Need advice: This is not your normal check engine light thread

[holmes182]

I'm in the Marines currently stationed in Camp Lejuene, NC. I was recently on leave up in PA and bought a 99 Toyota Solara from a Toyota dealership. It came with a 90 day/ unlimited miles warranty for that dealership. They asked me if I wanted to buy an extended but I declined b/c I'm going to Iraq in Jan 05 and I felt it would have been a waste of money. I drive about 70 miles from Philadelphia, where I bought the car, to my town in southeastern PA. Get out and turn the car off. Try starting it back up and it won't start. The battery was dead. I called the dealership up and they told me to jump it and take it to a mechanic and fax the bill up to them. I did just that. Now I'm off leave and drove from PA back down here to NC. My parents have yet to recieve the check for the refund for the battery. I called and they told me they lost the paperwork and to fax it again. So yesterday I'm driving and my check engine light comes on. I take it to an Autozone and they give me 4 codes that showed up. The first 2 were P0402 which is an Exhaust Gas Recirculation Flow Excessive. The second 2 were P1411 which is a Manufacturers Malfunction. The Autozone guy said that this problem was probably known to the dealership and that they might have cleared the codes to turn the light off because there was 2 of the same codes already on there. I called the dealership and told them this and they said that I should take it to a Toyota dealership around here and get it looked at. They said that they won't refund the money for the repair either because I'm down here in NC. But they told me to fax the paperwork for the dead battery to them before and it was no problem. Why is it such a problem now to pay for this check engine proble,? The Toyota dealership I took it too charged me 120 bucks for a new chip b/c the old ones jacked up. It should be in on Tuesday. What do you all think I should do about the dealership saying that they will pay for the battery but not this? I'm still under the 90 day warranty but that is only for the dealership I bought it from. Since I'm in NC i'm SOL now. But I dont understand why they would pay for the dead battery but not this. If anyone has any help I'd appreciate it.

[clarkman]

How many miles are on the car? Normal powertrain warranty is 60K miles.

Does anyone have the oil sludge letter about the unlimited mileage 8 yr powertrain warranty on the V6? I'm not sure about the wording and what all it will cover.

[holmes182]

i have 64000 miles on the car

[amerikim]

I am not sure I understand but for $120 and your car is fixed?
Are they still paying for the battery?
Write them a letter, make copies of everything. See if you can find a Better Business bureau and file a complaint if they are snowing you in. They won't screw around if you are serious. Phone calls are not as effective. Send a copy of the letter to Toyota. Might shake something loose there too.
If the amount is not huge, you can file in a small claims court to get your money back. It's kinda cool to have a lean against a rotten car dealer.
I wish the asshole who sold me my cam catches the clap and is allergic to penicillin.

[Nico]

Maybe the warranty was only valid at their dealership only and they made you a kind of "present" for the battery as they wanted to help you ... ??? I mean I don't know you should have a thorough look at your sales contract and the conditions of the warranty. If it appears they should just refund you for everything, what I would do (and this would be the normal legal way) : write them a "notice letter", sent by registered mail along with the invoice for the repairs and asking to pay on your bank account : give bank account number and date for payment +the mention "notice" : write all these on the letter : that is very important : believe me, if it is well written they WILL refund you or at least write you as if they don't give you a written reply that would be saying "ok we agree". If you need advice or some help to write such a letter just PM me and I'd be happy to help. Good luck !