Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/06/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I leased my electric car toyota BZ4X in December 2023. In February 2023, the daily mileage charge had decreased from 250 miles per day in charge, to 190 miles per day in charge. I brought my car in to check the battery for some defect and they said it was bad weather could cause the battery to charge less. They said they would not replace and could not fix it. It was still "good".By June of 2024 the car was charging even less at 175 miles per day of charge. I brought it to a second dealership ****** Toyota. They serviced my car but said this was normal and could not replace the battery and this was normal. October 2024, I brought my car to Toyota ********* of ***********. My battery charge was 160 to 175 per day. This dealership said they too would not honor the battery warranty which says if the car is operating under 70% of capacity it would be replaced at no charge. In February of 2025 my battery is now getting 135 to 149 a day in charge. I had to have my car towed to the original dealership DARCARS Toyota in Baltimore. The car would no longer charge and the daily mileage was down to 133 miles per day. They fixed the charging port and charged me a diagnostic fee (this was supposed to be under warranty) and told me they would not replace the battery even though it is significantly under 70% of capacity to charge.This electric car is a nightmare in my life. I have multiple jobs requiring me to travel at least 150 miles per day. I have run out of electricity and i have had to call AAA on 2 occasions. I was promised a car with a mileage capacity of 228 to 250 miles per day. Toyota had recalled all these cars in the first month of its launch of this car in 2023 due to battery issues. i demanded they replace the battery and they refuse. The warranty explicitly states that if the battery is performing 70% or less than capacity it will be replaced. I have had the car for only 15 months and ****** miles. Please help me.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/10/2025

  Hi there! The issue with the vehicle not charging was attributed to damage caused by the customer to the charging terminals, which prevented the charging cable from connecting properly. The terminals were bent to the point where the charger could not even engage. After inspecting and repairing the terminals, the vehicle was able to charge to 100%. We recommended replacing the damaged component, but Mr. ******** declined. It was explained that the damage to the terminals was not covered under warranty, as it resulted from external force. Additionally, the customer's reported mileage per charge is inaccurate, as the vehicle was never able to achieve a full charge due to the damaged terminals. We offered to conduct a road test to measure mileage per battery usage if the vehicle were cleaned sufficiently, but he declined. Mr. ******** also contacted the manufacturer directly to request a battery replacement, despite being informed of the cause of the issue. After reviewing the situation, Toyota declined to approve the battery replacement, as the full charge was never achieved and the low mileage was attributed to the terminal damage. The Toyota representative confirmed that the customer was unwilling to accept this explanation, and no further action was taken. Thank you!

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/11/2025

   
  Complaint: 23028342
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  This response is not accurate and not true. They are making up  lies here.  The first part about my charger is the only accurate part.

  "Hi there! The issue with the vehicle not charging was attributed to damage caused by the customer to the charging terminals, which prevented the charging cable from connecting properly. The terminals were bent to the point where the charger could not even engage. After inspecting and repairing the terminals, the vehicle was able to charge to 100%."   
  

  Yes, my car started charging when they bent the prong.  the person on the phone said "it took one minute to fix and we won't charge you anything for that"

  I did decline replacing the chargeport because it was working for 15 months prior and then stopped.,  Obviously the cause was the prong losing contact with my charger at home.

  It continued to work and still does.     However, as they state here and is true, the car charges to 100% each day but the amount of miles I get each day is 140 miles per day on a car that is sold with an estimated daily mileage up to 252 miles per day.'

  Please see the attachment from their manual, the page has also been highlighted here attached as well.  Along with the screenshot of the miles taken last week on 2 different days.

  Here is the lie:
  Additionally, the customer's reported mileage per charge is inaccurate, as the vehicle was never able to achieve a full charge due to the damaged terminals.  (Not true, see the picture of the miles on 2 different days.

   

  We offered to conduct a road test to measure mileage per battery usage if the vehicle were cleaned sufficiently, but he declined.   They offered nothing to me, told me they would not replace the battery. They acknowledged that it is charging less than 70% of capacity.

  Mr. ******** also contacted the manufacturer directly to request a battery replacement, despite being informed of the cause of the issue.   I have actually been in contact with the manufacturer for months making complaints about this battery issue including the one 2 months after leasing this new vehicle in February 2024. (leased in December 2023)  I brought this car back to DARCARS Toyota when I noticed my car was charging 100% but only getting 190 miles per day instead of the original 248 when I left the showroom on day 1.

  "After reviewing the situation, Toyota declined to approve the battery replacement, as the full charge was never achieved and the low mileage was attributed to the terminal damage. The Toyota representative confirmed that the customer was unwilling to accept this explanation, and no further action was taken. Thank you!"

  Toyota National Customer relations contacted me yesterday 3/10/25.  They said that the dealership said that the cause of my battery not getting more miles is due to the prong issue and therefore they (national toyota) will not replace the battery.  When I explained that the car is only getting 140 and some days as low as 133 miles at FULL CHARGE.   Your warranty specifically states when it performs below 70% capacity it is covered under warranty.   That would be full charge daily of approx 175 miles per day. Toyota National said, I still can't help you.    Have a great day. 

  As a consumer, I leased this car and continue to pay my $569 a month in full. I have asked this dealership to replace the battery due to its capacity numerous times.

  Here they are lying to the Better Business Bureau.   I was never offered a road test.   My daily life is impacted by not being able to drive more that 2 hours a day in a car that is being leased as a fully electric vehicle.

  They advertise it that the buyer / ****** will be fully satisfied with the outstanding performance of the battery and its freedom from gasoline.

  This is not true and their willingness to lie and not cover their legally required warranty puts them in future legal jeapordy.

  I have done nothing wrong here.  I have incurred rental car costs over $2000 because of failure of this battery.  My daily life is horribly effected as I am a home inspector requiring me to travel to Baltimore, ************* sometimes more than once a day and I am forced to charge my car or unfortunately run out of electricity on my way home and have to be towed or charged by AAA.

  I need your help in enforcing this warranty.  Thank you.

  Al Hallivis  See attachments of screenshots of the miles per day at 100%, their stated warranty.     The ****** diagnostic fee, which should have been covered by warranty.   But I paid them since the prong was bent back into place.

  No notes about the battery.  No offer of doing a road test to test battery usage (a lie)

  The battery charges to 100% showed by the way in the Toyota app, which shows charge and miles per day, but they are not stating that at all. 

  Very important, when this car was brought to market, Toyota recalled all of the BZ4X due to battery issues.       And there are many videos showing the knowledge of the battery issues.

  I have been lied to and now the BBB is being lied to here by the Dealership. I am being lied to by the National Customer Relations of ********************** National.

  These issues will be brought to court if my battery is not replaced soon.  Thank you for your attention.  Please review this video discussing the Toyota Bz4x battery issues and its battery range issues.

  *******************************************

   

   

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ********

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/11/2025

  
  Complaint: 23028342
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  This response is not accurate and not true. They are making up  lies here.  The first part about my charger is the only accurate part.
  
  "Hi there! The issue with the vehicle not charging was attributed to damage caused by the customer to the charging terminals, which prevented the charging cable from connecting properly. The terminals were bent to the point where the charger could not even engage. After inspecting and repairing the terminals, the vehicle was able to charge to 100%."   
  
  Yes, my car started charging when they bent the prong.  the person on the phone said "it took one minute to fix and we won't charge you anything for that"
  
  I did decline replacing the chargeport because it was working for 15 months prior and then stopped.,  Obviously the cause was the prong losing contact with my charger at home.
  
  It continued to work and still does.     However, as they state here and is true, the car charges to 100% each day but the amount of miles I get each day is 140 miles per day on a car that is sold with an estimated daily mileage up to 252 miles per day.'
  
  Please see the attachment from their manual, the page has also been highlighted here attached as well.  Along with the screenshot of the miles taken last week on 2 different days.
  
  Here is the lie:
  Additionally, the customer's reported mileage per charge is inaccurate, as the vehicle was never able to achieve a full charge due to the damaged terminals.  (Not true, see the picture of the miles on 2 different days.
  
  
  
  We offered to conduct a road test to measure mileage per battery usage if the vehicle were cleaned sufficiently, but he declined.   They offered nothing to me, told me they would not replace the battery. They acknowledged that it is charging less than 70% of capacity.
  
  Mr. ******** also contacted the manufacturer directly to request a battery replacement, despite being informed of the cause of the issue.   I have actually been in contact with the manufacturer for months making complaints about this battery issue including the one 2 months after leasing this new vehicle in February 2024. (leased in December 2023)  I brought this car back to DARCARS Toyota when I noticed my car was charging 100% but only getting 190 miles per day instead of the original 248 when I left the showroom on day 1.
  
  "After reviewing the situation, Toyota declined to approve the battery replacement, as the full charge was never achieved and the low mileage was attributed to the terminal damage. The Toyota representative confirmed that the customer was unwilling to accept this explanation, and no further action was taken. Thank you!"
  
  Toyota National Customer relations contacted me yesterday 3/10/25.  They said that the dealership said that the cause of my battery not getting more miles is due to the prong issue and therefore they (national toyota) will not replace the battery.  When I explained that the car is only getting 140 and some days as low as 133 miles at FULL CHARGE.   Your warranty specifically states when it performs below 70% capacity it is covered under warranty.   That would be full charge daily of approx 175 miles per day. Toyota National said, I still can't help you.    Have a great day. 
  
  As a consumer, I leased this car and continue to pay my $569 a month in full. I have asked this dealership to replace the battery due to its capacity numerous times.
  
  Here they are lying to the Better Business Bureau.   I was never offered a road test.   My daily life is impacted by not being able to drive more that 2 hours a day in a car that is being leased as a fully electric vehicle.
  
  They advertise it that the buyer / ****** will be fully satisfied with the outstanding performance of the battery and its freedom from gasoline.
  
  This is not true and their willingness to lie and not cover their legally required warranty puts them in future legal jeapordy.
  
  I have done nothing wrong here.  I have incurred rental car costs over $2000 because of failure of this battery.  My daily life is horribly effected as I am a home inspector requiring me to travel to Baltimore, ************* sometimes more than once a day and I am forced to charge my car or unfortunately run out of electricity on my way home and have to be towed or charged by AAA.
  
  I need your help in enforcing this warranty.  Thank you.
  
  Al Hallivis  See attachments of screenshots of the miles per day at 100%, their stated warranty.     The ****** diagnostic fee, which should have been covered by warranty.   But I paid them since the prong was bent back into place.
  
  No notes about the battery.  No offer of doing a road test to test battery usage (a lie)
  
  The battery charges to 100% showed by the way in the Toyota app, which shows charge and miles per day, but they are not stating that at all. 
  
  Very important, when this car was brought to market, Toyota recalled all of the BZ4X due to battery issues.       And there are many videos showing the knowledge of the battery issues.
  
  I have been lied to and now the BBB is being lied to here by the Dealership. I am being lied to by the National Customer Relations of ********************** National.
  
  These issues will be brought to court if my battery is not replaced soon.  Thank you for your attention.  Please review this video discussing the Toyota Bz4x battery issues and its battery range issues.
  
  *******************************************
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ********

  Business Response

  Date: 03/11/2025

  Hi Mr. ****************** stated by our dealership and the others you have visited, we must abide by the warranty terms of the manufacturer. Thank you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/14/2025

   
  Complaint: 23028342
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  To BBB, I informed you that the dealership specifically said that they would not cover the warranty.

  It is the dealerships obligation to repair work on a vehicle that is defective.  

  Again, according to the warranty in the manual provided by this dealership, the battery is operating below 70%.  See screenshots of current mileage capacity of 140 miles per day.

  They have refused.  They also advertised this car as having 252 miles estimate each day. This is literally false advertising and breach of warranty.

  I do not accept BBB determination that the manufacturer is responsible.     If this dealership does not replace my battery and they leased it to me knowing there was an issue (see recall of 2023 where battery issues were the cause).

  They are falsely selling and leasing a product to consumers leading them to believe the battery would last and charge properly.  They do not.

  If the BBB does not force this company to replace my battery, I have engaged with the ************************************ to enforce it.

  The false advertising and breach of warranty will cost this company a day in court in front of a jury to determine the damages to me as a consumer and to a judge and jury to determine the damages in a class action lawsuit.

  I require my battery fixed and a response within 5 business days.  I will be contacting my attorneys shortly after if this does not take place.

   

  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/01/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  After visiting this dealership for a complementary Toyota maintenance, I received this message Good morning this is ******* so our system was down yesterday and we performed your 15k service our system started working yesterday at the end of the day we checked your history and the 15k was done already so you are due for your 20k service with oil change if you can return today so we can perform your oil change i do apologize. A few hours later I received this message I STILL HAVE YOUR R/O OPEN IF YOU CAN COME IN TOMORROW SO WE CAN PERFORM YOUR OIL CHANGE I WILL HAVE YOU IN AND OUT.I went to another dealership for the oil change and I was informed that the previous dealership logged that they completed the service. I called the previous dealership and I was told that since they told me to come back, they logged that they fulfilled the service. I believe this is fraudulent.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/10/2025

  Thank you for bringing this to our attention to assist! Unfortunately the computer error cannot be rectified at this late date, but we did reach out to Ms. ******* via email this morning so we can schedule and perform her next service for free. We appreciate the opportunity to be of assistance!

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/25/2024

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have been trying to get the DARCARS ASSURANCE that was added to my vehicle, when we spoke to the sales representative my husband and clearly told him that we will purchase the Toyota Camry without the Darcars Assurance that they offered that we did not want any adds on to our vehicle. When we signed our purchase documents I signed in good faith, and I did not realize because we were there for several hours from 4 pm until 1 am. I signed the documents and next day when I started reading all the documents my husband and I realized that they amount we owed to the vehicle was high because they added the Darcars assurance. I called the dealer, and I have made several one-hour trips to the dealer asking to remove it. A couple of times the finance representative will tell that he will email me the application to remove it, and nothing happens. Then I will go back to the dealer and call, and nothing was done last time I showed up because I also want to finance my vehicle due to high interest and the bank, I wanted to use to finance told me that they can refinance until DarCars removes this insurance that they added. I am asking to remove DARCARS assurance I never ask for it to be included because we do not need it. I have already call and ask to be contacted back and time is passing by, and nothing is done to help me. I do not plan to trade in my car like they offered once I just need to get this removed.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/20/2024

  We are more than happy to process a refund provided that Ms. ******** sign a refund form. We sent her this form via Docusign on 12/19 and resent it 12/20. Once received, we can process a refund back to her lienholder. Thank you!

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/09/2025

  I have not received any email can you conctact me before emailing the form. Or who should I conctact. 
  thank you

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/09/2025

  Complaint: 22593139

  I have not received any email can you conctact me before emailing the form. Or who should I conctact. 
  thank you
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******** ***** ********

  Business Response

  Date: 01/16/2025

  Ms. ******** signed the cancellation and refund forms on 1/14 and they were sent on for processing by our accounting team on 1/15. Thank you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/16/2025

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******** ***** ********

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/14/2025

  There is no refund yet ans it has been almost two months already. This is insane, how long will this take to refund the money to the original lender. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/31/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  In mid-November 2023 I paid DARCARS Baltimore to replace all four brakes and rotors on my car. The service cost approximately $1000. After the brakes were replaced in November 2023, I immediately noticed that the brakes were squeaking/squealing. I took the car back in for inspection and explained that the brakes were squealing excessively. I was told that everything looked fine. Several more months passed - the squealing issue was still occurring. I took the car back in for service and was once again told that everything looked fine. The issue at hand is that all four brake shims are missing. This was discovered when I took the car in for the state-required inspection. The mechanic explained that normally this should result in a failed inspection. However, I explained that I had recently took the car into the local dealership, so they gave me a pass. I called the dealership back and explained the situation. They agreed to take the car in and look at it, for a third time. Afterwards, the employee informed me that it would cost extra for the shims to be installed. When I explained to the employee that the squealing issue was not present prior to the brake service, they did not care. When I asked the employee how it was possible that all four of the shims could have worn out when the car only had ~51k miles on it, they did not have an answer. The issue was escalated to the manager, but this person also did not care about any of the points I was making. What doesn’t make sense at all is how all four of the shims could have fallen off or degraded to a point where it was impossible to replace them. As I mentioned, the car only had ~51k miles at time of service. Even if all of the shims were bad, why was I not told that they needed to be replaced at the time of the original service? Why was I not told that the shims were missing after I brought the car in twice? I believe that the dealership forgot to re-install the original shims when my brakes were replaced.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/05/2024

  Our GM will be reaching out to Mr. ******* today to discuss bringing in the vehicle in to assess his claims. Thank you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/11/2024

  They never contacted me.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/18/2024

  Our General Manager called on 11/5 and 11/14 and left a voicemail for him on 11/14 at ************. Thank you!

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/24/2024

  The dispute has not been resolved. A company representative sent a message that they would call me. I gave them a lot of time to do this, but the call never happened.
  
  In this case, I think the complaint needs to be reopened. They can reach me via email or cell.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/23/2024

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am writing to formally lodge a complaint regarding the handling of the financing agreement for my recent purchase of a 2024 Toyota 4Runner by DARCARS Toyota of Baltimore on September 2, 2024. During the sales process, I specifically agreed upon a finance rate of 4.9%. However, on my drive home, I discovered that **** in the finance department had substituted this agreed rate with an 8.4% rate without my consent. This action not only constitutes a breach of trust but also imposes an undue financial burden on me as a consumer.Despite my immediate efforts to address this discrepancy, including multiple communications with the dealership finance and management team, the issue remains unresolved. I was assured that the matter would be corrected promptly; however, well over 30 days have passed since I first raised my concern, and no action has been taken to rectify the situation. This delay is unacceptable and has caused me significant inconvenience and frustration, as I had made financial plans based on the originally agreed-upon rate.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/28/2024

  We have been in touch with Mr. ****** and he is aware that we are waiting for Toyota Financial to review and process his new contract. We expect to hear that this is complete by 11/1, and will keep him apprised as we hear more. Thanks for reaching out!

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/22/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  - 8/5/24 purchased car fully and paid it off in cash (debit card), received 60 day temp tags and registration.- 10/12/24 I noticed that my temp tags and registration had expired.- 10/12/24 called the dealership's tag and title department and left voicemail including contact info to call me back.- 10/14/24- 10/16/24 call the dealership's tag and title department 3 more times and left voicemail each time.- 10/17/24 called the dealership's tag and title department, and connect with an agent.- 10/17/24 the agent informs me that they have contacted their silver spring location to produce the title since August.- 10/17/24 the agent states they will call the needed location immediately and call me back - the agent never called back.- 10/18/24 went back into the Baltimore location and confirmed with Manager ******* *. that they cannot find the title.- 10/18/24 waited 2 hours at the store, for Manager ******* *. to inform me that they do not have any solution.- 10/18/24 requested that they place me into a different car, or refund my purchase - Manager refused to do so.- 10/18/24 Manager ******* *. confirmed my contact information stating he will call that night with an updated.- 10/18/24 I called 2 times over the course of 5 hours, and was told the manager was busy and could not take my call.- 10/18/24 Manager ******* *. never returned my call.- 10/19/24 I called 2 times for an update and left a voicemail, and again Manager ******* *. never returned my call. It has been over 75 days since the purchase of the vehicle and the dealership is unable to produce the title. I am unable to drive the car, nor am i able to sell ***** has depreciated in value, and I have been charged for car insurance that I am unable to use.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/30/2024

  In order to complete Mr. ****** tag work a duplicate title was required. As of 10/30, we are still waiting on the state of VA to issue said duplicate title. We expect to receive it by 11/14 at the latest and will then complete the remaining paperwork. Mr. ***** has been apprised that we will be providing him with a complimentary rental vehicle until his tag work has been completed. Thus far, he has missed his appointments on 10/27, 10/28, and 10/29 to pick up his rental -- he only need arrive before 6pm to pick it up. Please let him know that we are standing by for his arrival.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/08/2024

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We purchased a used 2020 ****** kicks from the DARCARS Toyota 8/28/2024. At the time of purchase, the listed price was ******. We agreed to this price and put ***** down, as well as got a trade in value of 500 for a much used 2005 **** Explorer. Through predatory loan practices, the Finance Manager ******** ***** was able to increase the amount to over $19,000. We were told by ******** that we were not getting approved for the loan because of my credit score. In reality, throughout the last month we have received several rejections in the mail that state a primary reason for rejection of auto loans were due to the value of the vehicle relative to the high amount that he was trying to get us approved for. We did not know that he was trying to get us approved for such a high amount for a used vehicle that was only $****** to begin with. When it became clear that he was doing such, I asked in person why he had increased the price and he told us that the warranty and gap insurance through DARCARS were necessary. He told my partner, who co-signed and co-bought, that we could not cancel the warranty or the gap insurance for 6 months. We now know that this is not true. We don't appreciate being swindled or lied to. ******* has not returned our calls or emails for a variety of reasons. They also gave us two key fobs that were dead, and this car has no method of manual start. Two business days after purchase, my partner went to the dealership to get the key fobs replaced, and they kept him there for hours. At that point they had not cashed my deposit check and my partner stated that we did not want this vehicle. ******* again lied and said they couldn't take it back for a return or trade. During this hours long wait, they also only replaced one of the dead keys, so I still have one non-functional key. They could have taken back the vehicle-we want them to take it back now. The value is not worth the financed charge, and they have neither been pleasant nor professional.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/11/2024

  Hello, thanks for allowing us to review. Mr. ***** encountered challenges with his vehicle purchase, which required extensive negotiations for funding approval from Toyota. Days later, Mr. ***** expressed a desire to return the car. We informed him that while we cannot simply return a vehicle, he could trade it in, using the warranty cost as a down payment instead of canceling it outright. We didn't hear from Mr. ***** until he reached out to our finance manager for warranty cancellation on 10/7. Our team advised him to contact Toyota directly for a quicker resolution, as we typically recommend to avoid confusion. Regarding the key fob issue, we are happy to cover the cost of a new battery from our ****** store if Mr. ***** wishes to get one. We are also open to facilitating a trade-in for Mr. ***** if he chooses to purchase another vehicle from us. We can offer him $15,500 trade-in value for his ******* provided it is not damaged. Mr. ****** please reach out and let the team know how you'd like to proceed. We appreciate your time. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/17/2024

   
  Complaint: 22393079
  
  I am rejecting this response because: As we previously expressed, we do not wish to remain in business with you, so we will not be making another vehicle purchase from you as a trade. We will, however, accept the value that you listed which is ****** to return the vehicle. We do not want to trade, we want to return this vehicle and will not ever again do business with DARCARS of Baltimore.

  Additionally, you will and should have already replaced both key fobs, you sold us a car with two dead key fobs yet only replaced one when my partner came in to get them both replaced. So we accept your offer to replace the key fob battery at zero cost to us, as should have already been done. You also should have provided floor mats as with any vehicle, but told us to "shop on amazon".

  Finally I would like to point out that it is absurd (and this has been going on in all of our correspondences) that you only address ******** when I am the author of several emails, the author of this BBB complaint, and we are co-signers and co-buyers. Your machismo is showing by acting as if the woman in the room does not exist. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******** *****

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/17/2024

  This business has lied not only in person but even in their response to the complaint. I hope the BBB will keep an eye on them. What they are saying they said to my partner is not true, they told him nothing could be done when he went in 2 business days after the purchase. Additionally it appears that for several days after our purchase they were communicating with lenders without our knowledge. Their mention of "negotiation" regarding the loan did not take place with our permission or knowledge. They have been impossible to get ahold of and only responded to our personal emails after we filed this complaint. Additionally even in terms of emails that they sent to me asking for proof of address, they did not ever respond and tried to speak only to ***. This location is staffed mostly by hispanic men, a population that I frequently work with as a public health professional, and I speak spanish. The conversation that the employees who were not busy was having was the equivalent of locker room talk-degrading to women. I told the salesperson I spoke spanish and he apologized, but they have never once acknowledged me and have continued to be disappointingly machismo since our first interaction-as shown in their responses to my partner only, despite me being the author. 

  Business Response

  Date: 10/17/2024

  Regarding the key fob issue, we are happy to cover the cost of a new battery from our ****** store if Mr. ***** or ******** wishes to get one. We are also open to facilitating a trade-in if they choose to purchase another vehicle from us. We can offer him $15,500 trade-in value for his ******* provided it is not damaged. Mr. ***** or Ms. ****** please reach out and let the team know how you'd like to proceed. We appreciate your time. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/25/2024

  They did not resolve the dispute-they did partially stop lying, however we want to return the car and they keep telling us to trade. The business ignores all of our emails and calls until I got the BBB involved. This business does not operate in good faith and should be watched by any authority possible. They operate on predatory lending schemes and don't think that customers are intelligent enough to figure out what they are doing. We have now gotten $3,000 of the loan they made without our permission removed by toyota lending, and toyota lending has filed a complaint against the dealership on our behalf as well. 

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/10/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My car was dropped off in the afternoon on 11/2 to the establishment. They didn't look at it until the next day. Jessica called me on Friday morning for approval to do a diagnostic at which time I informed her my car was under warranty and she said she would look into it. Later that day, she called back to say that I needed a new key and "reseeding" and it would cost $1059 which wouldn't be covered by warranty. I told her to proceed, thinking I had no other choice. I called back 4 minutes later to ask her to hold off on the new key until I could contact my warranty provider. She informed me they already ordered the part (did not offer to cancel that order) and said she actually didn't find any warranty for my car (so previously telling me it wasn't covered was a lie). I gave her the contact information for my warranty provider and did not hear anything until Monday morning at 10:30am. At that time she informed me that they had already reseeded the key ($1059 worth of work) and now I also needed a new battery. She also mentioned that she was unable to reach my warranty provider and it turns out she took down the wrong number and didn't reach out to me to confirm at any time. I asked her to hold off on the battery replacement until we could reach Fidelity for warranty info. It turns out the warranty wouldn't cover any of this so I called back at 4:30pm on Monday to request to proceed with replacing the battery so I can pick up my car. She didn't answer so I left a voicemail and continued to call and leave 5 more voicemails for her and her director but still did not receive any response for the last 2 days. I was told by two different front desk assistants that the car was done (without the battery) but nobody even reached out to me to say it was ready for pickup. They then reached out to the director and also indicated he would call me back. I left multiple messages, but still have no contact from the Director Gary, nor anyone from Darcars.

  Bureau Response

  Date: 11/10/2023

  Megan *****
  *** * ****** ** ********** *** *****
  
  
  Dear Megan *****:
  
  Thank you for contacting the Better Business Bureau. This message is in regard to your complaint submitted on 11/8/2023 against DARCARS Toyota of Baltimore.  Your complaint was assigned ID 20845503. 
  
  Now that I have filed, what is the next step?
  We have forwarded your complaint to the business for their response. We have asked the business to reply promptly, but some disputes may take longer than others to conclude.  Please be patient as we work to ensure that your concerns are addressed. 
  
  What if I do not agree with the response from the business?
  It is important for both parties to maintain realistic expectations and respond in a professional, fair and courteous manner.  Our goal is for you and the business to be able to work towards an amicable solution. Should this prove difficult, we may offer you and the business the opportunity to participate in binding arbitration.  More information about these options can be found at www.bbb.org
  
  What happens if a business does not respond?
  BBB will make every effort to obtain a response from the business, but some businesses simply do not ever contact us.  BBB is not an enforcement agency. We cannot force a business to respond. However, failure to do so may result in a negative impact on their BBB rating, which may drive away future customers. BBB can also refer you to other agencies that may be able to assist you, depending on the specific nature of your complaint. 
  
  Feedback from consumers is vital to BBB. We appreciate your willingness to report this information to us. We look forward to helping you and the business work toward a resolution. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any additional questions or concerns.  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  

  Linda *****
  l*****@greatermd.bbb.org
  

  Business Response

  Date: 11/13/2023

  This customer's partner informed us via phone that they did not intend to pay their bill, and multiple team members witnessed this customer's partner verbally abusing a member of our team when they came to pick up the vehicle. On these grounds, we respectfully decline conducting any further work on this vehicle and wish them safe travels.

  Bureau Response

  Date: 11/15/2023

  Megan *****
  *** * ****** ** ************ *****  
  
  Dear Megan *****:
  
  This message is in regard to your complaint submitted on 11/8/2023 against DARCARS Toyota of Baltimore.  Your complaint was assigned ID ********* 

   

  BBB has received a formal response from DARCARS Toyota of Baltimore. We ask that you review the response and understand that BBB is here to assist both parties in reaching a fair and reasonable resolution.

  Please review their response to your complaint and advise us of your position in the matter within 5 calendar days. If we do not hear back from you, BBB will assume you are satisfied and will close your complaint as answered.

  Please be sure to indicate whether the business' response is satisfactory or not and how you would like to proceed in this matter.

  If you received this complaint via Postal Mail, you may respond online using the link below or respond by mail using the address above.
  To access/respond to this complaint online:
  Go to: ****************
  Enter the following code: **************

  Sincerely,

  Linda *****
  ************************
  

  
  MESSAGE FROM BUSINESS:
  
  This customer's partner informed us via phone that they did not intend to pay their bill, and multiple team members witnessed this customer's partner verbally abusing a member of our team when they came to pick up the vehicle. On these grounds, we respectfully decline conducting any further work on this vehicle and wish them safe travels.

  Bureau Response

  Date: 11/20/2023

  Sherlene *****
  DARCARS Toyota of Baltimore **** ******* *** ********* ** *****
  
  
  Re: ID * ******** - Megan *****
  
  Dear Sherlene *****:
  
  Thank you for your recent response to Megan *****. We have not yet heard from the consumer and are closing this case as answered.
  
  Following our usual procedure, BBB notified the consumer of your response and requested notification of whether or not a satisfactory resolution had been reached.  Unfortunately, the consumer has not notified our office if they are satisfied. BBB has determined that your company has addressed the issues within the complaint; therefore we have closed this case in our files. This matter will appear in your BBB Business Profile as: "Answered - The Business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer did not accept the response, OR BBB has not heard back from the consumer as to their satisfaction."
  
  The text of your response may be publicly posted on BBB's website. BBB reserves the right to not post in accordance with BBB policy, and we may edit your response to protect privacy rights and to remove inappropriate language. 

   

  In the event the consumer contacts BBB again regarding this issue, we may reach out to you to review any new or additional information we've received from the consumer. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Linda *****
  ************************
  

  Bureau Response

  Date: 11/20/2023

  Megan *****
  *** * ****** ** ********* ** *****  
  
  
  Re: ID * ********- DARCARS Toyota of Baltimore
  
  Dear Megan *****,
  
  We have not received your response to confirm this complaint has been resolved. Therefore, this complaint has been closed and will appear in the company's BBB Business Profile as: “Answered- BBB has not heard back from the consumer as to their satisfaction with the business's response.” 
  
  Please know that BBB is always available to discuss your case and review additional information. Thank you for using BBB's Marketplace Services.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Linda *****
  ************************
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/01/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  To Whom This May Concern:
  
  I am launching a formal complaint against Darcars Toyota of Baltimore, MD located at 6997 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore, MD. I purchased a used 2022 Toyota 4Runner from this dealership on August 8th, 2023, and I have had nothing but issues since initializing the transaction; please see below for a list of grievances I have regarding my experience with this car dealership:
  
  When I initially bought the vehicle, I paid for a few warranties outright – this included a tire/key warranty, maintenance and service warranties. I did not receive a second key fob for my vehicle, and they said that the tire/key warranty would provide a second key fob. I went to my local Toyota dealership near me, and they said they could not replace my second key fob with the warranty because my original key needed to be lost. I was misled by the finance manager when he advised this could be rectified.
  
  
  While I was in my local dealership about a week later, I wanted to verify that my warranties were activate so that I could begin looking into a maintenance schedule. They could not find my warranty information, and advised that I give it one more week to see if my warranties will be activated then. Two weeks later, my warranties were still not activated. I called Darcars to find out what is going on, and the finance manager stated that “Accounting forgot to apply your payment to the warranties, so they weren’t activated.” So I had been driving around for two weeks without any coverage that I had purchased.
  
  
  The Title/Tag process has been nothing short of a nightmare. Delaware is currently about 60-90 days behind on issuing license plates, and I am approaching the need for a third temp tag. The dealership told me 3 days before my first temp tag expired on 10/6/2023 that I needed to go get the vehicle inspected through DE. I had to take time off work, rush over to the DMV to put my car through inspection just to get them the information they needed. I have been attempting to follow up with them regarding the status of my tags, but every time I call, there is another excuse. They also stated that they will not be issuing me another temp tag, which I feel is wrong considering I paid them the service to get my vehicle tagged, and they keep falling short of deadlines. I understand DE is a deciding factor, but they need to be more diligent in following up with these state agencies if I paid them the service to do so.
  
  
  The sales associate failed to be up front regarding the damage to my vehicle when I purchased it. I noticed that there is a scratch going down my passenger front door, approximately 18 inches long, scratches on the rearview mirror on the passenger side, as well as three dings in the bumper. I went to a body shop to get an estimate on how much these items would cost to fix, and it was approximately $3,000 – this would include fixing the door, mirror and bumper, as well as re-painting. While I was given some money off on the runner when I bought it, I feel I should’ve received more off due to having to fix these issues on the vehicle they did not want to disclose.
  
  There should be some compensation involved with this complaint, as this has not only affected my relationship with the dealership, but also my lien holder. Due to the negligence of this dealership, I am having to take action on items that should have been rectified by now since I paid the dealership these services. I am extremely unhappy with the incompetence I’ve been shown by these employees, and seek for them to issue temporary tags until they send me my license plates. The warranties issue has been rectified, but between the non-disclosure for the damages and having to go to the DMV to perform services they should be executing, this has been a terrible experience.
  
  If there’s any additional information that is needed, please reach me via email at [email protected] for the fastest response. I can also be reached by phone at ###-###-#### as well, with a voicemail left.
  
  Thank you,
  
  ******* ****

  Business Response

  Date: 11/27/2023

  Ms. **** came into the dealership on 11/25 and signed the corrected POA, which was immediately sent to our accounting department. We are doing as much as we can on our end to expedite this for for Ms. ****, but once it is in the hands of the Delaware DMV, it is out of our control. We hope for a speedy resolution.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/23/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Bought a brand new vehicle from them, they gave me temporary tags until the regular tags come in, now the temp tags are expired they won’t give me an extension and won’t provide me with an explanation with what’s going on with my regular tags

  Business Response

  Date: 09/26/2023

  Hello! This customer came in, signed for, and picked up his plates at the end of August. The tag was completed before the 60-day temp tag expired.