Toyota Tech forgets to put oil in a 14 T4R for 20k service!

G

GeneGrit

New member
So I pick up my 2014 T4R SR5 from the dealer today after the 20,000 mile service. I get in the truck, turn it on, and see immediately that the oil light is on. I immediately turn the truck off, and check the oil. NO OIL!!!!! I go speak with the Service Advisor and he tells me to hold on. He comes back and says they added oil in it and that "with these new 4Runners it needs a little more oil than the old ones did, that's all." I go out to check the oil again, when the Service Manager comes out with the Tech in question. He admits he forgot to add the oil, because, as they saw on the cameras, he got "distracted". So the truck was run with NO OIL!! They gave me the 30,000 mile service for free now.

Question I have is, does anyone here have any insight into if any damage would be done to the engine with the truck being driven from the bay to the lot, and me starting it and idling it for a few minutes? Was far less than one mile, probably around 5 minutes, and the RPMS shouldn't have gone far past idling RPM. Engine sounds and drives fine, just like before.

Also should I accept their free service for this f up or should I go to higher management at the dealership or corporate?

Any comments advice are appreciated.
 
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If I'm reading correctly you started it and then shut it off immediately. If that's the case I'd take the free service, have them make a note in your file with signatures stating the events, get a copy for yourself, top off the oil, and not think a thing of it. More than likely you didn't cause any damage. Speaking from experience on this from being a dumb kid.
 
Thanks for your input! I did get a written statement from the Service Manager with his signature, but it's a good idea to also have it put in the records on their computers. Also, the truck was driven by their valet from the service bay to the parking lot where the cars get picked up by the customers. Then I started it to leave and discovered the missing oil.
 
Probably fine, but try to get them to give you an extended warranty (for the whole vehicle). It could be cheaper for them than losing a customer, or many customers if you tell others that you're not happy with the dealership. At least try to get more than one free service. Tell them you are worried that a problem could come up down the road, and that you bought a Toyota for the reliability.
 
GeneGrit said:
So I pick up my 2014 T4R SR5 from the dealer today after the 20,000 mile service. I get in the truck, turn it on, and see immediately that the oil light is on. I immediately turn the truck off, and check the oil. NO OIL!!!!! I go speak with the Service Advisor and he tells me to hold on. He comes back and says they added oil in it and that "with these new 4Runners it needs a little more oil than the old ones did, that's all." I go out to check the oil again, when the Service Manager comes out with the Tech in question. He admits he forgot to add the oil, because, as they saw on the cameras, he got "distracted". So the truck was run with NO OIL!! They gave me the 30,000 mile service for free now.

Question I have is, does anyone here have any insight into if any damage would be done to the engine with the truck being driven from the bay to the lot, and me starting it and idling it for a few minutes? Was far less than one mile, probably around 5 minutes, and the RPMS shouldn't have gone far past idling RPM. Engine sounds and drives fine, just like before.

Also should I accept their free service for this f up or should I go to higher management at the dealership or corporate?

Any comments advice are appreciated.
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scary thing to me if it were my truck I would be pretty upset , this is what I would do , copy owners manual about proper oil level and what happens if it runs low. Contact Toyota corprate and tell them your truck was ran without oil ( don't tell them how it happened yet) see what they say. It should be documented with Toyota Corp and dealer in writing explaining what happened. If you as a customer ran the truck out of oil the warranty would be void , so it should be void if they do it and some measures should be taken to make you whole again . No one can say for sure how much it was ran without oil or how much damage was done. He had to drive it to move it and if the oil light came right on it was dry already. Running a motor with no oil is the death of it . Modern motors have tight tolerances and oil is critical. I'm not tryin to scare you but this could be serious . Protect yourself , and your investment !
Good luck
 
You should be fine.

When my mother bought her new Camry in 2008 the dealership for the first oil change had taken off the right front tire for some reason and had managed to pinch the brake line so it was leaking. Service manager told me that the RF tire needed to be removed to do such. I asked him to show me how that works but he declined.

I don't trust my investment, whether it be a $40,000 or $4,000 4runner to some wet behind the ears kid who is working on 4 hours of sleep and is still on God knows what to change my oil.
 
Yeah I wouldn't look into it too much. You'll never get all of the oil out of the engine so although it was run briefly with "no oil" in it, there's still some on the moving parts. It's not like the engine was run dry for a few minutes. I'd take [MENTION=124801]cashmoney[/MENTION]'s advice and keep on rollin
 
I think contacting corporate is a good idea. Hopefully you can get an extended warranty out of this. You might also ask for them to pay for an oil analysis. That would help determine if any damage was done.

I remove the RF wheel on my Nissan PU to get easier access to the filter. I can R/R it easily without making a mess.
 
How do you know the tech did not take it for a spin? Just saying......ask for a lifetime warranty on the engine. That's just unacceptable and get the no oil admission on paper and report it to Yota head office.
 
I guess i will be the only one here to disagree and state that i would be very leary of thinking nothing of it.

Without oil, those cam journals are going to be run dry VERY quickly. Lower
rod bearings are not meant to be driving without oil at all.

I don't mean to scare the OP, but these engines do not like running without oil.
 
Brveagle said:
I guess i will be the only one here to disagree and state that i would be very leary of thinking nothing of it.

Without oil, those cam journals are going to be run dry VERY quickly. Lower
rod bearings are not meant to be driving without oil at all.

I don't mean to scare the OP, but these engines do not like running without oil.
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I tend to agree with this. I would be very leery of long term issues.

it ran for several MINUTES. even if only at an idle, that's too long.
 
Did you drive it out of the bay? Or did the tech? If you picked it up from the lot it was run longer than on and off
 
Lester Lugnut said:
I pity people who can't do their own oil changes.
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Just because someone chooses to have their oil changed, doesn't mean they aren't capable of changing it themselves. The only thing "pitiful" here, are people who are unable to make the distinction between capabilities and choices.
 
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Northern NJ?!!!

Hey, I'm in Norther NJ, got my first 4R (2012 TE, CPO) in August.

Will be due for an oil change soon, now I'm scared to go to the dealer. See what you've done! .... ;-)

I don't blame you for not naming names on the forum, but maybe a PM so I know who to watch out for?

--
Dave
 
flyrv9 said:
I think contacting corporate is a good idea. Hopefully you can get an extended warranty out of this.
Click to expand...

Corporate will just refer OP to the dealer. Toyota customer service is all but useless.

An extended warranty is the most likely solution, even though I do not believe it is adequate. A private party will heavily discount your vehicle in a sale, warranty or no. I would work on a trade for a similar, used CPO vehicle, or that value towards a new model. A court will give you that, so the dealer should.

Let them say "no," and explain that in court.

ETA I don't know wtf my phone did to my original post....
 
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delloro said:
Corporate will just refer OP to the dealer. Toyota customer service is all but useless.

An extended warranty is the most likely solution, eBen thPugh i do not beleven ithe is adequate. A pRivage party wI'll hevil dis count your vehicle in a sale, warranty or no. I would work on a trade for a similar, used CPO vehicle, or that value towards a new model. A court will give you that, so the dealer should.

Let them say "no," and explain that in court.
Click to expand...
what?
 
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