PennSilverTaco's "Perfect 5-Lug Regular Cab" Build, Aspergers, and General BS MegaThread!

If you’re talking about the brakes?
It’s been 3 years. I doubt you’ll get anywhere with it now.


The best way to deal with most shops is to

Be precise with what you want done.
Let them know your expectations.
And always ask questions.

Listen to what they say, and make decision based on the above.

If I go in for an alignment. I tell them that’s what I am there for, there is no need to check the brakes, the air filter, the cabin and so on.

That way neither of us is wasting the others time.

 

No, I’m talking about the shop that installed cruise control breaking my clockspring and steering wheel angle sensor.

My brakes are brand new!

 

Oh, I missed that part.
Yeah, I’d definitely be talking to the shop that did the install.
If it wasn’t broken before you took it in, then they should make it right for you.

 

Quote of $851 from the dealership...

 

Is take that quote to the place that installed your CC.
Then see what you can work out.
I believe in giving everyone a chance to make it right.
Maybe they will offer to fix it.
Or pay Toyota to fix it.

I don’t see how you’d be liable, unless there was an inherent risk that this could happen when installing the CC. Which I don’t see how there could be?

I mean CC was a factory option, so we know it can be done.

In short, I believe you should NOT be liable for any further cost of repairs.

 

My parents paid for the cruise control as a birthday present too, and it was a $140 diagnostic fee to the dealer...

 

With a Rostra kit, if your Tacoma isn’t fully prewired from the factory, then you have to run a wire to the ECU and pin it in order to get the cruise control to work. There is no reprogramming of the ECU needed. They either unplugged the ECU with the key on causing some hard codes or they fried it. That’s my guess

 

If the ECU was fried, wouldn’t the truck not run? There are no warning lights on right now...

 

I worked for a dealer group for 10 years installing accessories. Along with another 5 in a small mom and pop store. Installing Multiple cruise controls and whatever else you wanted added to your vehicle. So hears how these situations work when an outside shop does damage to a vehicle. The dealer (service dept) will diagnose and quote you to fix the vehicle. You (the customer) is fully on the hook for the bill. Regardless of it was another shops fault for something going wrong. It’s youre responsibility to talk to the shop that did the work and see if they are willing to pay for the fees you’ll be charged to have the dealer diagnose and/or fix the issue. If they are willing to do so, then they will simply pay the dealer or send them a purchase order for the work and you’ll pay nothing. However if the shop says they aren’t footing the bill, you will have to pay the dealership for their work, and take legal action against the shop that cause the issue in order to get them to foot the bill

 

Couldn’t have said it any better.
I agree

 

@PennSilverTaco I think you need to merge your 2 threads into one as things said in one are getting lost in the other now that we've determined both issues were likely from the cruise install.

 

BTW, @Lawfarin

I believe he said the clock spring and steering angle sensor was broken.
I’d venture to guess, they removed the steering wheel and damaged the components during the process.

 

Not necessarily. There’s tons of things that can happen.with electronics. When I say “fried” I don’t actually mean the PCB of the ECU fully smoked. However some component or circuit internally could be shorted or destroyed and simply causing a fault. It’s not a “serviceable” item so the dealer will simply replace if there’s any issue. It’s hard to say exactly what’s going on without seeing the install the shop did and how they wired everything. They simply could of put the wiring in the wrong pin slot in the ECU and it’s causing codes. Or they could of been probing wires and shorted something or caused damage.

 

But this place didn’t install the cruise control for the dealer; They did it for me without the dealer being involved. I just brought it to the dealer because I though it just needed an OBD scan...

 

A scan turned up no faults with the ECU...

 

Yea I did see a comment about that in a response. Seems OP had multiple threads so things are getting mixed up. Damaging a clock spring shouldn’t throw a traction light, usually you’ll get an airbag light and/or steering wheel controls or something won’t work. However on some Tacoma’s you have to pin wires at the clock spring connector, so god only knows what they did. Perhaps it’s caused by the SAS. Again no telling what the shop did, but I can tell you one thing. They had 0 clue what they were doing.

 

Buddy, I don’t know how else to say it.
The shop that installed the CC likely damaged the 2 components.
You’ll heave to pay the dealer out of pocket. That’s a contract between you and them.
The shop that did the CC install will have to compensate you for diagnostics fee.
If they even do that. Honestly, I’d just want them to fix the truck.

If they offer to pay you for the diagnostic fee. GREAT!
If not, I’d call it a lesson learned. Do not go there anymore.
And don’t recommend them to others. You don’t have to trash talk them.
Just say, I’d don’t recommend their work, because I had poor service and new problems after they worked on my truck.

 

The two codes the truck threw...

 

Why exactly can’t I make the people who broke it pay for it?

 

I know they (the shop) didn’t install the cruise for the dealer. They did it for you. Any time you go to the dealer for something that isn’t warranty work someone has to be charged to cover the labor costs. It’s a business after all. So whether you decided to take it to the dealer, or the shop that installed the cruise told you too. The dealer will need to be paid for their service, regardless of what happened and what was agreed upon between you and the shop that installed your cruise control.

So let’s say the dealer finds that the issue is the shop installed the cruise control and put the wiring in the wrong pins in the ECU. Let’s say the ECU was damaged as result. The dealer will tell you what they found and quote you for the job from the diagnosis, to replacing the ECU and the labor involved. Then hand YOU a bill. It’s you’re responsibility to pay that bill, as long as you told them to complete the work. Even if they tell you, or show you proof that the shop that installed the cruise, infact did the damage to the truck. Then you would have to see if the shop is willing to cover those damages and reimburse YOU or take care of the bill at the dealer before the truck is released back to you (it won’t be released without payment). If the shop that installed the cruise control says they won’t cover the repairs because let’s say they say, they “did nothing wrong” then you will be stuck on the hook for the dealership repair bill and have to take action against the shop that installed your cruise control. Get what I’m saying?