So I purchased a new 4runner back in Feb. Shortly after I order a lift kit from Toytec. Normally I would install these items myself as I have done in the past but I simply didn't have the time to do so. I selected a local shop spoke with them and decided to have them install the lift kit. It all went down hill from there. This is my ongoing dealings with them and the BBB. Enjoy....
My original complaint to the BBB:
Mechanical work conducted by company's technicians on my vehicle was improperly completed resulting in failure of components. Warranty was denied.
Install date 20 April 2015
Returned for warranty service 27 April 2015
I purchased a lift kit from a very large reputable manufacturer of these items. The kit is specifically designed for my vehicle make and model. When I contacted 4Wheel Center about installing these items they stated that they had the experience with this type of work and it would be no issue. I was told there is a 30 day warranty on the installation. After a week (after the install by 4wheel center) of driving the vehicle I noticed a loud clunking noise from the front. Upon inspection I found that some of the hardware had come loose and some parts were missing from the vehicle sway bar system. I immediately drove the vehicle to the shop to have their mechanics inspect the vehicle. After two hours of waiting I was told that they were not responsible and it was because the kit didn't have a "locking washer" for the component (this component does not require a locking washer). Then I was told I would have the purchase the replacement part at a price of $47.00. I asked where the part was coming from and I was told from the local dealer of the vehicle. I chose not to purchase the part there and went to the dealer myself. I was quoted a price of $31.00. I also had a technician at the dealer look at the OEM component that was re-installed by 4Wheel Center. The 4Wheel Center techs installed the brackets backwards and did not torque the bolts correctly. This directly led to the bolts coming loose and because the bracket was installed backwards it completely fell off the vehicle. It is absolutely unacceptable to send someone out the door with this level of work. And then to deny warranty coverage of the items that need to be replaced because of the incorrect installation by 4Wheel Center’s technicians. Also adding a $16.00 increase to the price of the items sold by the dealer is dishonest business.
I would like reimbursement for the cost of the replacement parts as well as the service charge for another shop to install replacement parts and inspect the work performed by 4Wheel Center. Also any other charges required to correct any issues with the install performed by 4Wheel Center.
Their first response 5 May 2015:
Mr. Caleb brought his 2015 Toyota 4runner and his own parts to our shop for an installation of a suspension lift. At that time Mr. Caleb was informed of our warranty policy. 4 Wheel Center doesn't provide any warranty on parts brought in from an outside source nor the labor on parts installed that were not purchased at 4 Wheel Center. We've operated this way successfully for thirty seven years and counting. In regards to having the suspension installed incorrectly "backwards", I don't know where the client is getting his information from. The kit failed due to the sway bar sliding off of the bracket, the vibration the vehicle puts out may have stressed the sway bar causing it to get loose and disconnect. In the customers previous statement "this component does not require a locking washer" is indeed false, just because a kit doesn't specifically state that a certain component is not required doesn't mean it isn't needed or helpful to the vehicles overall performance. The kit may or may not have stated that it requires locking washers or tightening bolts but in our defense had those parts been applied to that customers vehicle/suspension he would have had a zero possibility of that part failing.
The desired solution that Caleb is seeking will not be met due to our strict warranty policy that we have had in effect since 1977. But I can offer one of two things that we can do for our customer, since we do value our veterans and would like to continue doing business with him if he chooses to continue to come to 4 Wheel Center. We will purchase the bracket that he needs for his vehicle and install the part at no additional cost to him, or he can pick up the bracket and install the part himself. Either way nothing will be paid out of his pocket.
The above statement will be honored if and only if, the Google, Yelp and any other negative review Mr. Caleb has left on the internet is taken down immediately and it does not return to those sites. Those are the only conditions we are willing to work with to help our customer.
Thank you,
James D (Store Manager)
My response:
I know it’s my word against the company’s but when I contacted 4Wheel Center to do the install I was in fact told there WOULD be a 30 day warranty on the install. I am not asking for replacement of broken or defective parts that were not purchased from 4Wheel Center. I am asking that the cost of the components that fell of the truck be reimbursed because that is directly related to their improper installation by 4Wheel Center techs.
1. I did not state the suspension was installed backwards. I stated that the bracket that retains the bushing in which the sway bar is mounted was installed backwards. It in fact was. This vehicle has two brackets which are specific to the side of the vehicle as well as their orientation front and rear. They were installed on the correct sides but turned backwards. The item is labeled with arrows and a large stamped ‘L’ and ‘R’ to indicate the orientation and side to be installed. The kit did not fail, the techs failed at re-installing the factory Toyota part correctly. And this item does NOT have a locking washer from the manufacture of the vehicle or from the manufacturer of the lift kit. I contacted both and confirmed this. It is a torque specified item.
2. 4Wheel Center stated, “The kit may or may not have stated that it requires locking washers or tightening bolts but in our defense had those parts been applied to that customers vehicle/suspension he would have had a zero possibility of that part failing.” (Store Manager) If this is the case why did your techs not inform me this and or use ‘shop supplies’ to correctly (in your opinion) install this component? I was given the vehicle and told everything was good to go. So by your own admission your techs gave me back a vehicle with a kit improperly installed. Having the mechanical knowledge to tighten bolts and use basic shop supplies where required is what a business like this should do.
3. Upon further inspecting the vehicle I also found that the jam nuts on both rear lower links were not tightened, they were not even snug against the 7075 aluminum tube link itself. This allowed the Johnny joints to rotate freely and could have caused them to separate entirely. I also found that the three bolts at the top of the front driver side spring over shock were barley finger tight. If either of these components had come loose total loss of control of the vehicle could have occurred.
This is unacceptable and I will not agree to anything less than reimbursement for the parts I had to replace and the labor charges for another shop to go through and make sure the suspension problems were corrected. The total above is $137.11. This includes a new bracket for the sway bar from Toyota, $34.27 with tax, and $102.84 for labor charges to have the vehicle inspected and installation errors corrected. I have receipts for both these items. Also I have attached photos of the items found loose (noted is statement #3) during further inspection.
Link to photos of above mentioned items in statement #3. Suspension - Album on Imgur
tl;dr Don't ever use 4Wheel Center in El Paso TX
So that's where it stands at the moment. Regardless I will not have that shop do any further work on my vehicle. If I had thought about it I would have taken photos of the sway bar as well before I fixed it.
Oh and hello, I'm Caleb, new to the forum, glad to be here.
-C
My original complaint to the BBB:
Mechanical work conducted by company's technicians on my vehicle was improperly completed resulting in failure of components. Warranty was denied.
Install date 20 April 2015
Returned for warranty service 27 April 2015
I purchased a lift kit from a very large reputable manufacturer of these items. The kit is specifically designed for my vehicle make and model. When I contacted 4Wheel Center about installing these items they stated that they had the experience with this type of work and it would be no issue. I was told there is a 30 day warranty on the installation. After a week (after the install by 4wheel center) of driving the vehicle I noticed a loud clunking noise from the front. Upon inspection I found that some of the hardware had come loose and some parts were missing from the vehicle sway bar system. I immediately drove the vehicle to the shop to have their mechanics inspect the vehicle. After two hours of waiting I was told that they were not responsible and it was because the kit didn't have a "locking washer" for the component (this component does not require a locking washer). Then I was told I would have the purchase the replacement part at a price of $47.00. I asked where the part was coming from and I was told from the local dealer of the vehicle. I chose not to purchase the part there and went to the dealer myself. I was quoted a price of $31.00. I also had a technician at the dealer look at the OEM component that was re-installed by 4Wheel Center. The 4Wheel Center techs installed the brackets backwards and did not torque the bolts correctly. This directly led to the bolts coming loose and because the bracket was installed backwards it completely fell off the vehicle. It is absolutely unacceptable to send someone out the door with this level of work. And then to deny warranty coverage of the items that need to be replaced because of the incorrect installation by 4Wheel Center’s technicians. Also adding a $16.00 increase to the price of the items sold by the dealer is dishonest business.
I would like reimbursement for the cost of the replacement parts as well as the service charge for another shop to install replacement parts and inspect the work performed by 4Wheel Center. Also any other charges required to correct any issues with the install performed by 4Wheel Center.
Their first response 5 May 2015:
Mr. Caleb brought his 2015 Toyota 4runner and his own parts to our shop for an installation of a suspension lift. At that time Mr. Caleb was informed of our warranty policy. 4 Wheel Center doesn't provide any warranty on parts brought in from an outside source nor the labor on parts installed that were not purchased at 4 Wheel Center. We've operated this way successfully for thirty seven years and counting. In regards to having the suspension installed incorrectly "backwards", I don't know where the client is getting his information from. The kit failed due to the sway bar sliding off of the bracket, the vibration the vehicle puts out may have stressed the sway bar causing it to get loose and disconnect. In the customers previous statement "this component does not require a locking washer" is indeed false, just because a kit doesn't specifically state that a certain component is not required doesn't mean it isn't needed or helpful to the vehicles overall performance. The kit may or may not have stated that it requires locking washers or tightening bolts but in our defense had those parts been applied to that customers vehicle/suspension he would have had a zero possibility of that part failing.
The desired solution that Caleb is seeking will not be met due to our strict warranty policy that we have had in effect since 1977. But I can offer one of two things that we can do for our customer, since we do value our veterans and would like to continue doing business with him if he chooses to continue to come to 4 Wheel Center. We will purchase the bracket that he needs for his vehicle and install the part at no additional cost to him, or he can pick up the bracket and install the part himself. Either way nothing will be paid out of his pocket.
The above statement will be honored if and only if, the Google, Yelp and any other negative review Mr. Caleb has left on the internet is taken down immediately and it does not return to those sites. Those are the only conditions we are willing to work with to help our customer.
Thank you,
James D (Store Manager)
My response:
I know it’s my word against the company’s but when I contacted 4Wheel Center to do the install I was in fact told there WOULD be a 30 day warranty on the install. I am not asking for replacement of broken or defective parts that were not purchased from 4Wheel Center. I am asking that the cost of the components that fell of the truck be reimbursed because that is directly related to their improper installation by 4Wheel Center techs.
1. I did not state the suspension was installed backwards. I stated that the bracket that retains the bushing in which the sway bar is mounted was installed backwards. It in fact was. This vehicle has two brackets which are specific to the side of the vehicle as well as their orientation front and rear. They were installed on the correct sides but turned backwards. The item is labeled with arrows and a large stamped ‘L’ and ‘R’ to indicate the orientation and side to be installed. The kit did not fail, the techs failed at re-installing the factory Toyota part correctly. And this item does NOT have a locking washer from the manufacture of the vehicle or from the manufacturer of the lift kit. I contacted both and confirmed this. It is a torque specified item.
2. 4Wheel Center stated, “The kit may or may not have stated that it requires locking washers or tightening bolts but in our defense had those parts been applied to that customers vehicle/suspension he would have had a zero possibility of that part failing.” (Store Manager) If this is the case why did your techs not inform me this and or use ‘shop supplies’ to correctly (in your opinion) install this component? I was given the vehicle and told everything was good to go. So by your own admission your techs gave me back a vehicle with a kit improperly installed. Having the mechanical knowledge to tighten bolts and use basic shop supplies where required is what a business like this should do.
3. Upon further inspecting the vehicle I also found that the jam nuts on both rear lower links were not tightened, they were not even snug against the 7075 aluminum tube link itself. This allowed the Johnny joints to rotate freely and could have caused them to separate entirely. I also found that the three bolts at the top of the front driver side spring over shock were barley finger tight. If either of these components had come loose total loss of control of the vehicle could have occurred.
This is unacceptable and I will not agree to anything less than reimbursement for the parts I had to replace and the labor charges for another shop to go through and make sure the suspension problems were corrected. The total above is $137.11. This includes a new bracket for the sway bar from Toyota, $34.27 with tax, and $102.84 for labor charges to have the vehicle inspected and installation errors corrected. I have receipts for both these items. Also I have attached photos of the items found loose (noted is statement #3) during further inspection.
Link to photos of above mentioned items in statement #3. Suspension - Album on Imgur
tl;dr Don't ever use 4Wheel Center in El Paso TX
So that's where it stands at the moment. Regardless I will not have that shop do any further work on my vehicle. If I had thought about it I would have taken photos of the sway bar as well before I fixed it.
Oh and hello, I'm Caleb, new to the forum, glad to be here.
-C
