Horrible experience at Towne Toyota in Ledgewood, NJ. I highly recommend shopping elsewhere…read more
I purchased a Toyota Certified Pre-Owned 2023 Toyota RAV4 from Towne Toyota in April 2026. Before purchasing, I noticed cosmetic damage that had been poorly repaired. The general manager acknowledged it and reduced the price, so I decided to move forward.
Unfortunately, the problems started immediately. On the drive home, I heard a noise and discovered a piece of the exterior body molding coming loose and falling off. I returned to the dealership, where it was simply reattached.
About a week later, I began experiencing braking issues. The brakes did not seem to stop the vehicle properly; the brake pedal would sink almost to the floor, and eventually a Brake warning light appeared. I contacted the general manager and brought the vehicle in.
Before any technician inspected it, the service manager got into my vehicle, pressed buttons, shifted it into gear, and applied the parking brake until the warning light disappeared. When I asked why he would clear the warning before it could be diagnosed, he offered no explanation. Fortunately, the employee who checked me in had already seen the warning light, and I also had a photo of it.
After waiting more than an hour, I was told the vehicle was safe to drive. Almost immediately after leaving, the Brake warning light returned, forcing me to turn around. I was then told the vehicle needed a new sensor and battery, but the sensor was not in stock, requiring another trip.
About a week later, the Brake warning light came on again. During my next visit, the service manager became argumentative and raised his voice, claiming the problem was the steering angle sensor--the same component I had been told was already replaced.
Toyota states that the Brake warning light can indicate a braking system failure and advises drivers to pull over immediately and have the vehicle towed. Despite this, I was repeatedly told the vehicle was safe to drive.
The dealership eventually agreed to replace additional braking components, but the necessary parts were again unavailable, requiring yet another trip. Since the dealership is about an hour from my home, these repeated visits resulted in significant lost time.
When I finally received a loaner vehicle, nearly two weeks passed without a single update. After I contacted the dealership, I was told the Brake warning light had returned even after additional repairs, meaning they still had not resolved the issue.
While checking the Toyota app, I noticed my vehicle was parked at a residential address instead of the dealership. I later learned the service manager had taken my vehicle home, which further damaged my confidence in how it was being handled.
About two months later, I returned because the suspension felt unusually soft and unstable. The vehicle floated over the road, had excessive body roll, bounced over small bumps, and produced loud banging noises from the driver's side front suspension.
The paint is also peeling in several areas, and rust is beginning to form. The service manager photographed the damage but never explained what would be done or whether it would be covered.
This has been the most problematic vehicle I have ever owned. Between the repeated safety concerns, unsuccessful repair attempts, poor communication, and dismissive customer service, I have completely lost confidence in Towne Toyota.
I cannot recommend purchasing a vehicle from this dealership and will never do business with them again.
