Toyota reliability for you :)

[ZfrkS62]

Here's some tips for dealing with your dealer's service department that will make things easier on everyone:

1. When dealing with squeaks and rattles, see if you can get the shop foreman, service manager, or better yet, technician to ride with you so that you can point out the nusiance that you are referring to. Nothing is more annoying to us than to see "Check rattle" on a repair order with no other info. Chances are, we will fix the wrong problem.

2. Whatever the problem is, give as much info as possible. If we have a better idea as to where to start, the sooner you will have your car back. I cannot tell you how many times i have wanted to beat my service writer into a pulp for not clarifying that the engine hiccup happened once just before they got to the gas station with the fuel guage 3 inches past 'E' :roll: or something along those lines.

3. DO NOT ARGUE WITH US!!! Technology in cars changes every couple of months and with the advanced levels of some of the stuff, electrical gremlins can be a pain in the ass to track down. And if you think the reason your battery light is on is because the battery is dead, and not the alternator, then take your car and replace the battery. You can pay is another diagnostic fee and towing bill in a couple days when the new battery goes dead. If you think you can diagnose a car, then why did you bring it to us? You don't argue with your doctor, why would you argue with your mechanic?????

4. If you know we are going to have to get into your trunk, please unload it BEFORE dropping off your car. at least once a week i have to deal with a packrat who things their trunk is another place for crap that won't fit anywhere else. It makes getting to the battery and spare tire a job within itself. I just wish i could charge for removing and installing junk from the trunk :roll:

5. If you are going to wait on your car to be worked on, please, keep it short. Oil services, light bulbs, etc. Packing 15 lines on a RO that you are going to wait on is extremely rude. Contrary to popular belief, when you wait on your car, you are on the technician's time. Not yours. So don't ask how much longer it's going to be. This just pisses us off and depending on how our day is going, may induce us to take a little more time.

6. Read the owner's manual. I (and i speak for tens of thousands of techs worldwide when i say this) have grown weary of filling windshield washer bottles because someone thought the indicator light for it was the check engine light :roll: It wastes your time to swing by the dealer, and ours to abandon the job we are on to tend to the painfully helpless. Mainly women are the offenders of this one.

Those are the big 6. There are more, but i'm getting pissed off just thinking about them where's my beer? i need one now.

[Erez]

they sold more then 170,000?! wow :shock:

[T-Bird]

Originally Posted by nthfinity Originally Posted by T-Bird hey Zot09 don't get me started with Honda/Acura they have huge reliability issues on their newer vehicles like if you own one the trans WILL be replaced before 100K guaranteed on anything between like 98-03 and some newer but then newer haven't really gotten to those miles yet. Honda had a recall on airbags not too long ago. they had one on front struts on MDX and Pilots, a tire recall on 04-05 TL's and those are all recent as in the last year or two. Rattles are a way of life on Acura's all the 05 RL's had to have the Navi and XM computers replaced/reflashed. they are having some problems with their CMBS hardware. Fuel injectors are becoming a common thing on recent MDX's. that's all I can think of for right now. so hows that for a Japanese companies reliability? what? you mean that Honda's make unreliable cars that need warentee work too? Impossible

just like to prove the point that Japanese cars aren'tasreliable as people think. And what happened to the ressident Toyota student?

[dutchmasterflex]

You can't blame people for thinking that.. I'm not suprised quality has gone down ever since they've expanded into other countries outsourcing work, etc.

[ZfrkS62]

And what happened to the ressident Toyota student?

probably doing worksheets on what pulse generators create what kind of signal :roll: Well..if they're anything like bmw :roll:

[666fast]

Originally Posted by ZfrkS62 3. And if you think the reason your battery light is on is because the battery is dead, and not the alternator, then take your car and replace the battery. You can pay is another diagnostic fee and towing bill in a couple days when the new battery goes dead. 6. Read the owner's manual. I (and i speak for tens of thousands of techs worldwide when i say this) have grown weary of filling windshield washer bottles because someone thought the indicator light for it was the check engine light :roll: It wastes your time to swing by the dealer, and ours to abandon the job we are on to tend to the painfully helpless. Mainly women are the offenders of this one.

Most people I know refer the the battery light as the alternator light. heh

My friend had a woman come in saying that her car is "burning all the oil or something" and that she needs to keep filling it up. Turns out, she was filling it up all the way to the oil cap!

[ZfrkS62]

Originally Posted by 666fast Originally Posted by ZfrkS62 3. And if you think the reason your battery light is on is because the battery is dead, and not the alternator, then take your car and replace the battery. You can pay is another diagnostic fee and towing bill in a couple days when the new battery goes dead. 6. Read the owner's manual. I (and i speak for tens of thousands of techs worldwide when i say this) have grown weary of filling windshield washer bottles because someone thought the indicator light for it was the check engine light :roll: It wastes your time to swing by the dealer, and ours to abandon the job we are on to tend to the painfully helpless. Mainly women are the offenders of this one. Most people I know refer the the battery light as the alternator light. heh My friend had a woman come in saying that her car is "burning all the oil or something" and that she needs to keep filling it up. Turns out, she was filling it up all the way to the oil cap!

I've heard of people doing that before. One of my coworkers had a guy fill a V12 all the way up like that when he was going through STEP.

3 days ago, Mercedes had a woman frustrated because her oil was low and the only cap under the hood she could find was a 710 cap

[nthfinity]

25,000 km

I'd hope there isnt a single thing wrong at only 25,000km, let alone 241,000 km

[spanky]

Im not really a toyota fan but I must say all the camry and corolla's we've had as work cars over the last 10 years or so have been super reliable and fuel efficent.

Nothing ever fell off or broke like some aussie cars can do sometimes and they always started. Probably surprised me more that they kept going because of the thrashing they got as work cars hehe

Recalls always hurt the car makers involved image for a while.

[666fast]

Originally Posted by ZfrkS62 Originally Posted by 666fast Originally Posted by ZfrkS62 3. And if you think the reason your battery light is on is because the battery is dead, and not the alternator, then take your car and replace the battery. You can pay is another diagnostic fee and towing bill in a couple days when the new battery goes dead. 6. Read the owner's manual. I (and i speak for tens of thousands of techs worldwide when i say this) have grown weary of filling windshield washer bottles because someone thought the indicator light for it was the check engine light :roll: It wastes your time to swing by the dealer, and ours to abandon the job we are on to tend to the painfully helpless. Mainly women are the offenders of this one. Most people I know refer the the battery light as the alternator light. heh My friend had a woman come in saying that her car is "burning all the oil or something" and that she needs to keep filling it up. Turns out, she was filling it up all the way to the oil cap! I've heard of people doing that before. One of my coworkers had a guy fill a V12 all the way up like that when he was going through STEP. 3 days ago, Mercedes had a woman frustrated because her oil was low and the only cap under the hood she could find was a 710 cap

A shop I deliver stuff to sells a 710 cap. It really does say 710 on it!

[taygunho]

I think this recalls are normal in car industry and it is not big deal IMO. Every car makers recall some their models and Toyota is not a exception. Remember last year porsche recalled 2001-2003 carrera 4s and targas for potential weakness at exhaust system. MY uncle has 04 toyota corolla sedan wich is made in Turkey and he is very pleased from his car and he said corolla is one of the best car he drived. BTW after this news he had to call his dealer if his car has this fault or not.

[nthfinity]

Originally Posted by mrmojo77 Originally Posted by nthfinity 25,000 km I'd hope there isnt a single thing wrong at only 25,000km, let alone 241,000 km Yes, it's not much, but there are more expensive cars with less kms and more visits to repair. I do have experience of 3 other Toyotas, since my father has two now and his old was also a Toyota. They work like a train toilet. .................... Have to write again, because I just had a talk with my workmates. One of them has a 1,5 year old Renault Grand Scenic with 14,000km. It has been in 3 unscheduled services and have been called in once. Other guy has a Ford Mondeo with 40,000km, it has had 2 unscheduled services so far. So, in 25,000 km a lot can happen.

i only mention 241,000 km's because in that time, I have had just one unscheduled service trip to replace the 4WD linkage in my Jeep. BTW, 241,000 km ~150,000 miles, just yesterday

If i had so many unscheduled service stops for a car with less then 100,000 km's i would likely sell it; and let somebody else be bothered by its problems.

of course, we all hear how unreliable Renault's are and we dont have the Mondeo...