Just recieved extended sludge warrenty from Toyota....

"comcastss news groups" <srivet@starprintingcorp.com> wrote in message
news:gdOdnWNvFpk-7vnYnZ2dnUVZ_qudnZ2d@conversent.net...
>1 week after I sold my 97 Camry XLE V6 120,000 miles, last night I got a
> letter from Toyota saying the Camry was covered for 8 years if any
> Sludge/gelling occures.
>
> The new car I just bought, a 2002 Avalon XLS, should be covered by the
> same
> program. The letter listed that year/model as one of the effected cars.
>
> Anyone know how I can get the same notice from Toyota about the new car???
>
> The notice actually called out my old Camry by the Vin number...
>
> Obviously Toyota does not know I own ths car yet...
>
>
> TIA
>
>
> Steve
>

Call 1-800-331-4331 and ask the customer relations analyst to send you one.
--

Ray O

Not to worry Toyota authorized is dealers, back in 2003 to 'clean, repair or
replace as needed' any engine exhibiting evidence of 'gelling' as they
refer to it, for eight years unlimited mileage.

The key of course to a smart owner is, do NOT let a dealership 'CLEAN' your
engine. If one does sludge up, it goes south quickly and you will get one
of the newer engines, with the redesigned head built after August of 2003,
that will run for another 200K.

The best way to not allowing a dealership to 'clean' your engine, is do not
take it to one for oil changes. What they are doing is cleaning engines
that appear to be 'gelling,' and refilling with synthetic oil without
notifying the owner they are doing so. The work order simply states an
'Uncompleted TSB service was completed.'

mike hunt

"comcastss news groups" <srivet@starprintingcorp.com> wrote in message
news:gdOdnWNvFpk-7vnYnZ2dnUVZ_qudnZ2d@conversent.net...
>1 week after I sold my 97 Camry XLE V6 120,000 miles, last night I got a
> letter from Toyota saying the Camry was covered for 8 years if any
> Sludge/gelling occures.
>
> The new car I just bought, a 2002 Avalon XLS, should be covered by the
> same
> program. The letter listed that year/model as one of the effected cars.
>
> Anyone know how I can get the same notice from Toyota about the new car???
>
> The notice actually called out my old Camry by the Vin number...
>
> Obviously Toyota does not know I own ths car yet...
>
>
> TIA
>
>
> Steve
>
>

On Wed, 22 Nov 2006 11:05:40 -0500, "comcastss news groups"
<srivet@starprintingcorp.com> wrote:

>1 week after I sold my 97 Camry XLE V6 120,000 miles, last night I got a
>letter from Toyota saying the Camry was covered for 8 years if any
>Sludge/gelling occures.

Make a copy of the letter for your records, and forward the original
of the letter to the current owner. In case he has problems, he has
the paperwork.

>The new car I just bought, a 2002 Avalon XLS, should be covered by the same
>program. The letter listed that year/model as one of the effected cars.

As was brought up, call Toyota Corporate at the contact number in
the letter, and let them know the details of the Avalon you bought.
They'll enter you into the owner database and send a copy.

And if the previous owner(s) did his oil changes and maintenance on
schedule, and you keep up on maintenance properly also, chances are
you'll never have to call them on that warranty extension.

Where the sludge monster hits is when someone skips several oil
changes in a row, and the oil starts breaking down - even if you do
everything right, the seeds could have been planted by a prior owner.
That engine family is just more sensitive to the abuse.

If the car was ever leased, that's a BIG RED FLAG to have a valve
cover removed and look for signs of sludge - NOW, before problems
develop and it can be fixed easily.

Many lessees don't bother to do maintenance, as far as they're
concerned it's not their car - they're just renting it for 3 or 4
years, they don't spend any money they don't have to. (Brakes and
tires excepted - without them you don't go.) Or they're overextended
already by leasing more car than they could buy, and can't budget
anything more than the lease payments gas and insurance.

(Now you know why several car makers are making their leases "All
Maintenance Included For Free" [TANSTAAFL, it's rolled into the lease]
to eliminate that excuse so the work will get done, and preserve the
resale value.)

The only other common cause of engine oil sludging is driving for
any prolonged length of time with heavily contaminated engine oil,
which can be caused when a blown/leaking head gasket or other internal
fault allows Ethylene Glycol & Water (radiator coolant) into the oil.

So if you suspect you're losing coolant and can't see any leaks, or
it starts running odd or the coolant temperature gauge is making wide
swings for no apparent reason, or you see milky white deposits on the
oil dipstick (sign of coolant or water in the oil), get it in and get
it checked.

--<< Bruce >>--

>>1 week after I sold my 97 Camry XLE V6 120,000 miles, last night I got a
>>letter from Toyota saying the Camry was covered for 8 years if any
>>Sludge/gelling occures.
>
> Make a copy of the letter for your records, and forward the original
> of the letter to the current owner. In case he has problems, he has
> the paperwork.

My assumption is that the 8 year warranty has expired for a 97 model. I got
one for my 98 Camry XLE V6 recently and threw it in the trash. But since I
use Mobil 1 at 6000 mile intervals, there is virtually no chance of me
getting sludge.