Aurion: Dog, Lemon or fantastic... in spite of Toyota!

[PaulMT]

Hi Everyone

Now I have posted on here a few times or more so I am not new or a troll looking to inflame the community.

For the record I am in New Zealand - so what the hell am I doing here, you might ask! well, I am an Australian living overseas who enjoys this forum immensely and has benefited heaps by reading the various posts, especially from generous people like DJKOR to mention but one; and just to add NZ doesn't seem to have a Toyota Owners Club (maybe I should form one???)

So what's this all about then.

I have just come back from an 850km 3 day business trip visiting my customers with big distance in between and I have been thinking... (I'm told that's dangerous for me)

You can see from my sig' that I have a Aurora Gold 2008 SX6 with a few mod's that I think make for a very stunning car.

I have had people come up to me in the street just to talk about this "strange" Toyota.

After the trip I concluded to myself that I love this car. It is exhilarating to drive, quick powerful and staunch on the road. It doesn't quiet rip it up in the really tight corners but if you have balls and nice wide tyres like I have, you can leave most others in your wake. All of that said I have to also list the negatives I have experienced with this car and Toyota's service.

I have owned or had many company cars, all new and of most of the predictable brands, Holden, Mitsubishi, Ford and none have been perfect by any means.

I came to Toyota after my company said I could buy any 6 cylinder car I wanted and I tested them all (except not the XR6 Turbo but I did test the XR6) and I found the negatives of all that power on the front wheels was balanced by the sheer sophistication that the Aurion brought to the market.

But I have been constantly disappointing with Toyota's attitude to service. I had heard that they were the best but sadly this has not been my experience nor has the Aurion stood up to the rigors of being a "reps" car.

Here's my list of problems...

From New

- Faulty speakers - replaced then replaced by me with aftermarket

- Faulty Toyota Bluetooth - replaced

- Rear Bumper not fitted correctly and came adrift - replaced

- Rear Demister not working - Fixed

- Centre Console not fitted properly - refitted

- Dash Rattle - removed and refitted twice and then after huge arguments with Toyota NZ finally I got the propriety fix (spacers) Dash out three times.

- Pulling to the left - fixed with camber/caster kit

- Knocking in steering - Steering Rack replaced, wheel alignment screwed up 3 visits got it fixed

- Stopped on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere and car wouldn't restart. Roadside assist

- Battery replaced

- Lugs holding drivers floor mat broke - replaced

- Stone found it's way through grille and punctured the AC coil - Insurance fix

- Mesh fitted behind top and bottom grilles to avoids a repeat of the above - my expense

- Steering lock does not work replaced

- Centre console flopping about again, booked to have it refitted

- Drivers Door has sagged 3-4mm to be fixed with centre console

- Exclamation light and Stability control light comes on randomly in hot weather - to be looked at

Well that's it and not to much of it to do with the motor which is the best thing about the car.

It just gets me that everything has been a hassle to get fixed. The steering knock was the worst because they

basically said I was imagining it.

I have done 67k in 23 month's and make my living from a car so I think I don't imagine to much when it comes to my vehicle.

Anyway, I still like the car and I know not everyone has these same problems but If I was to decide to replace it tomorrow I seriously doubt I would buy another

Aurion and that is the shame of it.

Everything bar the stone through the AC coil is, was or will be covered by warranty although I felt Toyota could have been magnanimous about the refrigerant leak and said

"hell, Paul you've had a rough ride, this ones on us"

But no they didn't see it that way!

That's my vent for today...

Edited December 10, 2009 by PaulMT

[DJKOR]

That sucks that you have had a bit of a rough ride in a way with your Aurion. My Aurion has had it's fair share of issues, but most of these to me just felt like lacking features. Yeah I have dash rattles and steering knocks, but for some reason these don't phase me.

I love my car for what it is and would gladly by another Toyota again in the future. These are my views though. Hope you find just what you're looking for once it comes time to get another car.

[httttt]

In my opinion the Aurion is Fan-bloody-tastic for the price. It is a pity that you have had all the problems you have listed and I think you are an isolated case for the most part. If you scope around a few other car forums you will find similar stories for other cars in this class.

I think the Aurion community is at a stage where the cars are now considered older than new and the shortcomings are presenting them selves more. Every generation has to go through this stage.

At this point the only other car manufacturer selling in Australia that I would lay my money down for is Audi/VW.

[Jools]

Wow that is quite a list. My Aurion is roughly 1y2m old and have done 6.6k kms on it. So far I have the center console replaced and a few visit regarding about the pull left issues. I have been to Fulcum suspension specialist to check it out, and they said its within normal parameters. Guessing its the tyres then. As you can tell, I don't drive much which is concerning that I may have problems that I have not realised.

Only time will tell.

[Newpresara]

I know the feeling I have had the Pressara for 2 months now its done 6500klm. Today it was dropped of at toyota for a warranty claims. Here is my list

Rattles in B pillar

Rattels in L/H side Dash

Rattles in Mirror

Sunroof Memeory function loses - re-opens from tilt position when closing

Cracking on ABS sensor hosing L/H/F

Leaking sunroof

Crackling noise from sunroof when closed

Rattles from Rear parcel shelf (been fixed a month ago missing weld service "re gapped it")

Knocking L/H/F suspention

Front window L/H and R/H side not sitting properly

Wheel Camber out R/H Front.

Toyota Link system constantly in fault mode

Just a start of what was given to the service manager today, they have my car for 3 days......

I love the way the car drives, but I think this was my first and last Aurion, I had a choice of G6E Turbo or the Presara, I know in 3 years ill be going to ford

[SecaBoy]

I know the feeling I have had the Pressara for 2 months now its done 6500klm. Today it was dropped of at toyota for a warranty claims. Here is my list

Rattles in B pillar

Rattels in L/H side Dash

Rattles in Mirror

Sunroof Memeory function loses - re-opens from tilt position when closing

Cracking on ABS sensor hosing L/H/F

Leaking sunroof

Crackling noise from sunroof when closed

Rattles from Rear parcel shelf (been fixed a month ago missing weld service "re gapped it")

Knocking L/H/F suspention

Front window L/H and R/H side not sitting properly

Wheel Camber out R/H Front.

Toyota Link system constantly in fault mode

Just a start of what was given to the service manager today, they have my car for 3 days......

I love the way the car drives, but I think this was my first and last Aurion, I had a choice of G6E Turbo or the Presara, I know in 3 years ill be going to ford

honestly, thats a real shame!!!

ive never had any major issues with my car, and i know thats the same for a lot of people on here...

this is only my second car that i've bought brand new (first being an accord euro), so i cant comment much... but after seeing my dad go through 3 brand new fords, i'd never buy a ford.. as much as the new F6 is tempting, i just wouldnt do it...

the list of problems that my dad has had with the fords is endless... including the car actually "flooding" the engine... how an efi car can do that is completely beyond me!!

and to fix the problem, ford said "crank the engine over with the foot on the accelerator until it starts"... ummm, okay...

and when it started, you could get high off the fuel fumes coming from the exhaust!!! lol

and then there is the territory which he had... the whole rear opening of the car had rust all around the edges...

i could go on and on and on... but my point is that imo, toyota shouldnt be disregarded just because you have a lemon... all manufacturers produce lemons...

[One-pager]

Wow.. I'm surprised your car made it out of Altona.

[prometheus]

An earlier poster mentioned Fords , I like the look and interior of the G6 - FG Falcon , but the things I have heard about Fords are not good at all.

On the Australian Ford forum they have a thread about what problems people have had with their FG Fords and it goes for over 50 pages !

Also , if I was to get an F6 , it would have to be converted to lpg to make it cheap to run ; again , more potential problems.

The Aurion has been around for longer and is now in its "series II" stage with the update model , so you would think that Toyota would have ironed out most of the issues with the car.

Maybe cars are getting too complicated to be built to an affordable budget.

To get similar features as the Aurion in a BMW , you'd be looking at $60 -$70K+

[SCOOTA44]

I must have the luckiest car on the road never had problems with dash rattles ( the occasional sqeaking if I put my fat leg against it ) intermediate spline issue, always in a straight line. just the tranny ecu ( thanks to this forum "daryl" ) and the oil hose. Ive done 104k still going strong.

[Tofuboi]

I must say, I know what a lemon of a car is after my 'saga' with my old Corolla Levin ZR. (We won't go there haha)...

Anywho my ZR6 Aurion's had a pretty good run, just a few small issues.

- Centre Console Came Loose - Refitted as the clips that hold it in snapped.

- VVT-i Oil Line - Recall Replacement.

- Dash Rattle - Replaced no hassles.

- Boot Leaking (Water in Spare Wheel section and Jack section.) - Repaired (3 times) due to Grommet's being removed and not put back properly when the tow bar guys fitted my tow bar. :P

That's all for me so far, hopefully for ever but you never know heh. I must say Melton Toyota have been exceptionally great for the few years I've been a customer with them. Definately will buy another Toyota through them! (I'm that popular there because of the Corolla issue saga that I'm now known by first name to everyone there! Haha!) Great team, great servie, great place to be. :)

[Newpresara]

Well, got my car back today, so far so good, re tuned re fitted and my list is smaller,

Spoke with the senior mechanic at the dealer ship, and he said to me the same thing some one said on this website.

If you have issues with your car it must be built in Austrlia.

Guys dont get me wrong I have always appreciated Toyotas, but the finish on the Aurion is letting them down.

Great car, great concept but the idiots in Altona are to busy on union strikes.

Hopefully i will not need to pay anymore visits to the dealer ship for warranty claims.

PS some new model toyotas are having memory problems with sunroof buttons if you roof is doing crazy **** go to the dealer.

[PaulMT]

I feel guilty now because when I started this thread I was really ****** off at Toyota and their standard of service.

If you re-read my post you will see I listed faults, but was mostly concerned about the attitude of Toyota to remedy the problems quickly with as

little disruption to me as possible. I have tried a couple of dealerships, and I am on good terms with them all but I just think they are the worst car

dealers I have ever had to deal with.

I also said I probably wouldn't buy another Toyota Aurion and I meant it. I have put my money where my mouth is and take possession of

a shining brand new Black XR6 Turbo next week.

I am not stupid enough to expect this to be trouble free, as I said in my post, I have been lucky enough to have owned many new cars, but,

I love power and I think the new FG Falcons and especially the XR6T and F6ET are the best they have ever produced and are the legacy of a very long and well respected series of

development.

prometheus said the Aurion had been around longer, this is just not true. Both Commodore and Falcon have and are basically the result of years of developmental change. I know motors change and body elements change etc, but they essentially the same car throughout and are built on the experience of previous models. Aurion is only at Series II and a few years old so is very new, though the motor is well proven.

Anyway thanks to every one on this forum that has contributed even without knowing, to my Aurion experience of the last 22 months.

Toyota (if you even bother to read this, you lost one new car sale every three years)

C U All

[David the Viking]

prometheus said the Aurion had been around longer, this is just not true. Both Commodore and Falcon have and are basically the result of years of developmental change. I know motors change and body elements change etc, but they essentially the same car throughout and are built on the experience of previous models. Aurion is only at Series II and a few years old so is very new, though the motor is well proven.

You do realise that the Aurion is built from the gen6 Camry chassis which is an evolution of the gen5, gen4, gen3, gen2 and gen1 which dates all the way back to the early 1980's! Also our Aurion is the "Asian Camry" that is sold throughout Asia and badged as a Camry as opposed to our Camry which is based on the "US Camry" styling.

I read that as Toyota pushed to become No.1 manufactuer worldwide they did let their trademark quality slip and that this is now being turned around with new leadership by the Toyoda family.

If the new Prius III is anything to go by this is definately true.

[PaulMT]

You do realise that the Aurion is built from the gen6 Camry chassis which is an evolution of the gen5, gen4, gen3, gen2 and gen1 which dates all the way back to the early 1980's! Also our Aurion is the "Asian Camry" that is sold throughout Asia and badged as a Camry as opposed to our Camry which is based on the "US Camry" styling.

I read that as Toyota pushed to become No.1 manufactuer worldwide they did let their trademark quality slip and that this is now being turned around with new leadership by the Toyoda family.

If the new Prius III is anything to go by this is definately true.

Fair call, your right about the Aurion/Camry. I guess they all have significant "history"

[tekkyy]

Rattles in B pillar

actually I was going to ask on here about that but didn't want to start a thread

I would describe the dash as squeaks and this B pillar noise as rattle

I get the dash squeak only over sharp bumps and road joints

the b pillar rattle I get it on certain uneven surfaces and then it kind of becomes harmonic and keeps going in response to a wider range of surfaces

the dash rattle is much less noticeable after this appeared lol

it sounds like its coming from somewhere on the b pillar near the seat belt mount

but of course that may not be the source but merely a release point of the noise

[Newpresara]

Rattles in B pillar

actually I was going to ask on here about that but didn't want to start a thread

I would describe the dash as squeaks and this B pillar noise as rattle

I get the dash squeak only over sharp bumps and road joints

the b pillar rattle I get it on certain uneven surfaces and then it kind of becomes harmonic and keeps going in response to a wider range of surfaces

the dash rattle is much less noticeable after this appeared lol

it sounds like its coming from somewhere on the b pillar near the seat belt mount

but of course that may not be the source but merely a release point of the noise

I have been to Toyota 3 times, noise from drivers side B pillar is gone, all they did was strip the pillar and re-positioned all the wires and plugs in the Pillar. After the first visit to the dealer ship, i stripped the covers myslef, and could not find anything that would rattle, it was one of those annoying sounds that was coming and going all the time.

If the car is under warranty just take it back and ask them to strip it and re secure the wirring that is in the pillar, worked for my Presara.

Good luck

[tekkyy]

took the car to dealer to change the VVT-i hose today

asked them to look at dash and b-pillar rattle too

my mild dash squeak (over sharp bumps or road joints) remains

but no big deal

I am guessing the noise kit is probably designed for serious rattles which I never had

I dislike the b-pillar rattle more

it starts on certain rough road surface and keeps going

are there any dealer who would ride with you? (so you can show to them exactly which noise you are talking about)

like if the, service engineer, hear the sound for himself bells would ring right?

no charge

there were big "warranty" words stamped on the items on shop copy of the receipt

dealers gets money from Toyota for servicing right?

Edited December 23, 2009 by tekkyy

[tekkyy]

near b-pillar: vibration, soft, frequent on unsmooth road surface

near steering wheel: rattle, louder, rattle, only on road joints and bumps

had a test drive with the dealer today

the b-pillar noise is soft but he heard it eventually

I sugguested it sounds like theres something inside

he said its just a thick metal pillar inside to support roof

he says its the plastic piece on the seat belt mount and had done other cars

noise near steering wheel is less frequent

first he says it'll be hard to find it (on and off noise)

fortunately he drove to the local park's car park with uneven surface

and found the noise

he sees it loud when you don't hold the steering wheel

picked up the car

he said he had put foam inside b-pillar

on the drive home I heard noise is still there

these few days I still to feel its not just from b-pillar but maybe rear of cabin as well

and a part is on order for the steering noise

A-pillar scratch

lubricant fixed arm rest squeak