Toyota Motor Corporation has recalled millions of cars and trucks in response to several instances of sudden unintended acceleration experienced by Toyota vehicles.
While the recall has created complications, several local dealerships have stepped up to the challenge and kept Toyota owners happy.
For Voss Toyota, 766 Miamisburg-Centerville Road, the problem has been addressed without disrupting business as usual.
"The problem is not to the degree people think," explained Greg Stout, Voss Toyota's chief finance officer. "We haven't had to extend our hours and the problem hasn't overloaded our service department. As far as repair work, we're getting it done as the customer requires. Our mechanics are trained by Toyota on doing repairs in accordance with the service bulletins."
Christian Hahn, the general manager of Airport Toyota, 1180 West National Road, is happy to report that "everything is going as planned" when it comes to the response to the recall.
While Hahn's team initially saw an increase in repair work, the dealership responded efficiently and saw a return to normalcy within just a few weeks.
"In the beginning, we were busy," explained Hahn. "During the first three weeks of February, we extended our hours to 9 p.m. But after that, we found it no longer necessary. We did quite a few repairs. I think customers are happy with how we handled things."
Hahn encourages anyone with a vehicle under recall to bring it into the dealership.
According to Hahn, delays are not an issue for those wanting to get their truck or car checked out.
"People may think it's too busy at the dealership," said Hahn. "But if people want to get their vehicle in, they can in the next two or three days."
Walker Toyota, 8457 Springboro Pike, responded to the situation by extending their service hours and putting their inventory on hold.
According to Bret Crowell, Walker Toyota's sales director, the dealership successfully put clients first.
"Toyota is a strong company," said Crowell. "We followed their process. We opened up the floodgates and had three more bays with Toyota certified technicians working on recalls. We provided loaner cars and rentals and kept clients going with the least amount of inconvenience. Now we're back to business."
Like Hahn, Crowell encourages Toyota owners to bring their vehicle in if it is on the recall list.
While the problem is a rare occurrence, Crowell says that it never hurts to be cautious.
"Not one client said they experienced this problem," said Crowell. But safety should come first. If your car is under recall, bring it in. We'll take care of it. It's an easy fix that takes 45 minutes to an hour."
Crowell sees his dealership's response as a success, and he's extremely grateful to the residents of Miami Valley for their continued support. Teamwork and cooperation, says Crowell, was also a major contributing factor in helping local dealerships weather the storm.
"It's neat how the dealers and mechanics of the different dealerships came together," said Crowell.
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