The Fallon Ford/Toyota Automall Rocks!!

[Ron4RNevada]

Had a bit of an adventure last night:

I took the 4Runner to Les Schwab Tire last night to get an alignment. The front wheels were actually in spec but the technician had it optimized by about 4pm.

After the alignment was complete the truck needs to be rebooted as the alignment affects some kind of "steering sensor". Anyway he disconnected the battery for the required minute or so and then hooked it back up. All hell broke loose! Lights flashing; horn beeping! Plus the starter was disabled and a bunch of lights flashing on the dash.

Read about the engine immobiizer in the car if some one is trying to break into it or to steal the battery. He tried everything - the thing would not cancel. So he called up the Toyota dealer just down the street.

They walked him through several things to try; nothing worked. Finally they agreed to come down and take a look (couldn't drive the thing to them as it wouldn't start.

They came down a few minutes later, the Master Mechanic and the Service Manager.

They discovered that the truck had some kind of after market security system installed. So for the next hour they took the panels off the bottom of the dash and removed the system. The Master Mechanic was amazing -> he took all of the modules out; removed the harness for the system and hooked all of the original Toyota harness back as original. This guy actually had all of that mass of wire under the dash memorized. Anyway - Everything was operating perfectly by 5:30pm. They were actually working on there own time and not charging me anything. I gave them each a $20 tip.

The Fallon Ford/Toyota Automall rocks!

And now the big fat knobby ten plies on the car don't try to run to the shoulder.

 

[Antman]

After the alignment was complete the truck needs to be rebooted as the alignment affects some kind of "steering sensor".

Glad it worked out for you but this bit above is pretty funny (bunch of crap).

 

[Ron4RNevada]

That's what the Hunter alignment machine's program told him to do. It sounded goofy to me too; although Toyota claims there is some kind of "smartness" in the steering system in their advertising.

I'm glad it happened three blocks down the street from the dealer though. I spend a lot of time out in the boonies off-road and if for some reason I were to have a battery malfunction and have a system like this disable the started and immobilize the engine I'd be in deep doodoo.

It gets kinda' lonely out here if you're broke down 50 miles from the nearest paved road. Most of my treks are well away from roads and I don't see another soul (or vehicle) all day.

 

[Bimmer-Bob]

The reason the tech had those wiring harnesses memorized is because some Toyota dealers insist on putting that crappy aftermarket alarm on every vehicle in their lot, and then try to sell the damn thing to you for $500 or $1000 when you buy the car. At least my San Diego dealer did that - so maybe it's a west coast thing.

I refused to buy it, despite desperate pleading from the finance guy,so they removed it. Left two holes drilled in the left lower dash. Luckily I needed to install the bracket for my trailer brake controller there anyway.

 

[itsdchz]

Never heard of steering sensor like that. But either way, the real heart of this story is fantastic customer service from a dealership. Bravo to them! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Ron4RNevada]

The reason the tech had those wiring harnesses memorized is because some Toyota dealers insist on putting that crappy aftermarket alarm on every vehicle in their lot, and then try to sell the damn thing to you for $500 or $1000 when you buy the car. At least my San Diego dealer did that - so maybe it's a west coast thing.

I refused to buy it, despite desperate pleading from the finance guy,so they removed it. Left two holes drilled in the left lower dash. Luckily I needed to install the bracket for my trailer brake controller there anyway.

I bought the car in Reno Nevada two months ago. The original owner bought it in New Jersey where this aftermarket system was installed. It was a good buy for me - It had obviously never been off-road. I'm making sure it gets properly exercised now. The local Fallon mechanic had said he had never seen one like this before.

The Service Manager did tell me that they do install some kind of gps/cell immobilizer when banks request it if the buyer has borderline credit. Then all they have to do is call the number and it shuts down the car making it easier to find it and repossess it.

 

[mo_mo]

I had a check engine light with 2000 miles on the odo immediately after I messed with the dealer installed but not active security system (disconnected the harness to the reset button and then reconnected it). The vehicle was still drivable but once the 4R throws a check engine all of the electronic bells and whistles go caput. The code was meaningless and the dealer couldn't figure out the cause. Cleared the code and haven't had a problem since (now at 10k). Wish the dealer would have never installed it or removed it before delivery as I don't know when it could act up and immobilize me!