The Truth About Toyota Engine Oil Sludge
Toyota engine oil sludge affects more than the few models and model years covered in Toyota's "Customer Support Program for Engine Oil Gelation." Toyota indicates that 1997-2002 Sienna, Camry, Avalon, Solara, Highlander, Celica, Lexus RX300, and Lexus ES300 are the ones that are sludge-prone. At the same time, it says that these vehicle owners are to blame for the sludge condition. Toyota doesn't include the earlier models or the later models, though. It also doesn't include the Corolla, RAV4, and 4Runner despite the fact that some of these owners are reporting sludge buildup and engine demise.
The class action lawsuit covers all the models and model years included in the CSP. My feeling is that Toyota will use any loopholes it can to limit the relief for its valued customers. Owner complaints verify this sentiment. How many of these denied cases will Toyota admit to? Some late model Toyota sludge victims are being treated rudely and forced to remove their sludgemobiles from Toyota dealership lots. Deja vu? Has anything really changed?
Many Toyota owners are reporting that Toyota has required far more engine oil change receipts than what it publicly has stated it would. According to owner accounts, owners continue to be treated poorly in Toyota's alleged effort to limit the number of vehicle owners who qualify under the CSP. In many cases engines are being cleaned when they need to be replaced.
Unfortunately, the class action lawsuit doesn't help those with models not covered under the CSP. It doesn't help those who long ago traded their vehicles when sludge clogged their engines. It doesn't help those Toyota owners whose engines mysteriously threw rods through the engine block. It doesn't do anything for the Toyota owners whose engines spontaneously erupted in fire on the road for no apparent reason. No, there are many Toyota owners left out.
Is Toyota really "listening" to online discussions/reports by its vehicle owners? If so, why isn't the Toyota owner engine oil sludge petition being addressed? Why aren't these owners getting a fair resolution in their sludge or engine failure cases? We know that Toyota is tracking the owner postings. We know that Toyota executives are bragging about being proactive in addressing owner complaints online.
Back in late 2000, when hundreds of Toyota owners first began talking about engine oil sludge prematurely destroying their low mileage engines, Toyota was in complete denial. When Toyota owners continued to discuss this online and Automotive News covered some of the owner cases, then Toyota finally came out with the SPA and the CSP.
I've been involved in this issue for six years now. While Toyota paints a rosy picture of its own efforts in the matter, Toyota owners are posting quite the contrary behind the scenes. Far too many Toyota owners have had to go "deep sea diving" to find out about either engine oil sludge program. According to Toyota owners, dealerships aren't being forthright with the sludge information either.
Despite the SPA and CSP, thousands of posts were made on the now defunct sites "The Complaint Station for Toyota" and Cartrackers.com "Toyota Forum," and the Toyota sludge controversy has continued for years! Toyota owners continue telling their stories of corporate deception and mistreatment, but Toyota continues to blame them and chastise them for vehicle neglect. Toyota brags that it is helping its customers resolve these matters. Is it really? OR, is it just putting up this public facade to appease those who are closely scrutinizing its actions? I think the Toyota owners know the truth. Who is willing to tell their story?
Not surprisingly, someone has been trying desperately to sabotage the Toyota owner engine oil sludge petition. Who would care to go to this length to prevent Toyota owner organization? Who would want to end this petition and why? Hmmmm....(':roll:')
Charlene Blake
cblake@erols.com
Toyota Owners Unite for Resolution
http://www.petitiononline.com/TMC2003/petition.html