tc

Sorry to sound harsh, but did you read all 11 pages of this thread?

Learn from those who went before you - everything you need is here.

You should not be charged for the pitman and idler arms or tie rods or the labor to install them.

If you are not happy with the alignment, have it redone and backcharge the dealer, or include with your claim to Toyota USA when the dealer exhausts all their options.

Paul H.

Hee, hee, just got my recall notice. Cannot believe they sent it to me even though I had it done over 1 month ago.

slosurfer

I did read all 11 pages, I missed the one of you getting the free idler arm. I was prepared to not pay for the tie rod ends. I subcribe to this thread so I thought I was prepared. I don't mind paying for the rest of the alignment since I put on bj spacers and put it out of alignment of my own doing. I just don't like being specifically told that they will do a "full" alignment if I replace these parts. And then finding out that apparently they can't even do a "full" alignment on lifted trucks. I just got off the phone with customer service and she is going to talk to the service manager. Beleive me this is not the end of this, I think I am going to have to go tc's route. So for right now Toyota of San Luis Obispo is on the do not go to list! I think he was making that up about not doing alignments on lifted vehicles since half the people here got alignments with bj spacers.

slosurfer

I just got off the phone with customer service at Toyota of San Luis Obispo, CA. They are going to pay for the alignment at a tire shop because they do not do lifted vehicles. I asked why some dealers do and some don't, she said Toyota doesn't do lifted vehicles and she didn't know why some do. So, I am a little bit happier now and it got taken care of within minutes.
~Chris

mt_goat

Yeah funny how a tech at a tire store can figure out how to adjust LCA cam bolts but a highly trained Toyota tech can't do it?????

rchavis

Got my relay rod recall done yesterday. Well all I can say is that Doxon Toyota in Auburn WA has lost me as a customer. First the tech call me back to the bay and started telling me that my valve cover gaskets were leaking, then he went on to say that my power steering pump was leaking, next that the idler arm, which was just changed last July was bad. Then he said my wheel bearings were bad. Then continued to tell me that my transmisson pan was missing a bolt. Well I told them they were the last to service the transmission when they change the filter, so if a bolt was missing, either they didn't put it in, or they didn't tighten it. Then I told them that since they put new wheel bearings on less then 20,000 miles ago, I find it hard to believe that they are bad, The tech then change his story to say oh, well then they need to be repack, for only $280.00, plus tax of course. Then I said couldn't you just tighten the valve covers. Uh no we have to change them, $298.00 plus tax. And since the plenium would need to be removed, that would be a great time to get the injectors clean, Addition money of course. My truck runs find, gets good gas milage, I use Fuel Power (FP60). I then told them that the idler arm was replaced in July, less then 5000 miles has been put on the truck, I don't drive this that often, The assistance service manager went on to say, yeah a lot of people use aftermarket parts that are no good, because they are cheaper, hum cheaper, I paid $167.00 for that part. Toyota wants $183.00. Not that much cheaper. I told them to just do the Relay Rod. Of course now comes the can't guanrentee the alignment thing, so I said find change the idler arm, give me the old part and I'll take it back to the shop that originally put it in.

The point is Doxon Toyota is highly speak of, however my experience with them has always been problematic. Last year I took the truck in for an oil and filter change, When I checked the filter, I found that they did not change it. Then they wanted to know how I knew it wasn't changed. I then showed them the date on the filter, I always date my filters using a Sharpie. The filter was dated 8/2/04. The new one was dated 2/3/05. The day of the oil change, 6 mouth OCI. Well after a long debate they went to Amsoil, got a new filter and put it on. Never did find my filter, Anyways This is it for me. Sorry for the long rant.

94-RUNNER

Any plans on filing a complaint with Toyota ? Sounds to me like you have a very good reason to do so ! My .02 cents worth.

Caffeine

You guys think you got screwed on an alignment?

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116/50n-alignment-question-79562/

ChickenLover

Just got my recall notice a few days ago. I'm too afraid to let my dealer work on it. The relay rod has gone through 11 years of abuse already. I'm not really worried about it.

PAhydrohead

Last night I slipped on some ice and hit a stone retaining wall with my front right tire Good thing I had the relay rod replaced a couple months ago because I bent the new one (among a mirad of OTHER things) :cry: Surely the original rod would have broken under such abuse

Now I get to pay to have a full alignment done, and replace the steering box, pitman arm, idler, straighten the frame.....etc. etc.

˟˟˟˟˟ maybe its time for SAS!

jerbear

Just got a recall notice in the mail for my 1991 4x4. Is there anyone on this board in the Buffalo, NY area that had it done and might recommend a dealership. We have five in the area and if someone else has had it done and can give me a thumbs up or down on any of the local dealerships it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

gatorbaiterr

my trouble is I had no trouble with my steering until they took it apart to replace the part now my 4runner pulls hard to the left and has a chirp from the tires when i go around a sharp left curve that it never had before, it now has play in the steering it didnt have before.
Dealer says it now needs an idler arm that it didnot need before.
another shop says it looks like they did not tighten the new part down tight enough. Dealer wants to charge me over$200 to put my 4runner back to the way it drove before they worked on it.
I've called the national office and they are of no help they say they will rely on what the dealer says like the dealer is going to admit they screwed up.
I'm ready to let this 4runner go over the side of a mountian and then take the dealer to court.anyone go ideas on how to get them to fix the trouble.
gatorbaiterr

tc

Ummmm ... did you read all 11 pages? It's all laid out in pretty fine detail the process to go through. Stick with it - Toyota paid for my idler arm, pitman arm, tie rods, and redoing the alignment.

94-RUNNER

Call them back and keep putting the pressure on them. Like tc say's just stick with it and don't back down.

gatorbaiterr

I just got done reading all 11 post i wish i had known about this site before i took it in.
beilive me they have just heard a little of my anger i'm not thru with them yet.
funny how i drove just fine before they got a hold of it and now that there is trouble with it they find what they say are bad parts that were not there when they changed the rod. I called the 800 # and was told that a rep from Bryan Easler in n.c. would call
to set up another appointment to check it out I told him i did not care as long as my 4runner was put back into the same driving condition as it was before it went in. I looked on my invoice from when the changed the rod it took them 45mins to do. they haveent heard me yell yet but that will come I even told them if there was an acident that they woiuld be sued and not just the dealer but toyo corp would be named . I hate dealerships.fun how they think some of us dont know anything about mechanics little do they know i was a mechanic for years and also in the army.

Racer944

just got back from our dealership and they fixed it up fast, great service. Kudos to Dyas Toyota in Auburn, AL.

BMWSTOY

*** John Elway Toyota - Centennial, Colorado ***

Just picked up my 95 4Run. Was able to look at allignment printout after the Steering Relay Rod was replaced. They set camber and caster. Oh, but wait - why no phone call: "Toe would not hold true Idler Arm is Loose"? I advised that the arm was just rebuilt - I performed the work but did not tell them. They insisted it was loose and the 50N camp did not include the idler arm. I suppose it could be warn out - I rebuilt it with the seal and the 2 new bushings???. I looked under the veh and you can tell the tie rods were apart as well as the Idler arm. They (service adviser Joe) advised me that the tie rods are apart of the recall if needed but not the Idler Arm.
Help - is it possible that even though I rebuilt the Arm it is shot? Did anyone get the Arm replaced with 50N - I read all pages, but could not tell if the Arm was reimbursed or just the tie rods. Thanks - good luck to all.

tc

They reimbursed my idler AND pitman arms. (In addition to the tie rods and redoing the alignment)

BMWSTOY

Sounds like I would have to pay for the Idler Arm and beg for reimbursement. I am going to ask Elway Toyota if they will re-do the allignment if I get a new Idler Arm first. I can buy one for $109 and put it on in about 30 minutes. Thanks Tc - glad they paid you back, just not sure if I want to take a chance.

gatorbaiterr

again i talked to the service manger after corprate contacted them about my complaint and again Bryan Easler toyota of hendersonville N.C. says they will do an aligingment for free if i replace the idler arm.
when I took the runner in for the recall work I asked them to check all the steering parts, tye rods ball joints and anything else I was told all were good that the only thing they found was i needed new brakes which i new and all ready had that lined up with my mechanic they they aklso said it was time to have the timing belt replaced ,
I was told when I bought the runner 30,000 miles ago that had already been done.
neither corprate or dealer will put runner back to a safe driving condition. thinking of a small claims suit aginst dealer. runner drove just great before dealer touched it all the joints that they took apart have gaps in them now the grease boots sit cockeyed and dont even touch the other side of the connections any ideas other than going postal on the dealer.
loved my runner before they messed it up feel like since i am a girl that they think i dont know anything about mechanics lol was army mechanic and civilian on too and i worked on anything from small cars to 5 ton trucks including fire and rescue trucks.