Another disaster - blown rear diff

[Blokeman Member Find all posts View Profile Close Blokeman]

I'm horrified Drew, really. What an appalling episode.

[Andy_B Member Find all posts View Profile Close Andy_B]

That someone on the 4wdmonthly forum was me! I've broken the rear diff twice in my prado! First I was actually turning off a dirt road on to a bituman road and BANG, which was replaced under warrenty, the second time was I was 4wdring which I paid for.

You think you get mad when you break your diff, but you get really mad you start to hear a whine, so you drop the oil and notice Massive peices of metal!

When I get back from Canada I will be fitting lockers to my prado, so I don't have to deal with toyota again.

Andy

[Grandeman Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Grandeman]

And I laugh when people on this forum leap to Toyota's defense when they get kicked in the guts,, I wonder if they would leap to help you out ?

Too bloody right Matt!

This is bullsh*t - why should we have to tolerate such crap?

[Andy_B Member Find all posts View Profile Close Andy_B]

Oh I forgot to add, The dealership the fixed the diff the first time, said it was normal to have metal fragments in the diff, after a C&P replacement, and that prado LSD should last up to 200,000km! WHAT A <removed>!

Andy

[Andy_B Member Find all posts View Profile Close Andy_B]

Actually I just remebered the first diff I destroyed was the front!

Andy

[Blokeman Member Find all posts View Profile Close Blokeman]

...and that prado LSD should last up to 200,000km!

YIKES! I certainly hope he is wrong about that! I'm at 150,000 now. My old FJ45 is 31 years old and still going strong, I have to learn to keep up with the times but I would expect diffs to outlast everything else. Come on Toyota, lift your game. Build them stronger and educate the dealers.

[Andy_B Member Find all posts View Profile Close Andy_B]

I had a BJ42 Before. They sure don't build them like they use to. But at least the prado has a good ride.

Andy

[jeff s Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close jeff s]

That is just pathetic.
Every mechanic or fitter(me) would have known that would happen if the internals were not cleaned. They would have known but would not have cared.
Whether it was a time constraight thing or slackness its inexcusable.
I would not hesitate to start writing that letter drew. The dealer allready knows about it but I bet head office doesnt yet.

Jeff.

[Drew Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Drew]

One of my workmates reinforced a thought I had.

Say I do write a letter (albeit well written and pragmatic) and I send a copy to Toyota Australia. Toyota Australia give the dealership's service department a bit of a kick up the bum - then next time I take my 120 there for a service they remember that I was the "pot" stirrer and they don't do the right thing by me.

I guess that's a bit pessimistic. To be honest I'm just so glad to have the 120 back and I've been soo busy I haven't given the whole issue that much thought. My 40,000km service is due soon so I guess I need to make my mind up either way.

Thanks for the words everyone,

Drew.

[Grandeman Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Grandeman]

Could go either way Drew.

They will either brand you a *** and treat you accordingly, doing you no favours, or, they will treat extra carefully (not nicely, just carefully) to ensure that you will have nothing to complain about.

It's a bit of a fine line.

Perhaps another alternative is writing to them to express your dissatisfaction and perhaps asking subtly what steps they intend to take to compensate you for your lost time and inconvenience, in consideration of which you'll consider not escalating the matter to Toyota.

If they ignore you or don't give you a favourable response, then<removed> 'em and go ahead - they can't say they didn't have the chance to rescue the situation and their crime will have been compounded, giving you more reason to go over their heads.

Just my two bobs worth...

[apor Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close apor]

Hi Drew,

I know it's late in the day for this post but it's got my hackles up. Your last response is just what companies like Toyota expect the majority of customers to do when faced with such issues.
Send the letter and if things get ugly at the dealership then send another and another until you get the service you paid for, expect and deserve :x
We should all stand up and be counted when it comes to this stuff.
:roll: :x :evil: GO GET"EM

[MUMSRIG Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close MUMSRIG]

I've worked in the motor industry for quite some time and more recently for the RAC of WA. I have a lot of dealings with dealer and the likes when it comes to repairs and poor service, beleive me when I say a letter isn't worth a cracker....

One example is my father who HAD a GU Patrol, at 103,000klms the head went (it was porus). $5000 later through Nissan and several letters to Nissan Aus, nothing was done about it, not even a personal reply. He just received the typical 'Nissan gaurantees it's drivetrain for 100,000klm's or 3 years or which ever comes first.'

The Patrol was well within the years, but 3000k's out on the odometer. Now thats rough....

I even tried to use my contacts in WA, the State service manager at the time to help out and his plight fell on deaf ears (my old man lives over East). It is there policy to stick to their warranty terms regardless of anything else!

Good luck in getting anything out of them, even small claims tribunal won't help you in the majority of cases.

Mitch

[Drew Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Drew]

Thanks for the replies guys,

I chose to not "go them", instead, my truck is due for its 40,000km service, so I got on the phone to the service manager and asked him to reassure me that the work will be done to a high quality standard, and that they are going to replace the diff oil for free and that that are going to give me a super good price on the $700 odd service fee.

They came to the party and promised to meet my demands. The 120 goes in next week.

Drew.

[Waspman Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Waspman]

Re: Another disaster - blown rear diff

Slightly off topic, but re the porous head on the gu patrol- my uncle has a 3.0 td and it also had the porous head. I had a 2004 Navara with the 3.0 td and it too had a porous head- why I ever strayed from Toyota I will never know. Loving my 120 now though!