I had my Prius 10 hours and it's already in the shop

[FL_Prius_Driver]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Metalkitty @ Aug 20 2007, 06:16 PM) [snapback]499388[/snapback]</div>

Any suggestions of what I can or should do?
[/b]

1) Write down in your owners manual and/or maintenance manual what was replaced and the milage.
2) Enjoy the car.

I have a 2001 and have had over time more than a couple of parts replaced. This included tires that wore out very fast, a new gas tank, new main battery. However, Toyota does a really good job of getting parts replaced and fixed under warranty and has a pretty decent approach to minimizing the inconvience. Please plan on a thing or two happening over the years. (Even people get sick now and then.) Also plan on saving a whole bunch of gas over the years as well.

Now if you think that this is a big worry, please get a Chrysler and see how long you visit the dealer on average.

[paulrubin]

You can certainly feel annoyed. I'm expecting to get mine in about 2 weeks and I'd be furious but then you settle back down and realize that cars do typically need repairs and electronics tend to go bad very quickly or not for a long time. I wouldn't worry about a CarFax report though. That report, to the best of my knowledge, is not about repairs of this nature. It's comprehensive but I don't think THAT comprehensive. It will show for a cars' various owners, title info, odometer readings, likely warranty coverage, whether the vehicle has ever had an accident (like my recent accident that got me Prius shopping) that required it to be "totaled", major body damage repairs to the frame, whether the airbags were ever deployed (at least in an accident, not sure about if they simply malfunction), time in a body shop, fire damage, odometer tampering, and recall info. A straightforward replacement of a component that goes bad is, to the best of my knowledge, not part of the carfax report and therefore doesn't really factor in to depreciating your car beyond the overall general model year, condition, number of miles type stuff.

As to the lemon law, I know that varies by state but as a general rule it relates to a recurring problem that the dealership's service department is unable to resolve after multiple attempts (probably 4-6 sounds about right to me) or possibly, a rather large number of unrelated issues that keeps the vehicle out of your service for a substantial amount of time within a set timeframe. I'm sure there are others here with more experience than I have in this matter but I'm pretty sure I'm in the general ballpark.

You can certainly try to get a replacement Prius but my own experience tells me that you may have a problem getting precisely the same package in an acceptable color in a reasonable time frame. Electrical problems can sometimes get complicated but it's very important that you document everything, keep all receipts, make notes about phone contacts, etc. for all repairs and service. Most of the car manufacturers will be far more accommodating if they know you're on top of this stuff and can prove the vehicle's been taken care of properly and you are a nitpicker on the records. Only once in some 25 years of car ownership to date did it ever become a real issue for me but it happened to be on one of the few cars I was meticulous about recordkeeping and the result of dealer negligence and we were able to work out an acceptable deal in a car swap.

[FL_Prius_Driver]

It's worth reemphisizing Paul R's advice. Keep your own records in detail and make sure you initial or sign your records. Makes them a legal record.

[zenMachine]

Does this "dealership" have a name?

[Metalkitty]

Toyota on Nicholasville
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(zenMachine @ Aug 21 2007, 03:39 PM) [snapback]499880[/snapback]</div>

Does this "dealership" have a name?
[/b]

[zenMachine]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Metalkitty @ Aug 21 2007, 03:42 PM) [snapback]499912[/snapback]</div>

Toyota on Nicholasville
[/b]

Did they say "which" computer had problems?

[Errel]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Metalkitty @ Aug 21 2007, 04:42 PM) [snapback]499912[/snapback]</div>

Toyota on Nicholasville
[/b]

Sorry to hear about your bad experience with your brand new Prius. Looking at the positive side at least you are still covered under warranty. Toyota dealerships, as far as my experiences with them, are very reliable.
I live here in Northern VA, DC area. (I am not working for Toyota I hope the dealership let you use a loaner, a Prius too. I hope that your dealership will fix your problem to your satisfaction. If not, report them to Toyota. Good luck.

[Metalkitty]

The one that controls the coolant. I will specifically ask tomorrow.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(zenMachine @ Aug 21 2007, 06:09 PM) [snapback]499964[/snapback]</div>

Did they say "which" computer had problems?
[/b]

[redrockprius]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(patsparks @ Aug 20 2007, 04:59 PM) [snapback]499403[/snapback]</div>

Infant mortality, there you go, tell your friends you were a victim of infant mortality. Love it, some computer nerd must have come up with that term.

[/b]

Actually, that term has been around long before computers became everyday objects. Way before the days of integrated circuits and transistors, the phenomenon existed for devices like vacuum tubes (anybody else remember those?).

[qbee42]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RedRockPrius @ Aug 23 2007, 12:00 PM) [snapback]501015[/snapback]</div>

Actually, that term has been around long before computers became everyday objects. Way before the days of integrated circuits and transistors, the phenomenon existed for devices like vacuum tubes (anybody else remember those?).
[/b]

Yes, I remember them. We used them to keep radios warm. I still have my Picket Power Trig slide rule and leather case. I never use it, but I can't stand to toss it either.

Speaking of tubes, remember the tube testers at drug stores and places like that. You would bring in a suspect tube from your TV, plug it into the tester, and get back the "bad" reading. They always tested bad. The base of the tester contained replacement tubes. Long live the 12AU7!

Tom