TOYOTA MUFFLER FREE REPLACEMENT LEGAL OBLIGATION?

It depends on the waranty. Some cover parts and labor, most just cover parts. My bet is on yours being the parts only type.

Read your contract. Lifetime muffler and brake deals typically don't cover peripheral parts.

In the U.S. if you purchase a genuine Toyota muffler from a dealer, then the lifetime warranty is by Toyota and would be honored at any Toyota delaer in the U.S. It applies to parts, labor, and related parts. It does not apply to parts that were not replaced when the original work was done.

I'm not an attorney familiar with the Canadian laws. You should read the warranty information that should be printed on the back of the receipt for the original muffler work.

Again, I'm not familiar with Canadian laws of the terms of the warranty when you purchased the muffler. In the U.S., a dealer is not supposed to just hand you a muffler over the counter in the case of a lifetime warranty because then the replacement muffler would not have the lifetime warranty. It is a little confusing, but the lifetime warranty applies to parts and laber only if the original and subsequent repairs are performed by a Toyota dealer.

If you are unclear about the terms of the warranty on your replacement muffler or if the dealer's policies are contrary to the terms on the warranty then you should contact Toyota Canada's customer relations department. The # will be in your original warranty book that came with the vehicle.

You should first read the terms of the warranty you were given, then decide if the dealer is abiding by those terms. I suppose Toyota dealerships are at or near the bottom of every dealer satisfaction survey, in general I've ever read, for a reason.

mike hunt

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote:

Here in Canada all Toyota dealers say their mufflers carry a lifetime warranty when installed by them. What I want is a replacement muffler for the muffler the Toyota dealership has guaranteed for life. I don't want any of their peripheral parts, nor do I want them to install anything.

I want this part replaced over the counter if they want to charge labour again, do you know if I am legally entitled to this? Even if their labour charge is only $36 on the surface, Toyota charges $57 for a clamp worth no more than $5. In the end customers end up paying more than a new one at Speedy would cost. Been there, done that.

If the dealer installed a genuine Toyota muffler, there are no clamps so don't worry about them selling you a clamp.

Here's the deal - The Toyota muffler lifetime warranty covers parts and labor and any parts that were replaced when the muffler was replaced. The Toyota lifetime warranty does not cover parts that are not installed by the dealer. So, if the dealer installs the replacement muffler on this go-around, then the lifetime warranty is still in effect AND, you don't have to pay him to install the muffler. If the dealer hands you a muffler over the counter, then you will have cancelled the lifetime warranty and you will either have to install it yourself or pay someone else.

I know you mentioned that the dealer tried to sell you an exhaust clamp but genuine Toyota exhausts do not use clamps. If the exhaust on your vehicle does in fact have clamps, you do not have a genuine Toyota exhaust. There are other aftermarket brands that offer "lifetime" warranties but there are loopholes.

If you are that distrustful of your Toyota dealer, then go to another one. The warranty on genuine Toyota mufflers is good nationwide.

hand you a muffler over the counter in the case of a lifetime warranty because then the replacement muffler would not have the lifetime warranty

I do not want the lifetime warranty a second time. I want this warranty honored just this once, over the counter.

department. The # will be in your original warranty book that came with the vehicle.

Will give this a try however I have already been the recipient of a winning class action against them brought on by the A.P.A. of Canada. Not too much hope of getting a straight answer there.

What do you want the dealer to do, just put a muffler in the trunk or install it in the exhaust system? LOL

mike hunt

lookhot wrote:

No, you are not legally entitled to take the part over the counter if you are having a genuine Toyota muffler replaced under Toyota's lifetime warranty program. Read the warranty.

Even if

As I mentioned before, genuine Toyota exhausts do not use clamps, so if your exhaust has clamps, you do not have a genuine Toyota exhaust.

then decide if the dealer is abiding by those terms

I was hoping someone who is familiar with the terms Toyota dealerships operate under would pitch in and offer a winning strategy?

I worked for Toyota in the U.S. for almost 15 years, and Toyota Canada's operation is very similar to the U.S. In fact, I trained several TCI employees. I believe that I am familiar with the terms Toyota dealerships operate under.

By the way, if you call TCI, the person answering the phone in the customer relations department is not going to know or remember that you filed a class-action suit unless you were very vocal and made sure you had lots of media coverage or the suit was very recent or the person answering the phone was involved in the suit, which is not very likely.

I'm sure you realize that when you sue someone or threaten to sue someone, regardless of the outcome, you have pretty much guaranteed that the party you have filed suit against will honor the agreed upon terms, nothing more, nothing less. You're asking for more, that's not going to happen.

Here is the winning strategy:

READ THE WARRANTY!

Even before becoming a half-fast 'Toyota employee', my last two exhaust systems have been free. Totally free. Best $179 I ever spent...

Oh, and btw, I AM hot. No, I don't mean I'm hot, I mena I'm HOT! It was supposed to be 78 degrees here today, it would up touching 90. With about

When I replaced the exhaust in my '83 Tercel 4WD, I bought the part using a discount from CarQuest, where I was working at the time. A whopping $90 for a stainless-steel exhaust. When I asked about the Lifetime Warranty (half joking, of course) the parts guy told me that ONLY applies for exhaust system purchased and installed through the dealer. I told him, with a 21 YO car, I'll take my chances! I just wanted to stop the exhaust leaks, and cob-job parts from CarQuest were going to cost $170!!!!!

Not going to happen, I CAN tell you that. The only way to resolve this is to have the dealer do the work. As I said, I have replaced two systems under warranty already. I guess Toyota doesn't think there are k00ks like me that run their cars forever!

Yeah. All Toyota exhausts I have seen are usually one piece from the catalytic converter back, and do not require clamps, etc. I don't know about hangers, but we're talking a $5 piece of rubber here.

If the OP had the exhaust repolaced by Toyota, then bring it back and have them fix it. If not, you will have to BUY one over the counter to do it yourself, or you do not have a genuine Toyota exhaust.

There is no other recourse! The Warranty ONLY applies if you bought the exhaust from a Toyota dealer and had it INSTALLED by a Toyota dealer. Period. It is very clear in the terms of the warranty.

Good luck buddy...

What I want is to get the lifetime warranty honored without paying them. If the only way is to invalidate the warranty but at least get the new muffler put in my trunk, sounds good to me. If I pay $40 labour plus taxes and they decide I need the support bracket at $50 plus taxes (cost less than $5 elsewhere) ........I'm out over $100 and that's assuming they don't find anything else they want to change.