Toyota Owners Unite for Resolution: Engine Oil Sludge

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We, the undersigned petitioners, including former and current Toyota owners, do hereby give notice to Toyota Motor Corporation, that we are dissatisfied with the current customer service initiatives for owner complaints of engine oil sludge and associated secondary problems. This includes the former "SPA" or "Special Policy Adjustment" (Feb. 2002) as well as the current "CSP" or "Customer Support Program" (April 2002) for "engine oil gelation." These initiatives do not restore the original warranty rights of the affected consumers who continue to be blamed for the problem by this company. In addition, these initiatives do nothing to help those who had to trade in their vehicles due to an inability to pay for exorbitant repairs within the warranty period. While model year vehicles prior to 1997 have had the same sludge problem, these owners are not helped by the current program.

Pointing the finger at the owners is unconscionable given that untold numbers of owners properly maintained their vehicles according to your recommended maintenance schedule. We, the "Toyota Owners Unite for Resolution" consumer group are not willing to accept blame for this very serious engine problem any longer! We would like a formal retraction of blame immediately. A public statement by Toyota Motor Corporation is appropriate. We would also like a recall of the affected engines. If these engines cannot be fixed permanently, we would like this company to repurchase the affected vehicles once the problem is formally acknowledged. The owners must be compensated for the loss of resale value of their vehicles due to this condition. In addition, all incidental and collateral expenses must be covered. Nothing less would be fair to the affected owners!

Engine oil sludge development is unacceptable, especially in these late model vehicles. These engines are not the same after repair. Some owners with engine replacement have experienced a recurrent sludge condition. Lack of owner maintenance is not the cause of either the slow or sudden demise of these engines. Toyota owner engine analyses reveal adverse changes in the engine's oil condition even with less than 3,000 miles on the engine's oil. We, the owners, believe there is a mechanical problem which is contributing to premature wear of these engines.

Owners are very concerned about the safety of these vehicles. Some engines are seizing at highway speeds. There are owner reports of engine compartment fires after the engine throws a rod through the engine block. Engine failure is unpredictable. Some owners have lost all traces of engine oil suddenly. Some owners have noted excessive fuel in the engine's oil and/or glycol-contaminated engine oil. Owners have lost faith in their vehicles based on these occurrences.

Owners are also very concerned about the emissions control in these vehicles. Some owners' vehicles are not passing state emissions testing. Other owners note large volumes of smoke production on cold startup, while idling, and with acceleration. Oil analyses of some owners' engine oil reveal low viscosity and high nitration and oxidation within the manufacturer's recommended oil change interval. There are also high levels of silicon noted on engine oil analysis. Owners report oxygen sensor replacements. Others note replacement of catalytic converters, PCV valves, EGR valves, and other emissions control components. Some owners have had fuel injection problems prior to engine oil sludge development.

Here is what the networking owners have discovered to date:

1) Toyota has NOT notified all the affected owners about the "Customer Support Program" based on a random sample survey of "Toyota Owners Unite for Resolution" members and associates.

2) Toyota is not honoring the current "Customer Support Program" for all owners who present with engine oil sludge at Toyota dealerships. Some dealerships are not providing any information about the program until asked directly. Even then, owners report vague information.

3) Toyota is charging some owners for sludge inspections or labor when repairs are made for engine oil sludge. It is denying "Customer Support Program" coverage for repairs for other owners despite legitimate qualification for the program.

4) Some owners who purchased "Certified Used Toyotas" from dealerships have discovered engine oil sludge within one month of ownership. Some of these owners have been told that they do not qualify for repair coverage under the
"Customer Support Program" because the owners cannot produce the oil change receipts.

5) Before the introduction of the SPA or CSP, Toyota asked untold numbers of owners to pay over $5,000 for new engines. Since the introduction of the programs, engine replacements are not routinely done when Toyota pays for the repairs. Repeat sludge problems have been reported by owners.

6) The NHTSA and the EPA are not formally investigating the affected vehicles based in part on Toyota's promises to remedy the "engine oil gelation" situation via the CSP.

7) Toyota technicians/employees have refuted many of the complaint claims made by Toyota owners on the Internet over a two year+ period.

8) A computer virus originated from a Milwaukee Toyota dealership and spread throughout an owner list comprised of several hundred dissatisfied Toyota owners. The most vocal Toyota owners have experienced a myriad of computer problems since speaking out about this problem.

9) Toyota executives and/or spokespersons have continued to publicly claim that there are only a "few vocal owners" in this matter. These executives state that they are "not aware of engine sludge in cases where owners have properly maintained their vehicles." These same representatives say that there are very few cases of engine oil sludge in the affected engines. They base their claim on another claim that only 3,200 owners have formally written to the company to notify it about their problem.

We, the undersigned are shocked and appalled by the actions of Toyota Motor Corporation. We expected more from our Toyota vehicles given the daily advertisements describing these vehicles as the "platinum standard" in quality and reliability. We want what we paid for...a safe, reliable vehicle that holds its value over time. We don't think this is asking too much! We want Toyota to do the right thing!

3276 Signatures

  • Jeffrey L. H
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • 2000 Camery xle 6cyl
    • Case Details
    • Oil gel detected at 50k miles
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • 1/2 Dozen More Faked S
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • The Sludge Retard At Work Again
    • Case Details
    • The immature klutz who keeps stuffing phony names into this petition is at it again.A half dozen more fakes arrived in the last 24 hours. What next? Charlene Blake will probably be boasting about all the action here. Unfortunately she won't be saying anything about all the blanks which make up most of the 750 odd "names" she will boast about!!
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • David H. R
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • 1997, Avalon, 92,000 miles
    • Case Details
    • Recently performed oil change. Car consumed 2 quarts of oil during a 600 mile trip. Noticed sludge build-up at oil fill location and on drain plug. Have performed own routine maintenence for 1 1/2 years. I have evidence of oil being force out the exhaust pipe.
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • Dianne W
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • Toyota Corolla 55,000
    • Case Details
    • Needs oil every 500 miles
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • Mike F
    • Contact Information
    • 864-268-0108
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • Camry LE, 1996, 70,000 miles
    • Case Details
    • Blown engine, hole in engine block near oil filter
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • Frank S. H
    • Contact Information
    • 810 Wyngold Drive, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15237
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • 1999 Toyota Camry V-6
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • Fraud P
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • Luv My Toyota
    • Case Details
    • The Rajesg signature is a phony. Charlene Blake has been padding this petition with fictitious names since it began. Nothing in it can be trusted!!
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • Fraud E
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • Happytoyowner
    • Case Details
    • The Stewart signature is another phony one stuffed into this petition by Charlene Blake. She stops at nothing to get attention, even if it means faking names day after day.
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • Fraud S
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • More Fake Names
    • Case Details
    • KENNETH GUNTER IS A FAKE NAME. THIS IS A TYPICAL PLOY BY THE CHARLENE BLAKE BRIGADE. STUFFING THIS PETITION WITH PHONY NAMES IS THEIR WAY OF PROMOTING THIS PETITION. DO NOT BE FOOLED BY THEIR DECEPTIVE TACTICS!! THE SLUDGE ISSUE IS ANCIENT HISTORY BUT CHARLENE BLAKE AND HER LOYAL FOLLOWERS (ALL 3 OF THEM!!) CONTINUE TO USE THEIR LIES AND DECEITFUL FAKERY TO TRY AND KEEP IT ALIVE!!
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • Disgusted
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • Disgusted
    • Case Details
    • This petiton has turned into a slamfest. I'm disgusted with it. If nothing else, what is going on here has shown how easy it is for anyone to sign on, legit or not. The whole thing is one big mess, and I for one am asking the site manager to remove my name because I no longer wish to be associated with a disgusting site like this one.. I sold my Camry and bought a Solara, and it is doing just fine, so I no longer have any issues with Toyota anyway.
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • Dianne H
    • Contact Information
    • 856-266-0269
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • Sienna, 2000, 105,000
    • Case Details
    • Oil Sludge problem 8/2004- rebuilt engine at this time, now I have a broken rod connector in engine 6/2005
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • Elyssa R
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • Camry CE,2000,114,000
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • David F
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • 1998 Toyota Camry LE 2.2L (96,800 miles)
    • Case Details
    • Dealership couldn't determine cause of damage to engine but denied damage was from oil sludge; wanted to charge me more money if futher investigation desired; more than willing to charge $5,000 for a new engine though
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • CHARLENE BLAKE CLAIMS THIS PETITION IS AN EXPRESSION OF FREE S
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • HOW CAN ANYONE IN THEIR RIGHT MIND CLAIM THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS PETITION WHICH CONTAINS MOSTLY FAKED NAMES IS AN EXPRESSION OF FREE SPEECH?
    • Case Details
    • IF CONDUCT LIKE CHARLENE'S IS "FREE SPEECH", THEN WE HAD BETTER MOVE TO ANOTHER COUNTRY WHERE HONESTY AND INTEGRITY PREVAILS!!
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • It's no secret what Charlene Blake are doing here by faking names and stories. They have done it for several years and continue to do it at other sites. Cartackers and The complaint station were favourite hangouts until they got shut d
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • It is not any different at Edmunds, where they have faked many posts and usernames for years. They also do the same at the Autosafety.org site, where at least half of the complaints registered there are fakes.
    • Case Details
    • They should be banned from all sites,period, because they are dishonest to a fault.
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • Eduardo M
    • Contact Information
    • 512-280-9668
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • Avalon, 1998, 150,000
    • Case Details
    • oil sludge engine failure
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • James C
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • 1999 camary LE -76000
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • Feng T
    • Contact Information
    • 503-691-7960
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • Toyota Camery, 2002, 2945
    • Case Details
    • Engin suddenly stalls on free way
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • Rebecca H
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • 1999Camry 98,815
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • Donald J
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • Sienna, 1998, 45,000
    • Case Details
    • sludge present and engine cleaned by Toyota dealer but concerned with future problems, treated symptom but not the cause
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • Daniel J
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • Sienna 2002 79,031
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • Mark E
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • FourRunner, 1997, 90,000
    • Case Details
    • Engine threw rod unexpectedly while driving at highway speed. Needed new engine at cost of $4,500.
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • David M
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • Toyota Tacoma 1997 90,000
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • greg p
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • 99 camry Le 120,000
    • Case Details
    • sometimes smokes on startup, gas mileageseverely worse than in the past
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • gail a
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • 1998 rav4 toyota
    • Case Details
    • sluded
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • John B
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • 2000 camry 22,000mi
    • Case Details
    • Excessive Gasoline in oil at less than 2000 mile. Dealership stumped on what is causing it. Told them about sludge in oil filler cap. Poor gas mileage and performance.
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • BURBRIDGE R
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • 1997 Camry 135,000
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • Dan C
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • 2002 Toyota Sienna - approx. 52000 miles
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • David G
    • Contact Information
    • 281-759-9515
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • Sienna, 2001, 23000
    • Case Details
    • White Smoke
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • Agnes T E
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • 1999 Camry, 54209 miles
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • You Can Now Bet Serious $ That Charlene Blake Will Be Boasting All Over The Net That Her Beloved Petition Contains 800 Names!! But Does I
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • What Charlene Won't Say Is That 700 Of The 800 "Names" Are Blank Spaces With "Line Voided" Where The Name Usually Appears.
    • Case Details
    • The Remaining Few Names Are Mostly Fakes And Duplicates.
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • david o
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • sienna, 2000, 56000 miles
    • Case Details
    • bought van from previous owner, 4 months and engine seized.
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • GMW
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • Sienna, 1998, 93,000
    • Case Details
    • No sludge because I use synthetic oil and change it myself every 6000 miles.
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • Frank H
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • 2001 Camry 34,550 Mi.
    • Case Details
    • No problems. Great car. What's all the fuss about? Would buy another one anytime!
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • Mathieu D
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • tercel, 1992, 100 000
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • brian p. f
    • Contact Information
    • 19172702914
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • 2001 Sienna
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • Dorothy M
    • Contact Information
    • Dorothy Middleton
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • 1996 Camry
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • Doubting T
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • I Sense Phony Tactics
    • Case Details
    • Sure looks like there's a lot of faked names and phony stories in this petition. I would like Charlene Blake to provide assurance that the practice of padding this petition with faked names will cease. Can you do this Charlene ? It is almost entirely comprised of faked information and has no credibility because of that.
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • Donna R
    • Contact Information
    • [email protected]
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • Camry, 2000, 35,000
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • agasdfg
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • dafdf
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • Edward R. W
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • 199 Camry
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • Josemoan P
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • Avalon,1997,42000 miles
    • Case Details
    • engine rpm changes when car is idle in highway.This happens when travelled 20- 30 miles in a highway speed 60-65 mile per hour
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • Charlene Blake E
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • 2001 Sienna
    • Case Details
    • ANOTHER FAKED SIGNATURE BY CHARLENE BLAKE!!! NUMBER 628, MR.HALVONIK IS A FICTITIOUS NAME. IT IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF CHARLENE BLAKE'S DEVIOUS TACTICS!!!
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • Frank D
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • Tacoma, 1999, 111,000 miles
    • Case Details
    • I don't have any problems with my Tacoma, but I do have problems with a petition like this one where it's obvious that most of the signatures are faked. It's disgusting to see how low some people go to vent their anger at others. I support the idea that people like Charlene Blake should be charged with posting false and misleading information on the internet.
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • Dennis R. D
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • Camery, 1999, 55,600
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • Francisco M
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • Camry LE -4 cyl 56,000 Miles
    • Case Details
    • The car was repaired at 32k miles because of the Blue oil emission, they told me that the valve seals were the problem.My car has stop working several times at the road this is very dangerous. Last week the bluish burn oil emission started all over again.
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • Andrew M
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • 1996 Toyota Camry
    • Case Details
    • Large amounts of sludge in the oil, and i have maintained changes every 3000 miles.
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • Gary F
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • 2000 Lexus ES300
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • Toyotas R D
    • Contact Information
    • Toyota Motor Corporation, Inc.
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • most Toyota models
    • Case Details
    • Toyotas are not plagued by sludge alone. There are brake failures, transmission failures, and emission-control failures to name just a few. Where is the quality promised? Is it all just hype? Why are these corporate goons surfacing to try to bring down a legitimate FOS forum? What is Toyota trying to cover up?!?
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No
  • Kace & Dawn R
    • Contact Information
    • 520-207-2489
    • Model, Year, and Mileage
    • 4Runner 95
    • Case Details
    • blown gasket
    • Formal Notification to Toyota?
    • No