Legal Question in Civil Litigation in California

Toyota vehicle parts are faulty yet the company will not take responsibility for

I had my vehicle worked numerous times by a Toyota dealership, and within a month or two something else goes wrong with it. Recently my fan exploded and caused mass damage to the engine compartment. Although the dealership fixed my truck without cost(after intense conversations) a reprsentative told me that the company knows the parts are faulty but will not recall them. If I had been on the "grapevine" when my fan "spontaniously combusted" I dont think I would have been able to control my truck because of the steep in/declines. I feel that Toyota has a moral obligation to fix these faulty vehicles before anyone gets hurt. How do I go about getting them to realize the seriousness of this problem? Can I sue the dealership or Toyota? and if I can who do I need to talk to? Toyota has constantly stripped me of my self respect during these situations and I'm fed up with them. I have a burning desire to make this company realize it's time to treat it's customers like people instead of a statistic.


Asked on 12/11/99, 10:17 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
John Hayes The John Hayes Law Offices

Re: Toyota vehicle parts are faulty yet the company will not take responsibility

I had a client who bought a truck from the local Toyota dealership. He had a problem with the clutch within a year of the purchase. He brought the truck in for repair several times and the problem persisted even though they claimed they replaced the clutch 3 times. Even though this was done under warranty it cost my client time to drive to the dealership since he had moved two hours away, time off of work and just plain inconvenience. Finally he hired me to sue them for not performing services they were required to under the warranty. He wanted them to buy the truck back, but before we could settle the case he sold it. We ended up settling for a few thousand dollars. The point is I have sued toyota for a similar problem. I suspect, as you do, that they are either 1. not fixing the problem and charging toyota under the warranty or 2. fixing the problem with defective parts. I think that this is a serious problem with Toyota and its dealerships. I think that it would be wise to file a lawsuit against both Toyota and the dealership. If you are interested in persuing this course of action or would like to speak with me regarding your rights as a consumer I can be reached at 888-563-8529. The call and consultation are free. There is actually a code section in California law that specifically states that a company that sells a product with a warranty is required to fix the product. I look forward to speaking with you.

John Hayes, Esq.

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Answered on 12/13/99, 10:58 pm


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