AC Blower Recall + Dealer Tire Rotation ... Issue

Took my Tacoma in last week for the AC blower recall. When I picked it up this past Friday, the service guy said they also did the under-warranty stuff: change oil, rotate tires, check brake pads, check fluids etc. I said thanks but I usually do that stuff myself and had just rotated the tires two weeks previously (using a 5-tire rotation). I was slightly peeved, but not enough to cause a stink; I thought I would just have to "unrotate" them later in the week—kind of a hassle. The head service guy said that he would text the guy who did the work and verify that the tires were indeed rotated, as sometimes the service sheet "auto-populates" (his words) the service performed. I drove away and got a text a bit later saying that the tires WERE rotated.

It was then that I realized I had a locking lug nut on each wheel. The "key" for the lug nuts was in my locked (I checked) glove box behind other stuff. Of course the dealer had the main key which does indeed open the glove box, but I'm feeling dubious. Either they didn't rotate the tires upon encountering the locked lugs and forgot (the work was performed two days previous to my picking up the truck), or they lied, or they went looking for the lug key in a locked glove box. The last option feels very invasive to me, considering that I didn't ask for the work to be performed.

Then I got to thinking about the measurements done on the brake pads. Can that be done from underneath without taking the wheels off?

Trust issues aside, I really have no idea whether I need to re-rotate my tires or not. I'm going to call the dealership on Monday, but wanted input from you guys. Thanks.

 

If it's a factory locking lug nuts they have a master key they use . Alot of techs.can look at your pads and shoes with a flash light and get readings . The back I believe has a peephole . It's not the right way to do it at all but it can be done . But if they do that's it's all a guess . if your truck is fairly new they will say withing a millimeter the readings.

 

^ They're after-market locking lug nuts.

 

That's a tough one. If they had access to your glove box then they could have rotated the tires. If the readings on the tires are all the same I'd leave till next time you rotate on your schedule.

 

I've always rotated my own tires using all 5 tires and changed my own oil. So the few times I've taken mine in for warranty work, I mark the inside sidewall of each tire (DF, PF, DR, DF) with a white marker and put a mark on the oil filter. I then tell them what I want/need done and to not do the rotation and oil change.

That way when I get a home, a quick look under the truck at the filter and the inside of the tire and I know if they moved anything around. That's also how I caught a dealer claiming an oil change when the drain plug and filter were never changed.......

 

I doubt they rotated the wheels. I always mark my tires before I let anyone touch them.

In the future I would recommend having the serice “advisor” make notes on all the stuff you don’t want like rotation, not washing, etc.

 

Yeah, $5 says they didn't rotate at all.

 

The reason why they went ahead with doing the service work, is because it’s extra work for them. They get paid from Toyota. As far as them going in the glovebox, I’ve went into many people’s gloveboxs to get people’s lug nut keys. Not sure I ever went into a locked one. Thousands of times I had to remove contents of things in glove boxes or center consoles or trunks or whatever else doing work. It became second nature. I don’t go through the stuff. Simply move it aside or whatever I need to do, to do the job. Try to put it all back how it was before I touched it. I’ve came across plenty of things over the years. Money, electronics, guns, drugs, knives, pepper spray, dirty undies, sex toys, condoms, tampons, medicine, just about anything you can think of. Best advice I can think of, if you have anything you don’t want people getting into or seeing in your vehicle, take it out before you need any kind of work. Some people are just flat out nosy and just go through everyone’s stuff. Some may steal your stuff. Most people don’t give a shit what you have and only do what they need to do to do their jobs. If you have any worries don’t risk it. I don’t keep much of anything inside my truck. Little bit of change, a charging cable, pens, owners manual and insurance and reg and some napkins up front. In the back storage under the seats; a tow rope, safety kit and some towels. Nothing no one will want and stuff I wouldn’t mind much if I lost it.

You don’t need to take the wheels off usually to measure brake pads. It’s possible they didn’t do the rotation at all. Maybe the tech realized you just did it and just lied to his service advisor thinking he might get in trouble if he said he didn’t do the work. I did my rotate and oil change once and when I took it to have some work done I told told them they can write that on the order so they can get paid for it. But I also worked for the auto group so I didn’t care at all. It’s different with a customer though

 

I know when I was younger and working in a tire shop...if you came in for tire work (or the paperwork annotated tire work to be done) and you had a locking lug, I just rooted thru the car till I found it. As for "invasive", if it was around time for that to be done, especially if they are doing it for free, that's on you for not telling them not to. I'm not going to bitch about free work!

 

You do realize the AC blower is behind your glovebox right?? Would be impossible to perform the blower recall without taking your glovebox out, and this makes you feel violated

Jesus lighten up man if this is the stuff that keeps you up at night you should be extremely grateful for such an easy life

 

I didn't realize the blower was behind the glove box, and I didn't feel violated. Just wondered what SOP was when a mechanic encountered a locked glove box.

 

I once used different color metallic markers in the insides of my tire valve covers to see which way my tires were rotated, they were all in the same spot when I got home. Paperwork noted they were rotated. I found a different dealership. I don't trust dealerships that skip the small things. They're just a likely to skip major things.

 

That's completely wrong. You drop it out under the dash. I've done it myself to check for debris.

 

It's not behind the glovebox. The case is, the motor is not.

 

just ask them how they rotated tires without the key......DO NOT tell them its in the truck.....them tell them they are not OEM lock lugs......then you will get a better idea of their honesty

 

Yep, I'll be doing that in the future.

 

That was my plan when I call them later.

 

How you do it is irrelevant, to perform the blower motor recall you remove the glovebox which comes out in literally 10 seconds same procedure as the old TSB for 2nd gen I’ve seen it done on both of my trucks.

 

You guys honestly expect whoever picks up the phone to go investigate an old tire rotation?

You guys honestly seem so petty and bored

 

All I know is, IF I'm FORCED to bring truck to dealer for some krazy ass reason..........there is nothing extraneous left inside it, it'd be empty as a new car would be. Only thing left inside the glovebox would be a note saying GTFO of here! IDC if it is free, they can shove dealer maintenance crap for all the reasons ever posted about bullshit that occurs. I will 2nd the "never rotated shit" take on this.............