Complaint 1219964

Complaint Summary

AIR BAGS

Owner Narrative

ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2015 AFTER STARTING THE CAR AT A STORE - THE AIRBAG LIGHT (SRS LIGHT) CAME ON AND STAYED ON . THE OWNERS MANUAL SAID TO CONTACT TOYOTA IMMEDIATELY OR TAKE THE CAR IN TO A DEALER. I CALLED STEVINSON TOYOTA/SCION IN AURORA, CO WHERE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED 10 YEARS AGO. THE FIRST AVAILABLE SERVICE APPOINTMENT WAS IN TWO DAYS ON 9/11/15. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE SAID THAT THE ONLY PROBLEM MIGHT BE IF I GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT AND THE AIR BAG MIGHT NOT DEPLOY BUT THIS DID NOT ALLEVIATE MY CONCERNS SO I DID NOT DRIVE UNLESS NECESSARY. AT THE DEALER THEY TOLD ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY $185 TO HAVE THE CAR CHECKED OUT EVEN THOUGH I INSISTED THAT THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE UNDER WARRANTY, BUT TO NO AVAIL. AFTER CHECKING THE CAR OUT TOYOTA REPLACED A SPIRAL CABLE AND CHARGED ME $585 TOTAL. I AGAIN INSISTED TO THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE AND COVERED BY TOYOTA, BUT AGAIN WAS DENIED. WHEN I SEARCHED THE INTERNET FOR THIS ISSUE I FOUND THAT THIS WAS A COMMON AND RECURRING PROBLEM FOR SCIONS (ESPECIALLY THE SPIRAL CABLE). LATER I CONTACTED TOYOTA DIRECTLY TO PLEAD THE CASE FOR MAKING THIS A SAFETY/WARRANTY ITEM I WAS TOLD BASICALLY - TOUGH LUCK - THE CAR HAD MORE THAN 50, 000 MILES AND OLDER THAN 5 YEARS. I BELIEVE TOYOTA IS WRONG ON THIS AND BECAUSE OF THE HUGE PROBLEMS WITH AIR BAGS ON THEIR CARS THEY SHOULD CONSIDER THIS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY. AS A SIDE NOTE - WHILE DRIVING WITH THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON - MY WIFE WANTED TO CARRY A BIG KNIFE IN THE FRONT SEAT SO THAT WE COULD GET OUT IF IT MALFUNCTIONED!

Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.