Hi, I have taken delivery of my brand new Aurion ATx (2013 Model) in early Nov 2013 from Sydney City Toyota Glebe. No negative surprises during the first month. Then as per schedule, I sent it in to them for the 1-month service (my car odo reading was as around 730Km). After the service, I noticed a definite change in the braking characteristics of my ATx - it creaks (with a "crocking" noise) when coming to a stop on braking (just at the very last fraction of a second before full stop), and the car also tends to give a "mild-*****" like a wheel locking up for a sudden stop. To avoid this symptom, I must be extra careful and gentle when stopping/braking. I sent my car back to the Toyota Service Centre and thinking that this is just a matter of brake-force adjustment overdone. Surprise, surprise, they told me that no adjustment what-so-ever had been done during the 1-month service. They just done a few inspections and did a car wash as usual. Furthermore, they insisted that the "crocking" noise when come to a stop on braking is a typical braking characteristic of the Toyota Aurion car. I can't believe this because the braking characteristics of my ATx has definitely CHANGED before and after the 1-month service (from my hands-on experience). I then requested a brand new Toyota Aurion demo car from their sales department for a quick road test. It confirmed that my car was behaving like the new Aurion demo car before, and it has changed after the service. The difference is that: when driving the new Aurion demo car (which my car was behaving in a similar manner before), one must intentionally (or consciously) try hard (by hard stopping/braking) to get the crocking sound (not the noise of ABS activation). My car in its present state: One must intentionally (or consciously) try hard (by extra careful slow and gentle stopping/braking) in order to avoid the “crocking sound”. BUT the service centre manager insisted that: since even the brand new Aurion is making such a noise (much softer), it is therefore a normal braking characteristic of Toyota Aurion car. I do not accept such a reasoning because my hands-on driving experience of my ATx told me there is definite change of behaviour as described above. I am now monitoring the noise situation for a couple of weeks, and then decide on the next steps in dealing with Sydney City Toyota Service Centre. Any one has similar experience with any of the latest models of Toyota Aurion? Your comments will be appreciated.
