NHTSA Complaint #11217072 — 2013 SCION FR-S

A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP PERFORMED THE VALVE SPRING RECALL ON MY 2013 FR-S. THEY DID NOT DO THE WORK PROPERLY AND NOW THE ENGINE IS KNOCKING LOUD ENOUGH TO BE HEARD INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE CAR. AS OF THE DATE I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT, THE DEALER HAS HAD MY CAR FOR A TOTAL OF 100 DAYS FOR THIS ISSUE. I HAVE NOT BEEN PROVIDED AN ESTIMATED RETURN DATE BY THE DEALER. THEY HAVE TRIED TO GIVE ME THE CAR BACK ON 4 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, STATING THAT THE WORK IS FINALLY PERFORMED PROPERLY, ONLY FOR ME TO FIND OUT THAT THE ENGINE IS STILL KNOCKING, AND UNSAFE FOR THE ROAD. SO FAR, THE DEALER CLAIMS THAT THE MECHANIC HAS REPLACED ALL THE VALVE SPRINGS, INSTALLED MANY VALVE SHIMS, REPLACED ONE EXHAUST VALVE, AND REPLACED THE SHORT BLOCK, ALONG WITH OTHER COMPONENTS. EACH TIME THEY HAVE DONE EACH OF THESE OPERATIONS, THEY HAVE REMOVED AND REINSTALLED THE ENGINE. EACH TIME THE ENGINE IS REMOVED AND REINSTALLED, IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR THE MECHANIC TO MAKE A MISTAKE AND DAMAGE SOMETHING ELSE. ON ALL 4 RETURN ATTEMPTS, THEY TRIED TO CONVINCE ME THE KNOCKING SOUNDS WERE NORMAL. I KNOW THIS IS NOT TRUE, AS I AM AN ENGINEER, A MECHANIC, AND I HAVE BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THE SOUNDS THE CAR MAKES DURING THE 75,000 MILES I HAD DRIVEN THE CAR. THEY ALSO REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE THAT MANY OTHER DEALERSHIPS ARE CAUSING. I FEEL I HAVE BEEN VERY PATIENT WITH THE DEALER, WHO HAS PROVEN TO BE DISHONEST AND INCOMPETENT, WHEN IT COMES TO THIS TYPE OF WORK. I HAVE TRIED TO GET SUPPORT FROM TOYOTA CORPORATE CUSTOMER SERVICE, WHO TELLS ME THIS IS AN ISSUE BETWEEN THE DEALER AND ME, NOT TOYOTA CORPORATE. THEY REFUSE TO ASSIST TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE WITH THE DEALER, NOR WILL THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE THAT MANY OTHER DEALERSHIPS ARE CAUSING. ANYONE LESS ASSERTIVE WITH THE DEALER THAN ME, WOULD SURELY BE DRIVING THIS UNSAFE VEHICLE ON THE ROAD.