Agreed :rockon:
Rear Engine Seal Leak at 23k! May Not Be Warrantied?!
- Thread starter 4runner_RN
- Start date
Agreed :rockon:
Maybe I missed it I'm not sure how bad the leak was and for how long it had been leaking. Had the OP (not your fault OP, you did what was right for YOU given the facts YOU had at the time, no argument or issue there) kept driving it keeping the oil level up and a box on the driveway to catch the mess he'd not have been without a car while escalating the matter with corporate. It's not that hard to escalate when you still have your car and it's operational and you've not agreed to a Customer Pay diagnostic which began the 'give an inch take a mile'. It was at this point they knew you would be accepting of paying for warranty work.
DesertCanyons
New member
Toyota warranty service
Sorry to hear about this. That's a tough break on the warranty service. I understand it when you say you just don't have time to deal with it. You're apparently going to school and working too. Did I read you're an RN?
I don't understand what the $2000 diagnostic service is. I'd really hesitate to agree to that kind of fee for Toyota to determine why it failed. I wouldn't care. It's under warranty, you didn't abuse it and they should repair it. What was that fee and how did they explain it to you? I think we'll probably all hear that line some day.
When they said there was mud in the bell housing I would have said I'd come by and then I'd asked to see it. Also, was there mud up on the skid plates or other areas under the frame? The car is equipped with breather's to permit driving in water. Someone said it's covered in the manual. And you said you never drove it in the mud. Here in So Cal I rarely encounter mud and I always try to drive around it.
A tip for everyone. Before going to the dealer for any service, power wash the underside of the vehicle. I was out in the desert last weekend and I'll be going to the coin-op power wash tonight to remove the dirt, dust and debris. I also had an oil leak on my new remote oil filter hoses so I need to degrease the engine bay over the driver's side wheel well.
Sorry to hear about this. That's a tough break on the warranty service. I understand it when you say you just don't have time to deal with it. You're apparently going to school and working too. Did I read you're an RN?
I don't understand what the $2000 diagnostic service is. I'd really hesitate to agree to that kind of fee for Toyota to determine why it failed. I wouldn't care. It's under warranty, you didn't abuse it and they should repair it. What was that fee and how did they explain it to you? I think we'll probably all hear that line some day.
When they said there was mud in the bell housing I would have said I'd come by and then I'd asked to see it. Also, was there mud up on the skid plates or other areas under the frame? The car is equipped with breather's to permit driving in water. Someone said it's covered in the manual. And you said you never drove it in the mud. Here in So Cal I rarely encounter mud and I always try to drive around it.
A tip for everyone. Before going to the dealer for any service, power wash the underside of the vehicle. I was out in the desert last weekend and I'll be going to the coin-op power wash tonight to remove the dirt, dust and debris. I also had an oil leak on my new remote oil filter hoses so I need to degrease the engine bay over the driver's side wheel well.
Faust301
New member
I'll just drop this here... (as it was just so happened to cross my desk this morning from Corporate)
Companies can’t void warranties if non-OEM parts used, says FTC
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has sent warning letters to six major companies that market and sell cars – including Hyundai – or cellular devices and video gaming systems. The letters warn that FTC staff are concerned about the companies’ statements that consumers must use specified parts or service providers to keep their warranties intact. Unless warrantors provide the parts or services for free, or receive a waiver from the FTC, such statements generally are prohibited by the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.
FTC staff has asked each company to review its promotional and warranty materials to ensure that they do not state or imply that warranty coverage is conditioned on the use of specific parts or services. Any failure to correct potential violations after 30 days may result in enforcement action by the FTC.
Companies can’t void warranties if non-OEM parts used, says FTC
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has sent warning letters to six major companies that market and sell cars – including Hyundai – or cellular devices and video gaming systems. The letters warn that FTC staff are concerned about the companies’ statements that consumers must use specified parts or service providers to keep their warranties intact. Unless warrantors provide the parts or services for free, or receive a waiver from the FTC, such statements generally are prohibited by the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.
FTC staff has asked each company to review its promotional and warranty materials to ensure that they do not state or imply that warranty coverage is conditioned on the use of specific parts or services. Any failure to correct potential violations after 30 days may result in enforcement action by the FTC.
4runner_RN
New member
After hearing from you guys, I will get the word out, but I'll do that on my own time. I'll make sure the surveys reflect the poor job Toyota did. The diagnostic fee was the labor to get to the engine seal to inspect it.
The 4R was paid up front in cash and I'm having fun with modding it. I keep it in tip top shape and never missed a scheduled service. As soon as the leak started, I took it in.
My daily is an '18 mercedes amg so I wasn't struggling without a car. Since I use it to transport patients to their medical appointments, I had to resolve the issue in a timely manner. Missing a medical appointment for my patient can put me on the hook for neglect, which would've been 1000000000x worse than this oil leak haha.
The 4R was paid up front in cash and I'm having fun with modding it. I keep it in tip top shape and never missed a scheduled service. As soon as the leak started, I took it in.
My daily is an '18 mercedes amg so I wasn't struggling without a car. Since I use it to transport patients to their medical appointments, I had to resolve the issue in a timely manner. Missing a medical appointment for my patient can put me on the hook for neglect, which would've been 1000000000x worse than this oil leak haha.
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Ah. Money is no object. Why didn’t you just say so earlier!
4runner_RN
New member
I'm not rich by any means so I still have to work, but my license is worth more. People just didn't understand the full situation.
4runner_RN
New member
Well said.
As is tradition on internet forums
Agent_Outside
New member
That’s what the MM Act, a company can not hold warranty hostage to force a parts and labor monopoly. Where people seem to get confused is non-OEM/aftermarket parts are referencing replacement parts NOT modifications. For example they can’t void your warranty for using a fram direct replacement air filter instead of a Toyota one, or becaus an independent shop changed your oil. But once you modify something to make it operate outside of designed parameters you are not protected. In the court of law it’s as simple as “it wasn’t designed for that”.
4runner_RN
New member
exactly what I told the case manager from corporate! "Toughest SUV on the Planet" <- from their brochure
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4runner_RN
New member
I went ahead and contacted Jalopnik. I'll keep you guys posted
Any oil leaks will look like MUD... esp. in a dusty off road use.. oil leaks dust collects then it is all mucked up..
I have removed the flywheel/flex cover several times vehicles over 10 yrs old and no mud because no leaks doing starters.
I would expect this seal to leak again due to a defect in the seals reaction to a metal defect. ..
after a few K miles check the seal for any oil leaks .
toyota will probably blame you again .. so I would before returning to DS clean up any mess .. in the bell housing if it looks like mud muck..
2012sr5
New member
I wonder...if you had haggled a lot with them up front and financed the T4R...would this have played out the way it did?
It's just speculation, and I don't think you did anything wrong by paying cash up front. But for slimy car dealers, I think paying cash can paint a target on your back. When the opportunity presents itself for the dealer to take advantage, they'll press a littler harder to get you to cave in if they think you can afford to take the hit financially.
I'm not saying that's what happened here, but it makes me wonder.
Glad to hear you contacted Jalopnik!
4runner_RN
New member
You have a good point. But I bought the car from another dealership and have been getting it serviced at a different one so I dont know if they could see that info. Either way, I want to get my story out there
:hatsoff:
johnbt
Member
"But for slimy car dealers, I think paying cash can paint a target on your back."
I don't know, after I wrote a check for my new 4Runner and my wife's new Avalon Touring, you would think the dealer would realize that I could easily afford to hire a lawyer if need be. A good lawyer.
I started paying cash for new cars in the late '80s. Drive a clunker until you save money up, pay cash. Start saving again - and collecting interest on it instead of paying interest on a car loan. It adds up over the years.
I don't know, after I wrote a check for my new 4Runner and my wife's new Avalon Touring, you would think the dealer would realize that I could easily afford to hire a lawyer if need be. A good lawyer.
I started paying cash for new cars in the late '80s. Drive a clunker until you save money up, pay cash. Start saving again - and collecting interest on it instead of paying interest on a car loan. It adds up over the years.
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