The 2023 Toyota GR Corolla Circuit Version owned by Bryan Banks burst into flames on June 8. Apparently, one thing within the engine failed and by the point the hearth division arrived, the automotive was a complete loss. Insurance coverage coated many of the payout, and he turned to Toyota with a guaranty declare for the remainder.
Toyota’s response from the Model Engagement Heart was, in a phrase, unusual. Banks obtained a letter from a “Authorized Claims Analyst” that, except for a pleasant however clear refusal to supply any help on the matter, talked about CarFax reviews and lectured him on the perils of exceeding 85 mph. It suggests Toyota will deny guarantee protection if you happen to merely dip into the throttle of its 300-hp sizzling hatch—one which comes with a complementary day at a race observe. However that is solely a part of the problem.
“The pace was the half that actually received me,” Banks informed Motor1. “This was clarified extra after I spoke to them on the cellphone. In the whole proprietor’s guide, it solely mentions don’t pace one time and from the context that it offers, it’s associated to tires. That is smart. Toyota doesn’t wish to get in bother if somebody is rushing and a tire pops. However, the engine [breaking] couldn’t probably be associated to the tires.”
To get a greater understanding of this case, here is an in-car video of the June 8 hearth that destroyed his GR Corolla.
And here is what the Toyota Model Engagement Heart informed Banks concerning his guarantee declare.
In response to your issues, a automobile inspection was conduced on June 24, 2024 ….The final reported odometer studying of the automobile was 23,413 miles. Per the CarFax report, on February 12, 2024, accident injury was reported to the entrance, the left entrance, the fitting entrance, and the fitting rear. On the time of the inspection, the automobile had hearth injury to the entrance and the engine compartment. The inboard facet of the engine block had a small gap on the higher facet from inside engine injury. Oil residue was discovered on the turbo charger, the underside of the engine, the undercarriage, and exhaust pipes.
The proprietor’s guide warns not drive [sic] in extra of the pace restrict. Even when the authorized pace restrict permits it, don’t drive over 85 mph until your automobile has high-speed functionality tires. Driving over 85 mph might end in tire failure, lack of management and potential harm. Make sure to seek the advice of a tire vendor to find out whether or not the tires in your automobile are high-speed functionality tires or not earlier than driving at such speeds. Primarily based on our inspection findings and the information regarding this incident, we can’t present any help on this matter.
Banks defined the accident injury was superficial paintwork after encountering particles dropped from a dump truck, and he despatched Toyota paperwork exhibiting as a lot. However when he known as the corporate to ask particularly about why the declare was denied, Toyota allegedly disregarded the accident and easily mentioned the automotive was abused.
“They mentioned in some unspecified time in the future within the automotive’s life it despatched out a knowledge packet that included the automotive’s pace. They gained’t inform me when or the place so I don’t know the way related it’s, however they mentioned the automotive had gone 114 mph and that’s abuse of the automobile. They don’t care that the automotive comes with a observe day, it’s abused as quickly because it’s over a sure pace, apparently.”
Two weeks earlier than the hearth, Banks discovered that the automotive was working poorly, prefer it was down a cylinder however ran nice after shutting it off for a couple of minutes. Banks despatched his GR Corolla to the vendor for an oil change and to examine what he suspected was a potential gasoline downside. The dealership discovered nothing flawed and mentioned the problem may’ve been the results of an octane booster or an excessive amount of octane within the gasoline. Banks says he runs premium pump fuel, Toyota’s advice.
Then there’s Sebastian R. He is the proprietor of a 2024 GR Corolla that burned worse than Banks’s. Sebastian was deep into a visit from California to Arizona on Could 3 when his automotive, with simply 9,210 miles on the odometer, caught hearth in the midst of nowhere. And it occurred throughout a spot in his insurance coverage protection. Ouch.
Sebastian R.
“Initially I received a notification on my cellphone by means of Toyota Join saying to test the engine, a malfunction within the digital management, which I believed was bizarre,” he mentioned. “That’s when {the electrical} on the sprint began going haywire. I didn’t really feel any lack of energy, after which I began to get some smoke from the entrance, so I pulled over, and the following factor I do know, the engine bay is on hearth.”
Whereas Banks’s hearth largely stayed up entrance, Sebastian’s GR Corolla burned utterly. Like Banks, his guarantee declare was denied however Toyota did not provide a selected purpose apart from the trigger being inconclusive. Nonetheless, each claims make point out of holes within the engine block, as seen within the letter he received from the Model Engagement Heart.
In response to your issues, a automobile inspection was carried out on June 6, 2024….The odometer studying on the final service go to was 8,146 miles. The automobile was severely burned. A potential gap within the engine block was noticed on the entrance facet, close to the rear of the engine. No knowledge could possibly be recovered from the automobile because of the quantity of intensive burn injury. Primarily based on the inspection findings, the reason for the hearth couldn’t be decided. Subsequently, we’re unable to supply any help.
Sebastian tells us it was a significant ache merely making an attempt to succeed in Toyota on the matter. His dealership did not have any expertise with hearth points and directed him to name Toyota’s Model Engagement Heart. Two data of his hearth have been in the end created, and each had his contact info flawed.
“It was a month of back-and-forth simply making an attempt to get it inspected,” he informed us. “I’d name and no one may replace the data as a result of they may solely do this on outbound calls, however they could not name me as a result of the data wasn’t right.”
Banks additionally had duplicate data within the system which induced confusion for his case. And the mixups do not cease there. After the 2 homeowners met on Reddit, they found the identical Authorized Claims Analyst dealt with each their circumstances, and opened every letter referencing the identical incident date of Could 3. That matches Sebastian’s hearth, however Banks’s was on June 8. Is it a easy clerical mistake? A cut-and-paste goof on a kind letter? Or are there different errors in Toyota’s claims course of that led to denials for each circumstances?
Toyota
Toyota GR Corolla Circuit Version doing issues that might void your guarantee.
We contacted Toyota with questions. Chief amongst them: Does Toyota void warranties if knowledge exhibits its vehicles exceed 85 mph? Is the mere act of rushing considered as automobile abuse? In that case, GR Corolla homeowners might wish to assume twice about partaking in that complementary Toyota observe day, as a result of the GR Corolla is well able to exceeding 85 mph, by no means thoughts 114 mph.
Is Toyota wanting into potential issues with the GR Corolla engine? And the way does Toyota deal with guarantee points the place a fireplace happens? For now, Toyota solely supplied this assertion to Motor1 concerning guarantee claims:
All claims are reviewed individually, together with this one, and we take a look at many attributes together with automobile knowledge, vendor data, witness statements, and different info.
It is also value noting Toyota’s assertion concerning guarantee protection for observe occasions, as listed on the official web site for the complementary GR observe expertise:
Participation in Excessive Efficiency Driving Occasions (HPDE), together with occasions sponsored by Toyota or associates, or recreation observe/off-highway use doesn’t essentially restrict/exclude guarantee protection below the New Automobile Restricted Guarantee. Nonetheless, injury to the automobile or parts that happens on account of abuse or misuse of the automobile whereas taking part in an HPDE or observe and off-highway use is just not coated.
As all the time, we encourage clients who expertise any points with their automobile to contact their approved Toyota vendor or name the Toyota Model Engagement Heart (1-800-331-4331) when a vendor is just not in a position to resolve a matter.
If Toyota gives extra perception into these circumstances, we’ll present an replace. In the event you’re a GR Corolla proprietor who’s had a fireplace scare or bother with guarantee protection, we might like to listen to from you. Shoot us a message to suggestions@motor1.com.