DFast1-SS

Long time lurker, first (real) post . Don't quite have an LS1 yet (planning a LS1/T56 swap into a 86 Monte Carlo SS soon, enough toys to keep us occupied for the moment that it's not a priority), so that's why.

Anyways, this is from an article I was sent in the email today, and I found it interesting. If it was GM or Ford, it'd be national news, but it's Toyota, so it's nowhere to be found on TV. No matter what the article says, I blame build quality. Doesn't happen to LS1s, eh?



Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. has quietly settled a class-action lawsuit



Automotive News | 1:00 am, January 8, 2007
LOS ANGELES -- Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. has quietly settled a class-action lawsuit that covers about 3.5 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles that may have been damaged by engine oil sludge. Details of the settlement, which allows for third-party mediation of sludge claims rejected by Toyota, have been mailed to 7.5 million current and previous owners.

Critics contend Toyota has told customers and dealers too little about sludge issues. They say some customers took vehicles with dead engines to dealers who had little or no knowledge of the problem and often assumed it was the owners' fault. Unhappy customers had no remedy other than hiring a lawyer to go after Toyota.

Under the agreement, owners whose claims have been denied by Toyota may submit them to a third-party mediator at no cost for binding arbitration. "This settlement breathes life into claims that have been dead for years," said Gary Gambel, a lawyer for plaintiffs who sued Toyota. "This is not a settlement that gives a few dollars to everyone. The relief is exactly tied to the problems and damages that someone might have."

The lawsuit, filed in a Louisiana district court, is expected to be approved by the court in early February.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Toyotas at risk
About 3.3 million Toyota vehicles are susceptible to oil sludge, which can cause thousands of dollars in damage and require replacement of the engine. Here are the vehicles included in the settlement.
VEHICLE MODEL YEARS
Camry 4 cyl. 1997-2001
Camry 6 cyl. 1997-2002
Camry Solara 4 cyl. 1999-2001
Camry Solara 6 cyl. 1999-2002
Sienna 6 cyl. 1998-2002
Avalon 6 cyl. 1997-2002
Celica 4 cyl. 1997-1999
Highlander 6 cyl. 2001-2002
Lexus ES 300 1997-2002
Lexus RX 300 1999-2002

***** in the armor?

Sludge is gelled oil that fails to lubricate engine parts. It can lead to damage, often requiring a new engine at a cost that can exceed $10,000. Complaints about sludged engines have plagued several carmakers, but Toyota's troubles have been especially controversial in light of its reputation for vehicle quality.
The issue highlights a possible ***** in the company's armor. Executives fear Toyota is growing too fast for its engineering resources. That could lead to quality snags and a tarnished reputation.

When a customer takes a sludge-caked engine to a dealership, there is usually a "clean-out" procedure. The head is pulled and a service technician tries try to steam out the sludge. If that doesn't work, the engine must be replaced. Sludge can result from poor engine design; overly tight tolerances between moving parts; improper cooling; and poor maintenance by consumers. Toyota insists the problem arises mainly when owners fail to change their oil frequently enough. The agreement does not find Toyota at fault.

"The settlement doesn't mean that Toyota or Lexus vehicles are predisposed to develop oil gel," according to the notice. "The court did not decide which side was right."
After Toyota had received 3,400 sludge complaints by 2002 it extended its vehicle warranty to eight years and unlimited miles. The program was offered to owners of 1997-2002 Toyota and Lexus vehicles equipped with 3.0-liter V-6 or 2.2-liter four-cylinder engines. The company declined to give an updated number of complaints.

The terms
Under terms of the settlement:
Owners of damaged vehicles have eight years plus 120 days from the original purchase date to file a complaint. If Toyota denies the claim, owners can appeal to a judge-appointed third-party administrator: J. Robert Ates, a New Orleans lawyer. Customers who have already made repairs may be able to recover the costs. Only those who elect not to participate in the settlement can sue Toyota individually. The deadline for that choice was Dec. 31, 2006. The settlement is transferable to future vehicle owners.
The car only needs to show evidence of oil sludge. It is not necessary for the owner to have made repairs during the claim period. Damages that can be recovered include loss in value of the vehicle and incidental costs, such as rental cars. Past lawyers' fees, mental anguish and bodily injuries are not covered.
A Toyota spokesman said the agreement is not a defeat for the automaker. "The settlement validates the customer support program we implemented four years ago," Xavier Dominicis said.
"The terms of the program remain unchanged. There always was a way for customers to appeal our decision." Plaintiff lawyers disagree. They say Toyota failed to communicate the extent of the problem to its dealers and customers. Toyota's appeal process also meant hiring a lawyer, which many consumers could not afford. It costs nothing to file an appeal with Ates. "The consumer only needs to show reasonable maintenance in terms of oil changes," Gambel said. "You don't need to prove where the sludge came from, or explain your driving habits. If you have oil sludge, Toyota pays" the consumer.
Consumers can get more information by calling 888-279-4405 or at www.oilgelsettlement.com.

JDM74

I can't bad mouth Toyota. I own 2, but I agree if this was a domestic company that had these problems the news would be all over it.

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

Toyota is not bullet proof, not by a long shot. I owned one for over 6 years, drove it to 120K miles with exceptional maintenance. Guess what? That car broke from time to time just like all my other cars have.

They are cars, not God. They are not perfect.

My1st Truck

iTrader: (8)

Man the more I read your post, the more I like you.
I love it, no media coverage you won't ever hear about it, oh but let be something American and let the thrasing begin.

Shackleford

iTrader: (12)

Does he like you, too?

lo_jack

iTrader: (27)

I didn't buy an RX300 for my wife because of that whole thing, and their unwillingness to tackle the issue upfront. All the previous releases and information I read from Toyota proper essentially blamed their customers for the gelling phenomenon, and they heretofor took no responsibility for anything.

Too bad, because everything else on those cars seems pretty good. I would consider other toyotas in the future, everyone has ***** happen. I wish they would have dealt with it a bit better, but that's pretty much everyone.

BanditTA

iTrader: (3)

I remember when this thing started five years ago. HAHAHA i'm so glad, finally Toyota gets a **** taken on them.

dailydriver

Finally, someone with some sense/logic!! Sadly, the general American public (at least in my area) does NOT agree with you, and will make all kinds of excuses for Japan, Inc., due to disbelief/brainwashing by the media/their friends, etc.
I just hope my ex-girlfriend $h!ts her pants when she gets her letter telling her she has a "sludge PIG", instead of the "epitome of perfection" she thinks she bought!!

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

LOL....HAHA!!

2001somws.6

iTrader: (1)

WOW. My parents have been telling me about this. They have a 2000 v6 camry and toyota has been beging them to sell it back to them.

Its going to cost them a **** load of money to fix this.

ULTIMATEORANGESS

iTrader: (4)

i dont feel sorry for them. i just hope people start giving domestics a chance that went away from them because they thought imports were superior. this example proves toyota is no different about handling and accepting problems than any other corp.



ive said this for yrs. but people refuse to listen and think theyre better than ford and GM so now take your POS toyota to your local junkyard.

Shackleford

iTrader: (12)

Are you single?

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

I just asked my wife....she said no....

2000Hawk

iTrader: (5)

I agree no car is ever going to be problem free no matter its make or country it was built in. But i do agree that if it would have been GM or Ford this **** would have been all over the news.
-Joel

dailydriver

YES!! The GM/domestic bashers/import ONLY lovers will always say in defense that part of it was the way TOYota/imports handled their customer's problems (i,e,; that Japan, Inc. solved them 1st try, while GM/domestics ignored/refused them). This shows that defense does not stand anymore, as TOYota had to be brought to COURT in order to satisfy their customers!!!!