2008 Scion xD Powertrain & Transmission Problems

I WAS DRIVING MY 2008 SCION XD WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION HOME FROM ERRAND RUN, CLOSE TO HOME. NEAR A BUSY INTERSECTION, THE GEARS FAILED. NO WARNING, NO ENGINE LIGHT. A KIND GENTLEMAN HELPED ME PUSH THE CAR INTO A NEARBY PARKING LOT. DURING THE AUTOPSY, MY MOST EXCELLENT MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE THROW-OUT BEARING IN THE CLUTCH BROKE. THE CAR HAS ONLY 24,300+ MILES. THE PART'S FAILURE WAS NOT CAUSED BY IMPROPER USE OR EXCESSIVE WEAR! THIS WAS A FAULTY PART. I CAN ONLY THANK A HIGHER POWER THAT I WAS NOT ON A HIGHWAY OR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WHEN THIS HAPPENED, BECAUSE THERE WAS FULL LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE STEERING SYSTEM & MOBILITY. GUESS IT WASN'T MY DAY TO DIE IN A HORRIBLE CAR CRASH. CALLED TOYOTA TO ASK FOR REMUNERATION FOR THE $1,350 REPAIR JOB AND THE $140 FOR THE RENTAL CAR BECAUSE THE REPAIR TOOK A WEEK. THE PART IS COVERED BY THE WARRANTY, BUT TOYOTA REFUSED TO PAY FOR ANYTHING BECAUSE THE REPAIRS WERE NOT PERFORMED AT A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP! APPARENTLY TOYOTA PUTS THE "T" IN STUPID - AND HOW MANY CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS ARE THEY FIELDING THIS WEEK? LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS, I CONTACTED STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE HELP LINE. HOPEFULLY THE AG'S CASE WORKER WILL BE A BETTER RESOLUTION THAN "NO, WE WON'T PAY FOR THE FAULTY PART THAT IS UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE ONLY PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL TOYOTA DECODER RINGS ARE ALLOWED TO FIX IT." RIDICULOUS. ONE RING TO RULE THEM ALL AND IN THE DARKNESS BIND THEM! *TR

MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND CLUTCH FAILED, LOCKING UP THE VEHICLE AT A DANGEROUS INTERSECTION. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS BEGINNING TO FAIL. UPON REPAIR, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT ONE OF THE METAL COMPONENTS WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION BROKE AND CAUSED THE IRREPAIRABLE DAMANGE TO THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION. *JS

I WAS DRIVING TO A JOB INTERVIEW. INITIALLY THERE WAS A SLIGHT GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE CAR. THIS SOUND WOULD OCCUR ONLY WHEN THE ACCELERATION PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. WHILE STILL ON THE FREEWAY, THE GRINDING SOUND PROGRESSED AND THERE WAS INCREASED RESISTANCE (WITH PRESSURE ON THE GAS PEDAL, THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND MAKE A TERRIBLE GRINDING NOISE). WHILE STILL ON THE FREEWAY, AND IN 5TH GEAR, THE TRANSMISSION GAVE OUT, AND BEING IN 5TH GEAR WAS AS IF BEING IN NEUTRAL (NO ACCELERATION AT ALL, ENGINE WOULD REV WHEN PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL). I WAS LUCKY THAT I DID NOT GET IN A CRASH AT 70 MILES PER HOUR. AFTER PULLING OVER, I TRIED THE REMAINING GEARS AND THEY MADE THE SAME TERRIBLE GRINDING NOISE, AND THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALER. AFTER INSPECTION, I WAS TOLD THAT THE BEARINGS AND GEARS CAME APART WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION, AND THAT IT WAS DUE TO AN INTRINSIC DEFECT OF THE TRANSMISSION. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE CAR AND HAVE MAINTAINED THE CAR RELIGIOUSLY. IT HIS HIGHLY UNUSUAL TO HAVE A 2008 SCION XD MANUAL 5-SPEED TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY FAIL AT 86,000 MILES. I HAVE NOT ABUSED THE CAR AND IT WAS IN GREAT CONDITION. I HAD TO PAY $4,000 DOLLARS FOR THE DEALER TO INSTALL A NEW TRANSMISSION AND CLUTCH. I FEEL THAT I GOT RIPPED OFF BUYING THIS CAR AS THERE IS NO WARRANTY THAT WOULD COVER THIS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE AND HIGHLY DANGEROUS FAULTY TRANSMISSION. I THINK IT WOULD BE PRUDENT TO HAVE THIS TRANSMISSION RECALLED, AND CEASED FROM PRODUCTION AS SERIOUS BODILY HARM AND DEATH COULD HAVE RESULTED TO MYSELF AND OTHERS FROM THIS TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *TR