Will Toyota Void Your Warranty…or Worse?

A recent scandal based on warranty claims has car owners questioning whether driving too fast is a legitimate warranty void condition. However, there is more to the reports of warranty denial that (if true) could cost Toyota their credibility.

Whenever I am asked which auto manufacturer I have the most faith in, my answer—first and always—is “Toyota.” However, rest assured, I am not a Toyota fanboy. In fact, I have at times been critical enough of Toyota to rankle a few corporate suits.

Why I favor Toyota as the best of the automakers, is based solely on their continued reliability and the fact that they are often the easiest models for DIY types such as myself to work on. Everything else such as fuel economy, comfort, interior space, etc. do not matter so much to me. That’s just the way I am.

Recently I had to add “durability” to warrant my admiration of Toyota. After 3 weeks of travelling over the roughest roads Africa has to offer, I discovered why modified Toyota Land Cruisers are almost exclusively preferred by Safari touring companies—they are the toughest trucks I’ve ever been bounced around in that are both functionally and economically smart choices for repairs in rough terrain and a country with limited resources.

However, Toyota’s credibility may have lessened recently.

Credibility Defined

Credibility is not as easy to define as it is to feel. But I will try.

Credibility is a multifactorial entity. At its most basic, it involves a combination of:

• Trustworthiness
• Expertise
• Consistency
• Objectivity
• Ethical behavior
• Effective communication
• Social proof
• Accountability

In other words, it is a lot like the Boy Scout Oath; And if you have ever been a Boy Scout or a Scout Leader, you will know what I mean. But what it really all boils down to is a foundation of TRUST. Without trust, all else collapses, which is why I placed “trustworthiness” at the top of the list.

Is Toyota Facing a Scandal?

Trust regarding automakers is increasingly becoming an issue that should have car owners concerned. In particular, the use and abuse of privacy which reportedly is becoming more apparent.

Not long ago, I discussed how FedEx is party to the surveillance of potentially every car in the U.S. according to a Steve Lehto YouTube channel episode where the host takes issue with our Civil Liberties being chipped away related to car ownership concerning where we go and what we do with our vehicles.

More recently, I have been reviewing the news about how two Toyota GR Corollas are involved in what appears to be engine-related fire damage claims. The news stories are focused on how poorly the suits in Toyota have handled customer claims with vague and unusual denials that appear to be about warranty-voiding actions by the owners; Possibly because the vehicles have been driven at speeds over 85mph at some time during ownership. Although this is not entirely clear.

To hear more about this issue regarding the vagueness of Toyota’s response to the claims, here is the Steve Lehto YouTube channel video for his legal take on what is happening.

Toyota Won’t Help w/Engine Failure b/c Owner Drove 85 MPH

Is the Real Scandal About Privacy?

While the host of the video discusses whether the issue is about auto manufacturers being legally able to deny claims based on owners driving their cars over a set speed limit, another video begs the question of how does Toyota (or any car manufacturer) know just how fast we drive our cars?!

As it turns out, a second recent video tells us that essentially our vehicles are automotive owner-monitoring Black Boxes that record and share information about ourselves and our driving habits. Worse yet, that info is shared (possibly sold) to insurance companies without our knowledge or consent.

Hear is the video with another view of Toyota owner complaints:

The Toyota GR Corolla Fire Scandal Is Crazy

Should Privacy Be a Credibility Issue for Car Owners?

Privacy is a shrinking right. We give up a little bit every day every time we pick up our smartphones, agree to some software agreements we never read, answer a questionnaire, or post photos through social media. That much is a given.

However, after buying a Toyota RAV4 this year, at no time did anyone say anything about whether my driving would be monitored; and if it was, that the information was free for Toyota to share or sell without my consent.

If this is true, that foundation of trust becomes a crumble of credibility.

We Would Like to Hear from You

Tell us your thoughts about what you think is right or not when it comes to car ownership and your expectations of privacy:

1. Should driving over the speed limit qualify as a violation of your car’s warranty?
2. Do auto manufacturers have the right to record and report our driving habits without our consent?
3. Have you ever been denied your warranty claim for reasons that you do not believe were fair?

Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.

COMING UP NEXT: Best Used Cars of the Year: The 10 Top Picks by Consumer Reports

Image Source: Deposit Photos