Columbus” Carl Hogan Toyota received parts Thursday needed to fix faulty gas pedals for the “hundreds and hundreds” of area Toyota owners affected by a nationwide recall, the dealership”s manager said.
An initial allocation of parts was received at the dealership Thursday morning and employees began calling customers who already had called about their recalled vehicles, Carl Hogan Toyota General Manager Joey Ferraro said, noting the dealership is asking customers to make appointments to get their vehicles fixed.
“We are prepared to get these customers in here and getting them fixed,” he said. “We are trying to take care of them as quickly as possible and get them in and out of here in less than an hour.”
The dealership, which has more than 100 Toyotas in models unaffected by the recall for sale, has extended its service hours and will be open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays to fix the problems.
“We”re accommodating customers that didn”t buy their vehicle here,” Ferraro said, adding all Toyota owners are welcome, but appointments are necessary. “It doesn”t matter where you bought your car; we will fix it here.”
The dealership already has received “hundreds and hundreds of calls,” although no exact numbers of customers affected by the recall were available, Ferraro said. He said the dealership is expected to receive more parts, which are allocated to dealerships based on their size, daily.
“Toyota has been very, very proactive and very, very customer friendly,” said Ferraro. “I”ve never heard of a recall and fixes happening this fast. The large majority of our customers are very understanding. They understand this is a simple fix and they”re being very helpful.”
The recall has shaken at least one long-time Toyota customer”s confidence in the brand.
“I do think they”ll correct the problem,” Wink Wright, a Columbus resident who has been buying Toyotas since 1981, said of his 2007 Tundra. They”ve been a very good manufacturer and I do think they”ll correct the problem.”
A few months ago, Wright took his Tundra in for servicing and reported a problem with the gas pedal “sticking.”
“I was told it was a floor mat problem,” he recalled. “I said, wait a minute. It”s not the mat.”
Although he said he might buy another Toyota, Wright also noted, “At this point in time, if I had to buy another vehicle, I would shop.”
“My feeling is (these recalls) are going to hurt (Toyota) short-term,” he said. “It”s like the football or basketball team that has been doing so well and, when they start having a glitch, people are happy because they”re not on top anymore.
“The dealers have worked with us every way in every thing,” he added. “The bottom line is someone is manufacturing this for them and now its malfunctioning a little bit.”
Hattie M. Harris, a Starkville resident who waited at the dealership Thursday for her Toyota Camry to be fixed, said she got a “little shaky” when she heard about the recall. “But I”m pretty comfortable (with Toyotas).
“If this one doesn”t give me any problem, I will buy Toyotas again,” she added. Her Camry is the second Toyota she has owned, she said.
Bob Craig, another Starkville resident waiting at Carl Hogan Toyota for his vehicle — a Toyota Avalon — to be fixed, said he was “not at all” bothered by the recall.
“We were over here (in Columbus) for a dental appointment and came by (the dealership),” he said Thursday. “As (William) Shakespeare said, ”It”s much ado about nothing.””
“I think the Obama Administration has played on it very heavily, because of the money they”re investing in General Motors,” he laughed, noting the Avalon is his second Toyota to own and he will buy the brand again. “It”s a fine automobile.”
A list of Toyota recalls and the affected vehicles
Toyota”s recall of eight car and truck models over potentially sticky gas pedals, which affects 2.3 million U.S. vehicles:
- 2009-10 Corolla
- 2009-10 Matrix
- 2005-10 Avalon
- 2007-10 Camry
- 2010 Highlander
- 2007-10 Tundra
- 2008-10 Sequoia
- 2009-10 RAV4
Toyota”s recall of models due to gas-pedal entrapment under floor mats, which affects 5.3 million vehicles:
- 2007-2010 Camry
- 2005-2010 Avalon
- 2004-2009 Prius
- 2005-2010 Tacoma
- 2007-2010 Tundra
- 2008-2010 Highlander
- 2009-2010 Corolla
- 2009-2010 Venza
- 2009-2010 Matrix
- 2007-2010 Lexus ES350
- 2006-2010 Lexus IS250/IS350
- 2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe (built by a joint venture between Toyota and General Motors Co.)
The following models, encompassing 1.7 million vehicles, are affected by both recalls:
- 2005-10 Avalon
- 2007-10 Camry
- 2007-10 Tundra
Source: Toyota Motor Corp.
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