Well, it really looks like my $1,400 Extended Platinum Warranty is really just platinum colored BS.

2 weeks after I was told that the sun visor flopping down in my face while driving would not be covered, because it is a "Trim Piece", I took a deep breath and asked about another issue.

Today, the very same mental midget told me that my warped front rotors are also not covered because they are a "wear item". Sorry dude. I was a Volvo Dealer Technician back in the day when the new S40's were eating rotors. With normal pad wear and no sign of abuse, the rotors were replaced, with a better design, 100% under warranty. These people have proven themselves over and over again to be crooks, and liars.

Well, the way I see it Toyota has an agreement with the state of California to cover the hybrid powertrain for 10 years or 150,000 miles. So I'm covered by state law for anything really big that might break. Beyond that, everything else they seem to wiggle out of. As far as I'm concerned, the extended warranty is a complete and total ripoff.

The good news is, it is fairly easy to cancel. With a written request, they will refund a pro-rated amount immediately.

The guy was so cavalier about it, I had to ask if anyone at Toyota even cared why a customer was canceling this... he never answered me except to give me the mailing address.

Off to the post office...

 

Unfortunately rotors are a wear item as they stated. I have never seen an extended warranty that covers them and I was a Service writer and Manager for 20 years with Oldsmobile.
Most brake repair places will try to sell rotors whether you need them or not because it is quicker and more profitable than resurfacing them.

 

I agree the rotors are a wear item. And if the were worn down and at minimum thickness, with the tabs squealing, it would be my responsibility to replace them.

But they aren't at minimums. With 37,000 highway miles and 90% pad thickness left, the rotors warped. That is not only a clear design defect but it completely fails to perform the intended function for which it was designed. That coupled with a demonstrable high rate of failure across the production run means that Toyota really needs to stand up and do the right thing.

But they won't. So I'll take my "Extended Warranty" refund and I'll buy a pair of Brembo drilled rotors and a set of ceramic pads. That's All!

Bye Toyota! I really expected better.

 

I always thought rotors and pads are not under any warranty and on any normal car I usually need to change pads by myself before 36k warranty expires, it never even came to my mind, to actually get them done under warranty, was I wrong? TCH is the first I ever owned, that passed 50k and probably will last 100k. As far as your Volvo experience, you did mention the cars were "eating rotors", possibly due to some factory defect? Yours is the first posting about warped rotor I've seen, so maybe it is rather unusual? I'm at 72k with original pads and rotors, sort of personal record for sure. . Bottom line, I'm too lazy to check, but there has to be a list what's covered under warranty and if it says rotors are not, not sure what your complain is, if it says they're call your lawyer.
Between you and me, with very spirited driving in the mountains once I burned the pads and warped the discs in about 20 min flat. I also, as a teenager, drove my friend's car with parking break on, for about 5 min messing the breaks up so things happen.
Your deal sounds great, thanks for sharing, too bad I don't need to change mine yet, but I'm very tempted, let us know how they work.

 

I would go to a different dealer.

My experiences in the past have been that some service managers are there for the customers and some are there for the paycheck.

I've been lucky and have had good dealers over the years that have stood up for me with Toyota.

test out another dealer or two and you might be very pleasently surprised that some of these issues ARE taken care of under warranty or as a customer goodwill gesture.

 

Well, again, brake wear is not covered. If the brakes were worn out... I'd have no beef with Toyota. If I abused the car by heating the brakes on a grade, I'd have no beef with Toyota. But none of that applies in this case. The car has 37,000 very gentle miles and the rotors warped. What happened at Volvo is probably what happened here... rotors are very heavy and sometimes in an effort to shave pounds, they are made too thin for the intended application. The pads still have 90% left. But the rotors are trashed. No glaze, no scoring, no burn marks, they're just wasted.

While mine may be the first posting you've seen, I'm hardly alone. A simple Google search for warped Camry rotors returns 22,500 hits. And the dealer certainly knows about it. The Service Writer practically finished my sentence for me while denying the claim.

I have a lifetime of experience working on cars and this is an egregious failure. There is no excuse for the failure or for Toyota's stonewalling.

I ordered my performance brakes today. The whole reason I bought that extended warranty is so I could give up working on cars in my driveway and focus on other things for a fixed cost upfront. I got hosed. Oh well, time to polish up my wrenches.

 

Rotors after 36k are indeed a wear item. Almost all manufacturers will do the same.

It also clearly states this in the warranty, so I don't see why you would get upset with Toyota over it. The warranty clearly states what is covered and what is not.

Please take this post as it is meant, I am not trying to be difficult. But it is a common issue on all cars.

The rotors on our MDX had to be resurfaced 2X before 30k, so I understand what you are saying.

 

You know, sadly it seems you are right. I've done some research and all of the late model Honda's are doing this too.

I still maintain that a spontaneously shape-shifting, 15 pound slab of machined steel is not 'wear', but it certainly seems to be accepted as normal these days. How sad.

Well, the lesson here for me I suppose is that there really is no practical benefit to owning a new car and that extended warranties consider everything to be a "wear item" or disposable "trim". When I bought the car and the F&I guy worked me for the warranty I asked him to promise me that their platinum package would cover me for ANYTHING that breaks, that really shouldn't, for the next 100,000 miles. He promised me that's what I was buying. And YES, I read the fine print. But that seems to be irrelevant because using their logic, the engine and transmission are certainly "wear items" too and thus ineligible for warranty should they grenade at low mileage with no contributing cause.

With the popularity of these cars the aftermarket sources for parts, new and used is plentiful. I would have been way ahead financially if I just accepted from the outset, that I'd being the one wrenching on it if anything goes wrong.

Next time, I'm going to the auction house with a fistful of cash. I'm done visiting the Stealership. It was bad enough working for those ******. I don't need to be shoveling all my money in their direction, for nothing in return.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

I think the extended warranty does what it's supposed to. My 07 camry is out of factory warranty due to mileage, and I had a sunroof issue last week. The sunroof went 'clunk' every time we opened it - felt like it was sticking. The noise occured when the sunroof dropped from the closed to open position before sliding open. After inspection, the dealer said it needed new cables and mounting hardware. Took 3 days to get all the parts. My warranty covered it all , ~$500.00, plus he offered me a loaner car for the length of the fix. - he stated it was all covered under the ext warranty. Since I only paid $900 for the policy, I feel it was worth it. One more repair like that and I'm even. (I kinda hope I stay in the hole) The warranty is not a bumper to bumper 100k item, I doubt the normal 3yr/36000 would cover the wear and tear items

 

Brake rotors warped, 90% pad thickness left and 37,000 miles.....

I suppose 90% with this many miles might be reasonable for a hybrid...

IMMHO there are only two possible explanations.....Severe braking episode followed by a cold bath, HOT brake rotors cooled quickly via a puddle. Or over-tightening of the lug nuts.