Warranty Awareness for Modified Toyota 4Runners

[propain]

Be aware, if you modify your truck, your dealership will most likely not cover any damage. I was off-roading this weekend, my front passenger upper strut mount bushing failed and now my dealership will not cover it under warranty.

It is a TRD stock upper strut mount bushing. They are refusing to warranty because of the lift/spacer. The dealership is telling Toyota that a 3rd party removed the shock and put the spacer on and that is the reason why the TRD upper shock bushing failed. The part cost $140/labor $300, and they are refusing to fix it.

So now I have to escalate to a Toyota case manager and DSPM (District Service Parts Manager). The only advise I can tell someone is not to buy the TRD PRO. The suspension provided by TRD is not good enough for off-roading. Especially if you add a winch and front bumper to the SUV. Save money, get the model under it and go out and buy real off-road suspension (King/Icon/Fox/Boss/OME), etc.

You will save yourself money and headaches. At least with the after-market suspension, you know it wont be covered by Toyota. Like an off-road buddy said.... Marketing and selling an off-road truck and then refusing to honor warranty is a bit silly, unless they can legitimately prove that the spacer caused the failure.

Some 4Runner owners have dealers who will work with them. This is not the case in my experience. I have had issues with this dealer since I special ordered the TRD Pro. Just want folks out there who modify their runners to know what to expect before you go running to Toyota for any warranty work.

Don’t pay Toyota for the TRD suspension, go out and get the after market suspension. Being that I put extra weight on the front of my runner, it was expected for the TRD suspension to fail, so I see an upgraded suspension in my future.

 

[JSparky]

Not sure what to expect here considering it sounds like you've directly modified the failed part, hope it all works out though.

 

[e60ral]

per the magnuson-moss warranty act the warrantor just has to demonstrate, they don't have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt or anything like that. The FTC interpretation even says they are not required to have substantiation, just a reasonable basis and a oral explanation is acceptable.

it is believable that the installer could have damaged the bushing

 

[propain]

J, I added a toytec trd pro spacer to the front shocks. The upper strut mount bushing is stock trd pro. How is that modifying the stock part? The part that is broken is the bushing, not the shock itself.

 

[mcarey86]

I'm not a suspension guru, but wouldn't a spacer directly impact the upper shock bushing? I'd imagine so, at least from my general understanding of where the bushing is located, and where a spacer gets installed.

Also, your warranty clearly states:

• Alteration or tampering, including
installation of non-Genuine Toyota
Accessories

Considering you tampered with and altered the suspension by installing non OEM stuff to the suspension, it would make sense for them to not cover it.

 

[rayofsi]

J, I added a toytec trd pro spacer to the front shocks. The upper shock bushing is stock trd pro. How is that modifying the stock part? The part that is broken is the bushing, not the shock itself.

was always under the assumption that if you modify anything that is part of the same group, you void that warranty.

upper shock bushing and spacers are definitely in the same group.

They wouldn't void your engine warranty for spacers, but voiding warranty on something like the upper shock bushing is more then understandable.

 

[propain]

I'm not a suspension guru, but wouldn't a spacer directly impact the upper shock bushing? I'd imagine so, at least from my general understanding of where the bushing is located, and where a spacer gets installed.

Also, your warranty clearly states:

• Alteration or tampering, including
installation of non-Genuine Toyota
Accessories

Considering you tampered with and altered the suspension by installing non OEM stuff to the suspension, it would make sense for them to not cover it.

Understood. So this should mean, if I put rain guards on my car windows, and if my windows break, my insurance company shouldn’t warranty my window cause the rain guard is a 3rd party part on my window and may alter my window causing them not to cover it? I'll eat this one cause it is my fault adding the extra weight to the front. :doh:

 

[mcarey86]

Understood. So this should mean, if I put rain guards on my car windows, and if my windows breaks from a rock, my insurance company shouldn’t warranty my window cause the rain guard is a 3rd party party part on my window and may alter my window causing them not to cover it? I'll eat this one cause it is my fault adding the extra weight to the front. :doh:

Well, that is quite the stretch...

Warranties are also supposed to cover defective parts. Not things you break off-road. Looking at your Instagram, it looks like tore up a bit more than just a "defective bushing".

 

[srsrogerissrs]

Welcome to the world of modifying. You mod it, you break it, you pay to fix it.

 

[propain]

The UCA rubber boots tore.. the ball-joints are tight.

God forbid I buy a truck that is marketed for off-roading use and actually take it off-roading.

 

[propain]

Welcome to the world of modifying. You mod it, you break it, you pay to fix it.

I am learning to accept this hehe :thumb: slowly as you can see :hurt:

 

[Brandon H]

Be aware, if you modify your truck, your dealership will most likely not cover any damage. I was off-roading this weekend, my front passenger upper shock bushing failed and now my dealership will not cover it under warranty.

It is a TRD stock upper shock bushing. They are refusing to warranty because of the lift/spacer. The dealership is telling Toyota that a 3rd party removed the shock and put the spacer on and that is the reason why the TRD upper shock bushing failed. The part cost $140/labor $300, and they are refusing to fix it.

So now I have to escalate to a Toyota case manager and DSPM (District Service Parts Manager). The only advise I can tell someone is not to buy the TRD PRO. The suspension provided by TRD is not good enough for off-roading. Especially if you add a winch and front bumper to the SUV. Save money, get the model under it and go out and buy real off-road suspension (King/Icon/Fox/Boss/OME), etc.

You will save yourself money and headaches. At least with the after-market suspension, you know it wont be covered by Toyota. Like an off-road buddy said.... Marketing and selling and off-road truck and then refusing to honor warranty is a bit silly, unless they can legitimately prove that the spacer caused the failure.

Some 4Runner owners have dealers who will work with them. This is not the case in my experience. I have had issues with this dealer since I special ordered the TRD Pro. Just want folks out there who modify their runners to know what to expect before you go running to Toyota for any warranty work.

Don’t pay Toyota for the TRD suspension, go out and get the after market suspension. Being that I put extra weight on the front of my runner, it was expected for the TRD suspension to fail, so I see an upgraded suspension in my future.

Not trying to sound like a Debbie downer, but you added a spacer to the TRD suspension.THey will probably tell you to go kick rocks. Not sure why people use spacer lifts. They will eventually destroy the suspension over time, and also give a harsh ride.

Here some good read on it.

Slee - An overview of Toyota IFS Suspenison Lifts

 

[03_4x4Runner]

My Toyota dealer installs Toytech lifts. I asked them about my warranty. They said they will cover everything only if they install it and sell you the parts. The warranty on everything will not be valid at any other Toyota dealer.

 

[Lester Lugnut]

Dealer customer has A lawyer.

Dealer has MANY lawyers.

 

[propain]

My Toyota dealer installs Toytech lifts. I asked them about my warranty. They said they will cover everything only if they install it and sell you the parts. The warranty on everything will not be valid at any other Toyota dealer.

Consider yourself blessed by the off-road gods...That is the dealership I am looking for. My dealership started crying to me when they lifted the front hood up and saw mud/dirt spots in the engine bay and said ....like it was a crime.....do you go off-roading, and I replied, yes, that’s what the truck is made for. You had to see their faces. Like it was a crime and I was using it to climb the empire state building.

 

[orangeblue]

The spacer would likely fall under the "alteration or tampering" exclusion in the warranty (p.14 of the warranty booklet). A spacer is an alteration to the stock shock assembly.

 

[03_4x4Runner]

This is typical of what my dealer does. New 2017 Toyota 4Runner For Sale | Lake Havasu City AZ | JTEBU5JR6H5440810

There are many of them off road here in the desert. I even bought my BFG KO2 tires from them and they mounted them on take off oem wheels also from them with no TPMS sensors knowing they were going on my 4runner.

 

[Hadelson]

Consider yourself blessed by the off-road gods...That is the dealership I am looking for. My dealership started crying to me when they lifted the front hood up and saw mud/dirt spots in the engine bay and said ....like it was a crime.....do you go off-roading, and I replied, yes, that’s what the truck is made for. You had to see their faces. Like it was a crime and I was using it to climb the empire state building.

Reminds me of situation with a friend who bought a Jeep. They had known transmission issues. Took it off roading. Transmission died a week later. Dealer would not honor warranty. Now here the catch, it was the Jeep Off-road model. In the fine print for the warranty stated off-roading will void the warranty. I am not making this up.

 

[CRFofiddyF]

My experience with warranty

I have daystar spacers in the rear on an SR5 4x4. One of my shocks started leaking at 10k miles...the service advisor called to let me know they are going to replace under warranty and that they will keep an eye on the other side. I thought it was a really cool thing to do. It was the same dealer where I got my T4R and the only issue I have with them, is not wiping the wheels when they rotate the tires :drum:

 

[Leucifer]

It varies dealer to dealer. Some are a little better about things than others, especially if they do the mods.

And these are off-road capable, stock.

2010 Toyota 4Runner Rubicon Trail First Drive

If I remember correctly, more than a few members stuck near or at stock (1engineer being one). Hell, I'm running mine stock (mostly - swapped tires ASAP) for the time being as I want to keep the warranty intact for a bit while I break it in. I have a plan for mine once I get some cash in a war chest saved up. In the meantime, I've been taking her around to some light trails in SoCal (Bee Canyon Truck Trail, for example).

It comes down to what you consider "off-roading". That's a somewhat vague term. Rockcrawling is off-roading. So is overlanding. Desert runs are off-roading too.

It also comes down to what you're willing to live with. Do you want yours to look showroom new? Or are you ok with dings, dents, scratches and whatnot. This was a tough one for me as I was looking at taking an older 100 series Land Cruiser and running with that simply for that bit of mental comfort. The main reasons I didn't was that I need a reliable vehicle (room for one vehicle in my stable) and it is a pain in the buttocks to find a Land Cruiser with moderate mileage at a sane price.

Ok.... now that I'm done rambling....
Check with other dealers in your area. In my area, which is saturated with Toyota Dealers, I can pick and choose. They HAVE to compete. If they don't want to cover stuff, well... eff them. I go to another and hit them up. I'm not above being a little mercenary in my dealings with dealers. The ones who take care of me, I take care of them.