2013 Scion FR-S

+1000 MILES POST ENGINE-SPRING RECALL. RETURNING HOME ON A 134 MILE TRIP. PRIMARILY HIGHWAY/EXPRESSWAY. VEHICLE IN MOTION: AFTER REFUELING, A QUIET, RHYTHMIC KNOCKING SOUND APPEARED DURING ACCELERATION. WITHIN 5 MILES, THE SOUND BECAME INCREASINGLY LOUDER. DEFINITELY A 'METAL-ON-METAL' TYPE OF NOISE. MINUTES LATER, OIL LIGHT BEGAN TO FLICKER, FOLLOWED BY CHECK-ENGINE LIGHT AND LOSS OF TRACTION INDICATOR. NO CHANGE IN TEMPERATURE OR FUEL QUANTITY. NO CHANGE IN PERFORMANCE, HANDLING OR DRIVING CONDITION. DECREASED SPEED (DOWNSHIFTING), TO PULL OF TO SIDE OF ROAD AND THE ENGINE STALLED. PARKED AND CHECKED UNDER HOOD; NO SMOKE, SMELL OR ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. WAS ABLE TO RESTART AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY AND PULL TO A SAFER LOCATION TO CALL TOYOTA ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. WAS PICKED UP ON A FLATBED AND DELIVERED TO TOYOTA OF NAPERVILLE WHERE THE RECALL WORK HAD BEEN PERFORMED MONTHS EARLIER. I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE IS METAL IN THE OIL/OIL-PAN, EXTREMELY MUDDY OIL AND THAT A SENIOR TECH WILL BE VISITING TO FURTHER ASSESS. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF ENGINE-REPLACEMENT. AWAITING FURTHER INFORMATION. NOTE: ALL RECOMMENDED, SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE HAVE BEEN PERFORMED DURING OWNERSHIP.

TOOK MY VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS AND HAD THE VALVE SPRING RECALL WORK DONE AT THE REQUEST OF THE SERVICE REP AT THE DEALERSHIP ( RICK HENDRICK TOYOTA OF FAYETTEVILLE ). CAME BACK THE NEXT DAY AND DROVE MY FRS HOME WITHOUT A PROBLEM. IN THE FOLLOWING DAYS I NOTICED IT WAS TAKING LONGER FOR THE CAR TO START, AND WAS THROWING THE CEL ON A PARTICULARLY HOT DAY AS WELL. I DISREGARDED IT AND CONTINUED DRIVING MY CAR LIGHTLY AROUND POST. A FEW DAYS LATER THE DIFFICULTY STARTING WAS STILL THERE AND EVENTUALLY THE CAR STARTED EMITTING A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE FROM THE MOTOR, I FEARED IT WAS A DREADED ROD KNOCK WHICH I KNEW COULD BE DISASTROUS FOR THE MOTOR INTERNALLY. SO I LIMPED IT HOME AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY ON MY DIME TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED. THIS ALL HAPPENED OVER THE COURSE OF 7-9 DAYS AFTER DRIVING HOME FROM THE RECALL WORK. THAT WAS OVER 5 WEEKS AGO AND I STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN A DECISIVE ANSWER AS TO WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR AND WHAT MIGHT BE THE SOLUTION TO SAID PROBLEM. THE WARRANTY COMPANY I USED WHEN I BOUGHT MY CAR BACK IN FEBRUARY ( VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER THE 3000 MI, 3 MONTH WARRANTY MIND YOU ) HAS BEEN JERKING BOTH ME AND THE DEALER BACK AND FORTH, AND HAS STATED THEY WILL ONLY PAY 2K FOR A NEW MOTOR, WHICH WILL SURELY BE MORE THAN THAT, WHICH MAKES ME STUCK WITH THE REST OF HOWEVER MUCH THAT REPAIR MAY COST. ITS UNFORTUNATE THAT ITS COME TO THIS, BUT OVER 70 OTHER PEOPLE HAVE RAN INTO SIMILAR PROBLEMS AFTER HAVING RECALL WORK DONE, WE DESERVE ANSWERS AS TO WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR CARS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SCION FR-S. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND HAD IT TOWED TO KENDALL TOYOTA OF EUGENE (373 GOODPASTURE ISLAND RD, EUGENE, OR 97401, (541) 228-9004) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT METAL FRAGMENTS WERE INSIDE THE OIL PAN. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000.

SATURDAY, 2ND FEBRUARY, I DROP OFF THE CAR AT TOYOTA OF SANTA CRUZ FOR THE VALVE SPRING RECALL. THE CAR IS FINISHED ABOUT A WEEK LATER, I PICK IT UP AND DRIVE IT FOR ANOTHER WEEK WITH NO ISSUES. I MAINLY USE THE CAR TO COMMUTE TO MILPITAS. TODAY, 21ST FEBRUARY, ON MY WAY TO WORK ON HWY17, JUST PAST THE LAST SCOTTS VALLEY EXIT, THE CAR STARTS KNOCKING AND LOSING A BIT OF POWER. THERE WAS NO "CHECK ENGINE" OR WARNING LIGHTS AT ALL. I DOWNSHIFT FROM 6TH TO 5TH AND THE CAR DIES. I COAST OFF THE HIGHWAY, ONTO VINE HILL RD. AND CALL AAA, MY BOSS, AND THEN CALL TOYOTA OF SANTA CRUZ TO GIVE THEM A HEADS-UP THAT I'M BRINGING THE CAR IN. WHEN I ARRIVE WITH THE CAR ON A FLATBED, ABOUT FIVE OR SIX TECHS POP THEIR HEADS OUT FROM THE SERVICE GARAGE AND START LOOKING AT EACH OTHER. I LOOK AT THEM, THEY LOOK AT ME POINT TO MY CAR AND SHAKE MY HEAD. THEY DISAPPEAR. THE SHOP FOREMAN AND THE SERVICE MANAGER SAY THAT THEY WILL FIX THE CAR FOR FREE IF THEY CAN PROVE IT WAS THEIR FAULT, EVEN THOUGH THE CAR HAS APPROX. 1K MILES ON IT SINCE THE SERVICE. I TOLD THEM I HAVE HOURS OF MIND-NUMBING DASHCAM VIDEO OF MY COMMUTE TO PROVE I DIDN'T ABUSE THE CAR. 2/22/2019 UPDATE:TOYOTA CALLED TODAY AND STATED THEY BELIEVE THE PROBLEM IS INTERNAL, AND THE ENGINE IS COMING OUT AND WILL BE TAKEN APART TO FIND THE ISSUE. 2/25/2019 UPDATE: SERVICE CALLED AND SAID THEY PULLED THE OIL PAN AND FOUND THE #4 CYLINDER ROD BEARING SPUN. UPDATE: 03/04/2019 THEY LOOKED INTO IT AND FOUND THAT IT SHOULD MEET CERTAIN CRITERIA WITH WHAT THEY HAVE AT TOYOTA AND IN THEIR DATABASE AND SAY THAT THERE MUST HAVE BEEN SOMETHING GOING ON BEFORE THE CAR BROKE. FOR EXAMPLE: RUNNING A CUSTOM TUNE THEN RE-FLASHING THE STOCK TUNE BACK BEFORE MY HANDING THE CAR OVER TO THEM. UPDATE: I TOOK THE CAR TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP WHICH FOUND GASKET MATERIAL IN THE OIL PICKUP TUBE ~25% BLOCKED.

*REGARDING MY 2013 SCION FR-S VALVE SPRING RECALL. WHAT DO I DO WITH A CAR THAT, IF I DRIVE IT, THE ENGINE MAY SUFFER A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE; IF I TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR "REPAIR", THE ENGINE MAY SUFFER A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE? NORMALLY WHEN YOU PURCHASE A PRODUCT WITH A MAJOR DEFECT, YOU EXCHANGE IT FOR A NEW ONE. (THROWS UP HANDS) THIS IS IDIOCRACY.

HAD THE RECALL J02 DONE ON MY 2013 SCION FRS AT 37,739 MILES ON THE CAR AND 1,000 MILES LATER THE CAR HAS A MOTOR THAT HAS A BAD ROD DUE TO OIL NOT GETTING THROUGH. I HAVE NEVER HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR UNTIL AFTER THE MOTOR WAS WORKED ON BY THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. NOW THEY WONT FIX IT. DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND THE CAR JUST SHUT OFF. IT WAS MAKING A KNOCKING SOUND RIGHT BEFORE THAT HAPPENED.

VEHICLE WAS IN DEALERSHIP (TOYOTA OF REDLANDS, REDLANDS CA) FOR THE F02 VALVE SPRING RECALL. UPON RECIEVING THE VEHICLE BACK FROM THE DEALERSHIP THE ENGINE WAS TICKING MORE THAN USUAL. 700 MILES LATER IT SPUN A BEARING RESULTING IN TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE. CAR WAS TOWED BACK TO DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION, THEY DEEMED IT NOT THEIR FAULT AND WANTED TO STICK A 8K-12K BILL ON ME TO MOVE ON WITH REPAIRS. SMALL AMOUNTS OF SEALANT WERE FOUND ON PICKUP SCREEN. CAR RAN FLAWLESSLY FOR 97K PRIOR TO RECALL WORK.

I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM TOYOTA FOR VALVE SPRINGS. I HAD THE RECALL WORK DONE AT MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP (TOYOTA OF MARIN, CALIFORNIA). SEVERAL WEEKS LATER, ON MY WAY TO MY REGULAR MECHANIC TO HAVE THE REPAIR INSPECTED (DRIVING ON A PAVED ROAD ON PRIVATE PROPERTY AT SONOMA RACEWAY IN SONOMA, CA), I EXPERIENCED A BANG AND KNOCK IN THE ENGINE. I LOOKED IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR AND SAW SMOKE. I LOOKED FORWARD AND SAW SMOKE AND FLAMES COMING OUT OF THE HOOD. I PULLED OVER AND A FIRE CREW HELPED PUT OUT THE FIRE BUT NOT BEFORE THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS DESTROYED.I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH TOYOTA. THEY INSPECTED THE CAR IN APRIL AND I AM AWAITING THEIR RESPONSE. THIS WAS A LIFE THREATENING EXPERIENCE. I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE IT HAPPEN NEAR A FIRE CREW WHO COULD PROVIDE IMMEDIATE HELP. I FOLLOWED THE RECALL DIRECTIONS AND LOST MY VEHICLE. I WOULD LIKE HELP IN DEALING WITH TOYOTA TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. I HAVE ATTACHED MY LETTER TO TOYOTA AND A PICTURE. THANK YOU. -[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TT

THE VEHICLE (2013 SCION FR-S, 69000 MILES) WAS IN A FACTORY AUTHORIZED SERVICE CENTER [XXX] TO HAVE RECALL J02 (NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 18V772000) PERFORMED. WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT THE CAR SUFFERED A MAJOR ENGINE PROBLEM FOLLOWING THE RECALL SERVICE, BUT BEFORE THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO US. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES INVOLVED INDICATED THAT THE CAR WAS ON A TEST DRIVE FOLLOWING THE COMPLETION OF THE RECALL SERVICE AND REQUIRED TOWING BACK TO THE SERVICE CENTER. WE WERE INFORMED OF THIS TWO DAYS AFTER ITS OCCURRENCE. A VISUAL OBSERVATION OF THE PARTIALLY DISASSEMBLED ENGINE INDICATES LIKELY OIL STARVATION AS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. AT THIS POINT IN TIME, THE SERVICE CENTER HAS RETAINED THE VEHICLE AND PARTS PENDING A DETERMINATION BY TOYOTA. AT THIS POINT IN TIME, THE SERVICE CENTER IS OF THE OPINION THAT A NON-FACTORY OIL FILTER CAUSED OIL STARVATION. THE OIL FILTER HAD BEEN INSTALLED ON THE CAR AND FUNCTIONING APPROPRIATELY FOR APPROXIMATELY 3500 MILES PRIOR TO THE SERVICE. THE OIL FILTER WAS NOT REPLACED DURING THE ENGINE OUT SERVICE WHICH REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF INTERNAL ENGINE COMPONENTS. WE WERE NOT NOTIFIED DURING THE 9 DAYS THAT THE SERVICE CENTERED HAD POSSESSION OF THE CAR PRIOR TO THE PROBLEM THAT THERE WERE ANY CONCERNS RELATED TO THE OIL FILTER - THE MAKE AND MODEL OF THE OIL FILTER HAS ONLY BECOME A POINT OF DISCUSSION AFTER OIL STARVATION OCCURRED. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE, ON THE ROAD, AFTER PERFORMING THE REPAIR FOR THE J02 RECALL ON THE VALVE SPRINGS. DEALER WHO PERFORMED REPAIR WAS RELUCTANT TO HELP ME TOW MY VEHICLE TO THEIR SHOP. AFTER REACHING OUT TO CORPORATE HQ, THEY SENT A TOW TRUCK FOR MY CAR. THE DEALER VERY CLEARLY DID NOT APPRECIATE ME GOING OVER THEM AND STRAIGHT TO TOYOTA, BECAUSE THEY TREATED ME VERY POORLY ONCE I ARRIVED AT THEIR SHOP. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF MY VEHICLE SINCE DROPPING IT OFF. MY ENGINE HAS LESS THAN 60K MILES ON IT, AND RAN BEAUTIFULLY BEFORE TAKING IT IN FOR THE RECALL.