Scheduled service at Toyota or not?

[Matt Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Matt]

Call me a cynic, but my feelings are that you could have some issues when it comes down to a significant warranty claim.

i have been looked after extreamly well by toyota warranty. I have had a really top guy help me out tho.. the service manager of the dealership.

1x diff rebuild
4x fuel tanks (last time was 4 months out of warranty, part was under 12 month warranty)
1x rear door realign
1x door bumper bit replaced
1x starter motor replaced (3 weeks out of warranty)

i kept the prado stock standard during the warranty period to limit any chance toyota had of refusing warranty.

the only service i had toyota do was the 1000 km free wash.

[IRON-PAWW Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close IRON-PAWW]

Yeah, I mean don't get me wrong. I guess I tend to be even more cynical when it's Global Megacorporation Vs the little guy.

I think if you tow the Toyota line by getting your servicing done with them you'd be reasonably well looked after at warranty time. Even if you had your servicing done at an alternate Toyota dealership on your trip around Oz you'd be ok. Very much dealership dependent in my opinion though. At my own dealership for instance, I have reservations about "leaving the club" as it were.

Still it's good to know that Dealerships are doing the right thing like yours did Matt.

[mebbear Member Find all posts View Profile Close mebbear]

We get our 03 TD serviced by our mechanic not Toyota,due to price and customer service,which we get from our mechanic.We have also never had any issues with warranty claims either from Toyota.....


Bundy

[mjforder Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mjforder]

I have just done about 6,500kms. I changed the oil at 5k myself (Caltex Delo 400 multigrade) - and saved a squillion. My dealer was going to charge about $120 for the oil change (no filter)...and they use the same oil. The oil alone was going to be $70. I purchased a 20L drum for $93.

When i get to the 10k service, i will price my dealer vs a specialised 4WD service place in Adel. Using a medical analogy - a specialist is often better than a GP. I will enquire what each will do and compare them both. At the end of the day - i dont mind paying a little extra for extra work that is done - as it may offset issues later on. BTW - most (if not all) specialised 4WD service places are better equiped with servicing/checking non OEM mods/accessories. Eg: LPG injection, dual batteries etc

[dustie Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dustie]

I go to my local mechanic, since rig was 1k. Gotta a mate at Toyota who fixes any warranty related issues and discounted spare parts when I need them.

[Grey Nomad Member Find all posts View Profile Close Grey Nomad]

Hi all

I decided to take the Prado to Toyota for its 40,000km service as it is slightly more complex that the usual oil and filter change.
I specifically requested that the transfer gearbox oil be replaced as I tow a caravan. I even supplied the oil.
When I picked the car up, I was given no spare oil and charged for the extra work.
When I arrived home, I had a look underneath for signs of oil, grease etc. The front and rear diffs had been done, as had the universals and drive shafts. All of the "standard" 40,000km service items had been attended to but the transfer box drain and fill plugs were as virginal as when they left the factory. There was not a molecule of oil on the exterior of the transfer box. They HAD NOT done the oil change! But they sure didn't miss charging me for it! :evil:
When I rang to address this issue, the service manager simply said "bring it in and we'll do it". When I asked about the unused oil that I had supplied, he said "tell me how much you should have had and we'll give it to you".
His attitude was one of acceptance of the fact that his staff don't do anything out of the routine.
Now I have to do another trip across town and waste my time for someone else's incompetence and lack of diligence.
In fact, without MY diligence, the car could have suffered. So much for the BS that we get fed about "Only Toyota factory trained technicians know how to protect your investment".

Toyotas are very well built - just keep them away from Toyota once you have purchased one! (I know about the warranty scare thing).

[Zapper Member Find all posts View Profile Close Zapper]

They HAD NOT done the oil change! But they sure didn't miss charging me for it!

I received a phone call from Toyota yesterday stating they have specials on their servicing for me :shock: and I replied no thanks I do my own. The very reason why I don't take it to them is simply that I don't trust them plus I have learnt alot from the factory service manual and I am hopeful that I don't need to take it to them unless I am in trouble. I have heard of similar stories like yours from not only Toyota but other service departments which is the reason why I do my own servicing.


Zapper

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

I took out extended warranty from new and just to be on the safe side go to the Toyota dealer for all services.
Another reason is that they and they alone , so I understand, have the disc that is used to problem shoot.

Found this out when I got an error message on Scanguage and could not locate what the problem was. Mentioned the code to dealer but they said it meant nothing to them and their code was a different number.

Tried to get a copy of the Toyota list of error codes but they said it was only accessible on computer and was password protected.
They pay big dollars for it so they said.

Thats what this wood duck was told .

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

I was going to my mechanic for the 20,000 service but now with the injector (fuel) problem with my D4D looks like there going to have to do it.

[dustie Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dustie]

my rig has done approx 78k, never been to Toyota except to get it fixed under warranty. Otherwise my local mechanic does a great job and I can also check under the car etc... no OH&S bullsh#t.

[Grey Nomad Member Find all posts View Profile Close Grey Nomad]

Hi Pedro

If you want to know about error codes, buy the CD Manual.
If you open Repair Manual Supplement 2005.8 – under Engine and Transmission you will find an enormous amount of error code data which includes codes, fault descriptions and fault rectification procedures. It’s all there for the very nominal cost of the CD Manual.

Hi all

I really anguished about letting those monkeys near my pride and joy but I relented because I wanted the peace of mind of registering the "death rattle" issue, which thankfully I don't have. Now I have less peace of mind than I did before.
I have also discovered that only 2.35 litres of oil has been removed from the 4 litre container that I supplied for the rear diff. The diff holds 3.05 litres. Did they underfill or not drain thoroughly? See what I mean? No peace of mind that the car has been serviced as I would do it.

For those who have had a good run with service departments (not just Toyota) I would profess that that is because they have not checked the work paid for.

There is a vast difference between the hotel like atmosphere where you book your car in and the dungeons where they keep the monkeys who play with it. :x

Cheers

[Bomber-74 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Bomber-74]

Unfortunately I have had a bad experience this week. I have just had the 20K service done a month ago. I have had a fair bit on at work so was unable to double check the service. I checked the oil level this week and to my surprise it was 8-10 mm above full on the dipstick. :evil:

Phoned the service department and again I was shocked to hear that they believed it was fine and the engine would not suffer any adverse effects. Why do they have a full mark on the dipstick then? I have completed 2200 km with it like this.

They were expecting me to wait until the 30K service to have it fixed!

To finish it off I demanded the oil level be fixed and then when my wife brought it home I ended up with oil drips over my driveway. They have drained a little amount and it has sprayed up inside the guards.

I have had it noted on my service record as well as the death rattle that occurred for only one tank of fuel. I am angry and disappointed at this type of service.

I haven't paid over $55K so someone else can go and take it away through sloppy workmanship.

[Grey Nomad Member Find all posts View Profile Close Grey Nomad]

Hi all

Re my previous post to this topic. I heard back from my Toyota dealer today. They have provided me with two options, the second option was at my request.
Option 1. Their service manager drives to my house, leaves me his car, drives my Prado to their workshop, does the work and brings the Prado home. Then they send me a cheque for all of the oil they didn't previously give back as well as a refund of the fuel costs whilst they drive my car.
Option 2. They send me a cheque for all of the oil they didn't give back plus a refund for the work they didn't do.

I requested Option 2 and that is what I have chosen. I will do the work myself at my convenience.

The customer service representative from my dealer has been very understanding and supportive. As her surname is the same as the dealer's name (no coincidence), she obviously has a strong vested interest in getting to the bottom of this issue and I believe that she will.
In addition, despite the fact that the service manager (not the one that stuffed up in the first place) will not be involved in the rectification process, he still wants to discuss this matter with me and will be doing so at a time convenient to both of us.

It is distressing that it takes a customer who understands his car to uncover their poor service system but it is also heartening to know that they do care.

However, Toyota Australia head office didn't care. They just said "sort it out with your dealer". I frankly expected better.

Cheers - John

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

However, Toyota Australia head office didn't care. They just said "sort it out with your dealer". I frankly expected better.

That's their response for everything :evil:

I'm taking my Prado to be serviced by a mate who also happens to be the Service Manager at a Toyota dealership Only problem is he's about 2 hours away from me I'll enjoy the drive...

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

Hi Grey Nomad, and any others that supply oil, you will probably find that no matter what oil you supply, within reason, you will end up with their generic oil. With a workshop with engine oils on tap and gear oils in 60L drums it is simply very time consuming to find a dickie little pump to transfer the oil into the diffs etc. They probably tipped some of your oil out and filled your diff with their oil.
I'd be lying if I said I'd never done it as I can fill all four gear oils with our drums quicker than I could find a pump, clean it, pump it in, clean the pump up and so on.
I dont know, maybe I've got the issue. Just a fact of life everything takes time and a little time ATM is a lot of money in most trades.