NHTSA Complaint #11397691 — 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS

THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN BURNING OIL FOR THE PAST 10,000 MILES. VEHICLE HAS HAD ALL SERVICES AND SYNTHETIC OIL CHANGES DONE FROM DAY 1 AT THE DEALERSHIP. OIL CHANGES EVERY 5,000 MILES SINCE DAY 1. AT 90,000 MILES THE CAR STARTED BURNING OIL EXCESSIVELY. COMPLAINTS AND DIAGNOSTICS WERE ATTEMPTED AT TOYOTA FRANCHISE DEALERSHIPS BUT THEY FAILED TO FIND THE ISSUE. FINALLY AT 100,000 MILES THE ENGINE FAILED DUE TO HEAD GASKET FAILURE. THIS VEHICLE IS CLASSIFIED AS A PARTIAL ZERO EMISSION VEHICLE AND IT IS REGISTERED IN A STATE THAT FOLLOWS CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCE BOARD REGULATIONS AND IS BEING SERVICED IN A STATE THAT FOLLOWS AS WELL. UNDER THE PZEV REGULATIONS, TOYOTA WARRANTIES EMISSION RELATED COMPONENTS FOR 15 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES. UNDER TOYOTAS WARRANTY GUIDE IT STATES SEALS AND GASKETS ARE COVERED. THE MANUAL DOES NOT CLARIFY ANY FURTHER LEAVING THE COVERAGE LEVEL VAGUE AND QUESTIONABLE. UPON TRYING TO GET TOYOTA TO REPLACE THE ENGINE, THEY GAVE US A WEEK OF NO RESPONSES AND FINALLY DECLINING THE CLAIM EVEN WHEN THE MANUAL STATES IT SHOULD BE COVERED. THE OIL BURNING ISSUE WITH THIS MOTOR IS A BIG PROBLEM THAT TOYOTA HAS BEEN TRYING TO COVER UP. TOYOTA IS QUOTING $13,000 FOR ENGINE REPLACEMENT. THEY HAVE A SERVICE BULLETING REGARDING THE OIL BURNING BECAUSE IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE, BUT THEY ONLY HONOR CLAIMS UNDER THE 5 YEAR 60,000 MILES POWER TRAIN WARRANTY.