Toyota service department. Tsk Tsk Tsk

[Antiquesman Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Antiquesman]

My wife took our prado in for its 10k service. I asked her to to specifically tell them to rotate the 5 tyres as per the manual. I marked the tyres and showed my wife where they were marked so she could check. She told them to rotate them and said "please make sure you do it because my husband is anal about that sort of stuff"! She was told "tyre rotation is not part of the service". "Yes it is" replied my well informed missus. "Check the manual". "Ah yes. you are right" they replied. "We'll get it done for you". Approx 2 hours later they brought the car out saying it was ready to go. My wife checked the marks. No tyres were rotated.
She asked them why and was informed because they "didn't need it". " But I specifically asked you to" she said. "Ok we will do it". So they brought it back and she checked the tyres again. They just swapped front to back. "That's not the correct rotation she informed them - as per the book". She was then told they don't cross rotate.... waffle waffle waffle blah blah blah, technical jargon to convince her he was right. They finally said "we will do it if that's what you want". Yes she said. The manager was called out who accepted fault and agreed that they had done the wrong thing. It took 4 hours from start to finish to provide a service they claim will take 1-1.5 hrs. He also offered to do the next service at no charge so kudos to him but it shows you that they can't all be trusted.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Re: Toyota service department. Tsk Tsk Tsk

Yes, i could tell you a very similar story, even the 10k service bit. Only difference was i was so pissed off at the amount of time the service took i didn't check the wheels until 500kms away. In my story though they didnt even fill in the service book, and other things make me doubt that they even changed the oil. needless to say i check a lot more thouroghly now.

Cheers Andrew

[dannyson Member Find all posts View Profile Close dannyson]

Re: Toyota service department. Tsk Tsk Tsk

Antiquesman .... how did you mark your tyres for your missus to see - I was thinking of something - maybe chalk (if its not raining) LF/RF etc on the inside of the tyres which would involve a hands an knees jobby for the missus.... :?

[Antiquesman Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Antiquesman]

Re: Toyota service department. Tsk Tsk Tsk

I didn't want my missus getting on hands and knees behind the tyres either so just used a biro and numbered each one in a particular spot next to existing writing. She new the number pattern and I used the same spot on each tyre to make it easy to spot when you look for it. Each numeral was about 2mm so hard to pick if you weren't looking for it.

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

Re: Toyota service department. Tsk Tsk Tsk

....and if your service involves adding someting to the fuel tank, (like injector cleaner) try putting masking tape across the fuel cap....you'll be suprised to know that after paying for an injector cleaning additive that was supposed to have been added to the fuel tank (on another brand of vehicle at another brand of dealership) ...the fuel cap had not been removed. So, if an additive is to be put into your tank, kindly ask them to give it you in the bottle so you can drive to the trusted servcie station and add it when you fill the tank....rrrr. I wonder, what next?

[Guest Close max_rocktansky]

Re: Toyota service department. Tsk Tsk Tsk

....and if your service involves adding someting to the fuel tank, (like injector cleaner) try putting masking tape across the fuel cap....you'll be suprised to know that after paying for an injector cleaning additive that was supposed to have been added to the fuel tank (on another brand of vehicle at another brand of dealership) ...the fuel cap had not been removed. So, if an additive is to be put into your tank, kindly ask them to give it you in the bottle so you can drive to the trusted servcie station and add it when you fill the tank....rrrr. I wonder, what next?

I do this every service. As well as mark my tyres and engine oil/air filters with a texta.

[dannyson Member Find all posts View Profile Close dannyson]

Re: Toyota service department. Tsk Tsk Tsk

whats a texts?

[dannyson Member Find all posts View Profile Close dannyson]

Re: Toyota service department. Tsk Tsk Tsk

sorry - a texta....?

[MDS69 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close MDS69]

Re: Toyota service department. Tsk Tsk Tsk

sorry - a texta....?

permanent marker. A brand in Australia is Artline

[celwar Member Find all posts View Profile Close celwar]

Re: Toyota service department. Tsk Tsk Tsk

I mark the tyres by putting a small piece of heat shrink over each valve stem. Different colour for each wheel.

[throttlejockey Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close throttlejockey]

Re: Toyota service department. Tsk Tsk Tsk

Hi all I recently had my 20k service on my 150 Prado, in the book it states rotate tyres and Balance the two front tyres after doing the rotatation. After the service I asked about the wheel balance and was told they didn't need it to which I replied yes they do, they then said they didn't have a wheel balancing machine so it would have to go to a tyre place to get done and that would cost them money. After arguing and ringing Toyota Australia about the problem who insisted it must be done as per the book, this is what I'm paying for, Local dealer STILL would not balance the tyres. Please everyone make sure you get the tyres balanced this is what your paying for, part of the service and not give up like I did.

[Brenton Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Brenton]

Re: Toyota service department. Tsk Tsk Tsk

Re rotation:
A tyre dealer told me that heavy 4wd tyres are better to stay on the same side, front to back is OK. The little tread you save by full rotation is not worth it. I recently had a wheel balance done on my 90, specified not to rotate & when it came back it was hopeless, went back to the tyre shop & they did them again??, still hopless when I approached them again the story was BFG tyres when worn are always like this????
I have never had the problem of out of balance tyres before by keeping them on the same side.

[Crisp Image Member Find all posts View Profile Close Crisp Image]

I asked to have the spare added to the rotation. Their response is Toyota says only 4 wheels in the rotation.
I said the owners manual shows a 5 wheel pattern. Please do it and they do. They ask where to put the spare. I tell them as per the manual.
I did inquire why the 1hr service took 2hr10 and they said I asked them to do extra work adding the 5th wheel that takes an extra half hour.
My reply was that is Bull as I can do a full rotation at home in 30 mins and I don't have a hoist and air guns. Service agent didn't argue he just said it took longer.
I timed the rotation in the drive using a trolley jack and the only help was from my 10yo rolling the wheels.
It took me 26min from start to finish including removing and replacing the spare wheel cover.
I just don't trust or like proprietary service agents they always cost too much and you don't deal with the people who do the work. I like my normal mechanic. 2 blokes work there and you talk the the man who does the job.

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

Crisp, just do the tyre rotation yourself then or find a good shop to do a rotation/balance/alignment. Even know i had aftermarket tyres fitted by the dealer, they are going to last near if not more than the specified target kms, the hourly rate charged by them parasites to do a simple job.... its better to get a local trusted outfit to do it.

[Snaga Wishing I was lost Find all posts View Profile Close Snaga]

Back when I was using a Toyota dealer I deflated my spare tyre to about 10PSI to see if they indeed... "check all tyres, including spare" as per the service. suffice to say I started to question what else was missed :evil: