Out of warranty AC issues

I learned alot from that job, including that sometimes learning is expensive and it's better to lose 10 mins to ensure you do it right the first time than to try to save 20 mins but risk losing it all.

 

Working for free sucks.

 

It does but it's a sobering moment.

Edit: Unless you try to sink the whole shop and lose atleast 10 customers by trying to evade your mistake instead of owning it, learning from it and fixing it right.

 

I have a 2018 TRDOR with just 35K miles on it and just last week it started making a whistling sound, like someone blowing over a bottle, that modulated, started showing up at about 30mph and then got overcome by road noise by around 60 mph. It took a bit to connect it to the A/C being turned on but on further observation, I found that the whistling only happens when the A/C is set to Recirculate. Turn the Recirc button to fresh air and the whistling is gone. I'll take it in to my dealer this week. The A/C seems to work just as well as it always has but I have a couple of long road trips coming up and would hate to have A/C issues when it's a hundred degrees out.

 

From what I experienced when my truck made the noise, it's more a nuance than indication of something else. When I replaced my compressor and recovered the charge it was only 0.1Lbs low after 3 years.

I've since recharged with Duracool (for other reasons but) and have zero noise. Must just be an interaction of the evaporator edges and R1234YF. My wifes Cherokee would do the same thing with a full charge of the stuff

 

Another update.

My truck is still with Toyota in the hopes that they are able to track down the source of the dashboard rattle. I am now being informed my truck needs a new heater core.

I am extremely confused about all of this. As I mentioned earlier, this rattle noise started after the evaporator was replaced. The noise is not metallic, it sounds as though two loose plastic panels are flapping around inside the dashboard. The noise only occurs when I go over a bumpy road.

I'm not a mechanic and I know next to nothing about cars. So I'm wondering, is this normal? I'm confused how I've gone from a leaking AC discharge hose, to a new evaporator, to a rattling dash, and now a failing heater core. Any input on this is welcome. Thanks all.

 

Update again...

They're suggesting my AC box and heater core need to be replaced and quoting me $4,200...

Does this sound right? No, the heater core isn't leaking, they want to replace it as a precaution.

I am very confused as to why I should be responsible for any of this when the rattle itself occurred after the evaporator was replaced. And yes, I have it documented that the rattle happened right after the repair as I texted my service advisor informing him of the noise on my drive home. The truck was taken back to the dealership the day after for diagnosis.

 

This is not normal at all. I suspect they damaged the heater core while in there.
#6 is the A/C Evaporator Core
#8 is the Heater Core
See the parts diagram (link included to arm you w more info). As you can see they are right next to each other.
To get in there takes A LOT of work, so I am only guessing here- they know they forked something up while in there, but in order to get reimbursed from Toyota, need to claim a faulty part exists. It's that or they pay out of pocket to unfork their work.


https://www.sparksparts.com/v-2020-...v6-gas/hvac--evaporator-and-heater-components

 

I posted right as you replied but now they're telling me that the AC box is likely causing the rattle and they want to replace the heater core as a precaution.

I do have a third party warranty that, to their credit, were awesome with the AC discharge hose repair. However, the third party is saying they need the truck to be taken apart to the point of failure so that an inspector for the third party can actually see where it failed.

So yea, worst case scenario is $4,200 plus tax to hopefully repair a rattle that started happening after the first repair. And seeing as how this has all been going, I have zero confidence that this will fix the issue.

 

I think they're just trying to fleece you so that they don't have to work for free.

Here I would be nice but firm on "they took out the whole dash, now there's a rattle." They should have a to prove they didn't cause it.

I would even already call Toyota and explain the situation to point that they're trying to double dip you

 

I do think a call to Toyota will have to be my next step. Right now, the dealer is dragging their feet on tearing it down to the point of failure. It's been in their shop so long that the tags are now expired, if that gives you any idea as to how long I've been dealing with this. I do actually have the new tags, maybe someday I'll have the truck to put the tags on

 

I think you need to keep repeating this to the shop that did the work "this rattle noise started after the evaporator was replaced". This has nothing to do with the warranty company, the shop was paid for work, they messed this work up, and should fix it. Talk to the service manager.

 

I'm actually pretty mad they called my third party warranty about this trying to get them to pay for their screw up.

I will definitely be escalating this. Unfortunately, I'm currently down with good ole covid so I can't go in person, and they seem to enjoy ignoring my calls. So I'm not expecting any update until sometime next week. I mean, what's an extra week on top of a month and a half

 

dam get better soon!
You could call your warranty provider and see if they will also contact the dealer. Let them know the noise was NOT there before the repair and that the shop is trying to claim more repairs in the same area, perhaps in an attempt not only to profit more,,, but to not have to tear the dash apart to fix the problem they created.

 

Thank you! I'm still sick but definitely on the other side of it, thank goodness.

As for my truck, it's still at the dealership. The service advisor gave me that quote without even disassembling the truck, so I'm not sure how anyone can start making a list of parts that need to be replaced without even seeing if they're faulty lol

That being said, as much as I love my truck, I'm at the point where I'm ready to pull it out and trade it in for something that's not a Toyota. I've been without a vehicle for over 6 weeks now and I'm so confused as to how this became such an ordeal lol.

But then the other half of me wants to get them to fix it properly (on their dime) and then add some fog lights and put nicer rims on it. I know I can't judge an entire brand based on the actions of one dealership, and the logical part of me wants to keep the truck based on the supposed longevity of Toyota's 4 cylinder.

I guess I'll wait and see what the outcome is. Maybe they'll offer me a free detail for my inconvenience

Edit: forgot to add, I called my 3rd party warranty and they found the whole thing super sketchy even before I said anything. I asked what the dealership said to them when they initially called and the representative read me the notes. So my 3rd party warranty is pretty much out of the picture. So at this point, it'll come down to me or the dealer forking out the funds to fix this.

 

I can sympathize with you as 2 out of 4 Toyota dealers i've went to under warranty would try to take me to the cleaners for EVERYTHING. The other 2 were so good that I called Toyota Canada to put in a good word for them along with writing them great reviews.

The bad dealers however, even the free services I got were almost useless as I would have to put the truck up on my hoist the following day after work to redo/finish their job. If I couldn't do my own work, I would of traded it in a long time ago just for the fact or the bad dealerships sinking my confidence in the whole truck...

 

Isn't it sad how a bad dealer can just ruin the entire experience?

For what it's worth, the dealer came through on my end and got it fixed it seems. I immediately drove it over to another shop after picking it up and ordered some fogs and as soon as those come in, I'll have them installed by the same shop who ordered them.

Unrelated to this topic but I wanted to put on different rims as the stock ones I have are kinda boring. Will the new rims interfere with the TPMS? The rims I plan on putting on are the 16 inch black and silver rims that I think come on the TRD, but they don't say TRD and just have the Toyota emblem in the middle. I've been eyeing a set on Facebook marketplace that are listed for $350 so it seems like a good price.

Anyways, thanks again everyone for your input. Really appreciate it!

 

glad you got it fixed and are on the mend!

 

Glad they came through for you! For your new rims, since the sensors go in the wheels I would put 4 new OEM sensors in there as the batteries will last the longest... unless you're setting up the new sensors yourself, you shouldn't notice a difference in operation

 

I think the refrigerant is low in my 21. Has the 1234yf refrigerant and I can find no-one except the dealer that will add some refrigerant and dealer says $250 just to hook up to the system plus so much per gram to add refrigerant