Toyota Representative for Rav4 EV - Thorn @ Toyota USA

[TonyWilliams]

January 2017

Kevin Spillane won't be our intermediator between Toyota USA and the Toyota dealers in the future.

The new guy is Thorn:

Sothorn Kok "Thorn"
800-331-4331
option 3, then extension 73848
Fax 310-974-5652

email at: <[email protected]>

 

[Larry_in_Seattle]

Yes, Kevin responded to me when I wrote to thank him for helping me get the wiper recall done in the Seattle area. He sent me the new info and I'm pleased that they have someone new assigned to help us. I hope the new person will be as helpful as Kevin has been. (Maybe even more so???)

 

[Tech26]

Thanks for this. My new (to me) RAV4 EV has a couple open recalls. I'll try to give the new guy a call tomorrow and see if he can set something up with Seattle SoDo Toyota dealer to get the recall work completed.

 

[TonyWilliams]

Kevin,

Well, let me thank you for your hard work for the RAV4 EV community over the years.

That work was definitely a "value added" to the Toyota product and reflected well upon the company as a whole.

I'm not overstating anything to say that people bought this car (and continue to buy this car on the used car market) in no small part to your efforts. It's in Toyota's best interest that the vehicle be supported, particularly if they hope to continue to sell "green energy" vehicles in the future.

Your work, in particular, as a liaison between Toyota USA and the dealers performing warranty work is exceptional. Sadly, this is the area where Toyota continues to have an acute need for this very special vehicle.

For instance, I just learned today that a Toyota dealer in Washington state wanted to send one of their maintenance technicians (at the dealer's expense) to the official Toyota EV training, and they were told no by Toyota. Dealers continue to turn away RAV4 EV owners for recall items that are shared with the gasoline version of the car. Out-of-state owners continue to meet hostility at dealerships for basic maintenance, that the dealers will claim is at the very direction of Toyota.

Let me offer to help your company help us RAV4 EV owners. Can you facilitate a meeting with decision-makers in this department that I can speak with?

Kevin, again, your hard work is greatly appreciated, your work ethic is admired, your follow through exemplary, and Toyota should be very proud of the legacy that you left. You've left a lasting impression that will be hard for others to fill your shoes.

Thanks,

Tony Williams

 

[Tech26]

I called the 800 number posted above today and must have tried to enter the extension at the wrong time. Ended up getting someone in the recalls department which was fine because I'm trying to get scheduled in for the seatbelt and wiper recall. They entered my information and gave me a case #. Sounded like someone is going to give me a call tomorrow to talk about where to go for the recall work. Hopefully Toyota of Seattle can perform the work.

 

[Tech26]

Didn't end up needing Thorn's help. Toyota of Seattle took care of the seat belt and wiper recall work with no hassle. They have another RAV4 EV there that's waiting for a drive unit to show up. Sounds like they make use of a field tech that visits about once a month and he does the EV work. I'm coordinating with the shop foreman at Toyota of Seattle so I can go for a test drive with the field tech and have him listen to my drive unit whine.

 

[ddoxey]

January 2017

Kevin Spillane won't be our intermediator between Toyota USA and the Toyota dealers in the future.

The new guy is Thorn:

1-800-331-4331, press Option 3, then Extension 47530
<[email protected]>

I just tried sending an email to Thorn at this address. The email bounced back as an invalid destination address. I'll try the phone during business hours.

 

[ddoxey]

January 2017

Kevin Spillane won't be our intermediator between Toyota USA and the Toyota dealers in the future.

The new guy is Thorn:

1-800-331-4331, press Option 3, then Extension 47530
<[email protected]>

I just tried sending an email to Thorn at this address. The email bounced back as an invalid destination address. I'll try the phone during business hours.

I called the above number, option 3, extension 47530. The call was answered by a random representative. When I asked for Thorn, he said he has no idea who that is because Thorn is one among hundreds of potential customer service reps. He recommended that instead I should call 310.468.4000.

I called this number (and if memory serves well I chose option 4, then option 3) and I was speaking to a person who specializes in Service and Warranty issues. She knows Thorn, but she explained that he is not a designated Rav4 EV expert. But rather he tends to handle cases which are filed by residents in the Los Angeles area. She explained that if I were to open a case, that case would be assigned to whichever rep happened to be accepting cases in my region at that time.

 

[TonyWilliams]

Updated email, phone extension plus a Fax number:

Sothorn Kok "Thorn"
800-331-4331
option 3, then extension 73848
Fax 310-974-5652

Udated email at: <[email protected]>

 

[tridub]

Thorn certainly did right by me. He got my 2012's Drive Unit replaced - in Georgia - and followed up with a customer satisfaction phone call. I now retract any doubts I might have expressed about Toyota's warranty commitments. If they will spend $15k in parts and who knows how much on labor to fix an out of state car that they didn't even want to build in the first place, then I'm confident they will take care of normal cars too. Toyota is go!

 

[deanjennings46]

Help! My traction (Tesla) motor quit 6 weeks ago and the car has been at Glendale Toyota ever since. Today they said they'd found the problem: the motor is bad! :lol: $16,700 to replace. The exact amount I paid for the car. Does anyone want to buy it or have a used motor that I can buy so I can figure a way out of this mess? Of course, the car is out of warrantee: 65,000 mi and a 2013.
Dean

 

[miimura]

Probably your best option is to get a motor from a salvage car. I've never tried to find one so I don't have any advice on how to go about finding one. You should get a breakdown of the part cost and labor cost from the dealer so you know how much the total will be if you locate a used motor.

 

[deanjennings46]

Thanks. The labor quote was $2500

 

[TonyWilliams]

We can install a used motor.

Tony Williams
Quick Charge Power LLC
1780-104 La Costa Meadows Drive
San Marcos, California 92078 USA
TonyWilliams (((at))) QuickChargePower.com
Twitter: QCPower
1-844-EV-PARTS
1-844-387-2787
1-760-798-0342 Office, M-F, 9-5 Pacific Time

 

[Alice in EV-land]

Hi, I am new to the Toyota Rav4 EV community.

I just bought a 2013 and already feel like I signed up for some hard times when it comes to getting the proper care for my car here on the East Coast.

The dealer I bought it from seems to have omitted the fact that they talked with Toyota service center near me before I purchased it and apparently were told they couldn't get the recall done. When they sold me the vehicle they were very comforting and fake-confident that I wouldn't have any issues getting the recall fixed. The Toyota service center told me all this when I tried to schedule an appointment for the recall. While the service center seems very eager to try to get the equipment/resources needed to help me, it seems like they will have some obstacles in making that happen.

Is Thorn also who I would need to contact for East Coast recalls and any future issues?

Thank you so much!

 

[user 340]

Is Thorn also who I would need to contact for East Coast recalls and any future issues?

Yes. Hopefully he can get a traveling tech out to service your car soon.

 

[dstjohn99]

I thought they were required to complete all recalls before selling the car. Isn't it illegal for a dealer to sell a car with outstanding recalls, or is that just California?

 

[TonyWilliams]

I thought they were required to complete all recalls before selling the car. Isn't it illegal for a dealer to sell a car with outstanding recalls, or is that just California?

It’s federal law, so yes. The 1.3.101 firmware update is required prior to a sale.

 

[Alice in EV-land]

I thought they were required to complete all recalls before selling the car. Isn't it illegal for a dealer to sell a car with outstanding recalls, or is that just California?

I think I got swindled in that respect...the dealer (not a Toyota one) made me sign something saying they assume no responsibility to get the recall done. At the time, I didn't think it would be such an ordeal, they were very comforting that any Toyota dealer who worked on hybrids could do it, and I didn't want to pass this pretty cool vehicle by.

The recall is the hybrid propulsion one (where the car could pop into neutral). So I guess I will be giving Thorn a ring.

Thank you everyone who responded. Lesson learned, I won't be as trusting or patronize this dealership in the future.

 

[TonyWilliams]

I thought they were required to complete all recalls before selling the car. Isn't it illegal for a dealer to sell a car with outstanding recalls, or is that just California?

I think I got swindled in that respect...the dealer (not a Toyota one) made me sign something saying they assume no responsibility to get the recall done. At the time, I didn't think it would be such an ordeal, they were very comforting that any Toyota dealer who worked on hybrids could do it, and I didn't want to pass this pretty cool vehicle by.

The recall is the hybrid propulsion one (where the car could pop into neutral). So I guess I will be giving Thorn a ring.

Thank you everyone who responded. Lesson learned, I won't be as trusting or patronize this dealership in the future.

The dealer (presumably they have a dealer license?) is REQUIRED to meet the FEDERAL recall mandate PRIOR to sale. Threaten to turn them in. They can’t sign away legal requirements.

Yes, Toyota will do this for free.