO REPAIR OR REBUILD THE ENGINE TO COMPLY WITH THE RECALL REQUIREMENTS. I WAS PROVIDED A LOANER CAR DURING THAT PERIOD. DURING THE LESS THAN 2 MONTH PERIOD BETWEEN WHEN MY CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME ON 2/18/16 AND APRIL 10, 2016, I DID NOT TAKE MY CAR TO ANY REPAIR SHOP NOR DID I TOUCH THE ENGINE FOR ANY REASON. APPARENTLY TOYOTA DID NOT PROPERLY REPAIR THE VEHICLE WHEN THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE DONE. ON 4/10/16, WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE NEW JERSEY TURNPIKE, THE ENGINE SELF-DESTRUCTED, THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE, SMOKE ENGULFED THE ENGINE AND THEN IT CEASED RUNNING. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE NEAREST TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOR WARRANTY REPAIR. ON 4/11/16, I CALLED TOYOTA FOR WARRANTY PAYMENT TO BE MADE TO THE DEALERSHIP SO THE ENGINE COULD BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED, I WAS TOLD THAT FIRST I HAD TO PAY FOR THE $5,800 WORK TO BE DONE AND THEN TOYOTA WOULD REIMBURSE ME ONCE I SHOWED THAT I HAD ALL MY SERVICE RECEIPTS THAT I HAD PROPERLY MAINTAINED MY VEHICLE. THIS WAS AN OUTRAGEOUS POSITION FOR TOYOTA TO TAKE, BECAUSE THE CAR WAS RELEASED TO ME AFTER TOYOTA THOROUGHLY WORKED ON IT FOR 3-4 WEEKS AND INSPECTED IT BEFORE RELEASING THE CAR TO ME ON 2/18/16. WHAT POSSIBLE MAINTENANCE WOULD I HAVE DONE IN UNDER TWO (2) MONTHS. I AM ALSO A LOW INCOME WAGE EARNER AND TO REQUIRE ME TO FUND $5,800 AND WAIT FOR REIMBURSEMENT WAS UNDULY BURDENSOME. COUPLE WITH THE FACT THAT THE TOYOTA OF PRINCETON INFORMED ME THAT I WOULD NOT BE GIVEN A COMPLIMENTARY LOANER CAR DURING THE REPAIR PERIOD. THE COST OF ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION AND ADVANCING $5,800 WAS IMPOSSIBLE AND A CLEVER WAY FOR TOYOTA TO AVOID THEIR FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY UNDER THE WARRANTY. INSTEAD, I SAW NO ALTERNATIVE BUT TO ACCEPT THE OFFER OF PRINCETON TOYOTA TO GIVE ME $2000 CREDIT TOWARD THE PRICE OF A USED CAR.