My 2002 4Runner won't start

[aznguile972]

I guess I'll start from the beginning.

About 2 weeks ago, after work, I go to start my car. It starts, but the interior and exterior lights go crazy and alarm goes off.

I just happen to have my Optima Yellow Top battery in the cargo area, so I decided to switch out the batteries, assuming that the factory battery was bad. I extended the positive wires to make it fit and regrounded the extra negative cable onto the negative terminal.

I drive the car fine for almost 2 weeks with no problems. I drive my car to the store this past Saturday morning with no problems. My girlfriend decides to borrow my car Saturday afternoon to go shopping with her friends. She starts the car, gets out of the driveway and hears a pop, then said the interior lights go out. She re-parks the car and calls me. I come running out, she hands me the keys and car does not start anymore. It could be almost anything at this point. I was thinking that it might be the alternator going bad or maybe I have some electrical problems. Not wanting to screw anything up, I decide to take my car up to the stealership and get a free rental.

Since I have extended warranty, I am hoping that it will cover any problems. Before I tow the truck up there, I decide to take out all the aftermarket electronics I have put in (DVD player, screen, computer) just so they don't blame it on my electronics. It only took about 10 minutes to take it all out. My 4Runner makes it up to the dealership last night.

I get a call this morning and they say, due to my Optima battery not being factory specs, I blew out a fuse. The service rep then goes on to say that someone might have accidently switched the terminals. I call BS since all the fuses would have blown if that was the case. They want to replace the fuse and tell me I need to put back in a factory-recommended battery. I tell them just to install the fuse and that's it.
Total Cost = $120.00.
$100.00 - Diagnosis Fee
$20.00 - Fuse Replacement.

Any thoughts? I'm supposed to go pick it up later today.

 

[Jay]

I guess I'll start from the beginning.

About 2 weeks ago, after work, I go to start my car. It starts, but the interior and exterior lights go crazy and alarm goes off.

I just happen to have my Optima Yellow Top battery in the cargo area, so I decided to switch out the batteries, assuming that the factory battery was bad. I extended the positive wires to make it fit and regrounded the extra negative cable onto the negative terminal.

I drive the car fine for almost 2 weeks with no problems. I drive my car to the store this past Saturday morning with no problems. My girlfriend decides to borrow my car Saturday afternoon to go shopping with her friends. She starts the car, gets out of the driveway and hears a pop, then said the interior lights go out. She re-parks the car and calls me. I come running out, she hands me the keys and car does not start anymore. It could be almost anything at this point. I was thinking that it might be the alternator going bad or maybe I have some electrical problems. Not wanting to screw anything up, I decide to take my car up to the stealership and get a free rental.

Since I have extended warranty, I am hoping that it will cover any problems. Before I tow the truck up there, I decide to take out all the aftermarket electronics I have put in (DVD player, screen, computer) just so they don't blame it on my electronics. It only took about 10 minutes to take it all out. My 4Runner makes it up to the dealership last night.

I get a call this morning and they say, due to my Optima battery not being factory specs, I blew out a fuse. The service rep then goes on to say that someone might have accidently switched the terminals. I call BS since all the fuses would have blown if that was the case. They want to replace the fuse and tell me I need to put back in a factory-recommended battery. I tell them just to install the fuse and that's it.
Total Cost = $120.00.
$100.00 - Diagnosis Fee
$20.00 - Fuse Replacement.

Any thoughts? I'm supposed to go pick it up later today.

Thats just messed up. You shouldnt have to pay for anything, did you tell them that it was having problems before you switched the batteries? A lot of time, if you go and call Toyota USA and make a complaint, based on your loyalty to toyota, they will get your problems taken care of for free. I had to call them once for a dealship that was screwing me over and they asked how many toyotas my famikly had owned over the past years. I told them we have owned 4 toyotas in the past 7 years, and gasve them VIN numbers to them. They called the dealership, and got my repairs done for free.

 

[aznguile972]

Thanks for the help. Would you happen to have the number for Toyota USA? And what would I tell them? Besides, I'm not under factory warranty anymore. Would they still take care of it?

"Hey, my Toyota is having problems and the stealership is telling me it's my battery's fault. I don't feel that I should have to pay for that."

Also, I have a feeling that the problem is much more than just a busted fuse. I think that there is something else wrong with my vehicle, but just can't seem to pinpoint it. Fuses don't blow just because. Too bad the stealership don't want to take the time out to figure out the problem. They always do this sh!t. Always try to blame the first thing they can think of.

 

[greasefingers]

You certainly own the dealer something, how much is debatable. They did find a blown fuse and not you, and you have messed with it. But you must ask them what fuse they replaced so that you can trace that circuit!!

I would make sure that your aftermarket stuff is not on the same circuit as the alarm. Also do not use the Dimmer Hot Lead for the stereo, to power anything except for the lights on your stereo. And make sure that none of your aftermarket wiring has become kinked or shorted to ground. This can happen when stuffing equipment back into place.

 

[aznguile972]

I went to pick up my vehicle earlier today at the stealership and talk to the service manager. He stated that since I extended the positive wire, it caused some type of resistance in the wiring causing the fuse to go bad. Then said that since the negative wire was not attached to the frame of the car as the manufacturer intended, but instead regrounded to the negative terminal, that didn't help the situation either.

After telling him that I had some buddies (you guys here at T4R) with the same Optima Yellowtop with extended positive terminal stretched to fit, did not have any problems. He stated that I probably needed to check out their vehicle. He said that most likely I needed to redo the wiring from the fuse box to the battery vs extending it. After about 5-10 minutes of talking, he finally said that "it might just have been a faulty fuse".

Side note - the dealer put back on my baterry tie down the way I had them, but dented my battery top. So basically, the battery tie down sides are on top of my battery vs the sides. Oh well, I'm probably going to take my car to a car stereo shop tomorrow to have them wire up my battery correctly.

Sorry for such the long posts guys/gals.

 

[aznguile972]

hmmm...just thinking

If I would have left all the aftermarket electronics in my car, the stealership probably would have blamed the problem on that. I guess that the battery is the only feasible explanation to them since I took it all out.

 

[Jay]

I went to pick up my vehicle earlier today at the stealership and talk to the service manager. He stated that since I extended the positive wire, it caused some type of resistance in the wiring causing the fuse to go bad. Then said that since the negative wire was not attached to the frame of the car as the manufacturer intended, but instead regrounded to the negative terminal, that didn't help the situation either.

After telling him that I had some buddies (you guys here at T4R) with the same Optima Yellowtop with extended positive terminal stretched to fit, did not have any problems. He stated that I probably needed to check out their vehicle. He said that most likely I needed to redo the wiring from the fuse box to the battery vs extending it. After about 5-10 minutes of talking, he finally said that "it might just have been a faulty fuse".

Side note - the dealer put back on my baterry tie down the way I had them, but dented my battery top. So basically, the battery tie down sides are on top of my battery vs the sides. Oh well, I'm probably going to take my car to a car stereo shop tomorrow to have them wire up my battery correctly.

Sorry for such the long posts guys/gals.

So they charged you to fix the problem, but cant tell you what the problem was from? Sounds shady to me man. Give them a call:

Customer Experience Center
If you would like to discuss your experience or share your comments, please call us. Toyota's Customer Experience Center representatives are happy to assist you. Phone: 800-331-4331
Mon - Fri, 5:00 am - 6:00 pm PT
Sat, 7:00 am - 4:00 pm PT
Fax: 310-468-7814

Or send correspondence to:
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
19001 South Western Ave.
Dept. WC11
Torrance, CA 90501

 

[Jay]

Oh and get all the VIN numbers from previous Toyota's you own/owned. Mention that your family has been a loyal Toyota customer for years. This is key, and will help you.