How to get Toro to stand behind their product?

   / How to get Toro to stand behind their product? #1  

Mike_S

Silver Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2001
Messages
155
Location
South of Kansas City
Tractor
JD4400HST
My ZTR is a ZMaster 589 (Kaw 29hp water-cooled, DFI engine) -- during the first 52 hours it ran perfect. Starting with the 53rd hour, it would run for a while and then start cutting out. Two different qualified and excellent dealers have worked on it and after 13 (THIRTEEN) months, it is still a failure and Toro Support is allegedly having engineers figure out the problem. 13 months of inability to mow more than a quarter of an acre at a time is frustrating (understatement). The supervisor in charge of the case is doing what she can. The warranty has now expired and the first two months of this mowing season have been a disaster as well as nearly all of last mowing season. :realmad: There are 110 hours on the mower at this time.

I have been totally cooperative, polite and patient -- all to no avail.

There are no mower lemon laws in Missouri. Any suggestions as to HOW to get Toro to fix or replace this $ 11,000 mower (I have NEVER had any kind of lack of support issue like this with JD or Kubota in 30 years of using their products.)??

MikeSp
 
   / How to get Toro to stand behind their product? #2  
My ZTR is a ZMaster 589 (Kaw 29hp water-cooled, DFI engine) -- during the first 52 hours it ran perfect. Starting with the 53rd hour, it would run for a while and then start cutting out. Two different qualified and excellent dealers have worked on it and after 13 (THIRTEEN) months, it is still a failure and Toro Support is allegedly having engineers figure out the problem. 13 months of inability to mow more than a quarter of an acre at a time is frustrating (understatement). The supervisor in charge of the case is doing what she can. The warranty has now expired and the first two months of this mowing season have been a disaster as well as nearly all of last mowing season. :realmad: There are 110 hours on the mower at this time.

I have been totally cooperative, polite and patient -- all to no avail.

There are no mower lemon laws in Missouri. Any suggestions as to HOW to get Toro to fix or replace this $ 11,000 mower (I have NEVER had any kind of lack of support issue like this with JD or Kubota in 30 years of using their products.)??

MikeSp

It sounds like you have been patient enough at this point. What I do when I get to the point that I feel I've exahusted all avenues with a company is write directly to the company president (you should be able to do a search on Toro and find their corporate web site with officer's and addresses listed). Write a polite but factual and forcefull letter laying out the whole ordeal. Attach any documentation that supports your facts. Mention who from Toro you've dealt with and any dealers. Then ask for the remedy you want - all money back, new ZTR, new engine, etc. And, most importantly, note via CC at the bottom that a copy is going to your state consumer counsel or the equivalent for your state and perhaps your state attorney general.

I can tell you from my occupation, every major U.S. company has a small staff that reads, reviews and deals with letters written directly to the office of the president. These people have the ability to cut through the bureaucratic BS and get things done, and they'll be motivated to given who you've copied on the letter. Good luck and let us know how it goes.
 
   / How to get Toro to stand behind their product?
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Link to corporate officers.

Corporate Governance Executive Officers

corporate address (bottom left of page):

The Toro Company

Thanks -- I WILL write directly to the Toro Executive -- I have a VERY detailed and accurate set of records of every failure (dates, descriptions, etc.) -- I figured that the result would be the same as emailing customer support or calling them -- a polite answer but nothing in the way of a real fix. Hey -- I am desperate and willing to give it a try. Thanks again.
 
   / How to get Toro to stand behind their product? #5  
I can tell you from my occupation, every major U.S. company has a small staff that reads, reviews and deals with letters written directly to the office of the president. These people have the ability to cut through the bureaucratic BS and get things done, ......

X2. I have done that job for a major corporation and it's unbelieveable how screwed up and mishandled a situation like yours can get before it reaches someone with the authority to resolve it. CHDinCT offers good advice, and I'd be surprised if you don't have some success going this route. Just be level-headed and don't rant and curse or you'll get nothing.
 
   / How to get Toro to stand behind their product? #6  
I don't handle the complaints that come to the CEO but I worked high enough up the chain to know those that did and would sometimes be called to get involved to help fix a billing issue, etc. So I know these people exist and can make things happen for you. Good luck and let us know.
 
   / How to get Toro to stand behind their product? #7  
I believe there was an electric fuel pump problem on those units with the Kawi 29DFI engines which has been resolved. Yours should at least be given the parts, if not labor also. It was a known issue and Kawasaki and Toro do know the answer to fix it; a new pump kit. I think they owe you that.
 
 
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