NHTSA Complaint #11204145 — 2013 SCION FR-S

THE VEHICLE (2013 SCION FR-S, 69000 MILES) WAS IN A FACTORY AUTHORIZED SERVICE CENTER [XXX] TO HAVE RECALL J02 (NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 18V772000) PERFORMED. WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT THE CAR SUFFERED A MAJOR ENGINE PROBLEM FOLLOWING THE RECALL SERVICE, BUT BEFORE THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO US. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES INVOLVED INDICATED THAT THE CAR WAS ON A TEST DRIVE FOLLOWING THE COMPLETION OF THE RECALL SERVICE AND REQUIRED TOWING BACK TO THE SERVICE CENTER. WE WERE INFORMED OF THIS TWO DAYS AFTER ITS OCCURRENCE. A VISUAL OBSERVATION OF THE PARTIALLY DISASSEMBLED ENGINE INDICATES LIKELY OIL STARVATION AS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. AT THIS POINT IN TIME, THE SERVICE CENTER HAS RETAINED THE VEHICLE AND PARTS PENDING A DETERMINATION BY TOYOTA. AT THIS POINT IN TIME, THE SERVICE CENTER IS OF THE OPINION THAT A NON-FACTORY OIL FILTER CAUSED OIL STARVATION. THE OIL FILTER HAD BEEN INSTALLED ON THE CAR AND FUNCTIONING APPROPRIATELY FOR APPROXIMATELY 3500 MILES PRIOR TO THE SERVICE. THE OIL FILTER WAS NOT REPLACED DURING THE ENGINE OUT SERVICE WHICH REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF INTERNAL ENGINE COMPONENTS. WE WERE NOT NOTIFIED DURING THE 9 DAYS THAT THE SERVICE CENTERED HAD POSSESSION OF THE CAR PRIOR TO THE PROBLEM THAT THERE WERE ANY CONCERNS RELATED TO THE OIL FILTER - THE MAKE AND MODEL OF THE OIL FILTER HAS ONLY BECOME A POINT OF DISCUSSION AFTER OIL STARVATION OCCURRED. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR