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Re: Toyota Owners (online) Unite for Resolution: Engine Slu
Posted by Charlene Blake on 7/20/07

    It is worth noting that if one does a search on Toyota's web
    site for 'Customer Support Program for Engine Oil Gelation' or
    anything close to it, nothing comes up!! The only thing about
    this program that comes up on a Google search is what I have
    written about it!!

    What's REALLY going on at Toyota? Is the company intentionally
    hiding this very important information from its customers? Are
    dealerships acting like they don't know anything about the
    program?

    Bruce Ertmann, CEO at Toyota, admitted that the first round of
    Toyota owner letters that were sent out in a staggered fashion
    in February 2002 was halted before the 3.3 million Toyota
    vehicle owners received them. The first letter was called the
    SPA or 'Special Adjustment Policy' and it was good for 12
    months. It covered repairs for engine oil sludge in an engine
    that was sufficiently maintained by the owner.

    After a near online revolt by Toyota owners, Toyota then issued
    the CSP or 'Customer Support Program for Engine Oil Gelation'
    in April 2002. This program covers sludge repairs for EIGHT
    YEARS and UNLIMITED MILEAGE, starting with the purchase date.
    Once again, Toyota claimed that it would send out all 3.3
    million Toyota owner letters in a staggered manner.

    One year after this claim, Toyota owners continued to post that
    they had not yet received any such letter. The discussions took
    place on Edmunds.com 'Town Hall' (now known as
    CarSpace.com 'Forums'), on Cartrackers.com 'Toyota Forum,' The
    Complaint Station for Toyota, and a number of other auto sites.
    Mr. Ertmann participated in some of the forums and he assured
    customers that their sludge issues would be addressed. He also
    assured owners that they would received their letter.

    Well, it has been over seven years since this CSP was issued
    now and still many Toyota owners indicate that they received no
    such letter. Further, they tell stories about their experiences
    that mimic what the ORIGINAL SLUDGE VICTIMS posted
    about....before any programs were initiated! Deja Vu?!? Sure it
    is! Apparently, Toyota never planned to send out all the
    letters. Further, it continues to keep quiet about the CSP and
    to keep its customers in the dark! Now that the sites where the
    discussions took place are defunct (hacking, etc.), Toyota
    customers are having difficulty finding the much needed engine
    oil sludge information.

    Go ahead...do a search on Toyota's very own web site and see
    what you find on this very serious engine condition! As of
    today, 7/16/07, SPA and CSP searches yield nothing...no owner
    letter information, no details about the programs, NOTHING! So,
    why is this? Why is Toyota keeping this information from the
    Toyota owners...1997-2002 vehicle owners some of whom still
    qualify for the program based on age and/or mileage?

    Don't the 3.3 million Toyota owners have a right to know about
    this??? Why should the only mention of these progams be in my
    postings after a Google search? Does Toyota actively seek to
    remove negative complaints about its company from internet
    searches? Does it actively to remove key information about this
    engine oil gelation from internet searches?

    Apparently, Toyota is associated with an internet
    company, 'Complaintremover.com,' which promises to remove
    negative complaints about it from Google searches. This same
    company claims that it will PROVIDE positive postings to take
    the place of the negative ones! This company says it
    can 'unlock Google cache' and manipulate what information
    appears on the first pages of a Google search!!

    Hmmm...active manipulation of posted information...particularly
    Toyota vehicle owner information! Does this sound like
    something you, a current Toyota owner and/or would-be Toyota
    would accept?!?

    Forgive me, but this sounds like a company that is afraid of
    the truth! Why would a company that has risen to #1 in the auto
    marketplace need to intentionally manipulate search
    information?!? Is it afraid that this *sanitized* information
    might keep it from maintaining this status? Is it afraid that
    that Toyota owners might continue to ask the tough questions?
    WHY would it need to form a partnership with this 'search
    engine optimization' (translated: removal of key information)
    company?!?

    Something isn't right about this! Is the intent to weaken the
    power of the Toyota consumer? Is it to limit the Toyota owners'
    freedom of speech? Is it to keep the would-be Toyota owners
    from seeing what has transpired in the last few
    years...especially concerning Toyota engine oil sludge?

    It is my personal feeling that if consumers knew what companies
    like Toyota are doing to keep the real world experiences
    (perceived to be negative by the company) of its vehicle owners
    from coming forward, they would be SHOCKED!!

    This reminds me of what happened back in 2001 when I posted
    that the Toyota Financial Services web site had a 'Engine
    Sludge' link. This was back when some 'regulars' on Edmunds.com
    were saying that Toyota sludge was just one big hoax. This was
    back when Edmunds.com banned me from asking the tough questions
    about Toyota on its web site. This was back when Toyota blamed
    the engine oil sludge on the Toyota owners and made void the
    new vehicle warranty as soon as it surfaced!

    I posted the information, including the link to that
    TFS 'Engine Sludge' link, and within 72 hours, it was REMOVED!
    Guess that it might have been very embarrassing for
    Toyota...after all, NOTHING was revealed about engine sludge up
    to that point...except by the Toyota owners posting online.
    POOF! Evidence removed, just like that! Wouldn't it be very
    interesting to find out what else has been removed online by
    the company?

    Hmmm...I am wondering if this has anything to do with
    the 'corporate protectors' following me around wherever I post
    to challenge my Toyota engine oil sludge information? Such
    personal attacks all because I am giving information that
    Toyota refuses to? Strange, isn't it? Let's just say that I am
    concerned about the current Toyota owners who have sludge and
    not one shred of information about the SPA or the CSP.

    Now, the sludge is just one issue. There are many others
    associated with the Toyota Sienna that have also been swept
    under the table. Pulling to the left, recurrent brake problems
    (brake drums), sticking (sometimes breaking) sliding door
    locks, power steering problems, excessive tire wear,
    transmission failures, emissions control component failures,
    speedometer failure, excessive heat with highway driving, paint
    flaking, etc. And...I won't even discuss the 4Runner head
    gasket issue here!

    One of the 'corporate protectors' said that Toyota was no
    different than any other carmaker. Hmmm...that isn't what the
    Toyota owners were told in the advertisements!

    Look..all we, the Toyota owners are asking for is the truth. We
    want Toyota to both acknowledge and fix, once and for all, the
    engine oil sludge problem. At this point, Toyota owners aren't
    even able to get the information from Toyota. Is this FAIR?!?
    This situation is unacceptable...and I am far from alone in
    this sentiment.

    Charlene Blake
    cblake@erols.com

    Toyota Owners Online Unite for Resolution: Engine Oil Gelation

     
     

 
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