Sometimes it's easier/better to get stuff done under warranty than it is to just do the "simple thing."

For example, it wouldn't shock me if most dealerships just wanted to reboot the CV axles for the customer under warranty. Is it needed? Eh, maybe? Like I said, most of the time you can just tighten the clamps, but every now and then you just get one that doesn't seem to tighten up right, so maybe being conservative and just doing it for "free" under warranty for the customer is the better option.

Also, if that's all the customer is coming in for and they're still under warranty it becomes this sort of cost/benefit analysis. For example, you drive all the way out to my store to get this grease leak looked at; we're a bit busy so you're in the waiting area a few hours. Then I have to get the vehicle, rack it, inspect it, and now I'm stuck with two options...

A.) I just tighten the clamps, clean the grease and make a note to keep an eye on it. This is what a lot of us did starting out and most of us still do from time to time... but, then if it starts seeping again, it's a 2nd visit and now is a "comeback" and the tech gets dinged. Then they have to make a TAS case because it's a second repair attempt, and in the end waste more time to end up doing the reboot anyways, because that's what TAS will advise. Bear in mind all of this time is unpaid, Toyota doesn't pay for diagnosis time, only repair work from their warranty flat rate manual, so all the diagnosis time, tightening the clamps the first time, filing a TAS case, and calling it in to be on hold for who knows how long is all done for free at my and the dealer's expense. That's not including the wasted time of the customer and possibly them believing that we're trying to scam them because we didn't actually do any work (i.e. in their mind, no parts were replaced to fix their "defective" vehicle) and they might cause a stink because of it (been there, done that... "no good deed goes unpunished" is basically the dealer tech mantra lol).

Or

B.) I just recommend rebooting the CV Axles under warranty, most of the time we have reboot kits in stock so all we need to do is ask the customer to leave the vehicle with us another couple hours or the rest of the day. The new boots will be tight and leak free I get paid for fixing the customer's vehicle and the customer feels like I did something. I don't have to fight with Toyota, because I get paid the repair time and I didn't waste time diagnosing, making a TAS Case, etc. Now this still results in wasted time for the customer to a degree and some customers will still think they're being scammed and that their vehicle is defective and should be bought back. Not much I can do about that really...

It's a stupid game you have to play when you're in the dealer side of things, so just to give you an idea why sometimes things get replaced more often than just adjusting or tightening something. It mainly comes down to covering your own ass and getting Toyota to pay you for your work and avoid come backs and any liability.

Thought I'd try one more time to see what a tech thought and went to a local dealer vs the previous one (had purchased from there).

I did mention I had taken it to a dealer and what their decision was. After looking at it, this dealership will be changing both cv axles under warranty. I asked about the lift as mentioned by the first one and was told the tech said there was still enough movement/range that it wouldn't have caused the leaking. He said pretty much BlackworksInc wrote. About the same to replace it all vs trying to fix a certain part so I get new axles.


Thanks all for the information/advise. Safe travels.

Still some sort of leak?

Hadn't seen any issues after the warranty swap and has been mostly sitting in a garage since. I drove it about 300mils or so and though not slinging grease or dripping, did find "fluid" grease on skid and around boots were wet. Looks like a coating but no obvious spots as before. It has been in the 90s so maybe residual from Remove and replace and just "melted" so to speak with the heat?

Will wipe it down and see how it goes after and may go by dealer just to make sure.