San Marcos Toyota

If you're considering using San Marcos Toyota's service department, especially for electrical diagnostics, please read this first. In March 2026, the ABS light returned, our brake lights stopped working department, especially for electrical diagnostics, please read this first. In March 2026, the ABS light returned, our brake lights stopped working, and we brought our Toyota Gold Certified 2022 Toyota 4Runner to San Marcos Toyota. They kept our vehicle from March 6 through March 27, a total of 21 days. During that time, we were told the repair required significantly more labor than initially approved through the warranty process. After nearly three weeks, we were told the vehicle was repaired and ready for pickup. Unfortunately, it wasn't. Shortly afterward, the exact same issue returned, except this time it was significantly worse. We experienced a burning electrical smell and smoke coming from the air conditioning vents and floorboard. At that point, this wasn't just an inconvenience—it was a serious safety concern. When we returned the vehicle, we were told the cause was water intrusion from the windshield area and that multiple wiring harnesses had suffered extensive corrosion. This is where things stopped making sense. The vehicle had already spent 21 days in their shop for the exact same electrical issue, yet we were now being told there was corrosion severe enough to require replacement of major wiring components that had not been identified during the original repair. San Marcos Toyota's position was that the windshield installation caused the failure and that neither Toyota nor the dealership was responsible. We explained that the windshield had been installed before the vehicle was sold to us and that the vehicle had subsequently passed Toyota Gold Certification in that condition. We were repeatedly directed to contact the selling dealership ourselves and were even advised to file a claim with our personal auto insurance. We were also told that the warranty company had denied our claim. However, after contacting the warranty administrator ourselves, we received information that differed significantly from what we had previously been told regarding the status and handling of the claim. That only added to our frustration and concerns about communication throughout this process. The central question was never answered: If the windshield leak was truly the root cause, why was that leak not identified during the original 21-day repair when the vehicle was already being diagnosed for the same electrical issue? Communication throughout this experience was awful. Despite repeatedly requesting to speak directly with the Service Director, most communication was routed through the Service Advisor. At one point, the Service Advisor contacted us from a personal cell phone while off duty regarding our vehicle, which we found unusual given the circumstances. Our final interaction with the Service Director was particularly disappointing after we declined to sign paperwork containing statements that were inaccurate regarding the timing and extent of the corrosion. We were told the corrosion developed entirely between March 21 and April 29. However, the vehicle is primarily stored in a garage, driven very little, and sat unused while we were out of town for more than a week. Based on the condition of the affected wiring, we had serious questions about that conclusion. To make matters worse, after the original repair, our vehicle was returned with missing parts and fasteners. Missing bumper hardware caused the wheel-well liner to rub against the tire, wearing a hole completely through it. Additional covers, clips, and fasteners were also missing. To the GM's credit, those items were replaced at no charge. Returning a vehicle after 21 days only to have the same issue return—this time with smoke coming from the vents—significantly undermined our confidence in the diagnosis and repair process. Based on our experience, we cannot recommend San Marcos Toyota's service department for complex electrical repairs or any kind of repairs for that matter. More

San Marcos Toyota Service Center frequently emphasizes its commitment to building loyal, long-term customer relationships. Unfortunately, my experience reflects a serious disconnect between those claims a its commitment to building loyal, long-term customer relationships. Unfortunately, my experience reflects a serious disconnect between those claims and the actual service delivered. What should have been a simple routine oil change instead resulted in a significant safety incident, inconsistent communication, and ultimately a complete loss of trust in the service department. The most alarming issue is that my vehicle—a minivan that regularly transports children—was returned to me after service in a condition that should never have occurred under any professional safety standards. Specifically, the vehicle was released with only ONE lug nut securing a wheel instead of the required five. This was not a minor oversight or cosmetic issue. It represented a severe mechanical safety failure with the potential for catastrophic consequences, including loss of wheel while driving, serious injury, or worse. I worked directly with Sean Moore, Director of the Service Department and from the beginning, getting a clear and consistent explanation from him was difficult. The account of what occurred changed multiple times. I was initially told there was no video footage, only to later be informed that footage did exist. Different explanations and theories were offered at different points, creating a confusing and inconsistent narrative around a critical safety event. Ultimately, Sean said he reviewed the video footage and he acknowledged fault. However, even with this acknowledgment, the seriousness of the situation appeared to be minimized. When a customer’s vehicle—especially one used to transport children—is returned in an unsafe condition, full transparency and accountability are essential. Sean Moore voluntarily offered to replace the lug nuts on the affected wheel and refund the cost of the original oil change due to the severity of what had occurred. I did not ask for anything; these were his own commitments made to address the situation. Naturally, I expected those commitments to be fulfilled. They were NOT! After 5 lug nuts were replaced, I was told the issue was the rusted lug nuts and the vehicle’s prior use in the Midwest This reasoning is difficult to accept. Vehicles with exposure to varying climates and road conditions are common in Texas, and any professional service department should be fully capable of recognizing and properly handling standard wear-related concerns. More importantly, if technicians believed there was any risk that the wheel could not be safely secured, the vehicle should never have been released to the customer under any circumstances. Safety must always override convenience or scheduling pressures. Despite multiple follow-ups with Sean via phone calls, text messages, and emails, the promised refund was never processed. Communication stopped altogether. The lack of follow-through on a directly stated commitment was both disappointing and unprofessional. It is important to recognize that mistakes can happen in any business. What defines professionalism is not perfection, but accountability—how an organization responds when something goes wrong. In this case, what followed the initial failure was just as concerning as the failure itself: shifting explanations, missing communication, and unfulfilled commitments. These are fundamental breakdowns in customer service and operational integrity. I also want to note that in a situation involving a significant safety concern, a direct conversation from dealership owner would have demonstrated a genuine commitment to understanding both sides of the situation and restoring customer confidence. God knows what Sean said to the owner to protect himself. Maybe the OWNER of San Marcos Toyota should brush up on his customer service. I will not be returning and cannot recommend it to anyone. More

Prior to this year, I would have given SM Toyota a five star review. When Melody was the Service Manager, everything was fantastic. However, last year the service department lied multiple times. They lied star review. When Melody was the Service Manager, everything was fantastic. However, last year the service department lied multiple times. They lied about windshield wipers stating that I needed new ones after my son had just installed brand new ones. They lied about my brake pads stating I needed new ones: on one service inspection the pads are 4mm and the next they were 9mm. Additionally, they wanted to charge me to look at the situation with my brakes after they had already previously charged me and this is supposed to be part of the inspection when they rotate the tires. They used to provided delivery and pick up service and then suddenly told me they don't do that anymore. They also scratched the side of my car when they ran it through the car wash. And they tried to lie and deny it when they dented and scratched my son's truck when he took it in for service. They even went as far as showing us videos of a truck that was not his to try to prove they didn't do it. We ultimately proved they did and so they fixed it. And to make matters worse, when I brought these issues to the general manager, TJ Kendall, he just decided that they would not work on my vehicle ever again. REALLY! And if we want to go back to the beginning when I purchased my 2021 Highlander Platinum edition for about $50k, they messed up on the financing and wanted me to come back and give them a new check. And the finance guy argued with me about it repeatedly, even though I explained I wasn't even in the state. Nor had I actually taken possession of my car! Again, REALLY! And I'm the unreasonable one. I don't think so. I did contact Toyota Corporate and they started out saying they would take care of the situation and ended up stating that ultimately it was up to the dealership. I think Toyotas might be great cars, but the next time I purchase a new vehicle, it definitely WON'T be from San Marcos Toyota. And it doesn't matter if you're a repeat customer. We purchased 3 brand new vehicles from them in 3 years. Two of these vehicles were they high end Highlander Platinum edition for approximately $50k. More

The Toyota CPO Required "Option" I recently attempted to purchase a used 2026 Toyota Tacoma Trailhunter ($58,300) from this dealership. We agreed on a price and I was able to secure a loan from my credit to purchase a used 2026 Toyota Tacoma Trailhunter ($58,300) from this dealership. We agreed on a price and I was able to secure a loan from my credit union at a good interest rate. Since I live in Dallas, I had to wait till the weekend to drive in, test drive and make the purchase. I didn't want to get blindsided with some unknown fees at the last minute or during the finance process so I stayed in communication with the sales guy the whole week and I had him verify the sales bottom line + TTL. I had everything ready but the day before I was to drive in, the finance & sales guy (the same guy I stayed in communication with the entire week) were trying to sneak in the Toyota Certified Pre-Owned cert "option" for $1,995.00. They said it was "optional" but when I told them I didn't want the Toyota CPO they both said I had to get it. It would either be rolled into their financing or if I used my credit union's financing, I was going to have to pay for it. I then said: "So it's not optional then - this is required?" They responded with: "No, it's optional." I was confused so I tried to get clarification - they kept saying it was "optional" but I was going to have to pay for the CPO someway otherwise they would not sell me the truck. Their logic drove me nuts. They didn't seem to understand the meaning of "optional" - so I told them I wasn't buying the truck. I walked away from the deal and would caution others to get everything in writing before making the trip. More

STOLEN TIRE KEY Went to San Marcos Toyota for inspections and an oil change. Left with my tire key missing. Came back—Sean (director) told me to buy a new one ($50–$60) and refused to take res inspections and an oil change. Left with my tire key missing. Came back—Sean (director) told me to buy a new one ($50–$60) and refused to take responsibility. Stated "that's how the world works" and “Business is business.” Unprofessional, patronizing, and dismissive. An hour later, surveillance footage showed their tech taking it from my cupholder—after they repeatedly claimed that was not possible. Only then did they replace it, with little to no apology. If it takes proof of employee theft for this business to do the right thing, that’s not business—that’s a lack of integrity. More

After receiving a text message, phone call, and an email from San Marcos Toyota saying my vehicle needed maintenance, I scheduled an appointment with them. The dealership is 22 miles from my home. When I from San Marcos Toyota saying my vehicle needed maintenance, I scheduled an appointment with them. The dealership is 22 miles from my home. When I arrived the vehicle was driving perfectly normal. There were no warning or low tire lights on. I arrived at the dealership with exactly 28059 miles of my vehicle. This is documented on my multipoint inspection report. When I arrived, I was told that in addition to an oil change, my vehicle was due for brake fluid exchange ($214.95) and fuel system service ($329.95), which I agreed to. They also tried to talk me into changing my differential fluid but I refused that service as I was starting to feel that I was being unnecessarily upsold. I was called by member of the service department over 4 hours after dropping it off and told that when the technician drove my car into the garage, he found a screw in one of my tires and could hear air coming out of it. I was told the tire was not repairable and I needed to buy 2 more tires at $300 each to avoid transmission damage. I was also told that the technician noticed the car pulling to the side as he drove it in the parking lot and that I needed a realignment. I found this unbelievable given that I had driven the car 22 miles to get to the dealership with the car driving perfectly straight, and the low tire indicator had not notified me of any loss of tire pressure. If a technician could actually hear air leaking from the tire, surely the tire would have become deflated enough during a 22 mile drive for the tire pressure indicator to indicate the pressure loss. I suggested the possibility that the screw had been picked up in their parking lot. The service member immediately declared that their parking lot was clean and there were no screws in their lot. It is important to point out that although the dealership’s claim is that the technician could hear air coming from the tire when he pulled it into the garage, it was over 4 hours later that it was reported to me. As will be discussed later, during those 4 hours, the vehicle had over 10 miles added to the odometer. It was clearly taken off the dealership lot without my knowledge or consent, but I was not aware of this at that moment. I told the service member that I do not authorize any further work and that I would come pick my vehicle up. When I arrived I paid for the work that was done. While waiting for the service member to pull my car up, I noted a random piece of circular metal laying on the ground in the covered drive they have customers pull their cars into to get serviced. I took a short video of that. After my car was pulled up, I was shown a screw sticking out of the tread of my right rear tire. The tire appeared to be properly inflated and no air could be heard hissing out of it. I was now told that it was a slow leak and that that was why my low tire pressure light had not come on. Remember that earlier I had been told that the technician could hear air coming from the tire. Dealership staff clearly could not get their stories straight. I left the dealership. After driving only 3.3 miles, I noted that the odometer of my car now registered 28073 miles. As a reminder, the car had 28059 miles on it when I dropped it off. That means the car was driven over 10 miles while in the dealership’s care. I stopped and took a short video showing my odometer reading of 28073 miles and trip distance of 3.3 miles. Clearly the car was driven off of the lot while in the dealership’s care. Despite the random piece of metal laying in their covered service lane, the fact that my car was so obviously driven off the lot (without my consent), and the tire pressure warning light was not on when the car was dropped off (after a 22 mile drive to the dealership) the dealership refused to accept that the screw could have possibly been picked up while the vehicle was in their care. More

Dishonest Dealership ! Day 1 purchased 2026 4Runner ! when negotiating price with Mason (salesman) he comes back with a new invoice from sales manager Bill Ferguson that s Day 1 purchased 2026 4Runner ! when negotiating price with Mason (salesman) he comes back with a new invoice from sales manager Bill Ferguson that shows $4,000 plus the amount we agreed on ! It a scam they use on every customer ! It covers windshield protection, paint protection and extended GPS service ! I made sure they removed the extra cost ! Then we go to drive the car home and found a scratch from the front bumper all the way to the rear fender flare ! Toyota loaned us a car to drive ! A week later We pick up the car dive home in the rain , dry off the car and found another paint issues on the roof of the vehicle ! It looked like someone tried to remove the spots already due to paint was dull around damaged area . The problem I have is someone at this dealership knew their was paint issues with this brand new 4Runner And either reported to management and management let this car go to pickup Or didn’t say nothing to no one ! Bottom line this is a dishonest dealership ! Still on going repair ! Will update after settlement ! More

DO NOT BUY HERE. They will trick you into expenses you arent aware of. They are shady and I regret giving them my business. I will never buy from Toyota again because They will trick you into expenses you arent aware of. They are shady and I regret giving them my business. I will never buy from Toyota again because of this dealership More

My experience with San Marcos Toyota was very disappointing and raised serious concerns about honesty and transparency. First, they charged the wrong sales tax amount, ignoring the trade-in credi disappointing and raised serious concerns about honesty and transparency. First, they charged the wrong sales tax amount, ignoring the trade-in credit that should have reduced my taxable total under Texas law. When I pointed out the mistake, they made excuses and tried to justify the inflated tax instead of fixing it — a difference of several thousand dollars. On top of that, they had made a written promise outlining specific terms we agreed to, after I signed, but before my husband signed the paperwork, they rescinded that written promise and tried to change the deal. We chose not to move forward with the purchase because of this dishonesty. Stay away from them! More

Purchased my second vehicle (for my Senior) worked with Luis he is patient, very thorough and dedicated to his customers. All car sellers are good at selling but he didn’t pitch to me in a pushy way at all Luis he is patient, very thorough and dedicated to his customers. All car sellers are good at selling but he didn’t pitch to me in a pushy way at all. He followed up o things as he said he would. Amazing experience, efforts and service. Definitely recommend. More