Any idea why a Toyota Tech would do this?

So, I had ordered a new shift knob recently and after a few weeks finally got a hold of the right size grommet to keep the boot down and a bandana to cover over the existing clip. Spent a good amount of time preforming the bandana and then safety pinning it in place.

Took my truck in for the 25K service yesterday and the Toyota tech loosened the shift ball, cranked it sideways and then tightened the living shit out of the bottom nut. Also noticed the bandana was loose so I needed to redo everything.

Didn't think too much about it until I got home and thought I was going to break the linkage assembly before the nut would budge loose. The ball was tightened past the threshold so I could barely back the nut off of it. Ended up having to get some vice grips just to hold the shift rod from twisting and breaking anything. All of the safety pins were bent, probably from gripping the whole thing to tighten it so much.

What gives? Is there any reason to even touch the shifter during a 25K service other than to drive it?

First pic is before

 

Not good....WTF did they even unscrew the shift knob???

 

Absolutely no reason for that. I would be meeting with the service manager and the tech to see why that happened.

 

I can think of a reason, but it doesn’t involve servicing your truck... Hopefully he was just admiring your handy work and just forgot how it went back together.

 

No way I'm driving off their lot like that
Hell No

 

That's what I was thinking when I first noticed it. I know a lot of those guys at that dealer have Tacomas themselves. Figured it was just a turned shift ball so it wasn't worth raising a fuss over. After seeing how much force it took to get off, it makes me concerned something in the linkage was damaged.

 

Bizzy Fingers.

Prob. just got done holding his pecker before he jumped in your truck.

 

Doper looking for your stash.

 

I'm guessing the tech felt the need to remove center counsel, that doesn't mean he had to over torque on reinstall.