The incident occurred in July of last year, but the saga begins months before and continues to today. I've been needing to do a writeup on this because I don't know the best course of action at this point.

It's hard to even know where to begin, but fall 2021 through mid-2022 my '99, 5-speed, 250k miles, was hit with a barrage of fluid leaks as parts all wore out at once. Gasket seals, oil pan, cooling system, power steering. Here we introduce the Denver-local company Toy Auto Masters. I have used them for repair work since 2017, back when I lived nearby. The past three years I've lived an hour away, but continued to go to them for repair work since I have a relationship with them.

Long story short, Toy Auto had a few of their repairs fail and need to be redone under warranty. Work on the clutch pedal, and the oil pan gasket are examples. It's complex a little logistically because they do not like me to wait for the truck and I live so far away. I used to schedule a job and tell them I was going to wait that day, but after once incident having scheduled an appointment to wait, the manager was extremely rude to me and yelled at me for not dropping it off. I ended up leaving and renting a car for a night. It was a very bad experience.

ON TO THE U-JOINT- I first started noticing a drivetrain vibration early 2022. It got progressively worse and I determined it was a driveshaft u-joint going. Scheduled with Toy Auto Masters for that work and they told me it wasn't the u-joint; it was some other issue, I can't even remember. Some bushings idk. But paid for that work got my car and bam the vibration was identical. Called them back and said I was concerned but they told me it was fine and not to worry. Well, I continued to worry bc the vibration was just getting worse so I took it to another place closer by: Adam & Sons, in Colorado Springs. They told me that the vibration was being caused by some other issue, I don't even remember at this point what either. But they assured me of this and so I dropped another several hundred bucks for them to fix it. Get the truck back, vibration still there. I called back the shop and told them I was worried about a catastrophic failure and they assured me the u-joint was fine and there is no concern. And I argued and I was like "this isn't normal" and they assured me 2x everything was fine.

Not too long later, the oil pan was leaking (this was more of a nightmarish issue than I previously stated as I had toy-auto do it first, then when it failed I had Adam&Sons fix it and toy-auto reimbursed them, bc Adam had loaner vehicles, so I didn't need to worry about renting a car near Toy Auto again, but then Adam's oil pan gasket failed and, unsure of what it was, I took my truck to Toy Auto (where I usually go) for the diagnosis, because I could wait for that short visit). I told them I suspected the oil pan, AND told them again that if they could double check this drivetrain vibration, that'd be great, because I'm sure it's a u-joint issue. SOMEHOW, they took my truck back there and replaced the oil pan gasket, without telling me they were doing that. They didn't just diagnose it and tell me; they diagnosed it and fixed it and then told me my truck was done. I was like... this part is under warranty from you initially and then Adam & Sons. Well, they claimed they thought I just wanted them to replace it. So I got charged a second time for the oil pan gasket. My third oil pan gasket in like 2 months. And I tried to get reimbursed from Adam & Sons but they would not because I couldn't prove it was them or leaking or whatever. And when Adam & Sons did the oil pan gasket to fix toy-auto's failed initial oil pan gasket, I was still charged like $200 because the reimbursement from toy-auto to Adam's wasn't exact. And I had gone there to avoid having to rent a car at toy-auto and I had confirmed the warranty reimbursement. So really I had paid in full for 2 oil pan gaskets and $200 for a third.

So anyway that was frustrating to have to pay toy-auto for a repair I didn't even authorize, but they also told me, BEHOLD, the u-joint was failing and that was the cause of the vibration, so they fixed it. First of all, finally, thank God, that vibration which scared me on the freeway was gone, but second of all, how obnoxious that I had spent unnecessary money both at Toy Auto Masters and Adam & Sons to fix the vibration that wasn't even related and both of them were wrong. I had determined before I brought it anywhere that it was a u-joint. But whatever.

So I leave the shop with my 3rd oil pan and new u-joint and as soon as I get on the freeway, the vibration remains the same. I call toy auto on my way home and say the vibration is still there and they assure me like you will not believe, argue with me, and tell me their techs have driven it and there is no issue, there is no concern. None. U-joint is fixed. There is nothing else they can find that is wrong. And I'm about to go on a mountain 4x4 road trip and am worried about driving my car with the vibration. I stop the truck and go under and see that the u-joint I'd diagnosed as the source of the vibration from the beginning had not been replaced. They had replaced a DIFFERENT u-joint. Not the one connecting to the rear diff. The one they'd replaced I didn't suspect any issue with. But still, they assure me there is no problem and I am safe and to do this mountain trip. So at this point I'm thinking to myself... maybe I'm crazy. Literally everyone has told me there is no issue where I think there is, and they're professionals.

So I decide to go on my mountain road trip with my friends and over the course of the trip, the vibration just gets worse. It gets loud. I am learning how to make it better and what to and not to do driving to prevent what I am sure is potential catastrophic failure. I go under my truck during the trip and take a video of the u-joint I had diagnosed from the beginning was the culprit, literally shaking the driveshaft in the video. I'm like... how is this possible that I'm here with this failing u-joint after being told I am wrong countless times by multiple people. So at this point I determine that I am still right and they are all wrong and I call Toy Auto Masters and tell them I need to bring it in and they need to replace that u-joint. I am sure that's the problem and still they argue it's not but that they'd humor me and replace it.

From then until I got to Toy Auto Masters after my trip I drove my truck like it was about to fall apart - that's how bad the vibration was. When I get there I show the video I took of the u-joint and he said to me "I can tell just by looking at that video that that u-joint is bad." FACE PALM. After about an hour they tell me my truck is done and that they'd replaced the u-joint, and they told me it was close to failure. It was in really bad shape. And I was like... how did you not see this before? All the times I'd said THAT was the problem? How did you replace the wrong u-joint - one that was fine?? And he put his hands up and just said "I guess we missed it!" Crazy. My life was at risk if that had failed catastrophically and I was reassured countless times that I was wrong. But AT LEAST, FINALLY, I was safe.

Get on the freeway driving my hour home from Toy Auto Masters, and vibration begins. Similar to before. CAN YOU BELIEVE. And all my dreams were shattered as I realized there was still a fundamental problem that people didn't even know. This time it was a little different than before for the first time... starting on the freeway I felt basically no vibration and then it slowly started getting worse. I called toy auto and told them it was still vibrating and they basically said they'd fixed the failed u-joint, everything is fine, whatever this is cannot possibly be a concern. There are no other options. They can't do anything for me. I think they literally TOLD me to drive it home and to stop going on about this vibration. So I'm just continuing down I-25, only been on the freeway about 10/15 minutes, pretty worried, and as I'm descending a large hill at about 85mph, I suddenly hear and feel a loud bang coinciding with a sudden cloud of smoke/vapor that envelops the car, inside and outside the cabin, while at the same time the truck jumps into the air about 6-inches and I NEARLY lose control and roll it. Somehow I recover control but everything is dead, no engine, no steering, nothing. I manage to get the car over to the shoulder before it grinds to a halt. All I knew is that this is because of the vibration and that I almost just died. I get out and look underneath and it's carnage. The driveshaft u-joint that Toy Auto Masters had just FINALLY replaced had failed catastrophically, and loose end of driveshaft, still connected to the engine and transmission, whipped at 85mph DIRECTLY into the fuel tank with such force that it crumpled instantly and forced the gas out with such pressure that it vaporized and filled the cabin and caused the smoke. The remainder of what was in the gas was flowing down the interstate. Called Toy Auto Masters and said what had happened, called a tow and had it towed to them. I had my dog with me at the time, so I took him and my stuff out of the truck and walked about a mile down the freeway to an exit, got a ride from a CDOT guy to a rental car place. The rental car place was out of cars, and ended up having to walk to another one to get one. I was thankful to be alive honestly, as the driveshaft and fuel explosion could have resulted in a fireball so easily. Looking back honestly I think a fireball was more likely than not in that situation so I'm very lucky. I was also lucky to have recovered control.

What I will say in Toy Auto Masters' defense is that they did fix the carnage, and paid for the rental car I had to have for about 3 weeks while they fixed everything. They kept telling me they thought it was fixed and then would drive it and discover another problem from the failed u-joint. Obviously that fix had been done incorrectly and that was the cause of the explosion. It's ironic given the fact that I had it replaced to prevent that worse case scenario. And spent so much money on misdiagnosed causes. But when all was said and done, the fuel tank and lines were destroyed, rear diff destroyed, transmission destroyed, transfer case destroyed, exhaust destroyed. I think there was other stuff destroyed too but I don't remember. And I want to preface that everything destroyed was in perfect condition prior, with no problems, no issues, no leaks. Transfer case and transmission were great.

Well, they replaced everything with used parts, and from day 1 there was an issue with the transfer case. The owner of the shop couldn't get it to shift into 4wd on the day I was supposed to pick it up so I was called and picking it up was delayed to fix it. The transmission wasn't great from day one; and after only a few miles it was making noise and was very difficult to shift, and was leaking transmission fluid. I took it to a local mechanic to help diagnose the leak and he told me that the transmission fluid was super broken down and dirty and needed to be changed. I told him I'd just gotten it and he said to take it back to the shop. So I scheduled with Toy Auto because the transmission was leaking, and I bring it up there (this might have been the incident when I got yelled at for waiting and rented a car unexpectedly after being told I was NOT WELCOME to wait in the lobby!) But came back the next day and they'd fixed the leak. Since then I've had more issues with replaced parts. The exhaust had additional damage and restriction from crumpling that hadn't been replaced causing a ton of back pressure, so I ended up having to have that fixed. And basically from the beginning the shift to 4wd has been very bad... often not making the shift, stopping or going, and usually when making the shift doing it in an incredibly rough, jolting way.

The transmission quickly started leaking again and at an ever increasing rate, these issues had become so bad that I brought the truck back to Toy Auto Masters to fix the transmission leak and figure out what was wrong with the 4wd. This was the last time I was there. The manager talked to me and told me that the transmission leak couldn't be fixed. And really neither could the 4wd issue. He said that as far as he's concerned, "warranty on a used part is maybe 30 days" and so it is what it is. He mentioned though that that's not totally final because he wants to help me out, but he really kind of waived any responsibility for any of the parts they'd put in used at this point.

It's been two weeks since then and the transmission is shifting rougher and the leak is getting worse at an exponential rate. The leak is coming from where the two halves of the transmission fit together. And with the transfer case... I've gotten stuck in 4wd a few times now, and the shift is so rough when it happens it feels like being rear-ended. So I'm sure it's only a matter of time before both of those are completely toast. In addition, I forgot to mention that with the new fuel system, my truck usually doesn't start. It takes several tries to get it to start. It's some issue where it's not getting gas when starting up. To get it to start I always have to have my foot on the floor and even still it takes several tries sometimes.

So that's the current status with these replaced used parts. I can see that they are not in good shape and are failing. The rear diff has been fine. But the trans and transfer case are not comparable to the ones I had when the catastrophic failure of the incorrectly done u-joint occurred. And at this point, Toy Auto Masters is kind of indicating to me that they're not so sure they're responsible for these used parts, which I've only had for 8 months, and have been leaking and faulty since day 1.

I've invested so much money in this truck, especially right before the incident fixing all those leaks and doing the oil pan 3 times and spending like a thousand bucks fixing things that were misdiagnosed as the u-joint issue. I don't think it's fair that I should be worrying about these faulty used parts when the rest of my truck is in perfect shape and easily has 250k+ more miles in its life. I feel like my truck is not back to the way it was before the incident. These parts are failing.

What would you do if you were me? What should I expect? What do you think is right here? Thank you so so much for your opinions.

Honestly the whole drive shaft needs to be replaced if it was not (unless I missed that in the wall of words above) and I would have the transmission and transfer case inspected. I would request that they pay for it but I would not allow them to do it since they've already proven to be unreliable.

Though depending on the cost of inspecting it might be better just to replace both units as a whole

I can't believe you went to the same 2 places multiple times for a failed u joint you knew was bad, and they didn't fix it.


After the 2nd attempt and not fixed, you go elsewhere.

Yes, they didn't fix it, and that's not good and wrong. But, you kept going back.


Now, the only way to fix this is to find a reputable place and have them replace the bad components.

The issues you may run into is the parts are good or bad. Sometimes, that's Russian roulette because people lie too much or don't know the history of the parts.

I have to say. I have never known anymore to go back to the same places so many times. As that was just very bad and costed you a lot of frustration and a pile of parts failures for nothing.

I guess find yourself a good repair shop and learn from the experience.

Or you can learn to do things yourself and save a pile of money.

As that's the only 2 options I see you have.






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Like my father used to tell me “why pay someone to **** it up when you can **** it up yourself for free”


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Yup.. I am just a hobby mechanic and do my own work. Sadly, I do better work than most garages and dealerships.

How I accomplish this is to take my time and double-check things.

Its a shame their are places like this out there.




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The biggest reason I like it aside from learning how the car works is you know EXACTLY what was done. If you know you did the job correct and how it’s supposed to be done it’s a huge peace of mind.

I used to work at a chain auto place and the things I’d see some of these techs do makes me sick. The way they treated some of the vehicles was horrible. Tech redlined a vehicle for like 3 mins straight cause the customer was upset the repair he did the first time didn’t hold up for more than a few days

At least if I did it I can rest easy knowing it was done right, and if it wasn’t I have not myself to blame for it


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I just want to say, as I'm reading the comments, that the reason I went back to Toy Auto Masters so many times was because I was having warranty work done. If I have something under warranty with them, I'm not going to pay someone else to fix it when I've already paid for it.

The other thing I'll say is that I don't have limitless money to go to another shop and just replace everything from scratch. Is it wrong for me to expect that my car is returned to me in the condition it was? I can't believe I'm just SOL in this case.

The place is supposedly extremely reputable too: Google Maps

I can understand that to a point. However, you knew the u joint was bad you proved it was bad, and they didn't fix that.

So because of the warranty work. You litterly destroyed half your drivetrain over warranty repairs they weren't doing.

Sadly, this is a hard lesson to learn. I know. After the 2nd or worst case, 3rd, I would never think of going back.

I know I personally would never let those 2 shops touch my rig again. [ This is me, though]

It's also possible, and sadly, they blew you off because it keep coming back, and the techs were Jenks like the other member stated.. :/

I am sorry, but when it comes down to it. You had all that damage [excluding the engine oil leak] because of a bad universal.

I don't like seeing folks ripped off, nor does shops do crappy work at all. That's horrible

However, some of this would fall back on your responsibility simply because you kept going back. When you knew it wasn't fixed.

Maybe my thinking is wrong. I just saw you asked for opinions, and this is mine.




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Can someone give be the very abridged TLDR version?

[QUOTE=adkinsadam1;3791091Is it wrong for me to expect that my car is returned to me in the condition it was?[/QUOTE]
It's not wrong to initially expect honest and competent service, but it was wrong of you to expect it AFTER they had clearly demonstrated that they are corrupt and incompetent.

Its a long one with a few issues going on.

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The only other thing I can think of is a complete misdiagnosis.

Maybe they did replace your rear diff universal and your vibration was still there.

Is it possible that your Pinon bearing was bad or the front driveshaft Chandran joint was bad?

As sometimes multiple issues are going on and this would make more sense.

On the oil pan issue. You need to let the rtv set for 24 hours, and maybe the rear main seal is leaking too, or it's leaking somewhere else, making it look like it's the pan.

When the driveshaft broke loose, which side of it came off?

If it was the 3rd member side. I would make more sense that you had a Pinon bearing failing as well.

Thus why a vibration was still there after it was replaced.




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I am sorry to hear all the trouble you've been through. Owning an older truck needs money or some automotive knowledge. If you took it to a dealer, they would have figured it out and would cost a bit more but work is genuinely guaranteed, unlike the toy masters. If you are near, I can have a look at your truck for free and advice what should be the next step.