Toyota TSB Warranty limited to California and a few other states

I am a retiree trying to make ends meet on a fixed income. I needed a reliable and economical car so after a bit of research, I decided to purchase a used Prius. I found a 2007 with 92k miles in January.

And after about 4 months and 2k miles, I got the dreaded master warning red triangle light along with other lights. After I stopped driving I found that it would not start again unless I unhooked the auxiliary battery to clear the codes (found that here). Apparently this is a popular fault on Prius chat. I took it to a local shop and they charged me $87 to tell me that they can’t fix it to take it to the dealer. The dealer charged me $447 (generously knocking off $50) to tell me that I needed a new transaxle and it would cost about what the car is worth: $5300.

The codes are P0AA6 526 613 which I see means that there is a high voltage short in the transaxle and they don’t have a clue as to what it is caused by or how to fix it so they just replace the whole thing.

Further research and I notice that if I was lucky enough to live in California and a few other states that I also don’t live in, Toyota has provided an extended warranty of 150k miles or 180 months for the P0AA6 526 613 problem.

I’m thinking that if they know it is a problem and know they have to take full responsibility for it in California and some other states, then how in name of fairness, the law, and public relations can they exclude me in my dinky non-listed state from this warranty fix?

My main question then is: does anyone know if these sorts of state restricted warranties are enforced? Has anyone sued them over this? Does anyone have any experience successfully shaming Toyota into to doing the right thing in cases like this? Finally, any suggestions on how to proceed?

 

I talked to Toyota Customer Experience Center and found that they will do nothing for me.

I said that while I understand what is legal, they need to understand what is right.

They acknowledge through the TSB that their product has this defect and they will fix it in 10 states, just not mine.

From Toyota Technical Service Bulletin T-SB-0306-08:
For California specification 2004 – 2008 model year vehicles sold, registered, and operated in California, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania*, Rhode Island, and Vermont, this repair may be covered depending on vehicle model year, under the california Emission Warranty, which is in effect for 180 months or 150,000 miles, whichever occurs first, from the vehicles in-service date.

I've found several shops around the country, none closer than 8 hours from me - that will fix this for around $2000. I'll keep looking.

In the meantime, for the first time in my long life I'm going to contact a lawyer. This may be legal on the part of Toyota but it just isn't right and they have earned themselves a tiny enemy with a lot of time to see what I can do to let folks know just what kind of company they really are.

 

Thanks Patrick.

I've found a garage that looks like they know what they are doing who can get a used transaxle for $700 and install it for about $800 and they have a 6 month warranty (full year for $250). My guess is that since this is such a rare problem that I'm not likely to see it again in a used transaxle, sort of like getting struck by lightning twice. But then again 'used' could mean 250k miles so who knows?

 

So I've been waiting for a recurrence so I can take it to a guy who offered to look at the problem for free. It's been nearly a month and a half with 300+ miles (I don't drive a lot) and NO red triangle of death!

At this point I am going to conclude that the auxiliary battery terminals were not perfectly connected, or a bit of conductive crud got lodged somewhere in the transaxle to cause the HV short, or that the gremlin that was bedeviling my car got tired of waiting for me to go entirely daffy duck and left for a more entertaining owner.

Whatever... I've dubbed my Prius 'Loki' and I'm going to get Loki a new auxiliary battery and have the transaxle fluid changed and just pretend this never happened. And someday I might actually relax while driving not worry that the trickster god will jump out to torment me at the least expected moment. I guess driving a Prius isn't peace love and harmony after all, more like actual life: one damned thing after another.

Don't you just hate it when your fondest hopes get educated by reality?