Toyota's estimate of engine oil sludge complaints was 3,200 in 2002. Why then does a Toyota spokesperson, John Hanson, say in a recent article that there are only about the same number of complaints to date? What kind of deceit is that?
With over a thousand dealerships nationwide and several cases of sludge in a months time, how in the world did Toyota come up with that number? Even if not all owners are reporting the problem, are we to believe that Toyota is naive enough not to know better?
Toyota is making the details of its "Customer Support Program for Engine Oil Gelation" very hard to find even on its own web site. Toyota is contributing to the shut down of discussion of the matter on several web sites, including Edmund's Town Hall, which close the discussion right after it began!
Toyota is taking lots of money from new Toyota owners for extended warranties and denying the claims when sludge hits. Does it know this will happen? Isn't this fraud?!? Is any information given out to prospective buyers who are shopping for a "certified used" Toyota? Are they told about the CSP at a bare minimum? No, they are not. Are they duped into buying an extended warranty which will turn out to be bogus for sludge repairs? Sure, they are.
How long will Toyota go on denying this problem is related to engine design or component malfunction? How long will it keep that "proprietary data" hidden from the Toyota owners and the buying public? How long will this company secretly fight those who wish to speak out about the matter? How long will it keep up this charade?
Many Toyota owners would like to know the answers to these questions. Many cannot believe that a company can carry out its business in this manner and still be expected to be respected in the marketplace.
Toyota Owners Unite for Resolution