Rear Engine Seal Leak at 23k! May Not Be Warrantied?!

[1996_Valencia_Owen]

I prefer not to say at this time. But it's in So Cal

It better not be Hamer. Those friggin idiots...

And I would NOT take your business elsewhere. If you do that, that's the exact desired outcome they want in the first place to try to pressure you about warranty.

Get Toyota to come down on them with great vengeance and furious anger.

 

[RCFJ]

Any updates?

 

[CRSTX]

The dealers makes more $$$ off people vs warranty. Sounds like they just want you to pay for it even though it's a warranty repair. The power train warranty is 5/60. Please don't pay a dime to them.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

I am calling BS on that, Mud is not going to cause the rear main or the upper oil pan FIPG seal to leak. Those are assembly/preparation/foundry issues, particularly at low mileages such as 23k.

Hell I've seen a 3UR-FE upper oil pan have porosity in the casting causing it to seep oil (that was an odd one), so I highly doubt you did anything let alone filled the bell housing with mud.

Politely & professionally lean on the Service Manager to show you proof of this "Submerged Condition" and if they continue to give you push back ask to have a copy of your documentation and that you'll be contacting corporate from this point onwards.

I don’t understand why Toyota dealers are always dicks. I work for another manufacturer and have warrantied transmissions, engines with aftermarket intakes, exhaust systems, throttle body spacers. You name it I’ved warrantied it. Toyota is still paying them for it, and rear main seals are easy.

They just want to get CP (Customer Pay) hours.

I actually had to get the Bureau of Automotive Repair involved the first and only time my 4Runner went into a Toyota dealership, to have my windows programmed to roll down with my key fob.

Actually this part on Toyota's side does not entirely surprise me. They've been cracking down on dealerships being too loose with their warranty claims and exercising their "goodwill" options a lot in the past few years. Lots of audits and crack downs over the last 5yrs across the board from what I have heard from multiple people and seen.

Hell our poor warranty clerk is getting our claims kicked back over the most asinine crap, they're nit picking how you dot the i's and cross the t's as well as how you try to use their 20yr old op codes that barely apply half the time so they don't have to pay warranty.

So a lot of dealerships not wanting to deal with that is not entirely surprising.

 

[blanchard7684]

First step for the dealer is to satisfy the customer. The next step is for Toyota to figure out why a rear engine seal is leaking at such a low mileage.

 

[Breadman03]

I would take my business else well. They should want to get it warrantied as they get paid by Toyota for warranty work that in turn provides work for their service guys.

I'd personally call Toyota just like I did with my 3rd gen trans issues. They took care of me and told the dealer what to do. After Toyota called my dealer, their whole attitude changed.

I had a similar experience when I took my Prius in for a failed computer that met the TSB requirements to be warrantied. I showed them a printout with the TSB number, but it didn't help at all until Toyota called my dealer.

 

[4runner_RN]

UPDATE: Not going to be warrantied because they said it was "submerged" with mud and debis. WTF?
I have formally opened a case with toyota. Waiting for the case manager to contact me.

 

[Bishop98]

UPDATE: Not going to be warrantied because they said it was "submerged" with mud and debis. WTF?
I have formally opened a case with toyota. Waiting for the case manager to contact me.

Damn

 

[DreamsOfDirt]

UPDATE: Not going to be warrantied because they said it was "submerged" with mud and debis. WTF?
I have formally opened a case with toyota. Waiting for the case manager to contact me.

We're all rooting for you.

Stick to your guns - and the facts as you talk to Toyota. If Toyota states that the dealer is claims it has been submerged, state your usage and ask for proof your vehicle was submerged. If there is mud and debris (which is doubtful based on your explanation), reiterate the terrain you've been going on that may have caused it, etc. Remember, the onus is on them to PROVE you did something to void the warranty.

Good luck!

 

[Oregon1]

UPDATE: Not going to be warrantied because they said it was "submerged" with mud and debis. WTF?
I have formally opened a case with toyota. Waiting for the case manager to contact me.

And you may have said this. But you did buy this new I assume?

 

[delloro]

UPDATE: Not going to be warrantied because they said it was "submerged" with mud and debis. WTF?
I have formally opened a case with toyota. Waiting for the case manager to contact me.

Ha what a tool your dealer is. The rear main seal is up high enough that you would have water in your cabin if you "submerged" the rear main seal.

I hate dealers.

You cannot make them repair it under warranty. You may have to pay them to fix it, then sue them for breach of warranty.

You can always sue the thieving bastards in small claims court. The benefits of that are 1) everybody including judges have been screwed by a dealer or mechanic and 2) they can't being a lawyer. You can't either, but you are a much more sympathetic party and you have common sense and facts on your side.

Crank seals keep oil in. Water can't bother them unless constantly submerged, like on a boat.

If you end up paying for the repair, they must give you the old part if you ask for it. Take that into court and let the judge try and see how water damaged it.

 

[EddieV4runnin]

Actually this part on Toyota's side does not entirely surprise me. They've been cracking down on dealerships being too loose with their warranty claims and exercising their "goodwill" options a lot in the past few years. Lots of audits and crack downs over the last 5yrs across the board from what I have heard from multiple people and seen.

Hell our poor warranty clerk is getting our claims kicked back over the most asinine crap, they're nit picking how you dot the i's and cross the t's as well as how you try to use their 20yr old op codes that barely apply half the time so they don't have to pay warranty.

So a lot of dealerships not wanting to deal with that is not entirely surprising.

I think all manufacturers are cracking down on warranty work. However, I’ve come to learn that we as an industry have brought that upon ourselves. But that’s better left for another time.

When it comes to determining what’s warranty and what’s not. Our warranty clerk stated “If you absolutely without a doubt cannot prove that the damage was caused by the aftermarket part or gross negligence just warranty the part, it’ll cost us more in legal fees.” Maybe is a CA thing :spy:

My buddy works for a Toyota dealer and he said Toyota will kick back recalls and campaigns performed by techs that aren’t certified to do so. Thus, most techs don’t wanna certify, so all they are given is CP work.

 

[SR5Bart]

My buddy works for a Toyota dealer and he said Toyota will kick back recalls and campaigns performed by techs that aren’t certified to do so. Thus, most techs don’t wanna certify, so all they are given is CP work.

I can vouch for this first hand as I work at a Toyota dealer. They are being real pricks lately and want the techs employee number on any warranty work done so if it bounces he gets debooked for the job. Dealers are being audited left and right for abusing warranty. I wouldn't be shocked if the dealer that is voiding the seal claim was audited in the recent past.

 

[4runner_RN]

UPDATE: The Toyota case manager reviewed the case and although understanding, claimed the mud and debris as "external factors" that void warranty. I explained to her that I purchased that car with the intent to use it for what it was built since it had 4wd and a-trac. I never abused the car and there's absolutely no physical damage. I asked how can go off-road and avoid mud, dirt, and water?

Either way, I still have to pay for it, but the case was settled far from the 2k+ price estimate.

At this point, with my work, I need the car back, and I felt it was the best outcome in this unfortunate situation.

 

[RCFJ]

UPDATE: The Toyota case manager reviewed the case and although understanding, claimed the mud and debris as "external factors" that void warranty. I explained to her that I purchased that car with the intent to use it for what it was built since it had 4wd and a-trac. I never abused the car and there's absolutely no physical damage. I asked how can go off-road and avoid mud?

Either way, I still have to pay for it, but the case was settled far from the 2k+ price estimate.

At this point, with my work, I need the car back, and I felt it was the best outcome in this unfortunate situation.

How much less? You’re remarkably calm for a person that seems to be getting screwed over....

 

[4runner_RN]

How much less? You’re remarkably calm for a person that seems to be getting screwed over....

It's significant. And I have to be, I'm angry, but I went through the process, and lost so I have to move on.

Around the time this happened to my rig, my friend's brand new honda accord sport got stolen and recovered in really BAD shape. It was found crashed, but not totaled so he's got it worse than me

 

[Signess]

I was unaware that a non-sustained submerged vehicle will ruin seals. Not water proof? You see all sorts of vehicles driving through water up to their hood with no failure. What's the point of a snorkel?

 

[RCFJ]

UPDATE: The Toyota case manager reviewed the case and although understanding, claimed the mud and debris as "external factors" that void warranty. I explained to her that I purchased that car with the intent to use it for what it was built since it had 4wd and a-trac. I never abused the car and there's absolutely no physical damage. I asked how can go off-road and avoid mud, dirt, and water?

Either way, I still have to pay for it, but the case was settled far from the 2k+ price estimate.

At this point, with my work, I need the car back, and I felt it was the best outcome in this unfortunate situation.

Was there ever an acceptable explanation of how this happened? I mean whats to prevent it from happening again if you were only driving under normal dirt road conditions.

 

[e60ral]

the owners manual has procedures for driving through water, so OP probably would have had a good case if they wanted to get an attorney since that can hardly be considered "unreasonable use" with respect to 15 USC §2304(c) since the owners manual discusses it

 

[Liquid_G]

I would love to have a site like Jalopnik pick a story like this up. Anyone got a contact there? what a crock of shit.