I blew up the inverter????

[GinnyErns]

Sorry Kohnen, I did not mean to ignore your post. My cables are connected propertly. They are very good ones and I have used several times before. So will not be going to Autozone.

[abq sfr]

Originally Posted by kohnen

More information on the bad booster cables:

- Accidents and Injuries

If you used one of these, you get to go after Autozone for the repair costs.

(Curiously, my previous post was _TOTALLY_ ignored!)

I think I read about that in Consumer Reports, and thought WOW that could really cause some trouble! And I thought, the only place they could screw something up that bad is China! A whole run of jumper cables with black to red? Do they use a different standard in China? Or just hire the mentally deficient in their jumper cable factories?? You would have thought somebody in the factory would have noticed long before it became a major issue, like maybe when the number produced was only 139,000? ;-)

[GinnyErns]

UPDATE: The plot thickens. Appears one of the TV stations in Boise do want to do a story on the hybrids and costly reapirs. They wrote to me tonight. Will find out more and keep you all informed.

[brick]

Sooooo...they want you to go on TV and talk about how terrible hybrid cars are because you're getting screwed by your dealer on something that (probably) falls under the warranty. Be extremely careful how you handle this. If you want this to help your agenda, it has to be about the people mistreating you. Not some BS about how expensive and unreliable hybrid cars are in general. It's a shame but the media are not particularly trustworthy.

[galaxee]

prepare before the interview- you want to speak in sound bites. make sure they tell your story straight, that will be most effective.

good luck! hope it pans out ok for you.

[Godiva]

you can anticipate what they'll ask you. write answers out in advance. practice.

[jayman]

Originally Posted by GinnyErns

UPDATE: The plot thickens. Appears one of the TV stations in Boise do want to do a story on the hybrids and costly reapirs. They wrote to me tonight. Will find out more and keep you all informed.

Your dealer and Toyota Corp had a chance to apply Goodwill to your case, and refused to do so. Quite frankly, I could care less if it turns out to be a hatchet job on hybrids in general, or the Prius in particular.

It wouldn't be a huge leap to put short/reverse polarity protection at the underhood jump point. My 700 amp Canadian Tire jump start box has reverse polarity protection built in, and I have tried it - on purpose - on the 1984 Ford work truck at my hobby farm

Hook up the cables correctly, the green LED turns on. Reverse the cables, it stays dead.

It would be helpful to ask in advance what the station expects, and if they truly want to cover your plight with the dealer and Toyota Corp. As others have mentioned, don't get emotional, do "sound bites" that the undereducated, brainless masses expect

[ibmindless]

Originally Posted by Patrick Wong

Hi Mark,

Since TV stations and newspapers usually depend heavily upon auto dealer advertising, while Toyota is an extremely large and relatively successful auto manufacturer, I would not expect the Boise media to intercede in an ambiguous situation like this.

I thought about that after I posted. You are quite correct - newspapers & TV stations depend on the advertising revenue. I remember when a local newspaper decided to do an expose' on shady car dealer practices. The network of dealers not threatened, but actually withdrew their advertising. MAJOR loss to the paper. After a month or so, things went back to normal. Oh yeah, the paper never finished their 5-part story.

[GinnyErns]

All I want is my car repaired under warranty like it should be. Even the tow. Don't we get a 3 yr/36000 mile roadside service with our car?.

Why do they keep saying I have topay for towing? They admit the battery is defective yet still keep trying to say I have to pay the $401 towing. The mechanic that led me through the 2nd jump said to have it towed in as it was covered under warranty. So because the battery is defective the tow should be paid for too. I live 85 miles from the dealership and the car died. They did not know the problem and said I had to have it towed in so they could check it out. They found a defective battery. Seems to me no matter what the problem found with the car our roadside service that comes with the new car should cover the tow. I do not have any of my books as they are all at the dealership with my car.

Can someone refresh me on the roadside service. Doesn't that come with the new car and for how long do we get it?

[Godiva]

I think they did away with the tow. I don't believe towing is part of roadside service anymore. In fact, I don't believe roadside service is covered either.

But....you are absolutely correct. Whatever is wrong with your car (and I don't believe your dealer knows what's wrong) *should* be covered under warranty. They are trying to weasel out of the warranty by blaming you.

If you have to pay for the towing, that's one thing. But they should be paying for everything else. And if you have to rent a car while this is going on....I say take them to court and sue them for the cost of the rental car.