Question for people that have used their Extended Warranty

Salsa Red 2004 · 02-17-2007, 03:22 AM

I took my car in to get a couple of things checked out under the Toyota Platinum Extended Warranty. I wanted them to check out the coolant pump. Beyond being MUCH louder than it used to be it has now started stopping and then restarting during the coolant transfer on shutdown--sort of like morse code--it will pump for a few seconds then stop for a second then start again etc. The service writer told me that the estimate for diagnosis would be 100 dollars. I was sorta thrown by that. I asked if that meant that if in their minds the coolant pump wasn't malfunctioning I would have to pay the diagnosis fee of $100. He said yes. If they decided it was malfunctioning and toyota approved the repair then i probably wouldn't have to pay the diagnosis fee (he couldn't explain why only "probably"). I had the GM Extended Warranty on my Grand Prix I owned before the Prius and in 3 years of using it to check out various concerns I never was asked to pay any diagnosis fees. Does this diagnosis fee thing with the Toyota Extended Warranty match with everyone elses experiences that have used the warranty? Or is this dealer trying to pull something on me?
Thanks

Rest · 02-17-2007, 06:29 AM

You really need to read your warranty paperwork before taking a vehicle in to get checked. But as with most warranty issues you most certainly have to pay for a diagnosis if nothing is found to be wrong if it is not covered. Because if nothing is found to be wrong and the warranty does not cover the service then the dealership won't get paid by the warranty writer. The GM Extended Warranty you had on the Grand Prix most likely covered a diagnostic. Extended warranties are not all the same.

paprius4030 · 02-17-2007, 09:48 AM

Things like this make me wonder if Toyota is lucky their cars are so dependable, since the more I hear about their dealer service and coporate attitude they seem to be very lacking in people skills. Chrysler on the other hand(before the Diamler screwing them up even worse) paid for my Dodge Van rust repairs when the sliding door rusted out prematurely.

hill · 02-17-2007, 10:20 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Salsa Red 2004 @ Feb 17 2007, 04:22 AM) [snapback]391945[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

I took my car in to get a couple of things checked out under the Toyota Platinum Extended Warranty. I wanted them to check out the coolant pump. Beyond being MUCH louder than it used to be it has now started stopping and then restarting during the coolant transfer on shutdown--sort of like morse code--it will pump for a few seconds then stop for a second then start again e . . . . . . .
[/b]

Mine does that, and the dealer says it's no big deal. I first noticed the noise when I first got the car in '04. We now have over 54K miles ... so i'm inclined to conclude no big deal. We used our extended warranty to replace both the MFD, and the ECU that runs the smart entry/ignition stuff ... oh! and one fob. Best investment of $900 I ever made IMHO.

Rest · 02-18-2007, 04:04 AM

One thing to realize about an extended warranty. They really are only an insurance policy which only pays off if something goes wrong with your vehicle. So basically you're hoping you have an issue with your car to get your money's worth out of the extended warranty.

I on the other hand would rather take the money I would have paid for the extended warranty and invest it. And if a few years down the road (after the manufacture warranty expires), I have an issue with the car then I can use the money I made of the investment. If nothing goes wrong then the money is all mine.

cireecnop1 · 02-18-2007, 08:27 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Salsa Red 2004 @ Feb 17 2007, 01:22 AM) [snapback]391945[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

I took my car in to get a couple of things checked out under the Toyota Platinum Extended Warranty. I wanted them to check out the coolant pump. Beyond being MUCH louder than it used to be it has now started stopping and then restarting during the coolant transfer on shutdown--sort of like morse code--it will pump for a few seconds then stop for a second then start again etc. The service writer told me that the estimate for diagnosis would be 100 dollars. I was sorta thrown by that. I asked if that meant that if in their minds the coolant pump wasn't malfunctioning I would have to pay the diagnosis fee of $100. He said yes. If they decided it was malfunctioning and toyota approved the repair then i probably wouldn't have to pay the diagnosis fee (he couldn't explain why only "probably"). I had the GM Extended Warranty on my Grand Prix I owned before the Prius and in 3 years of using it to check out various concerns I never was asked to pay any diagnosis fees. Does this diagnosis fee thing with the Toyota Extended Warranty match with everyone elses experiences that have used the warranty? Or is this dealer trying to pull something on me?
Thanks
[/b]

that sucks, I just traded in an 07 Nissan Versa for my Prius and I was never asked to pay a "diagnosis" fee for checking on things that I thought the car should not be doing. Is toyota really skimping on their factory warranty or is your dealer just a jerk?

jesart · 02-18-2007, 09:19 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TomorrowMatters @ Feb 18 2007, 08:27 AM) [snapback]392315[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

that sucks, I just traded in an 07 Nissan Versa for my Prius and I was never asked to pay a "diagnosis" fee for checking on things that I thought the car should not be doing. Is toyota really skimping on their factory warranty or is your dealer just a jerk?
[/b]

I've used my Toyota Ext warranty in the past for a 2005 Corolla. One day when I was driving up the "Cajon Pass" on my way to Vegas, my Corolla started to overheat and water began to gush out. I took the car to a dealer and they did not charge one penny. The diagnosis was free. They couldn't figure out what caused the problem out of all things. I guess it depends on the dealer if they want to charge you the diagnosis fee.

IsrAmeriPrius · 02-18-2007, 12:54 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TomorrowMatters @ Feb 18 2007, 05:27 AM) [snapback]392315[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Is toyota really skimping on their factory warranty or is your dealer just a jerk?[/b]

You are comparing apples and oranges. The OP was not complaining about the Original Factory Warranty, but about having a diagnosis of a problem paid for by the optional Extended Warranty after the original 36,000 miles / 3 years warranty expired.

jmann · 02-18-2007, 01:56 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rest @ Feb 18 2007, 04:04 AM) [snapback]392288[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

I on the other hand would rather take the money I would have paid for the extended warranty and invest it. And if a few years down the road (after the manufacture warranty expires), I have an issue with the car then I can use the money I made of the investment. If nothing goes wrong then the money is all mine.
[/b]

What MARR do you use to make your decisions? I am just curious because this is how I think too.

Salsa Red 2004 · 02-20-2007, 03:40 AM

Wanted to give everyone the resolution to my situation. The service advisor called me to tell me the car was ready. He said they couldn't find anything wrong with the coolant pumps and they were operating with normal specs. No explanation as to why the pump had only recently begun doing the whole "starting and stopping" problem I described after having had the car for 39,000 miles. He said the total was $84 dollars for the diagnosis.
When i went in to pick up the car i happened to see my normal service advisor who i always take the car to. (He wasn't in when i dropped off my car). I told him about the problem and how i was surprised by the diagnosis fee. He said there shouldn't be any charge and he had no idea why the other service writer said there would be. This is how he explained it to me. If you bring the car in for a problem with the Extended Warranty and they find no problem (as in my case the coolant pumps were within specs) then there is no charge. If you bring in the car and they do find there is a problem AND its covered under the Extended Warranty then there is no charge. But if you bring in the car and they do find there is a problem but its NOT covered under the Extended Warranty AND you don't want to fix the problem then they charge the diagnosis fee.
He made sure the charge was removed from my bill. I chose not to get into why the other service writer had tried to charge me.
It's good to know for the future that the Extended Warranty works like I hoped it would when i bought it.

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02-17-2007, 03:22 AM	#1
Salsa Red 2004 Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 6 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I took my car in to get a couple of things checked out under the Toyota Platinum Extended Warranty. I wanted them to check out the coolant pump. Beyond being MUCH louder than it used to be it has now started stopping and then restarting during the coolant transfer on shutdown--sort of like morse code--it will pump for a few seconds then stop for a second then start again etc. The service writer told me that the estimate for diagnosis would be 100 dollars. I was sorta thrown by that. I asked if that meant that if in their minds the coolant pump wasn't malfunctioning I would have to pay the diagnosis fee of $100. He said yes. If they decided it was malfunctioning and toyota approved the repair then i probably wouldn't have to pay the diagnosis fee (he couldn't explain why only "probably"). I had the GM Extended Warranty on my Grand Prix I owned before the Prius and in 3 years of using it to check out various concerns I never was asked to pay any diagnosis fees. Does this diagnosis fee thing with the Toyota Extended Warranty match with everyone elses experiences that have used the warranty? Or is this dealer trying to pull something on me? Thanks

02-17-2007, 06:29 AM	#2
Rest Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: CA Posts: 686 My Car: 2007 Prius Package: N/A Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	You really need to read your warranty paperwork before taking a vehicle in to get checked. But as with most warranty issues you most certainly have to pay for a diagnosis if nothing is found to be wrong if it is not covered. Because if nothing is found to be wrong and the warranty does not cover the service then the dealership won't get paid by the warranty writer. The GM Extended Warranty you had on the Grand Prix most likely covered a diagnostic. Extended warranties are not all the same.

02-17-2007, 09:48 AM	#3
paprius4030 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Pocono's, Pa. Posts: 955 My Car: 2008 Prius Package: #2 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Things like this make me wonder if Toyota is lucky their cars are so dependable, since the more I hear about their dealer service and coporate attitude they seem to be very lacking in people skills. Chrysler on the other hand(before the Diamler screwing them up even worse) paid for my Dodge Van rust repairs when the sliding door rusted out prematurely.

02-18-2007, 04:04 AM	#5
Rest Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: CA Posts: 686 My Car: 2007 Prius Package: N/A Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	One thing to realize about an extended warranty. They really are only an insurance policy which only pays off if something goes wrong with your vehicle. So basically you're hoping you have an issue with your car to get your money's worth out of the extended warranty. I on the other hand would rather take the money I would have paid for the extended warranty and invest it. And if a few years down the road (after the manufacture warranty expires), I have an issue with the car then I can use the money I made of the investment. If nothing goes wrong then the money is all mine.

02-20-2007, 03:40 AM	#10
Salsa Red 2004 Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 6 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Wanted to give everyone the resolution to my situation. The service advisor called me to tell me the car was ready. He said they couldn't find anything wrong with the coolant pumps and they were operating with normal specs. No explanation as to why the pump had only recently begun doing the whole "starting and stopping" problem I described after having had the car for 39,000 miles. He said the total was $84 dollars for the diagnosis. When i went in to pick up the car i happened to see my normal service advisor who i always take the car to. (He wasn't in when i dropped off my car). I told him about the problem and how i was surprised by the diagnosis fee. He said there shouldn't be any charge and he had no idea why the other service writer said there would be. This is how he explained it to me. If you bring the car in for a problem with the Extended Warranty and they find no problem (as in my case the coolant pumps were within specs) then there is no charge. If you bring in the car and they do find there is a problem AND its covered under the Extended Warranty then there is no charge. But if you bring in the car and they do find there is a problem but its NOT covered under the Extended Warranty AND you don't want to fix the problem then they charge the diagnosis fee. He made sure the charge was removed from my bill. I chose not to get into why the other service writer had tried to charge me. It's good to know for the future that the Extended Warranty works like I hoped it would when i bought it.