Extended Toyota Factory Warranty

[FreshAndClean]

Has anyone done an analysis on what the extended warranty actually covers that might break in the EV? Seems like a lot of the warranty coverage might not apply to this car.

 

[Dsinned]

Probably the most costly warranty repair, unrelated to the drivetrain, would be anything to do with the electronic infotainment system in the car. The battery charging module would probably be quite expensive to R&R or repair as well.

 

[reeler]

Here is a link to what is covered or not: http://warranty.actontoyota.com/compare-plans/

I have my Platinum VSA now and the list of exclusions is very small (see below from my actual agreement). There are several hybrid components excluded so I am sure glad that I didn't buy a hybrid. Since ours doesn't have a "hybrid battery pack", our battery pack is presumably covered? Toyota should really update their language now that they are selling an EV, but their complacency is my gain.

 

[TonyWilliams]

It specifically says "batteries" aren't covered. It's the second thing in the list of exclusions. In other words, they don't cover much but they will take your money.

 

[reeler]

It specifically says "batteries" aren't covered.

I think they mean the 12V battery and not the battery pack or traction battery. There would be no reason to exclude the hybrid battery pack if the earlier batteries included the battery pack. With most of these agreements, I think the ambiguity goes against the drafter of the language.

None-the-less, normal wear of components is not covered so the traction battery pack would not be covered unless there was something more catastrophic. But, I think you would be hard pressed to say the Battery Plug Assembly, Relay Assembly, Supply Battery Assembly would not be covered or anything else not on that list.

I think it is a good warranty for a car that is partially hand built, in the first (and only?) model year, using multiple manufacturers, in a low production run, and with many hugely expensive components that will see no economies of scale. I generally self-insure, but there are too many risks here in my opinion.

Additionally, for those outside of California the warranty is good for any Toyota dealer.

 

[waidy]

Anyone with an original Rav4EV (pre 2002) have some experience with what maintenance issues one might expect with a EV and what their experience getting it serviced were? I know its a whole different car than the current Rav4EV, but i'm sure some of it applies.

I have had 3 EVs before the 1st purchased of the 2012 Rav4EV. None these 3 EVs were purchased with special paint nor extended warranty. As for my 2002 Rav4EV, the "major" failures are items related to wear and tears such as wheel bearings and break pads. The non wear and tears item was the capacitor. My 2002 Rav4EV was 135K miles and the capacitor failure happened at ~45K miles.

 

[FreshAndClean]

Thanks waidy. That's the kind of info I was looking for. Was it hard to get your car serviced without the warranty? Also, do you happen to remember how much a capacitor replacement cost and where you got your service done?

 

[waidy]

Thanks waidy. That's the kind of info I was looking for. Was it hard to get your car serviced without the warranty? Also, do you happen to remember how much a capacitor replacement cost and where you got your service done?

I took my 2002 Rav4EV to Toyota of Palo Alto for service every 5000 miles. Never a problem. Each time costs me ~$100 (rotate tires, check IR on battery pack, windshield fluid, break fluid, tires, etc.). Each time is less than an hour. The capacitor replacement was around $500, but if you do it yourself, it's less than $200.

 

[Dsinned]

Reeler, I agree. The "language" just has too much ambiguity with respect to specific coverage applicable to the RAV4 EV. Toyota really needs to offer an Extra Care VSA just for BEV and SPELL OUT any exclusions regarding the Tesla battery pack especially. IMHO, the exclusions as they are stated now, will likely result in many disputes with Service Managers that do not end in the vehicle owners favor.

 

[TonyWilliams]

It specifically says "batteries" aren't covered.

I think they mean the 12V battery and not the battery pack or traction battery. There would be no reason to exclude the hybrid battery pack if the earlier batteries included the battery pack. With most of these agreements, I think the ambiguity goes against the drafter of the language.

First, I don't practice law on the internet or real life. Secondly, while you "think" that the simple term "batteries" is somehow limited to something that is NOT included in the warranty, it seems very simple and clear to me... batteries are not covered. If there was a limitation to a specific type of battery, I'm confident that the author(s) would have included that language. They didn't, therefore there is no exemption to the exemption from the specific language that says that batteries are not covered.

That 800 pound lump under your car is "batteries".... thousands of them. The only thing that is MOST likely to happen to them is that they will degrade over time, and that is SPECIFICALLY not covered in Toyota's normal warranty.

I personally would not gamble $1000 on an extended warranty and hope that my interpretation of their warranty would be honored by Toyota or enforced by a court.

 

[Ampster]

....................

That 800 pound lump under your car is "batteries".... thousands of them. The only thing that is MOST likely to happen to them is that they will degrade over time, and that is SPECIFICALLY not covered in Toyota's normal warranty.

...............

Yes, but isn't there a separate drivetrain and/or traction battery warranty that is about 8 years?

 

[reeler]

Yes, but isn't there a separate drivetrain and/or traction battery warranty that is about 8 years?

Yes. The main warranty covers catastrophic failure, but not normal degradation.

 

[marwan22]

good information