Where to find information on the Toyota engine sludge problem:
www.toyota.com
Here you can find announcement of sludge program, copy of the letter that was to be sent to 3.3 million owners, and acknowledgement by Toyota that this is just an issue with two specific Toyota engine designs. Toyota says it is not a design problem, but an owner maintenance issue, yet limits the policy to two specific engines over a given range of time.
www.AERA.org
The information on this site is not readily available except to mechanics, however, one of their announcements addresses the problem. In this announcement they discuss the problem of sludge in properly maintained engines (something that Toyota says is an impossibility).
www.nhtsa.gov
This government-run web site includes owners’ report of sludge engine failures by year and by auto make and model. Search under “Problems and Issues” heading. NHTSA opened an investigation into the sludge problem in 2002 but closed the investigation in a matter of a few months because of Toyota’s announcement of the sludge policy.
MSN Autos site:
www.autos.msn.com/research/vip/reviews.aspx?modelid=9448&trimid=-1&src=VIP&tab=4
The above link is for the Avalon, but all the models covered by the sludge policy are reported to have significant engine problems. These ratings are based on reports from independent garages (not ones that are manufacturer affiliated) so they give an unbiased picture of problems that these garages see in vehicles.
www.yotarepair.com
A former Toyota mechanic acknowledges the problem. (this site dedicated to Toyota’s even has a “Sludge Zone”
www.autonews.com
AutoNews and several other publications included the announcement of the sludge problem in February and April 2002. Several publications had subsequent announcements.
www.autosafety.org
See complaints (all since AFTER the announcement of the sludge policy) on Toyota engines. Also has link to Auto News article
www.petitiononline.com/TMC2003/petition.html
As of this writing, over 375 signatures of owners who have experienced sludge and are dissatisfied with Toyotas response to their problem.
www.google.com
Do a web search for “Toyota Engine Sludge” and you find numerous reports of engine sludge in Toyota’s.
www.toyotatechs.com
View from a garage that specializes in Toyotas.
www.edmunds.com
See discussion of engine sludge on this forum, including one by Toyota rep (tmsusa1).
www.corolland.com
Includes discussion of sludge problem.
Numerous other websites with sludge reports include:
www.rateitall.com
www.toyotaownersclub.com
www.lexusownersclub.com
Toyota Owners Unite for Resolution web site
www.complaints.com
www.carsurvey.org
www.carreview.com
www.talkaboutautos.com
www.ripoffreport.com
www.realcaraudio.com
www.toyota-automotive-store.com
www.thecomplaintstation.com
www.toyonda.com
www.oilanalysis.com
www.toyotaworld.com
http://www.petitiononline.com/TMC2003/petition.html
"Toyota Owners Unite for Resolution"
"Toyota Owners Unite for Resolution"