Check Engine light came on after dealer 'fixed' it

Hello All,

2004 Tacoma 2.7. Check engine light came on so I got it scanned. 2 codes both showing small evap leaks. I take it in to Toyota and they tell me it needs a new tank, gasket, a few lines on top, etc.

They do the fix and I pay a $2k bill (steap, impulsive, I know). I'm driving it today, 2 days after getting it back, the light comes on again. SAME codes come up.

I know I am going to take it back to Toyota, but what are my rights here? It clearly was not the tank. They assured me it was. What do you all think is fair?

 

their tech misdiagnosed it, it happens. See what the service writer says first before you go ballistic. Then ask for an appointment with the service manager, if no satisfaction there, then the general manager, then the Toyota area service rep. Cuss words, yelling and screaming get nowhere... subtle hints like is the service manager available to discuss this? and when with the service manager, is the general manager available to discuss this? and so on. What ever state you are in the customer service protection laws are in the favor of you, the customer.
Their issue how are they going to convince you that the tank WAS needed... clearly this evap system has more than one leak. What does the repair order say as to the work done? These minute leaks are usually smoke tested and there are occasions where even with a smoke test the leak is so small as to be undetectable to the smoke machine. If they didnt see smoke, then the flow gage should have showed there is a problem still. If they didnt smoke test it then how did they determine that there was a leak?

 

hows your gas cap?

 

Usually if a dealership makes you foot an expensive bill for an unnecessary repair that doesn't solve the problem, they take it off the cost of whatever their next move is. At least that was my experience after having that happen.

Take it back to them and let them try to make it right, but don't let them charge you another $2k for a holy mary fix

 

You mean a Hail Mary?

 

How about you let them look at it again before you decide what your “rights” are. My guess is they will end up smoking the system and checking for new/more leaks. Anything is possible. Especially working on a vehicle that’s 15 years old

 

LOL yeah that's what I meant

It's the repressed recovering catholic in me making it's way out

 

HAIL SATAN!

 

These issues are tricky. I spent $1K and the CEL came back. Turned out to be a small rubber hose causing the issue. Probably could have saved a crap ton of $$ with a good diagnosis.

Also.... do not keep on pumping gas once the pump shuts off. This can cause similar issues.

 

yup, the charcoal canister is an expensive fix at the dealership

 

Small evap leaks are a bitch. And if you have 1 you probably have 5.

 

Yes I get that there are many possibilities here, but I did have a second opinion done at a local mechanic. They said they smoke tested it and the tank was fine and it was leaking from the canister valve. I took it back to Toyota and ended up trusting their opinion instead. Toyota assured me the canister was fine.

I am taking the truck back in on Monday and will see what they say

 

You might try getting a 2nd (or 3rd) opinion from a different dealer...

 

this ping pong repair is what really angers me about auto repair... especially dealers. This part of why when I left the industry many years ago I never looked back to working for someone else. The constriants of time managment, flat rate efficiency quotas just took the "fun" out of solving problems and keeping a customer. The phrase I used with management was "quality is long remember soon after price is forgot".

If customer has had a long occuring issue that many shops could not fix, and I found the problem and fixed it, sure it cost a little more but it is fixed, I am sure that in the end that that will describe you and this repair.

 

Dealers are the worst with stuff like this. They parts cannon everything without much diagnosis and then leave the customer to foot the bill the whole way along.

Dealers should only ever be used for warranty work IMO.

 

agreed... at the high end dealer I was at refused tech training and only bought the special tools when forced by the manufacturer. Dealers only care about SALES, the service and parts dept are a necessary evil.

 

I've had an evap code up for over a year.
Toyota does all my work for the most part.
Not sure I even want them to mess with this code.

 

Now say seven hail Marys to be forgiven for your mix up

 

I second changing the gas cap and then taking it back for a civil discussion

 

Father Ed...is that you