Who should pay for this?

[Chuck Hale]

My 97 4Runner, purchased three years ago (Toyota certified) had 47,000 miles. All oil changes have been done at my dealer - about 12 of them. Last time I was in they said they were having trouble because the threads on the oil pan were bad. Today they announced that I would have to have a new oil pan (their argument being that the pan is soft aluminum and with 88,000 miles one can expect this). They quoted a price of about $650, explaining that it was a difficult job - much labor. When I was unhappy with that, they offered to cut the price in half.

My questions: Is this a frequent problem on the 97 4Runner?
Am I pretty much stuck with the bill or should I protest further?
Could this be a new scam?

 

[Biff]

awwwwwwwwww
















:bs:


My last Toyota lasted 250000 miles and not one time did my oil pan need replacement.

 

[ToolmanJohn]

My 97 4Runner, purchased three years ago (Toyota certified) had 47,000 miles. All oil changes have been done at my dealer - about 12 of them. Last time I was in they said they were having trouble because the threads on the oil pan were bad. Today they announced that I would have to have a new oil pan (their argument being that the pan is soft aluminum and with 88,000 miles one can expect this). They quoted a price of about $650, explaining that it was a difficult job - much labor. When I was unhappy with that, they offered to cut the price in half.

My questions: Is this a frequent problem on the 97 4Runner?
Am I pretty much stuck with the bill or should I protest further?
Could this be a new scam?

I say if you have reciepts (proof) that they did every oil change, then tell them to repair it for you out of their pocket. The dealership owner would be where to complain if the service manager will not acknowledge their mistake. Otherwise get a lawyer. It should be very easy to nail them in small claims court. Make them pay your court costs too if they make you go to court. I would not take that BS.

 

[Pribilof]

Re: Re: Who should pay for this?

I say if you have reciepts (proof) that they did every oil change, then tell them to repair it for you out of their pocket. The dealership owner would be where to complain if the service manager will not acknowledge their mistake. Otherwise get a lawyer. It should be very easy to nail them in small claims court. Make them pay your court costs too if they make you go to court. I would not take that BS.

I agree. My last 4Runner was sold with over 230k miles on it. The threads on the oil pan, while not "new" looking, were more than adequate. The stealership probably overtightened the plug and stripped the threads.

 

[jharris2]

My 97 4Runner, purchased three years ago (Toyota certified) had 47,000 miles. All oil changes have been done at my dealer - about 12 of them. Last time I was in they said they were having trouble because the threads on the oil pan were bad. Today they announced that I would have to have a new oil pan (their argument being that the pan is soft aluminum and with 88,000 miles one can expect this). They quoted a price of about $650, explaining that it was a difficult job - much labor. When I was unhappy with that, they offered to cut the price in half.

My questions: Is this a frequent problem on the 97 4Runner?
Am I pretty much stuck with the bill or should I protest further?
Could this be a new scam?

I've not changed an oil pan on a 4Runner, but on the last vehicle I did pull the oil pan from, the threads weren't part of the pan.....so it doesn't matter that the pan is made from "soft aluminum".

 

[mikes4runner]

Your kidding right?....April fools?....Take your reciepts back to them and tell them they screwed up your oil pan, they did the changes and they are going to fix it.

You want to talk to the service manager,dealership owner, Toyota customer service.

Make them show you proof that this is a comman problem.
Don't worry they won't be able to.

I would love to go with you to hear what bulls**t excuse they try to come up with.

Dealerships fume me bigtime!

 

[GatorGreg]

:FOS:

 

[Yachtwithus]

I had the threads striped out on a Jaguar XJ6 oil pan (also aluminum), by Jiffy Lube a few years ago. The Jaguar dealer re-threaded the oil pan for $100.00. Worked good as new.

Jiffy Lube paid the dealer the $100.00

 

[Brewster]

A helicoil thread insert (or similar competitive product) is a time tested way of renewing stripped threads in aluminum. I've done it for a spark plug in an aluminum head racing engine, and it held fine. What I don't know is whether your stock pan already had a steel thread insert (some do.)

In any case, it's usually fixable without removing the pan, as it was for Yachtwithus.

 

[EXTEX]

Bad Screwing

Those boys have been screwing-up, not in. And now that they have shown their stuff on your oil pan, how would you also like a cross-threaded butt ? That's what they're doing to you, and if you lay still, they'll go ahead & finish their job.

If you've seen the Service Mangler, to no avail, graduate to the General Manager. If no luck ask to see the owner, and WHEN they tell you NO, tell the highest person you've seen, that Small Claims Court is not the only place you're going. Let them know THEY are the one forcing you to be a PITA, & if they MAKE you be PITA, you're gonna be a good one. Mention a written BBB complaint, and that you know someone @ the local NBC affiliate.
They will cave.

They are @ fault, & they know it. They can only git you on this one if you let them.

 

[Iman74]

I once got so mad I wrote a letter to the boss. But I couldn't help if somehow they knew it was from me, what is the other possible outcomes of it.

 

[abin]

Their receipts could not prove you didn't have oil change at some where else.
Last resort is, file a complaint to BBB. They are likely to contact you, my opinion.