After complaining several time to the service people at Mesa Riverview Toyota that my 03 Sequoia’s AC would run hot if the temp was above 90 degrees and them just recharging the Freon several times with no difference.
I found a Toyota Service Bulletin on line printed it out and presented it to the service department. They were quick to point out that at the bottom of the TSB that it was for 36K or 36 months which ever came first and was not to be addressed unless the customer complained of the issue in that time frame.
I said to the service writer…We can do this a piece at a time or all at once. I showed them my extended warranty… the card was taken from my hand and the service writer said “We can do something with that” and began to write up the Sequoia for service…. He informed me that a rental car would be out of my pocket and I was responsible for it if the repairs were not covered by the extended warranty. I asked why would I be responsible for a rental car when the Sequoia was coming back again for the same issues.
I was told to call the extended warrant company and tell them to get the car covered and any other charges on my credit card for other car charges pertaining to this issue.
I called them and told the who I was and that I needed my car retail charges reimbursed.
They then said to me “Oh, you’re the guy with the exploded AC Compressor. I was completely caught by surprise by that and when the car was ready to be picked up I told the service writer what I was told by the extended warranty company and his response was “That’s the only way we could have gotten it covered is if we told them that…. I explained to the service writer…”No…. They would have covered it, it’s an all inclusive extended warranty on the AC it’s why I got it. I have no history with this car and it Arizona…. It was the selling point of the car when I purchased it”.
This was mid June. The sequoia has been back four times since then with an average stay of four days to have AC compressor supposedly replaced twice, the high pressure replaced twice, the front expansion vale replace two days after I paid to have it replaced, the rear expiation valve replace twice an the front condenser just replaced two weeks ago.
When I received the Sequoia the Friday of the fourth of July weekend I was told by the writer. “We don’t k now what’s going on with your car. Would like to have it seen by the engineer that will be here in July. I told him “Yes”. I was then told that the engineer would not be at the Toyota dealership until July 25th (come to find out on July 25th that the “engineer” was just a Toyota rep not an engineer and I was never allowed to see nor speak with him).
The next time it came in July 6th was because the AC had not improved. The rear expiation valve was showed to the service writer the next time in (three days later) that it still had the road dust on it and the original factory insulation wrap and had not been replaced. But, after showing it to them it happened showed up as being bad again and was replaced.
At this time the service manager stepped in and told me “Were going to get you taken care of…were going to get this issue resolved” I was told that there was no reason to involved the engineer that it could be taken care of before he at the dealership and that it could be taken care of with out him I am restoring a 82 Porsche 944 that blow 45 degree sitting still and the 03 has never blown below 65 degrees. I bring this up because out of total frustration I went to the mechanic that assist me in this project and explained to him the issue. I was told by him to take water hose on low and go back and forth across the top of the condenser let it run down I front of it and see what happens.
I did this in mid day about 105 out. I took inside reading of vent temps of 78 degrees. Started the hose running and in ten minutes standing still the AC back up fan quit running, all of the Freon bubbles on the observation tank went away and the inside vent temp was 47 degrees’ standing still.
I went back the next day to Mesa Riverview and explained to them that in this “exploded” AC compressor that the condenser never was replaced and when the condenser was cooled the AC was great… I was told “well yea of course”…Then asked what do I want done. I said finish the job and replace the condenser.
At this time I asked why can’t we get a handle on this and get it done? I reexplained that all the information I have been giving you about the AC has to be pointing to something your not getting. That it cools great when the out side temp is below 90 degrees and the inside of the sequoia always feels wet. I was told separately from both the service writer and the service manager… “We have no idea what going on were shooting in the dark right now hoping we hit it”
Being completely unsettled by the whole experience I wait until August 3 until Mr. Burges returned from his convention with Toyota and his brothers wedding and went to see the general manager of Mesa Riverview Brent Burges. I had waived this issue in front of several people, friend’s, attorneys I know and they all said go see the GM and try and get it worked out with him before you go further.
At about 12:15 PM I drove onto the property and was met by a sales person asking if I could be assisted and I told him I was there to see Brent Burges. He said he would try and find him and let him know I was there. I wait a few minutes in the sales area and Mr. Burges was brought to me. I extend my hand and shook his. I said to him “We need to find a place to have a conversation” he said to me “You need to change your attitude”.. I replied with “What”? He came back with. “You don’t come in here and tell me what were going to do” I said to him “I’m giving you an opportunity to clear up some issues before I take them to the Attorney General’s Office.” He came back with “ “You can do what ever you want”. I replied with “fine”… turned and proceeded to walk out of the show room. At that time he yelled across the show room “Don’t ever step foot on my property again! ”
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