Toyota Dealership Woes

[Seahawk]

The local Toyota dealer has been a reasonably priced option over the years. They are also right near the main gate for NAS Pax River (my wife works there) and offer drop off and pick up from the base.

In a moment of weakness, I decided to buy replacement tires from them...they had a special on the tires I wanted and I couldn't really beat the price. The problem is I asked them to changed the shocks as well. My wife said the 2003 4Runner was riding rough. With 180K and counting, made sense. I also asked them to look at bushings, etc.

Done and done.

The 4Runner is now my DD and is was clear to me the shocks were either not adjusted properly or had not been changed at all.

Yesterday I went to my regular guy and had him take a look. He said is is clear the shocks have not been changed. He said the rubber is very worn and the factory torque strips are still in place.

So, how to proceed? I know there are some guys here that work in the auto industry so I thought I'd seek council.

I'll document everything, with pictures. I also have the receipt from the dealer that spell out clearly that they changed the shocks.

Should I go direct to the dealer or call Toyota corporate first?

The complicating bit is that we have a new Highlander bought from the same folks and we purchased the maintenance plan (again, easier for my wife).

Thanks in advance.

[flatbutt]

I'd work through the dealer first, give them the chance to make it right. Very unusual IMO for a dealer to do something this blatant.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

I'd work through the dealer first, give them the chance to make it right. Very unusual IMO for a dealer to do something this blatant.

That is my sense as well.

Has any one been through this before?

[GH85Carrera]

You have to HOPE that the service manager was told by some lazy mechanic that the shocks were changed. There can't be much argument about the fact the old shocks are still in place. I would just ask for a refund on that part of the ticket and say goodbye to dealer.

Photograph everything before you take it back.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Agree, document everything including the inspection by your independent. You could probably also verify it by PN, the odds are the shock part numbers have changed since 2003.

What did the dealership charge you for? Your 4Runner is a Sport package with the XREAS shocks, which are hydraulic cross linked shocks. Definitely not your standard shocks, and replacing them with new XREAS shocks is expensive. So either they would have charged you a lot of money to rehab your existing hydraulic suspension system, or swapped them out to standard shocks. Either way they should have talked through it with you. I wonder if they didn't mis-charge you for replacing standard shocks, the tech didn't do the work because he couldn't, then they just charged you anyway. It might be shady or it might just be a total lack of communication between the tech and service advisor, which seems to be standard.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Your 4Runner is a Sport package with the XREAS shocks, which are hydraulic cross linked shocks. Definitely not your standard shocks, and replacing them with new XREAS shocks is expensive. So either they would have charged you a lot of money to rehab your existing hydraulic suspension system, or swapped them out to standard shocks. Either way they should have talked through it with you. I wonder if they didn't mis-charge you for replacing standard shocks, the tech didn't do the work because he couldn't, then they just charged you anyway. It might be shady or it might just be a total lack of communication between the tech and service advisor, which seems to be standard.

I don't have the receipt in front of me.

Funny that you mentioned the XREAS (which I did not know about when my wife took the 4Runner in): I have been doing a lot of research on upgrading the suspension, etc. and have just gotten smart on the XREAS.

That is when I started asking questions! The rear shocks seem to be the issue.

I know, I'm an idiot.

Any way, thanks for your input.

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Agree, document everything including the inspection by your independent. You could probably also verify it by PN, the odds are the shock part numbers have changed since 2003.

What did the dealership charge you for? Your 4Runner is a Sport package with the XREAS shocks, which are hydraulic cross linked shocks. Definitely not your standard shocks, and replacing them with new XREAS shocks is expensive. So either they would have charged you a lot of money to rehab your existing hydraulic suspension system, or swapped them out to standard shocks. Either way they should have talked through it with you. I wonder if they didn't mis-charge you for replacing standard shocks, the tech didn't do the work because he couldn't, then they just charged you anyway. It might be shady or it might just be a total lack of communication between the tech and service advisor, which seems to be standard.

+1. I had a steering problem last year. The steering was very heavy and didn't return to neutral after completing a turn. I brought it in and the tech said he lubed the universal and did an alignment,"that's all it needed" he said. Turns out I needed a new steering rack!

[Steve Carlton]

I'd just go in there and ask for the service manager. Hard to imagine a franchised Toyota dealer would deliberately pull a stunt like this. I'd love to hear their explanation. I'd also be inclined to cut all ties with the place. If the service manager doesn't give you a reasonable explanation, I'd go to whatever equivalent there is in Maryland to the Bureau of Automotive Repair.

[Hugh R]

One of my BIL's is the US Corporate QA/QC Director for Toyota USA in Torrance, CA. Let me know if you need me to pull that trigger.

[t-tom]

Go to the dealer service manager and talk to them first. This kinda stuff happens in big dealerships all the time. You shouldn't have a problem. If you do ask for the Toyota Area Managers name and phone number. Every region in the USA Has several Area Managers. Talk to them If that does not work call 800-331-4331 that's Toyota North America number. I have a 2002 Tundra when it had 62K the transmission went out. It was out of warranty on miles just barley but it was 2 years past the warranty date. I went to my dealers service department and they told me they would not fix it under warranty. I got the area manager on the phone he gave me the Toyota north America number and told me to talk to them. At the end of the day Toyota sold me the tranny at cost and paid all the labor to put it in my truck.

[Rikao4]

given their location..their busy & prominent..
Toyota will fix it..no doubt..
but who's gonna fix the stealer..
this wasn't a one time thing..

Rika

[Rot 911]

I agree with those saying talk to the service manager. He probably wrote up to change the shocks and the tech didn't read it. You are billed on the write up.

As to the XREAS system, Matt is right that they can be replaced with regular shocks, you just don't hook up the cross over hydraulic system. This is the way most 4Runner owners go.

[Bill Douglas]

It's interesting the "honest mistake" always happens this way. Never, they did the work but didn't bill for it.

[boba]

Originally Posted by Bill Douglas

It's interesting the "honest mistake" always happens this way. Never, they did the work but didn't bill for it.

Actually it does happen that way more than you would think. How many customers do you think call it to the shops attention if they even notice it on their bill.

[Brando]

Was this Woburn Toyota?

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Brando

Was this Woburn Toyota?

Toyota of Southern Maryland.

Again, they have been a reasonable option.

I have an appointment next Monday. Thanks for all the replies.

[recycled sixtie]

My worst nightmare is for instance to arrange to have a new imsb installed and it never is because it sits on the workbench of the mechanic and is never installed.

My preemptive strike is "can I watch you take out the old one?". If the supervisor without blinking his eyes(or scratching his rear end) says no problem I would give the go ahead and go watch the imsb bring removed. Am I a pita type customer? Yes because I have the time and assertiveness to make sure it is done right!

Of course not everybody has that luxury but could employ an enforcer like me(coffee/beer accepted) to be a retired pita at the local repair shop.

All it takes is a slip of the pen or a hungover/sickly mechanic to be the bad apple among all the other Toyota apples....

[recycled sixtie]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

Toyota of Southern Maryland.

Again, they have been a reasonable option.

I have an appointment next Monday. Thanks for all the replies.

You are way too patient. Tell them you want it done now. You have done nothing wrong to deserve this treatment....

[Seahawk]

My schedule issues, not theirs...but, your PITA for hire idea is genius

[Dan J]

Originally Posted by Bill Douglas

It's interesting the "honest mistake" always happens this way. Never, they did the work but didn't bill for it.

As a shop owner I can assure you it happens the other way too!