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Toyota Support of Customer Support Bulletin After Expiry?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by czechm8, Dec 29, 2023.

  1. czechm8

    czechm8 Junior Member

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    Hey folks,

    Has anybody had any luck having Toyota make repairs associated with a Customer Support Program Bulletin (CSB) after expiry?

    Like many others, we've been dealing with a failed brake booster on our 2013 Prius Plug-in that was covered under CSB (ZJB - link below). This happened in May 2023, just 3 months outside of our extended coverage (10 years from vehicle purchase was Feb 2023). A Toyota service center diagnosis confirmed that the error codes and symptoms matched the CSB and quoted $3500! for the repair. At the time, I was hopeful that Toyota would be reasonable and cover it given that it was a known defective part and it was just barely outside it's coverage. However, after a couple phone calls with Toyota customer satisfaction they told me the expiry dates on CSBs are hard cut-offs and for some legal-related reasons they wouldn't even be able to pay a dealership to service it for us if we were outside of the coverage dates. The lady we spoke with admitted she didn't have the authority to override that but was very understanding and encouraged us to submit a complaint with NHTSA to see if that could help escalate it to somebody that could help. I was still a little hopeful that that might work, though after 5 months of multiple emails and phone calls to DOT/NHTSA I've given up on that as well.

    It's been 6 months now and I'd like to get it fixed. Gearing up to DIY because the cost isn't justified by the value of the vehicle. But, as a last ditch effort, I figured I'd check whether any others have had similar experiences in getting something fixed after a TSB/CSB cutoff date. What's made it more frustrating is realizing after the fact that the increase in volume and frequency of the pumping sound that many others report here was the early warning signs of a part that's starting to fail, and those started 8-9 months before it threw the error codes and lit the dash up like a Christmas tree.

    https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2019/MC-10164923-9999.pdf
     
  2. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Yes very disappointed in Toyoda over this model. These newer models are. Certainly throw aways . Like all the rest these days.
     
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  3. czechm8

    czechm8 Junior Member

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    Agreed that it's been highly disappointing. Before this happened, I wasn't even aware of the NHTSA process for submitting and reviewing complaints. I feel like much of the reason Toyota has been able to avoid a full recall for this issue is the lack of consumer awareness of ways to escalate things like this (myself included until recently). That and general consumer complacency and tendancy to do nothing ("I'm just one person, how can I argue with a huge car company, I guess I'll just pay for it..."). I highly encourage anybody that's replaced the brake booster either themselves or paid to have it done to submit a complaint as well. Recalls typically also provide retro-active compensation for customers who have already paid to deal with the issue.
     
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  4. MCwiklinski

    MCwiklinski New Member

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    I recently had the same problem. My 2012 Prius recently had multiple warning lights on regarding the brake booster and brake booster pump assemblies. I found a Customer Support Bulletin #POL18-03 dated 8/9/2018. While my car has all of the issues listed in the bulletin, it falls outside of the Customer Support Date of 8/31/2019. My car also does not fit into the date of first use (2012) availability but only has 127,000 miles. I called corporate with no luck. The repair was quoted at approximately $4000.00 (yikes). I am still looking for any supporting documents to have them pay part of the cost. I did have my Toyota serviced at the dealer including recent big-ticket items like 110,000 service. Are they still liable if they were supposed to check it and did not?
     
  5. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    There's no check they can do while it's sitting there at the dealer service especially if no lights are on and no codes are coming It's a non-dealer serviceable item non-human serviceable item there's nothing I don't think that Toyota software will tell you and a Toyota tech certainly is not going to do any better It's just how these things work this is why the later model cars have built this outboard set it on the firewall and it's you know under $200 to buy them rebuilt Just look at the Corolla My Suzuki's the same way I can get a replacement ABS whole shebang for sub $200 yeah that's remanufactured but I don't care I just need it to work and not cost $1,500 these prices of 1500 bucks is what I was paying for those things back in the '90s for BMWs and whatnot and BMW and those makers have gone to the less expensive design and style that you see on most vehicles now because people aren't just going for that $1,500 ABS assembly that's kind of played out.
     
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    Iirc, once Toyota extends a warranty period, they refuse all help after the extended period ends,
    I suppose you can’t blame them, but it is disappointing that they designed a poor product to begin with.
    I guess the question is, how long should they cover it?
     
  7. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Sadly, the ten-year limit and 150,000 mile limit are independent; the coverage ends at the first one.

    Recalls, though, tend to be reserved for things that are really defective, that have some reason they might conk out right away or in some crazy short time. A part that wears out over a dozen years and 127,000 miles is on the disappointing side, and probably in the left-hand half of the bell curve for those parts wearing out, but it's a little harder by then to make the case it was a defect, and not just a part wearing out.
     
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i thinkthe disappointment is the replacement cost
     
  9. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    I think every manufacture should warranty EVERYTHING on the car for 50 years!
    Unlimited mileage!
    It should be a law!