First Dealership Experience… And first issue!

[Off_Gridder]

Hi guys,

I am a vicious lurker, but I now have to come to you for advice.

I have a 2010 4Runner Ltd (Canadian) that I bought used and have had the oil changes done at a trusted garage where my GF’s best friend works as the service advisor. Yesterday, after a few long trips recently, I realised I was getting close to needing to do it and decided to give the Toyota Dealership’s express lube a try, as our buddy was too busy and it was my only day off before the holidays.

Seemed pretty convenient to pull in, drink free coffee, harass parts about KO2s and leave… until about an hour later while driving in the dark to go cut our Christmas tree, I started noticing the lights dimming under heavy breaking (low and fog on). I also noticed I was getting a lot more voltage sag and slower voltage recovery than what I remember to be average. I turned on everything electrical I could find and the voltage sagging seemed to be getting worse when the assisted brakes would go on and even slower to recover.

Pop open the hood and “Voila!” a nice engine compartment, battery, fan shroud, wiring loom, alternator and belt coated in a generous glaze of Toyota’s finest 0W-20 barley wiped off…

I have read the threads about the dimming lights under breaking, and I can assure you that it is not that I just started noticing now.

It’s the first time I visit this dealership for service (although my Gf’s Juke SV is from the same “chain” of dealerships), I have no warrenty, and I am not sure what to expect or ask for. I doubt they will do anything or admit their fault, but not sure what I should ask for either. Any ideas? I feel like “I want a new alternator now” will not get me anywhere… But “sorry” is kind of a little weak if my alternator goes in a month.

Thanks!

 

[gm350reratliff]

Take it back and raise hell with the manager. I bet they 1. left off an o-ring or 2. added too many o-rings on the filter housing.

I'd make them re-change the oil and do a complete vehicle detail. I may even press them for a warranty period in case something fails do to their incompetence.

Lesson learned, do it yourself or get to know someone who can do it right.

 

[Off_Gridder]

I am not thinking it is a faliure of any kind in the oil system at all. Just looked like they shot oil out of the filler gun everywhere in the engine bay for a foot around the oil fill collar like a drunk pissing geezer and "kind of" tried to wipe it away, but not before it ran down everything.

 

[Antman]

I'm guessing they spilled oil while filling it back up.

Go back- ask them to clean up the mess and replace the drive belt (sounds like it's slipping to me). Have them check the oil level with you standing there and document the incident.

Then ask them about your next free oil change/tire rotation for the inconvenience.

This is why I so it myself- that and I get to use tools. Lol.

 

[Off_Gridder]

Doing it myself was the plan after reading your thread... Now I feel like a tool for not doing it. Bought all the goodies and oil to do it a week before and returned them as my first stop RIGHT AFTER getting it done at the dealership.

The reason for not doing it myself in the first place was that they gave me oil filters for a 4 cylinder the first time I went to pick up parts and I had to return those either way. Was short on time and not sure if it was worth getting ripped into for doing it in the underground parking of my building and I was already there so I got them to do it.

Nothing worse than getting the "I told you so" from yourself.

 

[Derek]

Sometimes we learn the hard way. Back in '04 I purchased a new 4Runner and the dealer gave me vouchers for 2 'free' oil changes. So right at 3K miles I take it in for an oil change and after I picked it up I noticed what I thought were water spots all over my front seats. It was raining out and figured they just left the doors open in the rain for a minute or two. The next day I noticed the water spots were still there so I touched them and realized they were oil. I popped the hood and found the same thing you did. The oil gun had come out and sprayed oil everywhere. I called the service manager and he denied everything. I had to drive to the dealer and speak to the owner before getting anywhere. They detailed the whole thing and I haven't been back to that dealer since (10 years later).

 

[Bilbo]

Sometimes we learn the hard way. ...

Right! And sometimes we can learn from others' bad experiences too.

Just like the dealer's 21 point service inspection, or whatever they call it, I'm starting to think about my own post-service checklist. Things I need to check before driving away from the service center, and things I need to monitor over the next few days. I'll start with the oil fill cap.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

Yeah, that really sucks. Some people don't always clean off their spills like they should (though I don't think anyone at our shop would let a vehicle go with that much oil sprayed everywhere...), though I am a bit anal about it and my coworkers tend to nag at me for fuming up the shop with parts wash. lol

 

[oljedi11950]

Come on BWINC that can't happen in a shop .How can that get like that ?

 

[BlackWorksInc]

Come on BWINC that can't happen in a shop .How can that get like that ?

Budget cuts, they stopped handing out the disposable white-lamb skin gloves that we got from a discount at the Ferrari Dealership! Only lke $500 for a box of 20! The quality has just been slipping since then... :tinfoil3:

 

[Off_Gridder]

Looks like Antman was right about the slippage. After about 200 Kms the issues went away on their own.

Although the voltage jiggle wasn't as bad as right after the oil change, my Gf brought it in to them before work to have them check alternator output, clean it and to have it documented just in case the Alt gives up the ghost.

They tried to say that none of the oil was on any parts we should be worried about and that it would be 60$ min for them to check anything. They said "We've never had to change an alternator on a 5th gen 4runner even if it had oil in it" and "Well obviously wasn't that bad and our inspection says its ok" (visual inspection of the engine bay and look at batt gauge with no loads on or testing braking). Basically the standard "Yup, that's normal rite der girl!"

Anywho, she let loose the rage about how tensioners, belts, battery terminals and alternators are obviously supposed to be covered in oil during professional oil changes... And still the "What do you want us to do about it and why should we do anything for free"? They automatically changed their tune to "yeah, sounds like its your alternator is going" and its a "coincidence and pre-existing issue" when she pushed it and they realized she wasn't just spewing jibber jabber.

She showed them the pictures I took before my damage control and they were pretty surprised about in engine close ups of the carnage cataloged by part. Said "Just one sec..." and got the service manager and they ended up waiving all the fees (like that's a favor), testing alternator output (OK), cleaning the engine bay and apparently removed the belt and "cleaned" it and the tensioners.

Its pretty amazing the crap they tell and attitude they give to girls, not knowing that some have spent more time in garages working on cars than they have. Its like they try to wear you out and hope you just run out of steam or have to leave, which is what happened here.

All in all just standard dealership culture story I guess. Sad about the service and "stop being picky" attitude, glad there's no funk anymore but not feeling warm and fuzzy about Toyota anymore.

Roots