Combination Meter Warranty Enhancement

Yeah I would be expecting a call back that they goofed and need your car back.

 

Also, doesn't the manual say to turn off the smartkey if the car is not going to be used for a couple of weeks, so the 12v battery is not drained?

 

Yet another concern since the dealership has had the car for so long during sharp cold spells. Temps up in my part of the country are expected to hit -18 to -24 degrees for the next few nights with high temps from -2 to 8 degrees. I worry that the traction battery as well as the 12v will be totally drained. In addition to calling the dealership and asking them to start the car each day, I have visited on my own and done the same a few times not trusting that they will actually take the time to start it. It is a bit odd getting into the car with the dash disassembled. Impossible to control the heat even through the buttons on the steering wheel. The ICE ran from start up until shut down for about 10 - 15 minutes until the car was warmed up. Lucky for me the dealership is only about 3 miles down the road and close to home so I can keep an eye on it!

 

I just got the combination meter letter this week in the mail from Toyota. I have had some issues with dead display, so I called the dealer to make an appointment for this and the other two open recalls. The service department was clueless as to what was involved and disputed the Toyota letter about the three-day repair turnaround. I am hoping that the letter will clue them in and that I get the loaner car today. I was able to get new headlight bulbs at this dealership by being persistent, hope that my powers of persuasion continue to be strong.

 

Can anyone tell me how to get the warranty letter from Toyota? We just purchased a 2005 with 98k on it for our daughters to drive in October. We had cold temp yesterday and the dash lights wouldn't come on, the trunk locked and while switching cars, they broke off the lift gate trim not knowing it had locked itself. The trim was loose already, so not their fault. I replaced the 12v battery yesterday (battery wharehouse $235 total installed- Toyota dealer wanted $325) but another icy morning and the dash lights are off again.
I really appreciate the posts here, they have been really helpful!
thanks

 

After having my combination meter fail this week, I consulted this forum and found this post. I have not yet received any letter about the warranty enhancement. So I simply called the service department at my local dealer, explained the problem and my understanding that there is a warranty enhancement. The service advisor took my phone number and said he would look into it. About an hour later he called me back, confirmed that I was covered despite not having the letter from Toyota, and told me to bring the car in. I dropped it off last night and they had a 2012 Prius rental car waiting for me at no charge. Today they phoned me to let me know that the timeframe for fixing the combination meter is "unknown" because of the large number of these that have been sent in lately. He just told me to keep the Prius rental for as long as it takes and there would still be no charge. Overall, it was a pretty easy and painless experience so far. So for anyone who does not have the letter from Toyota, please take hope from my story.

 

I have both copies of the letter sent to the dealerships as well as a sample letter of what was sent to owners (never personally received one myself). I found both copies through searching the internet. Don't worry about not having the letter. Just call corporate and they will advise the dealership that there IS an enhanced warranty. Turn around time is weeks not days.

Jeez! Wish I had been given a Prius loaner!

Again, no letter needed. Call Toyota Corporate.

 

Even though the service writer was hesitant about a complaint that could not be replicated by the dealer, my '08 Prius was accepted for the combination meter work and I was given a loaner car for free while they repaired my car. A new Corolla (700 miles) and not a '12 Prius, but more than fair. With the two recalls being done and the combination meter warantee work, my car should be as good as new.

 

It seems that the dealers are very hesitant and almost reluctant to honor the CM extended warranty without some prodding from the corporate office. Glad to hear that yours is being done. In this case, the work is authorized and there is no need for the dealer to replicate the problem. I would like to upload the sample letters to both the dealerships and to 2004 - 2009 Prius owners but I am unsure if I can do so legally.

 

I don't see why you can't scan the letter or letter's and post them here. I would black out your name and address for security reasons.

The dealer here is aware of the issue. They have done a few of them. I am debating if I want to get ours worked on, as it has not acted up but if I wait, the campaign will probably expire...

Ron

 

Got my Prius back today! Amazingly it was just eight days from start to finish. This was Kearny Mesa Toyota (San Diego).

Odd considering they have other customers who came in before me who are still waiting. I'm not complaining, except I'll miss the sporty little Scion TC loaner they gave me that was pretty fun to drive.

 

Hey - Congrats! Still waiting for mine to be repaired... 18 days and counting...

 

I just received my letters for the steering shaft, pump, and the warranty extension. Sure took a long time to get here.

 

I'm having a MAJOR problem with our Toyota Dealership honoring the Combo Meter Extended Warranty...

Here is MY situation.
Bought the Prius brand new in November of 2003 - first of the 2nd gens.
Combo meter started giving us problems about a year ago... occasionally the whole dashboard just didn't come on - on start up. Then would later one when we started it up again.
Started researching it last summer and decided I would wait until it became a bigger problem since it wasn't under warranty.

So we get the letter notifying us of the Extended Warranty back in Sept/Oct of 2012.

We had a cold spell here in Arizona 3 weeks back and the Dashboard was offline EVERY MORNING. So we scheduled an Oil change and I asked them to look into the Combo meter which should be under warranty now.

A few hours later I get a call back saying, "Yes, your combo meter does need to be replaced.... BUT it is no longer under warranty. Your car hit the 9 year extension back in November of 2012."

I rebut with... "WHAT?!?! The letter I received from Toyota specifically states, 'covered for 9 years with no mileage limit from original date of purchase or until Sept 2013, which ever is LONGER'..."

She says that's NOT the same letter the dealerships received from Toyota. She then says she will have to call "Regional". 2 days later I learn that "Regional" doesn't pick up their phones on Fridays (must be nice huh?), and she didn't have an answer for me. So we get the car and I wait....

2 weeks later I call her back up and ask what is going on. She tells me that the Regional Warranty department says it is 9 years - end of story. I then say, well if the letter would have said that, I would have been in here before my 9 years was up, I was under the understanding that I had until September of 2013 to get this job done. I also stated that I only received the letter in October, how the heck was I suppose to get it in so quickly to get the work done... I assumed THAT was the reasoning behind giving an EXTRA year for those people that bought the first shipments of the 2nd Gen Priuses."

So I ask... have any of YOU had this problem? Where your dealership is saying sorry, you have the problem, but we won't honor the extended warranty paperwork Toyota sent you?

I received one of those "follow up" calls from the dealership asking if the work I had done was satisfactory, and I gave her this entire story... she said that's not right and would look into it and would call me back next week. I have some hope in this, but not much. I have a feeling I'm going to be arguing with the Regional people next week... and possibly getting news media or something else involved if that doesn't work. I'm not paying $400-$500 to get this fixed when Toyota specifically sent me a letter telling me I was covered until September of 2013.

 

This link includes the letter to the dealerships, coverage is for whichever is longer.

Prius Combination Meter Warranty Extension





Edit, document found from link from Luscious Garage Blog posting on subject
Luscious Garage | Blog | Prius Dash Lights Out - Combination Meter Warranty Extension

 

Now THAT is exactly what I'm looking for. May I ask HOW you managed to get it? Just want to be prepared for a fight if I present that to my Toyota dealership.

Looking at that paperwork, I don't see HOW they can deny me... it is SO freakin cut and dry.

Thanx

 

It doesn't matter where it came from, only that the dealership has it. Just point this letter out to your dealer, they have it in their stack somewhere. Walk them through the language it contains if you have to like I did.

For example, many will find that the service advisors are programmed like robots to tell customers that they have to be able to duplicate the problem in order to warranty something (I think this is their SOP). I had to have my dealer's service manager pull out his memo and refer to page 2 where it clearly says the dealer is not required to duplicate this particular condition with the combo meter in order to do the warranty fix. Once he saw that language he authorized my warranty replacement.

 

It surprised me but chances are they realize none of these cars will reflect true mileage anymore as probably 100% of us that had the problem drove with it at least some until it was actually diagnosed. I personally thought it was just a temporary quirk the first time it happened, a ghost issue if you will though of course, I know better now.

 

Like Priusyipee says...CALL CORPORATE! With some prodding the dealer will likely see it your way

 

well... apparently my conversation with the "follow up" caller from the dealership was helpful. I received a call from Toyota yesterday saying they are going to do the work under the warranty.

I was preparing to call the Regional People.. then the National People if necessary. Looks like this MAY have worked itself out.