2013 SCION FR-S Complaints

A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP PERFORMED THE VALVE SPRING RECALL ON MY 2013 FR-S. THEY DID NOT DO THE WORK PROPERLY AND NOW THE ENGINE IS KNOCKING LOUD ENOUGH TO BE HEARD INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE CAR. AS OF THE DATE I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT, THE DEALER HAS HAD MY CAR FOR A TOTAL OF 100 DAYS FOR THIS ISSUE. I HAVE NOT BEEN PROVIDED AN ESTIMATED RETURN DATE BY THE DEALER. THEY HAVE TRIED TO GIVE ME THE CAR BACK ON 4 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, STATING THAT THE WORK IS FINALLY PERFORMED PROPERLY, ONLY FOR ME TO FIND OUT THAT THE ENGINE IS STILL KNOCKING, AND UNSAFE FOR THE ROAD. SO FAR, THE DEALER CLAIMS THAT THE MECHANIC HAS REPLACED ALL THE VALVE SPRINGS, INSTALLED MANY VALVE SHIMS, REPLACED ONE EXHAUST VALVE, AND REPLACED THE SHORT BLOCK, ALONG WITH OTHER COMPONENTS. EACH TIME THEY HAVE DONE EACH OF THESE OPERATIONS, THEY HAVE REMOVED AND REINSTALLED THE ENGINE. EACH TIME THE ENGINE IS REMOVED AND REINSTALLED, IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR THE MECHANIC TO MAKE A MISTAKE AND DAMAGE SOMETHING ELSE. ON ALL 4 RETURN ATTEMPTS, THEY TRIED TO CONVINCE ME THE KNOCKING SOUNDS WERE NORMAL. I KNOW THIS IS NOT TRUE, AS I AM AN ENGINEER, A MECHANIC, AND I HAVE BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THE SOUNDS THE CAR MAKES DURING THE 75,000 MILES I HAD DRIVEN THE CAR. THEY ALSO REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE THAT MANY OTHER DEALERSHIPS ARE CAUSING. I FEEL I HAVE BEEN VERY PATIENT WITH THE DEALER, WHO HAS PROVEN TO BE DISHONEST AND INCOMPETENT, WHEN IT COMES TO THIS TYPE OF WORK. I HAVE TRIED TO GET SUPPORT FROM TOYOTA CORPORATE CUSTOMER SERVICE, WHO TELLS ME THIS IS AN ISSUE BETWEEN THE DEALER AND ME, NOT TOYOTA CORPORATE. THEY REFUSE TO ASSIST TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE WITH THE DEALER, NOR WILL THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE THAT MANY OTHER DEALERSHIPS ARE CAUSING. ANYONE LESS ASSERTIVE WITH THE DEALER THAN ME, WOULD SURELY BE DRIVING THIS UNSAFE VEHICLE ON THE ROAD.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SCION FR-S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V772000(ENGINE). MOMENTS AFTER RETRIEVING THE VEHICLE, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, A KNOCKING NOISE WAS HEARD, AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE LOCAL DEALER (STERLING MCCALL FORT BEND TOYOTA, 20465 SW FREEWAY, RICHMOND, TX) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED AND NEEDED TO THE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000. THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE THE FAILURE IMMEDIATELY AFTER LEAVING THE DEALER. THE FAILURE RESULTED IN THE ENGINE COMING TOTALLY APART UNDER THE HOOD. THE DEALER SENT A TECHNICIAN TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND ADVISED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A CONSEQUENCE OF THE HAVING THE RECALL COMPLETED. THE DEALER REFUSED TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FAILURE AND WOULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE COST OF REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SCION FR-S. WHILE DRIVING, A KNOCKING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND POWERED OFF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO REINHARDT TOYOTA (LOCATED AT 911 EASTERN BLVD, MONTGOMERY, AL 36117, (334) 272-7147) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT METAL SHAVINGS WERE INSIDE THE OIL PAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE REMAINED AT THE DEALER FOR SIXTEEN DAYS AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V772000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,000.

I HAVE EXPERIENCED MAJOR PROBLEMS FOLLOWING THE VALVE SPRING RECALL ON THE SCION FR-S. APPROXIMATELY 1 MONTH FOLLOWING THE RECALL WHICH WAS COMPLETED IN MARCH, MY VEHICLE BEGAN EXPERIENCING A VIBRATION, A LOUD RATTLING SOUND, AND AN ENGINE KNOCK. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT COMPLETED THE RECALL TO HAVE THEM INSPECT IT. THE DEALERSHIP TRIED TO GIVE ME THE RUN AROUND, RON HUBBARD TOYOTA IN GALLATIN TN, EVENTUALLY I FOUGHT WITH THEM AND GOT THEM TO INSPECT IT. AFTER OVER A MONTH OF CALLING AND FIGHTING WITH THEM AND GOING TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A CRACKED FLEX PLATE CAUSING THE PROBLEMS AND TRIED TO CHARGE ME 1500$. AFTER MUCH FIGHTING AND CONTACTING TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS AND THE DEALERSHIP, I WAS PERSISTENT ENOUGH THAT THEY COVERED IT. BY NOW I HAD BEEN WITHOUT A VEHICLE FOR A MONTH AND HALF. I FINALLY GOT THE CAR BACK ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO AND DROVE IT ONE TIME ALMOST 200 MILES TO RUN SOME ERRANDS. WELL THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCE THE SAME ENGINE RATTLE AND KNOCK BUT MUCH WORSE. I LIMPED THE VEHICLE BACK HOME. WHEN I STARTED IT UP FRIDAY TO TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP, IT WAS MUCH WORSE TO THE POINT THAT IT SOUNDED LIKE THE ENGINE WAS GOING TO FALL APART AND A VERY STRONG BURNING ODOR BEGAN TO EMIT FROM THE CAR. I WAS WORRIED FOLLOWING READING ABOUT OTHER PROBLEMS SO I IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND CONTACTS MY INSURANCE COMPANY WHO TOWED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP. THIS HAS BEEN THE WORST EXPERIENCE I'VE EVER DEALT WITH.

+1000 MILES POST ENGINE-SPRING RECALL. RETURNING HOME ON A 134 MILE TRIP. PRIMARILY HIGHWAY/EXPRESSWAY. VEHICLE IN MOTION: AFTER REFUELING, A QUIET, RHYTHMIC KNOCKING SOUND APPEARED DURING ACCELERATION. WITHIN 5 MILES, THE SOUND BECAME INCREASINGLY LOUDER. DEFINITELY A 'METAL-ON-METAL' TYPE OF NOISE. MINUTES LATER, OIL LIGHT BEGAN TO FLICKER, FOLLOWED BY CHECK-ENGINE LIGHT AND LOSS OF TRACTION INDICATOR. NO CHANGE IN TEMPERATURE OR FUEL QUANTITY. NO CHANGE IN PERFORMANCE, HANDLING OR DRIVING CONDITION. DECREASED SPEED (DOWNSHIFTING), TO PULL OF TO SIDE OF ROAD AND THE ENGINE STALLED. PARKED AND CHECKED UNDER HOOD; NO SMOKE, SMELL OR ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. WAS ABLE TO RESTART AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY AND PULL TO A SAFER LOCATION TO CALL TOYOTA ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. WAS PICKED UP ON A FLATBED AND DELIVERED TO TOYOTA OF NAPERVILLE WHERE THE RECALL WORK HAD BEEN PERFORMED MONTHS EARLIER. I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE IS METAL IN THE OIL/OIL-PAN, EXTREMELY MUDDY OIL AND THAT A SENIOR TECH WILL BE VISITING TO FURTHER ASSESS. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF ENGINE-REPLACEMENT. AWAITING FURTHER INFORMATION. NOTE: ALL RECOMMENDED, SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE HAVE BEEN PERFORMED DURING OWNERSHIP.

TOOK MY VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS AND HAD THE VALVE SPRING RECALL WORK DONE AT THE REQUEST OF THE SERVICE REP AT THE DEALERSHIP ( RICK HENDRICK TOYOTA OF FAYETTEVILLE ). CAME BACK THE NEXT DAY AND DROVE MY FRS HOME WITHOUT A PROBLEM. IN THE FOLLOWING DAYS I NOTICED IT WAS TAKING LONGER FOR THE CAR TO START, AND WAS THROWING THE CEL ON A PARTICULARLY HOT DAY AS WELL. I DISREGARDED IT AND CONTINUED DRIVING MY CAR LIGHTLY AROUND POST. A FEW DAYS LATER THE DIFFICULTY STARTING WAS STILL THERE AND EVENTUALLY THE CAR STARTED EMITTING A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE FROM THE MOTOR, I FEARED IT WAS A DREADED ROD KNOCK WHICH I KNEW COULD BE DISASTROUS FOR THE MOTOR INTERNALLY. SO I LIMPED IT HOME AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY ON MY DIME TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED. THIS ALL HAPPENED OVER THE COURSE OF 7-9 DAYS AFTER DRIVING HOME FROM THE RECALL WORK. THAT WAS OVER 5 WEEKS AGO AND I STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN A DECISIVE ANSWER AS TO WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR AND WHAT MIGHT BE THE SOLUTION TO SAID PROBLEM. THE WARRANTY COMPANY I USED WHEN I BOUGHT MY CAR BACK IN FEBRUARY ( VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER THE 3000 MI, 3 MONTH WARRANTY MIND YOU ) HAS BEEN JERKING BOTH ME AND THE DEALER BACK AND FORTH, AND HAS STATED THEY WILL ONLY PAY 2K FOR A NEW MOTOR, WHICH WILL SURELY BE MORE THAN THAT, WHICH MAKES ME STUCK WITH THE REST OF HOWEVER MUCH THAT REPAIR MAY COST. ITS UNFORTUNATE THAT ITS COME TO THIS, BUT OVER 70 OTHER PEOPLE HAVE RAN INTO SIMILAR PROBLEMS AFTER HAVING RECALL WORK DONE, WE DESERVE ANSWERS AS TO WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR CARS.

I NOTICED MY CLUTCH WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR SMOOTHLY ANYMORE AND I BABY MY CLUTCH ALL THE TIME. ONE DAY WHEN I WAS DRIVING HOME I SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING AND THEN MY CAR WOULD NOT GO EVEN THOUGH IT WAS IN GEAR. I MANAGED TO GET MY CAR TO DRIVE AGAIN AND IT WAS FINE. THE NEXT DAY I WENT TO LEAVE MY HOUSE AND I GOT AROUND THE CORNER AND MY CAR WOULD NOT COME OUT OF FIRST GEAR AND WOULD NOT GO OVER 5 MPH. I TOWED IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEANUAL TRANSMISSION BEARING SCREW BROKE AND MADE MY TRANSMISSION SEIZE UP WITH LESS THAN 50,000 MILES.FOR THEM TO DO THE WORK IT COSTED 1500. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR IN FOR THE CLUTCH NOT SHIFTING RIGHT BEFORE AND THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. I KNOW A COUPLE PEOPLE WITH THE SAME CAR AND THEY HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM SO I LOOKED INTO 2013 SCION FR-S MANUAL TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND I HAVE FOUND THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAS THIS PROBLEM WITH A LOT OF THE VEHICLE. MY CAR WAS IN MOTION WHEN IT FINALLY GAVE OUT ON ME I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE CITY STREET AND THEN MY CAR JUST STOPPED MOVING AND I HAD TO PUSH IT BACK TO MY HOUSE. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET WHEN IT HAPPENED I WAS PULLING UP TO A RED LIGHT SO O WAS SLOWING DOWN AND THEN I COULDN'T MOVE AGAIN. I ASKED IF THEY HAVE A RECALL ON IT AND THEY SAID NO SO I ASKED THE DEALERSHIP IF THERE IS A WAY FOR THEM TO REPLACE THE THEOWOUT BEARING SINCE IT WAS A SCREW THAT BROKE AND CAUSED IT TO SEIZE THE TRANSMISSION AND THEY SAID NOT EVEN THOUGH THEY KNEW THAT THE CAR HAS THE PROBLEM WITH IT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SCION FR-S. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND HAD IT TOWED TO KENDALL TOYOTA OF EUGENE (373 GOODPASTURE ISLAND RD, EUGENE, OR 97401, (541) 228-9004) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT METAL FRAGMENTS WERE INSIDE THE OIL PAN. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000.

SATURDAY, 2ND FEBRUARY, I DROP OFF THE CAR AT TOYOTA OF SANTA CRUZ FOR THE VALVE SPRING RECALL. THE CAR IS FINISHED ABOUT A WEEK LATER, I PICK IT UP AND DRIVE IT FOR ANOTHER WEEK WITH NO ISSUES. I MAINLY USE THE CAR TO COMMUTE TO MILPITAS. TODAY, 21ST FEBRUARY, ON MY WAY TO WORK ON HWY17, JUST PAST THE LAST SCOTTS VALLEY EXIT, THE CAR STARTS KNOCKING AND LOSING A BIT OF POWER. THERE WAS NO "CHECK ENGINE" OR WARNING LIGHTS AT ALL. I DOWNSHIFT FROM 6TH TO 5TH AND THE CAR DIES. I COAST OFF THE HIGHWAY, ONTO VINE HILL RD. AND CALL AAA, MY BOSS, AND THEN CALL TOYOTA OF SANTA CRUZ TO GIVE THEM A HEADS-UP THAT I'M BRINGING THE CAR IN. WHEN I ARRIVE WITH THE CAR ON A FLATBED, ABOUT FIVE OR SIX TECHS POP THEIR HEADS OUT FROM THE SERVICE GARAGE AND START LOOKING AT EACH OTHER. I LOOK AT THEM, THEY LOOK AT ME POINT TO MY CAR AND SHAKE MY HEAD. THEY DISAPPEAR. THE SHOP FOREMAN AND THE SERVICE MANAGER SAY THAT THEY WILL FIX THE CAR FOR FREE IF THEY CAN PROVE IT WAS THEIR FAULT, EVEN THOUGH THE CAR HAS APPROX. 1K MILES ON IT SINCE THE SERVICE. I TOLD THEM I HAVE HOURS OF MIND-NUMBING DASHCAM VIDEO OF MY COMMUTE TO PROVE I DIDN'T ABUSE THE CAR. 2/22/2019 UPDATE:TOYOTA CALLED TODAY AND STATED THEY BELIEVE THE PROBLEM IS INTERNAL, AND THE ENGINE IS COMING OUT AND WILL BE TAKEN APART TO FIND THE ISSUE. 2/25/2019 UPDATE: SERVICE CALLED AND SAID THEY PULLED THE OIL PAN AND FOUND THE #4 CYLINDER ROD BEARING SPUN. UPDATE: 03/04/2019 THEY LOOKED INTO IT AND FOUND THAT IT SHOULD MEET CERTAIN CRITERIA WITH WHAT THEY HAVE AT TOYOTA AND IN THEIR DATABASE AND SAY THAT THERE MUST HAVE BEEN SOMETHING GOING ON BEFORE THE CAR BROKE. FOR EXAMPLE: RUNNING A CUSTOM TUNE THEN RE-FLASHING THE STOCK TUNE BACK BEFORE MY HANDING THE CAR OVER TO THEM. UPDATE: I TOOK THE CAR TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP WHICH FOUND GASKET MATERIAL IN THE OIL PICKUP TUBE ~25% BLOCKED.

*REGARDING MY 2013 SCION FR-S VALVE SPRING RECALL. WHAT DO I DO WITH A CAR THAT, IF I DRIVE IT, THE ENGINE MAY SUFFER A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE; IF I TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR "REPAIR", THE ENGINE MAY SUFFER A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE? NORMALLY WHEN YOU PURCHASE A PRODUCT WITH A MAJOR DEFECT, YOU EXCHANGE IT FOR A NEW ONE. (THROWS UP HANDS) THIS IS IDIOCRACY.