Toyota Land Cruisers Defects Mean Nightmares for Sleepless Neighbors

When vehicles are defective, they usually pose the biggest risk to drivers, passengers and everyone else on the road. A recently discovered problem with certain Toyota Land Cruisers, however, has those car owners’ neighbors bearing the brunt of it with sleepless nights.

The malfunctioning sport utility vehicles’ sirens are blaring unexpectedly in the middle of the night, according to owner complaints. Jalopnik’s David Tracy, who happens to own a 100 Series Land Cruiser, says those complaints often come from owners who were awoken between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. to the sounds of their car horns.

Several of those owners, including Tracy, say they pulled the plug on their vehicles’ batteries to stop the incessant horns.  

“I resorted to pulling the battery cable since I didn’t have time for this; I was tired,” Tracy said of his experience after blaring horns woke him at 3 a.m. “The following morning, I reinstalled the cable, and everything was fine for a few hours until it was not. I then yanked the cable, and that’s the current state of affairs.”

Tracy and other owners who reported their experiences on owner forums eventually surmised that the problem was the result of some sort of electric short. He particularly concluded that water buildup in the driver’s side footwell, which is just above a fuse panel, was to blame.

The leaks may be from faulty windshield seals or clogged sunroof drains.

“A number of forum members say their electronics have dried out, and they’ve never had an issue since,” Tracy wrote. “Hopefully that’s the case for me.”

“Either way, it’s an absurd failure that, due to rain’s propensity to fall at night when it’s cool (density increases at temperature drops), tends to happen at the worst possible time.”

Know Your California Lemon Law Rights

Although blaring horns in the middle of the night are highly annoying, many car defects are even more alarming because they put people’s safety and lives at risk. 

From faulty seat belts to stalling issues and brake failures, these problems often increase the risk of a crash or make it more likely that people are injured in the event of a collision. Car manufacturers regularly do not alert owners of the issue until long after the vehicles have been sold.

The good news for California car owners and lessors is that you can take action. The state’s lemon law requires carmakers to perform various repairs on vehicles while they are under warranty. It also forces manufacturers to buy back - or, in some situations, replace - vehicles that they cannot or will not fix. 

Our Sacramento Lemon Law Firm Can Help You

If you are a car owner or lessor who has been stuck with a defective or malfunctioning vehicle, there is no reason to go it alone. 

Bickel Sannipoli APC is a Sacramento lemon law firm whose lawyers assist clients in defective vehicle cases throughout California. An attorney at our firm can help you fight back and hold the manufacturer responsible.

We assist people across the state and our offices are conveniently located in San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego. Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with an attorney at our Sacramento lemon law firm today.