boy-o-boy..my toyota service manager is a postering fool..

[vash]

had to make an appointment and drop off my truck. 2006 toyota tacoma. (wish Sniper was here to bash away at toyota)..i found a leaky front differential. i thought/hoped it was my drain plug, so i bought new crush washers, and changed them out. added a nice dose of Swepco for luck. figured the blue would be easy to see if it kept leaking. darn it..it turns out to be the output shaft seal for the driver-side axle. quick search and i determined my '06 with 52k miles just squeeked in under the 5 year/ 60,000 mile warranty. the service manager said.."now hold on there..!'...when i said i was dropping my truck off for some warranty work.. apparently they need to call toyota corp for their blessing..

wtf? it is either under or not under warranty..black and white.. if it isnt, i have a great independent toyota shop nearby that does the same work, but alot cheaper.

waiting with bated breath...for the call. if this goes badly, none of you are getting your Christmas presents!!

[kaisen]

Seals aren't *always* covered under Toyota's powertrain warranty
It's not black and white

[herr_oberst]

Don't get me started about my Toyota Service Manager . . .

(vash, you can threaten them with a bad review if they balk, it's been my experience that they seem more concerned about what Corporate thinks about that piece of paper then they do about fixing the vehicle)

[Rikao4]

the review..
they live and die by those..
strange enough..My Moms (Toyota) guy is a saint..
she's 80 + and easily taken..
he goes above and beyond..
and I will thank him this week..

Rika

[vash]

Originally Posted by kaisen

Seals aren't *always* covered under Toyota's powertrain warranty
It's not black and white

thanks everyone. and kaisen. you are correct. i just want the info upfront. my truck cannot be the first seal in the front diff they ever changed, on a warrantied truck.

my (egads!) chevy dealership would apologized for the myriad of problems and tell me up-front, "dont worry about this..it is warrantied"

[kaisen]

I think it depends on *why* the seal failed. They may cover it if it is related to the diff, which is covered. Trouble is, they'll have to look into it

[wdfifteen]

Maybe they train them to be that way?
Mine told be the tires on my Tundra were "pretty much trashed." The fronts have 50% tread or more, the rears about 80%. While I was there they quoted a woman with a Corolla over $500 to put tires on her car. I bit my tongue, and they talked her into it.

[syncroid]

I replaced the right front output shaft seal on my Toy at 95000. The left was dry at the time. I just hit 100000 and now I have to do the left side. Ohwell I guess it was jealous of the attention paid to the right side. I'm glad I don't have to pay to have someone else do the work for me.
Sorry Cliff.

[vash]

Originally Posted by syncroid

I replaced the right front output shaft seal on my Toy at 95000. The left was dry at the time. I just hit 100000 and now I have to do the left side. Ohwell I guess it was jealous of the attention paid to the right side. I'm glad I don't have to pay to have someone else do the work for me.
Sorry Cliff.

dan, if you took pictures of the work, you would be really popular on tacoma sites!! like rock-star popular!!

[syncroid]

Just loading them up now from my phone.

[syncroid]

They are all fuzzed out and don't show much. The job was not that bad to do. I don't know how different your 06 is compared to my 01. I un-did the bottom four bolts for the balljoint assembly and the tierod. I removed the outter axle nut and swung the whole assembly to the side. Then took two big prybars and popped the inner joint out of the differential housing. The seal is right there.
My Toyota parts guy hosed me though. Turns out that the TRD equipt trucks use a bigger seal. I had it all apart and that was my ride home. Grrrrrrrr! My wife bailed me out. They had the seal the next day for me.
If you do it your self, make sure you give them a vin number.

[vwbobd]

Is that your regular dealer? Did you buy it there? If no to any of these, then they are phuucking with you. And yes warranties are black and white. I was a service manager for many years (12) and I can tell you that any service manager, at any dealer can warranty an item weather it id "covered" or not. Its called "goodwill" warranty. All manufacturers offer it to retain/gain customer base. The fact that they are balking at a little seal replacement tells me that you are not a regular. If they decline or offer to "split" the repair, tell them you would like to contact their DSM (district service manager) but use the abbreviation it will have more sting cause they know you are not an idiot. With all of the negative publicity Toy has had in the past year and a half I bet they are an easy pushover for this type of crap. I have seen GM put new engines in cars at 150k miles all because the customer called and complained to the GM brass.

[syncroid]

Originally Posted by vash

dan, if you took pictures of the work, you would be really popular on tacoma sites!! like rock-star popular!!

Well since I now have to do the left side, I will take pics with my regular camera. I probably won't do it until I do my next oil service. Its barely seeping at this point with nothing even getting to the splash sheild yet.

[vash]

i dont know if sending my "negotiator" was the reason for my success, but my wife called. toyota is picking up 100% of the bill!

[t-tom]

If the dealer says no, just call Toyota of North America Phone: 800-331-4331 The transmission in my 01 tundra went out a 62K miles. The dealer told too bad and it was going to be 3800.00 bucks to fix it. I just called Toyota of North America explained to them that I have been a loyal Toyota truck buyer for 12 years and have had 5 of them. They gave my number to the area warranty supervisor he called and we worked it out. I was out of warranty so they really didn't have to do anything for me. They covered the cost of labor and sold me the transmission at dealer cost 1660.00

[syncroid]

Thought I would post my fuzzy pics anyways.

[campbellcj]

My wife was at our local dealer recently and talked to the service advisor about the terribly-designed combination remote/key. She bought a replacement - nearly $300 - for the original that broke, and sure enough the replacement broke much more quickly than the first. The guy actually contested that it was a replacement key (purchased from them no less), as if that should've even mattered. I don't even think he attempted checking their computer system for the purchase.

She went back with the receipt and complained again. Then they acknowledged that it was a replacement and is a crappy design that breaks too easily, but didn't offer a replacement or any concession whatsoever. Charged full price, and I'm certain this one will break too. I usually hold Toyota in high regard but crap like this makes me wonder WTF they're thinking.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by vwbobd

Is that your regular dealer? Did you buy it there? If no to any of these, then they are phuucking with you. And yes warranties are black and white. I was a service manager for many years (12) and I can tell you that any service manager, at any dealer can warranty an item weather it id "covered" or not. Its called "goodwill" warranty. All manufacturers offer it to retain/gain customer base. The fact that they are balking at a little seal replacement tells me that you are not a regular. If they decline or offer to "split" the repair, tell them you would like to contact their DSM (district service manager) but use the abbreviation it will have more sting cause they know you are not an idiot. With all of the negative publicity Toy has had in the past year and a half I bet they are an easy pushover for this type of crap. I have seen GM put new engines in cars at 150k miles all because the customer called and complained to the GM brass.

How much will complains to the DSM really help? I have a their van and the rear power fold down seat went. It is a known issue with them but no recall. I call toyota North America with no luck. The dealer wanted 2000 bucks to replace the rails on each seat. I know they have a redesigned rail system. A couple of service mamagers are real dicks there. I always get the "I don't know, we have to have it looked at for two hundred bucks". These two guys didn't want to warrant my senser on the seat with 9000 miles on the van. I had to talk to a third guy to get them to look at it for free. My local independent Toyota tech were the ones told me about the new rails and suggest I talk to Toyota themselves. I folded the seats no more then 7 or 8 times since we have had the van. I am really disappointed at Toyota for putting out such crap products and not stand behind it. What do you suggest? I am willing to pay for the install if they would pop for the parts. I don't think it is happening.

[AFD660]

I dont think I'll buy another toyota product again. unless its used and not under warranty anymore. I used to have a 2007 tundra. My headlights were aimed wrong from the factory and were blinding oncoming drivers. Almost everybody was flashing me as if i had my brights on. I took it to the dealership and asked them to adjust the headlights. Service manager comes back and says they arent adjustable. I told him, I'm sure they are adjustable as I have never seen headlights that aren't adjustable. He told me I assure you they are not adjustable. So I call toyotaNA.. they were no help. Lady kept telling me if you had a heavy load in the bed it will cause the headlights to aim higher. I told the lady, "I didnt have anything in the bed of my truck, I didnt have anything on the inside of my truck besides me, all I want to know is, are the headlights of the truck adjustable." She said to me to take it to a dealer to get them adjusted. Spent about 45 minutes trying to find out if the headlights are infact adjustable. after all that time I wasnt given a straight answer. Sold the truck a month later.

[vwbobd]

Originally Posted by look 171

How much will complains to the DSM really help? I have a their van and the rear power fold down seat went. It is a known issue with them but no recall. I call toyota North America with no luck. The dealer wanted 2000 bucks to replace the rails on each seat. I know they have a redesigned rail system. A couple of service mamagers are real dicks there. I always get the "I don't know, we have to have it looked at for two hundred bucks". These two guys didn't want to warrant my senser on the seat with 9000 miles on the van. I had to talk to a third guy to get them to look at it for free. My local independent Toyota tech were the ones told me about the new rails and suggest I talk to Toyota themselves. I folded the seats no more then 7 or 8 times since we have had the van. I am really disappointed at Toyota for putting out such crap products and not stand behind it. What do you suggest? I am willing to pay for the install if they would pop for the parts. I don't think it is happening.

DSM's are pretty much the final say in this type of transactions short of a lawsuit. If it really is that bad you should let your dealer know that you may involve the press. Most TV stations are more than willing to do an "On Your Side " report. Given this difficult time for the auto business in general , they are not gonna want anymore bad publicity. Then I would definitely find a new dealer cause your sounds like they are all ass hats!!