Sludge special assistance program lexis toyota

All parts required in service have to be returned to Toyota, or dealers will not get paid. Here is what they need to replace:. The customer needs to pay for any wear items replaced in the process, such as the timing belt not a bad time to do it and spark plugs. Consider it to be an opportunity to have maintenance done without small or nonexistent labor charges. Future cars Toyota News Toyota engines. Tundra Tacoma 4Runner Corolla. What causes the problem In some situations, oil additives are burned off or destroyed; then oxidation occurs and pollutants congregate in the oil, producing sludge and varnish.

Here is what they need to replace: Connecting rod bearings and main bearings Oil pump and pickup Engine seals and gaskets Rings and possibly pistons Valve sealts and valve covers Entire short block if necessary The customer needs to pay for any wear items replaced in the process, such as the timing belt not a bad time to do it and spark plugs.

My wife had the oil changed at Wal-Mart and did not keep receipts for the oil changes. They inferred that my wife was a liar," he wrote. In Toyota admitted receiving 3, complaints about sludged engines and the automaker extended its vehicle warranty to eight years along with unlimited mileage to owners of Toyota and Lexus vehicles equipped with 3.

At Toyota dealerships, however, consumers have encountered repeated denials from service managers insisting that sludging occurs primarily when owners fail to change their oil frequently enough. Lauren wrote ConsumerAffairs. The service dept at the dealership says that I'm not entitled to anything," she wrote. It is called their Tender Loving Care package. Lois from Cedar Rapids is still steaming over her treatment despite promises of an extended warranty.

In February of , at , miles, the engine started making a loud noise. We were told that our car had 'blown a rod' and needed a new engine. We asked about the previous problem but were told that this was not related to the sludge problem and the car was not covered by Toyota.

Like more than 3, other owners who have complained to Toyota about vehicles equipped with two of the automaker's core engine families - the 1MZ V-6 and 5SFE inline 4 - Alemany suddenly found herself at loggerheads with a company she had long associated with high quality and caring customer service.

Her engine was choking on a buildup of sludge, oxidized oil in the form of mucky goo that can seize up an engine. Her Sienna has been parked in her front yard, undriveable, for the past year while she argued unsuccessfully with Toyota.

In a letter sent last week to more than 3. The so-called special policy adjustment, requiring proof of only one oil change in a year, is good for one year. At the same time, though, the U. We're confident that this program will remind customers of their responsibility as well as reassure those who have had regular oil changes that they have nothing to be concerned about.

Toyota and Lexus owners manuals stipulate oil changes every 7, miles or six months, whichever comes first, under normal driving conditions, and 5, miles or four months under severe driving conditions.

But to Alemany and thousands of other complainants who have vented on the Internet, to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, to lawyers, to radio talk show hosts - and to Toyota - the company's stance is the worst kind of distortion. In the view of these angry owners and some experts, the problem stems from design or quality flaws in some of the 3. Alemany said she showed her dealer oil change receipts from Jiffy Lube showing that she had changed the oil in the Sienna regularly.

But they wouldn't accept my Jiffy Lube receipts. Similarly, Robin Burpee, a year-old homemaker in Mendon, Mich. After filing for arbitration under recommendation from an independent master technician, Toyota in late January agreed to pay for Burpee's engine repairs but refused to pay for alternate transportation, costs for hiring an independent technician and other incidental costs associated with the repair.

Although it's not clear why the two Toyota engines are so susceptible to sludge buildup, some independent experts say the concentration of complaints within two engines and a narrow time band points to either a design flaw or a quality defect.