NHTSA Complaint #11165662 — 2010 TOYOTA CAMRY

THE RED INDICATOR LIGHT IN MY DASH DISPLAY CAME ON WHEN I STARTED THE CAR AND CONTINUED WHILE I WAS DRIVING, SO I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC. MY ALTERNATOR NEEDS REPLACEMENT, WHICH IS VERY DISAPPOINTING BECAUSE THE CAR ONLY HAS 84,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS BEEN VERY WELL MAINTAINED AND SERVICED REGULARLY. I PURCHASED A NEW BATTERY ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO, AND THE ALTERNATOR REPLACEMENT QUOTE FROM THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHERE MY FAMILY PURCHASED THE CAR NEW IS QUOTING $1,245 FOR A NEW ALTERNATOR (PARTS & LABOR). AN INTERNET SEARCH LED ME TO FIND THAT THIS IS HAPPENING TO QUITE A FEW OWNERS OF THIS ERA OF TOYOTA. I CALLED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE IS NO RECALL OR ANY TYPE OF ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE TO COVER THE COST OF THIS VERY EXPENSIVE AND PREMATURE REPAIR. MY MECHANIC WARNED ME OF THE HUGE DANGERS OF HAVING MY ALTERATOR FAIL WHILE OPERATING THE CAR, ESPECIALLY WHILE DOING THE FAST FREEWAY DRIVING THAT IS SO COMMON IN LOS ANGELES. I HAD NO IDEA THAT THE RED BATTERY DASH LIGHT INDICATED SUCH A SERIOUS PROBLEM. I HOPE THAT IN THE NEAR FUTURE THIS CAN BE RECALLED, TO SAVE CONSUMERS THE HUGE COST OF MAKING THIS CRITICAL AND UNTIMELY REPAIR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME READING THIS COMPLAINT AND YOUR CONSIDERATION IN THIS MATTER.