Hi Guys,

I need your help again. My 1990 V6 4runner is still currently at the local dealership. They have had it for 19 days counting today.

The work needed to be done was the HG recall, steering recall, front brakes, and CV boots.

Supposedly, everything but the HG recall has been completed.

The saga of the HG recall is:

1. They took about 1 week to determine that cylinders 2 and 4 were badly damaged and a new block was needed.

2. On July 10 they told me that my 4runner would be ready on July 11. July 11 rolls around and I get a call saying that the head bolts broke and they would need to order new ones. I even advised them that from what I read (on this board) that new head bolts should be used. The service manager told me that in the tech's 18 years of being a Toyota mechanic, he never had to use new head bolts. Well, looks like there is a first time for everything.

3. Today, July 15, I finally get a hold of the service manager (he did not return calls over a two day period) and he advised me that he did not want to commit to a time of completion, but said that it would "probably" be done today.

I called Toyota Customer Experience and they told me that they could do nothing since each dealership is independently owned. Toyota said that if I couldn't work it out with the dealership, that I should seek legal counsel.

My question to you all is, is 19 days or more a reasonable amount of time to do an engine replacement, CV boot replacement, front brakes, and steering recall?

Any help would be much appreciated!

Thanks.

 

to be really honest, it takes time to get these parts for the 3.0 and it takes alot of inspection time for the tech. hey its a free engine basiclly

 

God, I hate to say this, but 19 days is about on course for an engine that had to be torn down, then pulled and replaced and part ordered and all that stuff. I'd give 'em another week and then start raising hell.

Are the head bolts on these trucks torque-to-yield, or are they normal bolts?

 

My HG recall took 8 days alone to get all parts test everything and put it all back

 

I wouldnt complain if they are giving you a new or remaned block for NOTHING.

 

Thanks for the replies.

I am doing $2,000 worth of replacement parts while the engine is being done. So, technically the engine is free but they are getting a good amount of money from me.

 

Last thing you want to do is get on someone's case about getting your truck fixed. Next thing you know, something will happen after you get it, and they'll have to work on it again. It takes time to do it. Give them the time to do it right.

 

Did you get a car to use? When my truck was at the dealer getting a new engine put in (blown hg trashed the block). We were given an echo to drive around.

 

Jay351:

No, I was not given a loaner car. Luckily I have another car to drive, but I did have to rent a 4x4 vehicle while they still had mine.

 

i worked for a dealer as a service writter for 15 years and sometimes ya gotta just wait, i know it sucks but it will be worth it in the end.. they'll have it done by friday i bet ya

 

Ask that they put the rush. You want a date and thats final.

 

im gonna disagree with that one, not being a dick, because rushing this job wouldnt be good, and if they are waiting on a part and it arrives late and they rush to put it together, you may have issues down the line. just purely my .02

 

I can't believe some of you are still getting the head gasket recall done. I will take my 89 to the dealer this week if I know they are going to fix it for free.

James

 

Mine was done in 2 days. Complete new longblock, and a few other parts!. It has been running great for the past 130,000k. The dealer should not be taking this long, they can get parts in a day or two tops..

 

I worked at this Benz dealership for a few years. We had this guy bring in this old SL360? like a 1965. We had that car for a year and a half. It took an hour and a half to pull the motor. We then sent the motor to Toronto to the rebuilding plant, where it sat for a year and a half before they got it finished.
I don't know what the hell was going on in Toronto but I think they had to call Germany and get those guys to make em some parts. The bill came to just over $15g's.

Ya and the reusing of the headbolts. I'm at a Subaru dealership and we always re-use em, never had a comeback on a headgasket bolt. The only time I've replaced em is when there harsh corroded and real thin in the middle.
I went and asked the toyota foreman and he said they resuse them too. The only thing he mentioned is to make sure those holes in the block are cleaned out real good.
I think with headbolts you gotta go with your gut feeling. I just did the HG on my 4runner. It was the second HG job on this motor and I really regret not replacing them. Something about having them torqued twice already kinda makes me feel uneasy now. Hindsights 20/20 eh.

 

They had my truck in for 2 weeks for the HG recall...and I didn't get a new block.

 

Hurrah!

The dealership called and told me to pick up to the 4runner today.

Thanks for everyone's advice.