SLC Punk

I had both my axle seals replaced a month ago by a Toyota Dealer. It was under my certified used car warrently, so all I had to do was pay for my brake job. So I am under my truck to change the oil and grease my u-joints, when low and behold my right rear wheel and tire have oil all over them.
I called back Toyota and set up a appointment for 12/9 (yesterday).

I took it in and they called and left a voicemail four hours later, the service advisor said that the truck is done, they replaced the seal, but the service manager wants to take it home so he could make sure that it doesn't leak, if I don't call back, then he will assume that this is fine. I called back as soon as I got the message and he wasn't there, I left him a voicemail stating that I need my truck and if it leaks again, I will take it back.

So i went to pick it up at 5:30 (he called and left his voicemail at 4:00), the service advisor said that it wasn't done (yet in his voicemail, he said it was). I waited there until 6:30 and it was done. He told me that the spring inside the seal was missing, they couldn't find it. They think that this is why it leaked so early..

Has anyone else had their service advisor call and ask to take their car home for the night?? It sounded fishy to me, and i know that the service manager would have beat the crap out of it had I let him take it home!!

mt_goat

That would piss me off. Sounds like the guy needed a way to get home to me.

Did they check to see if the axle was bent? I think that could cause the seals to go out.

SLC Punk

He said that they checked the axle and it looked ok...

The thought of a stranger driving my truck to his home doesn't sit well. He probably wanted to "test" out my supercharger..:mad:

mt_goat

Oh a super charger uh. I'd like to see what that would do too! Hey if you want I'll drive it for awhile and see if it leaks for ya.

HBoss

lol, me too. I'll gladly take it off your hands for a couple days, just to make sure it doesn't leak. It is your best interests that I have mind, really.

I'd have to agree w/mt_goat. Sounds like he needed a ride home in a S/C'd 4Runner... Take my 4Runner home that night for testing, yeah right...

getchellad

I was talking to the salesman at the dealership where I bought mine. He was quiting his job, and I asked him about a SC for the 4runner, and he told me that he had taken one that was in the shop out of a test drive. He then went on to tell me, not to leave my 4runner at the dealership where I bought it from, or to at least check the mileage, if I had to drop if off for the day. His story was that most of the salesmen took the SC 4unner for a test drive while it was in the shop for repairs.... I would have been pissed if I found out this had happened to my vehicle.

About the rear axle seals.... Someone really wasn't paying attention if they managed to install a seal, without noticing that the spring was missing. That's crazzy....

SLC Punk

I am really paranoid when taking my truck to any shop now. I wrote down the miles and reset the trip odometer, they put 3 miles on it (considering it was an axle seal, it is still more miles than usual).

I used to be a tech at a mercury/lincoln dealership, the lead tech used to take customers cars to run errands.

mt_goat

When you went to pick it up at 5:30 did you actually see it there? Maybe the guy was out driving it around untill 6:30 and said, oh it's done now. Funny they would call and say it's ready then when you get there it's not.

SLC Punk

That's exactly what I thought, i looked in the shop and didn't see it. They were also kind enough to wash it, so my doors were frozen this morning!!

Jay

There have been many instances when trying to duplicate a customers concern that we just can not get the vehicle to act up. Sometimes it is necessary to get the customers approval to test drive the vehcile longer then normal. I always get the customer verbal approval prior to taking the vehicle away from the dealership, in any unusual manner.

3 miles does not seem excessive at all. I wish my technicians would drive every vehicle at least 3 miles after completing repairs, and have a chance to re-inspect there work. This would certainly reduce the amount of comebacks the shop gets.

I think your being overly critical of the situation.

Jay

mt_goat

I agree, 3 miles is nothing for a test drive.

getchellad

I agree with Jay on that one as well, but I have heard of some instances where the car was abused. Even with my 4runner, I hd some problems when I first bought it that the techs were not addressing, and it was because they were only driving it around the parking lot. They were taking it out on the road, and going through some stop and go traffic.

There was a discussion on the www.z06-vette.com a while back in which someone had taken, a think and 03 mustange, into the dealership to have service done and the tech took the car out for a high speed test run. He was stupid enough to post about doing it on a forum like this, and ended up loosing his job over it.

mt_goat

I knew a motorcycle mechanic that was killed on a 100mph test drive of a Honda 750.

SLC Punk

I really don't care about the 3 miles.
But in the instance where they want to take it home, even though they know what they did wrong (left a spring out), how is that over critical??

That's like having an oil change done and asking to take the customers car HOME overnight. I could see if they left it at the shop and drove it the next day, but why take it HOME.

Do you take your customers cars home Jay?
Whose liability is it if the car gets stolen or broken into while at the managers home?
When we take the car in we sign a waver stating that they can drive it, and they are not responsible for articles lost while at the shop, but it doesn't cover someone taking it home.

Just protecting my investment.

Jay

Possibly the technician is saying "I found a seal spring missing", but the manager could be less than tru˟˟˟˟l. As nice as your vehicle is, I doubt the highlight of the managers day is driving your vechicle home.

No... They want to drive the vehicle, and be able to re-inspect it. If you dont trust them, then simply say no. Its your choice.

I have, but only with the customers verbal approval.

I would have to say the shops insurance, or the dealership itself.

I agree there appears to be a grey area here. But, I can only speak on my dealings personally. I have had no issues.


Obviously, I dont know what the intent actually was. But I see alot of dealer bashing on these and similar forums. Im just trying to enlighten you to the other side of the story. But who knows.

Jay

SLC Punk

Jay, with my dealership experence, i have found to trust the mechanics. The managers are too busy looking at the bottom line (cash inflows) and most of the time they dont know what car is comming in/out. So when the service advisor called and asked if the manager could take it home, it didn't seem right to me.

I am going to keep an eye on the seal and take it in if it leaks again.


Thanks for your imput Jay.

Jay

The managers job is to also be sure his technicians are performing quality repairs. In most cases, the manager is not a mechanic himself. And you are right... he probably does not know what cars are coming in and out of the shop at any given time. The manager only sees when there are problems. Such as this moment with your vehcile. If the manager drives the car home, he can gaurantee that the vehicle has been test driven properly. When he returns to the shop the next day, he can have the mechanic put the vehicle in the air, and visually see for himself that the leak is fixed or not.

Just seems like to me that they were making every effort to ensure the problem is resloved.

Your welcome for the input. Even if its not what you wanted to hear.

Jay

SLC Punk

Its always good to get others opinions and views.

Jay