If you're the owner of certain Toyota products built with the 2.2L I4 or 3.0L V6 between 1997 and 2002, you may soon be receiving notification from the automaker concerning its recent settlement in a class-action lawsuit. Filed as the result of damage caused by sludged oil (which ultimately can destroy an engine by clogging lubrication passages), the suit claimed that affected customers suffered from failures despite following Toyota's maintenance recommendations. As a result, Toyota will be extending the warranty of up to 7.5 million vehicles to 8 years and 120 days from the original purchase date (without regard for mileage), and will pay for damage incurred as a result of oil sludge - also referred to as oil gel.In 2002, Toyota offered an extended warranty to some owners who were affected by the sludging problem, but many customers claim to have been accused of improper maintenance and were forced to pay for their own repairs.
Sludging is the result of several factors, some of which included longer drain intervals, tighter engine tolerances, and the typically higher operating temperatures of new engines. Several other manufacturers have also faced allegations of oil sludging problems and have responded in a variety of ways.
As a consumer, the best defensive measure is, of course, a regular oil change (following the "severe service" schedule if required) with a name-brand oil that meets the manufacturer's recommendations for viscosity and API service rating. Some manufacturers recommend different viscosities for operation in extremely hot or cold climates; as always, the owner's manual is an outstanding source of information on matters like these.
[Source: Consumer Affairs; a hat tip to AB readers Drew and Ryan]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Ugh @ Jan 17th 2007 9:14AM
Wait a sec...
Vehicles between 1997 and 2002 will have their warranties extended to 8 years and 120 days from the original purchase date?
So the people with 97's now extended warranties expired in 2005?
Avinash Machado @ Jan 17th 2007 9:16AM
And to think that many still claim that Toyota makes highly reliable cars. This shows that even the mighty Japanese automakers are not so great after all.
Enter Fanboys @ Jan 17th 2007 9:25AM
They're not perfect, but that doesn't mean that everyone else is.
Here comes all of the anti-Toyota FUD from people who need to talk trash to make themselves feel better.
Any Chrysler fans might want to think twice @ Jan 17th 2007 9:29AM
...before talking smack.
http://intrepidhorrorstories.blogspot.com/
http://www.lemonlawclaims.com/dodge_intrepid_engine_failure.htm
ramsport47 @ Jan 17th 2007 9:37AM
"4. ...before talking smack.
http://intrepidhorrorstories.blogspot.com/
http://www.lemonlawclaims.com/dodge_intrepid_engine_failure.htm
Posted at 9:29AM on Jan 17th 2007 by Any Chrysler fans might want to think twice "
But Chrysler fans don't claim that Chrysler is infallable or perfect like Toyota fans do. We actually realize they're not perfect but like them anyway because they're an honest car...no hidden issues like with the Toyotas
pete @ Jan 17th 2007 9:50AM
At least Toyota are now doing the right thing by their customers and that is the main thing here, and people who are putting Toyota down because of this one set back is very funny really when you think of what a good track record they have overall
TRDrulez @ Jan 17th 2007 9:55AM
Avinash Machado: Regardless of this settlement, Toyota is still the best manufacturing company in the world. While the US auto industry is taking a beating of its life, Toyota is opening plants left and right. Say what you will, but the reality is that they are kicking ass in sales and people like them.
Eric Bryant: Can we even find a non-name-brand motor oil off of a shelf on Pepboys or Autozone?
mkbruin @ Jan 17th 2007 9:57AM
Pete, doing right? It took a lawsuit for them to 'do the right thing' and a court order to follow through!!!!
aaron @ Jan 17th 2007 10:11AM
ahahah the ball swinging apologists come marching 2 by 2..
lmao..
Michael Karesh @ Jan 17th 2007 10:11AM
If they settled out of court, there was no court order.
There seem to be an increasing number of class actions floating about. How much did the lawyers earn on this one? Since it's big, they likely earned well over ten million.
So far I'm seeing low repair rates for the Toyotas I'm collecting data on. But I'm not covering any older than 2004 yet.
http://www.truedelta.com/results0906.php
Next set of results just a few weeks away.
mkbruin @ Jan 17th 2007 10:14AM
"If they settled out of court, there was no court order." If they settled through a court appointed mediator (which is most likely the case givin how hard toyota fought against this one) then there WOULD be a court order.
JapH8r @ Jan 17th 2007 10:19AM
This took over a week to migrate into the news on Autoblog ... and I bet it will never see the light of the public media. No one is infallible, but there is also the notion of making it public knowledge and admitting to mistakes instead of initially trying to throw the blame on the owners as Toyota did.
MikeW @ Jan 17th 2007 10:30AM
The oil was sheared pretty good by the timing gears [the intake camshaft vane phaser is driven by the back end of the exhaust camshaft, which is driven by the timing belt]
Also the non vertical mounting did not allow for equal oil draining on both banks.
Chrysler's problem with the 2.7 was the engine oil cooler wasn't standard, PCV issues, timing chain guide/tensioner issues, and small oil galleries, only 5 quart oil capacity, and a 500rpm idle in gear (minimal coolant pump output)
mkbruin @ Jan 17th 2007 10:37AM
And Chrysler fixed the 2.7 in 2002. Only 2 years of vehicles are affected.
DriftPunch @ Jan 17th 2007 10:38AM
Failing to change the oil and/or having oil with a bad additive package does "Seem" to contribute to sludge development but it is not a cause. If that was the only cause as some manufacturers state, one would expect sludge to be a problem in ALL vehicles, yet only certain engines from certain manufacturers are plagued with the problem. The reality is that engine design IS INDEED the culprit, and a Nazi-ish adherence to a maintenence schedule is a cover for the fact that these engines are quickly destroying the chemical makeup of the oil.
As fas as I know the two greatest causes are large fluxuations in temperature along the oil path, and lack of proper scavenging.
The following are points of failure, not causes of sludge:
- Low oil capacity or running with a low level
- Tight tolerances
Ryan @ Jan 17th 2007 10:40AM
JapH8r, i couldn't agree more. I was one of the guys that put in the request with autoblog to see this news covered. I am absolutely astounded at how quiet this has been kept. There are literally millions of vehicles affected, and not a word of it in the public media. Yet the coverage of Domestic mfg. distress is f#cking perpetual.
XJ @ Jan 17th 2007 10:44AM
How would this affect used Toyota owners? I know quite a few people who have used Toyotas that beling in this category.
aaron @ Jan 17th 2007 10:59AM
japh8r, no mistaking what side you're on but great point.
It is laughable that this took so long to filter over here..
mkbruin, on point as always.
Any way any of these apologists slice it, to drag your feet, go through court (we can whine about how much lawyers made, but Toyota took them there), put it on the customers and end up with the smoking gun in your hands is shameful and poor business practice regardless of WHO it is.
John Johnson @ Jan 17th 2007 11:02AM
GM still makes the best engines. Inexpensive, simple, reliable, compact, lightweight, and can make considerable power depending on specs (LS7 anyone?). Maybe GM cars don't have fancy interiors like all you fairies want, maybe the panel gaps aren't razor thin, and they might not handle like a go cart, but when it comes to the drivetrain, it's tough to beat a GM vehicle.
I had a friend in college who had a hand-me-down Cavalier with 100k+ on it. He had 10k miles since his last oil change and was running 1 gallon of tap water for coolant during a Chicago winter, and the damn car just kept on going. He put on almost 200 miles every week commuting to classes for an entire year like that before I changed the oil and coolant for him.
I mean, why bother with DOHC, timing belts, twice as many valves, VVT/I when you can make just as much power and torque using one camshaft, pushrods, and 2 valves per cylinder in a proven architecture? Oh, that's right, marketing types taking advantage of idiot buyers who believe all the hype they hear, and the buyers who think they NEED the latest and greatest.
porker @ Jan 17th 2007 11:27AM
My '91 toyota pickup with the 22R slung a rod at 62K miles. Many believe it was the same problem. Nobody helped me, least of all toyota I lost 4K on my one and only purchase of a toyota. (Once you go japanese, you'll never go back!) Right. I'll only buy GM for the rest of my life!