Some interesting Recall happenings. Need advice

No, the Desert Toyota is the worst dealer in Tuscon and the BBB showed that in their record this dealer scams people.
When my daughter's Camry couldn't start due to bad gas, they not just replace the gas filter and clean the gas tank,
they insisted to have all the fuel injectors and spark plugs replaced claiming cleaning them will not work.
The total repair bill is over $2300.
I got the old injectors back and they worked perfectly.

 

I guess I will keep this in mind and be ever watchful. It's what I do anyway.

 

I also had the steering recall done, last week. After reading various posts on PC I was worried about the problems that could result. My dealership was very straight forward with no "up sells." The vehicle after recall worked perfectly with no steering wheel or alignment problems. I also had the transaxle oil and oil changed at the same time. The vehicle was returned washed. All in all a very satisfying experience. I have dealt with other Toyota dealers and unfortunately cannot say the same!

 

Well, there are only two Toyota dealers in the city. I haven't had any problems with Precision Toyota.

Good.

 

Desert Toyota has 19 complains in 12 months, many more before that. Not accredited by BBB.
Consumer Complaints for Desert Toyota - Southern Arizona BBB

Precision Toyota is accredited by BBB but still has complains.
Consumer Complaints for Precision Toyota of Tucson - Southern Arizona BBB

Unfortunately the actual complains are no longer available on the website.

 

The Better Business Bureau is itself a scam. Businesses can pay them to provide good reports. Google for details.

I guess Desert Toyota didn't pay up, so...

 

UPDATE: I was doing another oil change this morning and discovered a problem that escaped detection when I checked over the vehicle after the recall work. There are five fasteners on the top rail of the grill, three of them are quick-release. The other two are bolts with an integral rubber bumper attached over the head. One of these fasteners was cross-threaded in its mounting. Not sure why that was removed and then not properly reinstalled. Had to chase the threads from the underside which was a pain. So my original shining commentary of my preferred dealer is now somewhat tarnished. And I already filed a favorable online survey with Toyota two days after the service so I might be contacting them to report otherwise.

 

I had one done in Ireland- they screwed up the alignment part - will be going back to them soon.

 

so here is my update:

I had a recent sterring recall done, the steering wheel after the recall was off to the right side. I asked to re-track the vehicle. Technician told me that it is now 100%, however he didn't want to perform the road test. I had to leave to work. As soon as I started to drive on motorway (the roads from the dealer to motorway are rather twisted), I realised that something is still wrong.

The steering was still not aligned.

While at home I sent an e-mail to Toyota Ireland, asking for appointment in another Toyota's dealer shop/garage to repair what was screwed-up in the first place during the recall.

Guess what, the person from Toyota Ireland called me, accepted to set up another appointment, told me to call another dealer to setup an appointment.
Strangely after 15 min I got a call from the same person trying to make some reason about the first place, but finally accepted that I will go for an appointment, however this time he mentioned to do the alignment check (check is a specific word, it means check, it doesn't mean fix).

Anyway, I went to dealership today.
After one hour sitting in the reception I was called to the workshop area to see my car. Technician pointed out the nut on the inner track rod end, the nut has seized with rust (perhaps that the car is stored at close distance to the Irish sea).
I mentioned that I agree that Toyota uses heat (oxygen/acetylene) to allow the nut release, tech said that they don't have the gas in the bottle, however after short chat agreed to release the nut with alternative methods and mentioned to use the heat (?), so I assument this has been agreed to.

I was given lift to home (this situation somehow forced to work from home).

Ater some hours (4,5h) I received a call, that they used heat and did everything and the nut is still seized. Also I was told that I need new inner track rod end. I was quoted EUR120 for the parts and hours labour (EUR90), I said no thank you.

Again, toyota agreed to pick me up from home so I could collect my (still out of alignment) prius.

I asked during the trip whether I can try to replace part in another garage by using 3-rd party parts and if I can still come back for the alignment, I was told that normally this (alignment alone) would cost EUR80 but I could have that done for EUR60 (just for the alignment!).

I said no thank you, this doesn't make sense.

I asked whether the nut (the one that is seized) can be replaced on it's own (as I know it can), the answer was yes, but may have to order that nut.

I said that I may try to release the nut privately at my own and then I will make the decision whether it's needed to order the nut (etc).

I went back home, I finished my work, after work I decided to take a look at the seized nut.

I spent one hour with WD40, vice grips, and 19mm spanner - no luck (not yet), I realised that the nut is seized into the inner rod end, however it does allow to release from outer rod. then you can spin the inner rod (with nut seized into it), I noticed dry thread on the inner rod end (the part of the rod which was inside the outer rod end). So the space between the nut and the outer rod end was complely dry (no lubricant no anti-rust agent, nothing).

I agree that just the external part of the nut has been sprayed by Toyota while locked into the outer rod with anti-rust oil or similar agent.
Anyway I appied wd40 (didn't have anyting else) on both sides of the nut and closed the nut (with the inner rod seized into it), so I tightened it into the outer rod. - this doesn't look that bad, I would say it needs ice cold spray or heat or penetrating anti-rust agent and time...



Okay, fair play to technician who spent 5,5 hours on my prii.

While I understand that the nut has seized, I'm still puzzled that the recall caused the steering out of line.

Guys am I going to be crazy if I insist to Toyota to either bring it to 3rd dealership where they can use proper heat or cut the seized nut and replace it with new one.

or do you suggest me to wrestle with this nut on my own...

the alignment was previously set with freshly calibrated laser sensors (about 20 months ago) and it was perfect until I went for the recall.

Any opinions? (sorry for long post)

 

This recall easily causes the front toe to be off when the shaft is replaced. The splines on the new shafts are not identical to the shaft being replaced. So this typically will throw the steering wheel off center after the procedure is done. However, Toyota knows this (it's in the SSC literature) and thus gives an op code for adjusting front toe as part of the SSC. The only time toe adjustment is not needed is during bolt replacement. No part of the steering linkage is disconnected. A bolt is removed, another is put in it's place. That dealer owes you a front toe adjustment. If you need parts (tie rod) due to rust then so be it. They should quote you parts and labor for installing that part only.

SPH-D710 ? 2

 

thank you for the response, however as in relations how I feel about Toyota Dealership (nothing personal) : maybe I feel that it isn't my issue that the new shaft has the splines not in the identical way to the shaft being replaced. I'm not so sure that I should pay for something that was okay before and not okay after the recall.
EDIT:
- maybe my post sounds too much ignorant... - I had a long day

 

You shouldn't have to pay for the toe adjustment. However, if your car requires a repair (tie rod) to complete the adjustment, that's on you. That being said, since this dealer FAILED to PROPERLY complete the recall, they should offer you assistance towards the repair of the tie rod.

SPH-D710 ? 2

 

thank you for the suggestion...

Anyway I would agree with heat until the nut is red hot... maybe with assistance of water into the rubber parts around... - I know it's not brand new car, but still...

here is the little troublemaker:

 

I would say keep digging until some dealer gets it right, that is not too much to ask.

 

Considering that this rod is part of a critical system (steering) my suggestion would be to replace it if the nut is frozen. Application of sufficient heat to loosen the nut may weaken that component.

However if you prefer to take that risk to save EUR60, that's your choice.

 

Patrick, if it was EUR60 - fine, I could swallow it.

The Dealer quoted (exact price) EUR126 for the rod alone plus EUR90 for the hours of labour. This is EUR216 plus my Time (already have driven 150km+ to the first dealer (return trip), spent half of my day there, then I lost one day as I worked one day from home due to yesterdays waste of time at dealership).

EUR216 it's USD283 for the replacement of the part that wasn't in the schedue for replacement when I first went to dealership.

This is not very fair. Again if it was EUR60 I could maybe swallow it, but not EUR216 for the dealers fault (screwing up the steering recall part).

 

update:

the troubled nut decided to give up.

oxygen + acetylene torch = job done

next week (as we have public holiday on Monday) I will drive to dealership for the alignment.

I did't need EUR216 to replace inner track rod end as both dealers suggested.
I didn't even need a new nut.

the oxy+aceletene job cost me EUR10 for the friendly tech in local tyre shop.

Apparently the steering is bit more straight after the released nut. I am aware that the inner rod is now free and ready for adjustments and most likely has moved during the procedure, so this is the reason why the steering is bit more straight. However it is the fact that the whole experience was a bit different than in dealership (who also claimed that they have used the heat), Yes I'm aware that the critical part of the steering might now have slightly decreased it's strength.
The whole procedure took really shot time, the heat part was just seconds and then to release the nut, some longer time to cool down the parts and run the grease over the thread.

I do know that the heat does decrease the life of the materials. We used wet cloth to keep the rubber parts nearby at lower temperature.

After the nut release and after temp drop, he applied grease on the thread, then run the nut couple of times on the thread to allow grease to go under the nut.

Let's see next week after the alignment in Toyota (fingers crossed).

 

Given the fact that the nut may have been weakened by the heat I would get a new nut to be safe. A new nut won't be that expensive, would it?

 

good point,
Thanks for this reminder!

edit:
I called dealer to order the new nuts for both rod ends, I expect to get price this afternoon .

update:
dealer said it would cost EUR1,44 for each lock nut, ordered two of them for Wednesday next week.

update:
the lock nuts arrived