ComplaintsforPrinciple Toyota In Memphis

• Initial Complaint

  01/20/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I have repeatedly asked by email and left voicemail message to the finance manager and general manager for a copy of the extended warranty that I purchased for $2,495 on December 11, 2023.

  Customer response

  01/20/2024

  The Sales Agreement that includes the warranty paid but have not received any documents on the warranty coverage.

  Customer response

  01/21/2024

  One of many emails requesting the extended warranty paperwork that I initialed on the date of purchase.

  Business response

  01/27/2024

  We appreciate the opportunity to address the concerns raised by ********************************************************************* in her recent BBB complaint. Our commitment to resolving customer issues in a timely and satisfactory manner is of utmost importance to us.
  
  After reviewing the email exchanges shared by ******************************************************, it is evident that there has been consistent communication between her and our finance manager, ***************************. Recognizing the sensitivity of personal information, we refrained from using our work email or traditional mail for document transmission. Instead, we opted for a secure method by sending the requested documents through encrypted email from our ******************* System (DMS), ensuring an added layer of protection through a password requirement.
  
  Our Sales Associate has also offered ****************************************************** the option to visit our dealership, where we would be more than willing to print and provide her with the physical copies of the requested documents. Unfortunately, we were not aware that this option remained a concern until we received notification from the BBB regarding the complaint.
  
  As the General Manager, I want to clarify that I have not received any messages, whether via phone or email, from ******************************************************. However, we sincerely apologize for any frustration she may have experienced during this process. Customer satisfaction is our top priority, and we regret any inconvenience caused.
  
  To expedite the resolution of this matter, we kindly invite ****************************************************** to visit our dealership at her earliest convenience, where we will be more than happy to provide her with the physical copies of the documents she is seeking. Our aim is to address and resolve this issue promptly, ensuring her satisfaction.
  
  I have also uploaded the emails as well to show that our finance manager did email the documents through our encrypted DMS called Tekion.
  
  We appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to any guidance or assistance you can provide in facilitating a resolution. Thank you for your understanding.
  
  

  Customer response

  01/27/2024

   
  Complaint: 21173336
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I have even asked the General Manager to mail me the document.  At this point I would like to have the refund.
  I have proof that I sent an email to the General Manager requesting the document by mail.  To resolve this matter I request a refund.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************************************************

  Business response

  01/31/2024

  I humbly apologize for any inconvenience ***************************************************************** my have experienced. But, I have searched my emails and all my voicemails and cannot find any correspondence with *****************************************************************. Personally, I make it a point to respond to all correspondence I receive. I can say very sincerely that I have never personally had any conversation or correspondence with ******************************************************************  Nevertheless, all this could simply be handled if ***************************************************************** would simply stop by the dealership and we would be more than happy to give her the physical copies of the documents she is requesting.  But, if ***************************************************************** would like to cancel the product and get a refund we are more than happy to accommodate her request.  She will simply need to email *********************** at ********************************************* requesting the cancellation of her extended service agreement.  ***************************************************************** will need to keep in mind, that since the vehicle and the extended service agreement was financed, the refunded amount of the vehicle service agreement will go to the lender and will be applied to the remaining balance on the account.  I sincerely hope this resolves this issue.  Once again, we sincerely apologize for any frustration this may have caused ******************************************************************

  Sincerely,

  ***********************
  General Manager
  Principle Toyota in Memphis
  

  Customer response

  02/01/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and I accept their proposed resolution.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************************************************

  4055 *************

  Memphis, ** 38115

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  11/22/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I took my car to Toyota in July they told me I would have it back in one day. They kept it 3 days which prompted me to then speak with the manager about the communication and service. I was without a car over the weekend. The air was knocking in the heat and there is a sound that comes from my driver side when you make abrupt stops. I have a platinum warranty. The manager told me he would be my contact person. He would order the parts and call for me to bring it in and get the Rental. I got a call at the end of July to bring it in. I took it in the first week of August because I was told the parts were in to fix it and it would be 2 days. I got the rental added the extra insurance for $16 a day thinking it would be two days. A month later I still didn't have my car I called every other day no one would return my call or messages. It was not until Aug 6th when I filed a Toyota complaint I ws told they had it ready. I picked up my car a month later but I asked the manager to make sure this car was fixed because its my only means of transportation he assured me it was. Not the case the clicker doesn't wk, the light on the inside and outside will not go off. Some functions now don't wk and I realized this an hour after I picked it up I took it back and was told if I do another claim Toyota will drop my warranty. I don't feel a safe driving the car or leaving it under my garage. The car seemingly has more issues then it did when I dropped it off but no one will allow you to speak with anyone at Toyota the manager at the dealership has not called back after several complaints. I've lost time and money because I am in sales being without a vehicle. I am afraid they made all of my original problems worse because it still makes the noise when you make sudden stops. I believe they threw it all together in an attempt to mislead me it was fixed only after I filed my first complaint. This is my 3rd Toyota I've purchased. And I feel I was mislead because I am a women on the repairs.

  Business response

  12/06/2022

  I called and spoke to this customer about the repairs that were made to her 2018 Toyota Camry. I apologized to her for the amount of time that her vehicle was in the shop and the delays in getting the vehicle repaired which were mainly due to a backordered wiring harness. All of these repairs were covered under her vehicle service agreement that she had purchased so it was no out of pocket cost to her for the repairs that were completed.
  
  I asked her if she was still having concerns with the vehicle repairs or if any new problems had arisen since the last time the vehicle was in the shop. She then stated to me that she no longer owns the vehicle and that she had traded the vehicle in at another facility. She states that the vehicle lost value due to there still possibly being problems with the vehicle so she is requesting the loss of equity.

  
  Principle Toyota was never given the opportunity to either look at the vehicle to see if we could correct any issues that she was having nor did we have the opportunity to possibly purchase the vehicle from her at a fair market value.
  I feel that if we had been given this opportunity we would have been able to make this customer happy and resolved any customer concerns

  Customer response

  02/08/2023

   
  I took my car to Toyota in July they told me I would have it back in one day. They kept it 3 days which prompted me to then speak with the manager about the communication and service. I was without a car over the weekend. The air was knocking in the heat and there is a sound that comes from my driver side when you make abrupt stops. I have a platinum warranty. The manager told me he would be my contact person. He would order the parts and call for me to bring it in and get the Rental. I got a call at the end of July to bring it in. I took it in the first week of August because I was told the parts were in to fix it and it would be 2 days. I got the rental added the extra insurance for $16 a day thinking it would be two days. A month later I still didn't have my car I called every other day no one would return my call or messages. It was not until Aug 6th when I filed a Toyota complaint I ws told they had it ready. I picked up my car a month later but I asked the manager to make sure this car was fixed because its my only means of transportation he assured me it was. Not the case the clicker doesn't wk, the light on the inside and outside will not go off. Some functions now don't wk and I realized this an hour after I picked it up I took it back and was told if I do another claim Toyota will drop my warranty. I don't feel a safe driving the car or leaving it under my garage. The car seemingly has more issues then it did when I dropped it off but no one will allow you to speak with anyone at Toyota the manager at the dealership has not called back after several complaints. I've lost time and money because I am in sales being without a vehicle. I am afraid they made all of my original problems worse because it still makes the noise when you make sudden stops. I believe they threw it all together in an attempt to mislead me it was fixed only after I filed my first complaint. This is my 3rd Toyota I've purchase and I want this all made right and checked off completely.

• Initial Complaint

  08/12/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I took my Toyota RAV4 for an engine check as the light had come on. Toyota said that the fix would take a couple of days and I would likely get the car after the weekend. After a week and a half I called to see what the hold up was and they said oh we are just getting to it. Another week goes by and they say that some damage happened to my car in the process of fixing the original problem. A scratch they said. They did not show me any pictures or offer a rental car. They proceeded to take another month to return my car. When they did return it it was evident some kind of damage had been done. And they did not fix it properly. So I had to return the car back to Toyota for them to fix it. All in all, a routine engine fix took much longer than it needed and a replacement vehicle was not offered even though it was their fault. I was never even shown what damage occurred to my car.

  Business response

  09/06/2022

  The vehicle came in on 07/07/2022 with a warning light on dash which we found that the water valve had failed which needed to be replaced. We placed the order for the water valve on 07/08/2022. The part arrived on 07/13/2022 and was repaired the same day but during the process of the repair the technician had to use the laptop scan tool to clear the codes out of the vehicle which slipped out of his hands and made a 1-1/2 scratch on the drivers side rear door. I had my service advisor call the customer and notify him of the scratch we had caused on the vehicle and that we would get the vehicle repaired as soon as possible. We sent the vehicle over to ************** to have the scratch on the drivers rear door repaired. We received the vehicle back and delivered it to the customer the week of 07/25/2022. The customer brought the vehicle back on 08/02/2022 stating that there was overspray on the drivers front door handle, a dent on the drivers door at the bottom and also scratches on the passenger side on both doors. We sent the vehicle back to ICON to correct the overspray on the door handle and I had the dent taken care of with paintless dent repair. The scratches on the passenger side of the vehicle were already there when the vehicle was brought to us on 07/07/2022.  We reviewed the video from the day that the vehicle was brought in with the customer sitting in my office showing him that the scratches were already there which he agreed with me during the video review. We apologized to the customer for the length of time that it took which we agreed with him that it should have been a simple repair but with the part being delayed getting here and then with the technician dropping the laptop caused the majority of the delays. We called on several occasions to see if we could obtain a rental vehicle for him but the times that we called Enterprise was out of rental vehicles which had been that way for the last 3-4 months with their fleet being down due to vehicle shortage in the auto industry. I will add that ************** is not the main driver of this vehicle and his daughter is, which would make sense that he does not see the vehicle everyday which would explain why he may not have noticed the scratches on the passenger side that he stated that we had caused. I let him know that same day that if we had caused the scratches on the passenger side then we would have taken care of those just like we took care of the scratch that we did cause on the drivers rear door.  

• Initial Complaint

  05/13/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  A car was leased through Principle Toyota in 2019. The lease is up on June 1, 2022 and we have been trying to obtain the buyout papers for over a month now. The dealership states we must use their financing for the buyout but no one will point to where this is stated in the contract. We have financing and can provide in cash the full buyout. No one will speak to us or again, answer a simple question. It is my belief they wish to keep the car either through financing it or by taking it back for resale. Either way it is suspect.

  Business response

  05/16/2022

  Contact Name and Title: ***********************
  Contact Phone: ************
  Contact Email: ******************************************************
  I personally spoke with *************************** on Friday, May 13th, and had a lengthy conversation. I explained to her since the vehicle is currently registered in ******* and will continue to be registered in ******* after she purchases the lease that it would be easier for her to complete the transaction in *******. She told me had visited a Toyota dealership in ******* and they would not help her since they are part of a different Region and they do not use Toyota ********* Services for leases or lease returns. At that point I asked her if I call her right back, as I wanted to call my Toyota ********* representative and see if we can come up with a solution. As soon as I got off the phone with my Toyota ********* Representative (approximately 5-Minutes) I immediately called ***** back. I shared with her what my Rep suggested. I shared with ***** that her best option would be to visit a Lexus dealership since they use Toyota ********* Services and are familiar with the Toyota ********* Lease return buy-out process and they can also handle Toyotas. I then shared with ***** that our dealership (Principle Toyota) would be more than happy to handle the transaction for her, but we would have to physically inspect the vehicle first. I explained in detail that since it is our actual dealership that would be reselling the vehicle back to her or her son, and not Toyota ********* Services, we needed to see the vehicle and physically inspect the vehicle before we could resell it back to them. ***** is fully aware of this. Now, to address her other concerns; First, we have no intention of wanting the vehicle back for resale. Second, the fact that she states "No one will speak to us or again, answer a simple question" is completely false as I personally spoke with her and explained her options in detail. Finally, there is nothing "suspect" about any of this whatsoever. *************************** made it very clear that she did not like the options presented to her, but just because she doesn't like the options presented, in no way whatsoever makes this situation "suspect." Once again, we at Principle Toyota will be more than happy to complete the transaction providing we can physically inspect the vehicle before selling it back to her or her son.

• Initial Complaint

  10/14/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I contacted principle Toyota on 10/13/21 thru their website. I inquired about a new vehicle. I was given a price on the vehicle and received a text saying they would contact me via phone. I received a call from a salesman within a few minutes. I was told the vehicle was in transit to the dealership. I stated that I wanted the vehicle and gave my credit card for a 500$ deposit to hold the vehicle. Later I received a message from the salesman with a price increase. He said it was for dealer installed accessories. The vehicle was in transit, no chance to add accessories. I was told he couldn't sell it for the price I was given without approval from the GSM. I was also told I would have to wait until the car got there and deal on it only if no one else makes a deposit on it. Not sure why he doesn't want to sell me the car.

  Business response

  11/23/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/10/15) */ Contact Name and Title: *********** Contact Phone: ********** Contact Email: ************************* Mr. ******** initially sent an internet lead into our store on October 13th at 4:31 pm; shortly after, he called into the store, and ************* fielded the phone call. Mr. ******** then inquired again about the availability and pricing of the in-transit 2022 Toyota Corolla sedan. We let him know the Corolla was still available for purchase, and the client then stated he would like to reserve this unit. At this point, ************* told Mr. ******** that we require additional documentation and agreements to "pre-buy" a vehicle. These documents are a nonrefundable deposit agreement, as well as a worksheet that the client agreed to review. At this point, Mr. ******** received an actual worksheet (or buyer's order showing all taxes, fees, and the dealer-added equipment that we place on all new vehicles upon arrival at the dealership. Our internet manager, David Handley, was the individual who sent over that finalized worksheet to the client. Once the client got this new document, he was upset about the dealer added equipment, and the factory added equipment listed on the Toyota build sheet. The client accused us of being thieves and gouging clients. At that point, management informed the salesman that once the vehicle arrived at our dealership, if unsold and unspoken for, we would reconsider the client's offer without the additional $777 in dealer-installed equipment. Today October 15th, I reached out to Mr. ******** and spoke to him at great length about the recent events leading to the BBB Complaint. He and I discussed how as a company, Principle Toyota has gone to great lengths to be the leader in transparency and fairness to all of our clients amidst record-high prices and low available inventory. I stressed to him just how important it is that our clients get treated with the utmost care and respect and how we must maintain competitive pricing for all of our clients during these unprecedented times. Mr. ******** has bought many vehicles and typically goes as far as Oklahoma to find an acceptable deal because the dealers here (us and all others) are too greedy and do not give adequate discounts, in his opinion. Ultimately Mr. ******** is scorned because we would not offer to treat him differently or even better than other repeat and current clients. Mr. ******** informed me that he has no interest in doing business with us, even though we did offer to sell him the Corolla at the price he initially requested. However, at this point, it appears he is inconsolable. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2021/10/26) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) Mr ****** is giving misleading information. I did not call principle Toyota. Principle Toyota sent me a price, and then called me. I said I wanted the car and gave my credit card info to hold the car. I was later sent a different and higher price with dealer installed items. The car hadn't arrived yet and the items couldn't be installed yet. I didn't want the added items but was told they are added to every vehicle and couldn't be sold without them unless approved by the GSM. I was also told that even though I had a hold on the car that it wouldn't be held for me. Mr ******'s own statement even says that they would reconsider my offer after the car arrived and then later says that he offered to sell me the vehicle for the original price. It can't be both and was actually neither, i wasn't offered the original price. I didn't ask for special treatment or a discount. I simply asked for the price I was sent. If offered the vehicle at their original price I would have bought. Most of the communications with the dealership was via text, I still have the text that proves I am telling the truth. During my phone conversation with Mr. ****** he screamed and yelled about my complaints but then admitted that he dealership hadn't handled things like they should. I was happy leaving it there but just received his response which is a great stretch of the truth and refabricated to suit his needs. Business Response /* (4000, 11, 2021/10/29) */ Mr ******** may have given a credit card number wanting to hold or reserve a vehicle but the deposit was never take nor was there a signed agreement by either party on the Corolla in question. The day of the phone conversation with Mr ******** we did offer to sell the Corolla to him at his requested price, as well as sending him the corrected figures in an updated sales quote. After sending this to him Mr. ******** never even bothered to respond so due to his lack of interest and communication we have closed his file. We no longer have a vehicle for sales that meets his criteria have already sold and delivered the car In question and once again we have not heard from Mr. ******** since. However we do wish him the best of luck in his hunt for a new car from another dealer or private party.

• Initial Complaint

  08/03/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I went to test drive a vehicle on 8/2/21. Afterwards, the sales associate suggested I receive an appraisal on my Honda Accord. After receiving the appraisal and informing staff that I would contact them soon, I walked to my vehicle and turned it on when I noticed the power steering wheel light was on and I was unable to move the steering wheel without it resisting (I have never had an issue with this). When I called the sales associate over and asked him what happened, he implied he did not know. He then called the "Used car director & internet manager" over since they conducted the appraisal and test drove my vehicle. Both managers indicated that the light was already on when the test drive began. Being that this is a safety issue, it is mechanically impossible for anyone to drive the vehicle with it in that condition. After asking for a resolution and to speak with their superior, they began raising their voice and saying they would not cover the costs.

  Business response

  08/23/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/08/06) */ ********** visited our dealership and during the process she wanted to have her 2013 Honda Accord appraised. The used car manager noticed that the "Power Steering Warning Light" was ON. The used car manager simply drove the vehicle around the parking lot to inspect the vehicle. The used car manager noticed how difficult it was to steer the vehicle as the power assisted steering was not working. When the appraisal number was presented to **********, she questioned the number and my internet manager explained to her that the vehicle needed a new windshield and the power steering was not working. She then asked the sales associate what was wrong with her car and why the power steering was not working. *** asked to speak with the managers; so the used car manager and the internet manager met *** at her car. *** questioned the used car manager as to why her power steering wasn't working and the used car manager stated that the power steering warning light was on when he started the car and that the power steering was not working when he drove it around the parking lot. *** then accused the used car manager of purposely making the power steering malfunction; the used car manager told *** that he did nothing of the sort and the vehicle's power steering was already out when he inspected the car. The used car manager showed ********** the video of him driving her Honda Accord around the parking lot and the video clearly proved that the used car manager, nor anyone for that fact, did anything to cause the power steering to malfunction. The used car manager was in the vehicle for less than two (2) minutes and the video clearly proves that. As a dealership we are not responsible for vehicles that have pre-existing problems. Principle Toyota is not responsible for the power steering issue on **********'s 2013 Honda Accord. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2021/08/09) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) The vehicle was in their possession for over 45 minutes. When I questioned ************ (sales associate) as to why the appraisal was taking longer than expected, he stated that he was unsure and seemed nervous. He then proceeded to speak with ***** ******* (internet manager) and both individuals came back with the appraisal amount. ***** did not explain, nor mention the power steering being on in the vehicle. After declining their offer, I got in the vehicle and noticed the power steering light was on and was unable to move the steering wheel due to the stiffness. After questioning *******, he called ***** and ***** ****** (used car director) to come outside and speak with me. The two gentleman claimed that the power steering light was already on before beginning the appraisal. I informed them there was no way it was on prior to arriving to the dealership, being that I drove half an hour and with the condition the vehicle was currently in, it would not have made it that far. ***** and ***** began getting extremely defensive and stating that they did not tamper with the vehicle while in their possession. I asked why they did not inform me of this issue before beginning the appraisal as it is clearly a safety concern and they did not have an answer. ***** stated that he would be willing to show me the video of him driving the vehicle to prove that nothing was done to the vehicle in that time. In the video, you see ***** driving the vehicle with no issues and did not have any difficulty turning as you would if the power steering wheel was an issue in that moment. However, you are unable to see what is being done directly inside the vehicle due to camera quality. Therefore, the video proves absolutely nothing. I asked them multiple times how this issue was going to be resolved, being that the vehicle was in perfect condition prior to arriving to the dealership. ***** and ***** were unwilling to provide a solution and did not take ownership of their mistake. Principle Toyota should not have inexperienced employees working if they are unable to resolve matters accordingly. Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2021/08/10) */ Principle Toyota is not responsible for the issue that occurred with **********'s vehicle.

• Initial Complaint

  07/27/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I dropped my car off on 7/13/21 for AC not cooling. Received a call on 7/16 stating a hole was found in the compressor and a hose and cost to repair will be $1681.41 including parts and labor. Picked the car up on 7/19 and told the problem was fixed but by 7/24 the AC was not cooling again. Took the car back on 7/26, got call from **************** stating they found that the evaporator is leaking and cost to repair is $1700 with parts and labor. From my research, if compressor had a hole, it would not have been working as it was, and if the evaporator was leaking, it would cause the compressor to not work or not work properly. My compressor was working fine prior to going to Toyota. I have paid $1684.41 for guess work which did not solve the problem and I want to be reimbursed at least for the parts that was purchased to fix the problem with the AC WHICH DID NOT. I shouldn't have to pay to fix everything under the hood before the root problem is determined.

  Business response

  08/24/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/08/06) */ Response by: **************** / Service Manager I am very aware of this situation with Mrs ******'s 2007 Toyota Camry with the AC concern. I have attached a copy of the original repair order for the replacement of the CONDENSER that was leaking and the A/C hose that was corroded/leaking. I also included a copy of the repair order on the second visit when the A/C stopped cooling again. With any Air Conditioning system which is pressurized and we can visibly see a leak (see attached picture) this is the first step in the repair process. Since the system is pressurized and if one leak is repaired, it is very possible that the next weakest component could start leaking due to the system having proper pressure in the system now that the leak is repaired. That is what has happened in this situation with the evaporator leaking which needs to be replaced. This vehicle is 14- years old and has 168,614 miles on it; so many of the components on the vehicle are worn and could fail without warning due to time/mileage that is on the vehicle. In the BBB complaint filed by Mrs. ******, she mentions that the COMPRESSOR has a hole in it which may just be a typing error, but wanted to make sure it was noted that the CONDENSER was replaced. In regards to the "research" that Mrs. ****** has done: If the Air Conditioning system does not have the proper amount of Freon in the system the compressor will not come on which is what makes the Freon turn from a gas to a liquid which in turn makes the Air Conditioning perform properly. So in this situation with the system being low on Freon due to the condenser having a hole in it, the compressor will not turn on. The same symptom will happen with the evaporator leaking Freon which will cause improper pressure and in turn will not allow the compressor to come on causing lack of cooling from the Air Conditioning. When we complete an Air Conditioning repair we will "pull a vacuum" on the system, which means we are pressurizing the system to check to see if the system loses pressure . If the system does lose pressure, we will then inspect further for any leaks that might be present. In this situation during our testing after the condenser was replaced the system did not lose pressure, which would indicate there were no leaks present when the vehicle left the service department after the first repair. I have also included a picture of the evaporator which was taken with a borescope (see green fluorescent dye) when the customer returned stating that the Air Conditioning was not cooling properly. Principle Toyota is not responsible for her complaint.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩