Freakin' Dealer! Huntington Beach Toyota

[teotwaki]

Lots of great replies and all are very much appreciated. I may answer a few directly but wanted to post some thoughts now rather than later.

Toyota of HB is part of the David Wilson Automotive group, 17 dealerships in all so it is likely that you'll get similar experiences across all of their locations with unwanted alarm installations

https://www.wilsonautomotive.com/

Just for the Toyota brand there are 7 US dealerships:

Orange, Riverside, Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa (South Coast Toyota), Gardena (South Bay Toyota), Scottsdale (Right Toyota), Las Vegas

Yesterday I talked to one of the Service Advisors that I trust and have known a long time. He said that the alarm was installed at Right Toyota (Scottsdale) when it hit their lot so it was before the 4Runner was trucked out here. Even though the local dealer did not install it the blame still falls squarely on the ownership of all of the Toyota dealers: David Wilson Automotive

Earlier mentions were made of the alarms being added due to insurance issues but there is another reason to add to that. The new vehicles on the dealer lot have the keys in a lock box hanging on the window so maybe someone slides the vehicle onto a flatbed and later on breaks open the lock box. The dealer's flawed thinking is that the alarm will stop them. However, a knowledgeable thief will pull open the kick panel and quickly disable the alarm by simply cutting the power wire to the relay or cut the ground wire screwed to the frame. Pretty simple defeat of the alarm. But the dealer can claim that it was alarmed so as to get off the hook with the insurance company.

Simply taking the vehicle back and "demanding" they give me a new one? That is a Hollywood fantasy where the good guy always wins. Going to superior court? A lawsuit will take more time and money than simply paying for repairs. Small claims court? Read some of this info - The Small Claims Court, A Guide to Its Practical Use - California Department of Consumer Affairs Basically you have to convince a judge that there is quantifiable damage in the present and not at some future date.

At this point I believe that by creating this thread and posting pictures I have established a time and date that the dealership inflicted possible damage on the wiring. If there were any future warranty problems related to the wiring I can point to this information as part of my claim. Of course the dealer wil claim that their wiring and crimping are impeccable and do not hurt the integrity of the vehicle (blah-blah-blah)

I am pretty good at mechanical and electrical work. At one point a long time ago I was NASA flight hardware qualified and have a lot of experience with wiring. I feel I can readily clean up the dealer's lousy mess so that I don't have to worry.

I can probably do a few more things such as file with the Bureau Of Automotive Repair https://www.dca.ca.gov/webapps/bar/complaints.php

Any other orgs to file complaints with?

BBB? https://www.bbb.org/consumer-complaints/file-a-complaint/get-started

 

[teotwaki]

Late to the party Jim....congratulations....but there ain't fo nukin way I would drive that truck another foot....they should take it back , replace the wiring harness (whatever they cut into) or give you another truck...F that....and if they won't ..I'd get Toyota involved immediately!!

I did call Toyota and file a claim. They are non-committal and don't take sides but at least it will get HB Toyota's attention. I can see that HB could replace the front bumper area but now we get into paint matching issues or them attempting to repair the holes. Replacing the wire harness would probably be a nightmare and inflict damage. They'll never take a big loss and give me a new vehicle so this complaint is mostly to document the problems in case of future warranty issues.

 

[rzgkane]

... HB could replace the front bumper area but now we get into paint matching issues or them attempting to repair the holes...

I must have missed something. How did the alarm install impact the front bumper?

 

[teotwaki]

I must have missed something. How did the alarm install impact the front bumper?

There are two problems that the dealership inflicted on the truck, one was the crappy alarm install and one was drilling holes in the front bumper for a stupid chrome plastic "Toyota of HB" license plate frame.

 

[rzgkane]

There are two problems that the dealership inflicted on the truck, one was the crappy alarm install and one was drilling holes in the front bumper for a stupid chrome plastic "Toyota of HB" license plate frame.

Ahh yes. The front license plate holes. Yuck. My new Camry has the same damage from another local dealer.

 

[Bumbo]

Replacing the wire harness would probably be a nightmare and inflict damage.

I agree

I was going to mention replacement of the wiring harness, but you would probably be even worse off than you were now.

Broken clips, new rattles, wonky panels... probably a lot of additional damage.

 

[teotwaki]

I submitted to Toyota USA a web form complaint and attached all of my pictures as evidence of the wiring hack job. I followed up with a phone call to their Toll Free number to file a verbal complaint. Coincidentally the dealer sent me a Customer Satisfaction Survey which I carefully filled out, including all of the optional response pages.

Late yesterday I received an email from the sales guy who I felt was pretty good overall. He was unhappy that he was immediately targeted by his management and asked if I could tell him more. I sent him all of the photos and asked him if he would be willing to buy a "new" car that had been hacked up similar to mine.

This morning the dealer's Customer Care lady asked me to bring the 4Runner in for them to take a look and I agreed. She had just gotten the pictures and even she sounded a little dismayed by the carnage.

Where it got interesting was when she peddled the "Dealer is required by law to install the front license plate bracket"

I simply said: Please show to me the California Vehicle Code that states you must do this.

That sort of set her back because they are all parroting a myth as their excuse to use my front bumper to advertise their dealership.

I Googled a bit and believe I found the source of their confusion: California Assembly Bill AB516, set to take effect in 2019.

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201520160AB516

The bill would, commencing January 1, 2019, require temporary license plates to be securely fastened to the vehicle for which they are issued, as specified, and would require a person upon receipt of permanent license plates to replace and destroy the temporary license plates.

This bill would require the DMV to develop an operational system, no later than January 1, 2019, that allows a dealer or lessor-retailer to electronically report the sale of a vehicle and provide a temporary license plate, as specified.

Existing law only requires vehicle dealers and lessor-retailers to attach a numbered report-of-sale form issued by the DMV to a vehicle at the time of sale, and to submit to the DMV an application for registration of the vehicle, and the applicable fees, within a specified period after the date of sale.

 

[Plumbrunner]

LOLOL!

It's the hype nowadays. Driving 2 hours to go to the dealer for an oil change and a wash. And posting it on Instagram so everybody knows.

Ive always said you left coast dudes were a little goofy... lol

Seriously who would do that?

 

[Veet Skeet]

Ive always said you left coast dudes were a little goofy... lol

Seriously who would do that?

Go on instagram and just see it for yourself. The 4Runner is the new and hot trending item to flash on instagram. Everyone and their mother has one. Just like how overlanding is all of a sudden the new thing.

People would post stories about how they drive from far out just to go to Toyota HB and get service done/parts installed/car washed.

 

[Bumbo]

Go on instagram and just see it for yourself. The 4Runner is the new and hot trending item to flash on instagram. Everyone and their mother has one. Just like how overlanding is all of a sudden the new thing.

People would post stories about how they drive from far out just to go to Toyota HB and get service done/parts installed/car washed.

haha, I didn't know that was actually a thing.

The only thing I have realized, painfully, is the 5th Gen has now become the minivan to the millennial generation. Everyone I know who owns one has a child seat in it, and every time I ask, they basically said it was either that or a minivan, and they didn't want a minivan. They also complain about gas mileage and that its slow... I mentioned body on frame, but they thought I was talking about an anorexic girlfriend.

Overlanding = Costco, I go to Costco over land, and I also have an ARB fridge freezer. I can hit 3 stores and a Starbucks without worrying about food going bad.

I am going to have to start an "IG" account because obviously I don't know how to social media.

 

[catrains]

I would not worry about the bumper holes. I had a bumper that the dealer put holes in it. the body shop did a perfect job fixing it..not toyota ..

my concern is the wiring..... so now its documented pictures etc.. so you do have a case the wiring is damaged they dealership did the damage as it is a new vehicle ..

Now you get estimate for the repairs of the damage . then you tell toyota/dealership your gonna take them to court and get compensated for the wiring repairs.

future damage what does that effect the outcome , they damaged the wiring it is all a fact.. now the cost to repair this damage must be awarded to you.

this is all current damage ...not cosmetic ..
electrical auto repair shop will most likely write up this .. then the pictures ..

 

[DougR]

There are two problems that the dealership inflicted on the truck, one was the crappy alarm install and one was drilling holes in the front bumper for a stupid chrome plastic "Toyota of HB" license plate frame.

Your complaints are valid and I hope your action results in changes at these dealerships.

I must say, you have done great research, kept a level head about all of this nonsense and have a great plan of action if anything goes south in the future. I salute you, I wish you the best and trouble-free miles for as long as you own the vehicle.

 

[yardsale]

The problem I see here, unless the dealer installed the front license plate and the Karr alarm after the test drive while the OP was inside doing paperwork, the OP has no leg to stand on. He should have inspected the vehicle before he bought it.

 

[Bumbo]

The problem I see here, unless the dealer installed the front license plate and the Karr alarm after the test drive while the OP was inside doing paperwork, the OP has no leg to stand on. He should have inspected the vehicle before he bought it.

While I agree with you, most people don't expect their brand new cars to be modified in any way.

On top of that, with all the action and excitement of the day, who really puts their head under the dash for an inspection like that. There is generally a lot going on, its difficult to fault the OP.

That said, in CA, I expect holes in my bumper for a license plate. Considering it’s the law, I can understand why dealers put them in.

 

[Veet Skeet]

haha, I didn't know that was actually a thing.

The only thing I have realized, painfully, is the 5th Gen has now become the minivan to the millennial generation. Everyone I know who owns one has a child seat in it, and every time I ask, they basically said it was either that or a minivan, and they didn't want a minivan. They also complain about gas mileage and that its slow... I mentioned body on frame, but they thought I was talking about an anorexic girlfriend.

Overlanding = Costco, I go to Costco over land, and I also have an ARB fridge freezer. I can hit 3 stores and a Starbucks without worrying about food going bad.

I am going to have to start an "IG" account because obviously I don't know how to social media.

Everyone has a 5th gen around me too. And everyone now has a DSLR camera in their passenger seat ready to take numerous pics of their adventures, shooting in automatic mode not knowing how to shoot manually or edit except for throwing an HDR filter on it on their iphone. And of course tagging all the different sponsors on each photo they post.

 

[Senorlechero]

Where it got interesting was when she peddled the "Dealer is required by law to install the front license plate bracket"

While you are TECHNICALLY correct, and the dealership is not REQUIRED to instal plate brackets, you have to have both front and rear plates in CA, so it makes sense that dealers here install both.

Now, how they managed to mangle your bumper I cannot fathom.

Did you bring the wiring situation up to the dealership before removing it?

 

[Jasalvas]

My wife just purchased a Camry, same story there... had them remove the device. Cant stand dealerships that operate like that...


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[DannyLlama]

Can confirm this, and unfollowed everyone that would nonstop advertise that place.

[MENTION=173544]ryslegit[/MENTION] same here man, between the HB shrine and the patch hording, IG 4runner posts have really went south

 

[Omegat4r]

What damage or harm can this Karr alarm system really do? I mean it's already installed so if they disable it or uninstall it, I'm still not getting a 4runner like it was from the factory. At this point wouldn't it just be better to leave it in there and if any problems arise in the future the dealership would be on the hook for repairs if Toyota doesn't warranty it since the dealer installed it?

 

[mynameistory]

I had one of these under the dash of my CPO Tacoma and always wondered what it was, I figured it had to be some sort of aftermarket install.

Now I see why they were so pushy on the KARR system. They'd basically get money for doing nothing at all to activate it.

Never had a problem with starting the truck or anything, but I am retroactively peeved now too.