New Radiator Leaking from above the drain plug.

[swanics]

I recently had a new radiator installed after dealing with the strawberry milkshake. I was on the road so I took it to a dealership to fix. About 2500-3000 miles later my temp was climbing and after I pulled over I noticed coolant everywhere near the front passenger side. I took out some tools and tried to find the source.

After taking off the front skip plate I noticed it seemed to be leaking out of the drain plug. I unscrewed the plug (about a pint of coolant came out) and applied some teflon tape. I checked it after I started it up and noticed it was actually leaking from just above the drain plug. Specifically, the spot where the plastic bottom reservoir and the aluminum meet. I stuffed that area with teflon tape using my finger and it seemed to slow it down enough to drive the two hours home. I had lost 4+ gallons of coolant over who knows how long. See the picture below.

Is this because a faulty radiator? Because I had it fixed 2000 miles away at a dealer what are my options?

 

[LittleCaesar]

Put in another radiator. Quality control these days on new radiators is fair at best.

 

[01thunder]

cheap chinese crap!!!!!

 

[DW4RUNR]

Take it back and have it parts warranty! Should not be doing that!

 

[Riceye]

I had it fixed 2000 miles away at a dealer what are my options?

Was this a Toyota dealership?

If so, call the dealership that made the repair during normal business hours and discuss the issue. If they are willing to play ball, have them contact your local Toyota dealership to arrange repair. This would be a franchise obligation.

Contact Toyota - USA if you have any problems.

 

[3bears]

agree with ^^^^. If you had it put in at the Toyota Dealer then its under warranty as well as should be the labor and new fluid.

However, you said you had the pink milkshake, how did they deal with that, did they do anything to your tranny, like lots of drain and fills, etc

 

[swanics]

I'll give them a call tomorrow. I've had a problem with the dealership "accidentally" not including a coupon correctly, trying to add on frivolous charges, and then after 30 miles the heater control valve hose came off and the next time I saw it the plastic was cracked off inside the hose. The dealership also flushed everything a couple times and said I'd still see some oil in the radiator after a few miles. I'm sure they'll be excited to hear from me again.

 

[swanics]

So apparently the dealer I took it to charged me 295 dollars for the radiator (just the part) and it was an aftermarket part so it's not under warranty. They never told me the part being installed wasn't an original Toyota part. I've never felt so ripped off from a dealership in my life.

 

[jhfleet]

So apparently the dealer I took it to charged me 295 dollars for the radiator (just the part) and it was an aftermarket part so it's not under warranty. They never told me the part being installed wasn't an original Toyota part. I've never felt so ripped off from a dealership in my life.

I suspect the Toyota regional folks would be interested in a dealer that installed an aftermarket part instead of the OEM part that was paid for. In fact, I bet the dealer will become very cooperative when you advise him that you intend to report him to Toyota and the BBB, and are ready to pursue the matter in small claims court.

 

[Squirt]

I suspect the Toyota regional folks would be interested in a dealer that installed an aftermarket part instead of the OEM part that was paid for. In fact, I bet the dealer will become very cooperative when you advise him that you intend to report him to Toyota and the BBB, and are ready to pursue the matter in small claims court.

I agree! make some calls and let their big bosses know! they'll start making you real happy real quick!

 

[LittleCaesar]

There is at least a year warranty on the radiator. Since they probably got it from a local parts store, they could easily swap it out and put in another one and be on the hook for nothing more than an hour or two worth of labor. No out of pocket loss on their part.

Is this a Toyota dealership or independent shop?

 

[swanics]

This was at a dealer I called them, they said bring it to a local shop here in DC and it'll be replaced if it's the part they installed that's failing. The shop in DC said it's aftermarket so they can't replace it for free. I didn't even call the dealership I brought it to in SLC back, I called Toyota corporate and said they feel it's important for a dealership to tell you it's not a Toyota part, their is no requirement for them to do so. They will have the dealer in SLC customer service rep call me to resolve the issue.

Anyways the SLC dealer called and they are just going to refund me the money for the radiator and labor. Apparently they bought the radiator from 1-800-Radiators and initially told me to contact them for a new one. I told them that's BS, and I expected a better resolution than calling around to have it replaced.