Pathetic Service from Toyota Bryanston

Recently, we encountered significant issues post-service. On Monday, July 1st, I took the Urban Cruiser for a scheduled service at Toyota Bryanston. I reported to the service adviser, Lebo, about the flashing immobilizer light and the non-functioning left-hand side windscreen washer. Upon collecting the vehicle, these issues had not been addressed, causing an hour-long delay as they were fixed.

On Wednesday, July 3rd, while driving to a meeting in Sundra, the car began losing power significantly after refueling at Engen Sunninghill. I contacted Toyota Bryanston, and despite their initial assistance, I experienced a breakdown on the highway. After a two-hour wait, the technician, Frank, discovered burnt and broken spark plugs, an issue never encountered before according to him. They requested a tow truck, and I was driven back to the dealership late in the evening to pick up a courtesy vehicle.

The following day, I met with the service manager, Barry, who attributed the problem to contaminated fuel, an assertion I contested since both our Urban Cruiser and Toyota Corolla were filled at the same station. Barry’s handling of the situation, including his reluctance to provide an adequate courtesy vehicle and insisting on additional costs for vehicle collection, was unsatisfactory and unprofessional. I was given a Toyota Vitz, which is considerably smaller and unsuitable for my mother who is used to a bigger vehicle. The dealer principal, Ashley, was equally unhelpful and dismissive, refusing to listen to my concerns and shouting at me when I mentioned escalating the issue to Toyota South Africa.

Efforts to escalate this matter have been met with further frustration. Despite providing video evidence from Engen Sunninghill confirming the fuel’s integrity, the dealership continues to deflect responsibility. Barry informed me that he had taken the fuel for testing, but I have also had an independent second opinion suggesting the damage to the spark plugs could be due to negligence.

This ordeal has severely impacted my finances, caused immense stress, and disrupted my work and family life.