Did I Just Get Hosed?

**Full Disclosure: I bought my 2020 Tacoma SR (4WD, AT, 4cyl) new in May 2020. The only maintenance I have had done is oil & filter changes by myself every 5K miles, as I live in rural Alaska.

Took my Tacoma to a dealer for the 30K Service today. There was also a heater issue (blowing cold) that I asked to be looked into.

The 30K service was $680. Fair enough, sounds about right, close to what it recently was on my 4Runner last year and a few years back on my 2013 Tacoma.

Yellow Flag #1: It was suggested that I have the Power Steering Fluid flushed and refilled (Cost $180) - which I did (as we all know, it's not the mechanic that calls you, it's a service rep who may or may not explain exactly what needs to be done). I have spent most of the last 30K miles on gravel/dirt roads with broad temp swings. Okay, maybe that was needed.

Yellow Flag #2: It was suggested that I have the Fuel Injection (Cost $200) AND Throttle Body (Cost $110) serviced - which I did (again it's not the mechanic that calls you, it's a service rep who may or may not explain exactly what needs to be done). Seems to me these two things should be one and the same. I have been running "Bush Gas" (87 octane) that sometimes sits for 3-6 months. Maybe that was needed too, or maybe not. But, I have never had that done on my 50k 4Runner or either of my previous 100K+ Tacomas.

Red Flag #1: The heater issue was $199 to diagnose, and another $199 to repair (re-align air mix servo). Seems to me that since it was fixed the diagnosis charge should have been waived.

Thoughts?

 

Dealers make most of their profits in the service department and it's the service department that keeps dealers afloat when sales are slow.

Nothing you can do now about the diagnostic fee. Could have mentioned it at pick up. The power steering flush is beneficial, but only takes 3 quarts of ATF. A bottle of Lucas fuel system cleaner probably would suffice.

Don't beat yourself up over it. Life goes on.

 

Not a big fan of the heater deal but honestly I think it’s good to change the fluids.

 

To answer your title question, yes.

In fairness, you could have easily said no to 1 & 2 and done them yourself for a lot less, or used a local independent shop. There is nothing Toyota specific about either that requires a dealer

#3 you requested so while it seems pretty high to me, my guess it's book rate. As a tip, asking about that here would very likely gotten you a DIY solution at $0, since no parts are required.

 

feel like the heater should be covered under 3 y/36k m

 

I’d like to know how they adjusted the air mix servo?
I am sure it can be done. As there are witness marks on the servo to inspect the position.
But the question is, how did it get out of adjustment?

You can buy a whole new servo for $125 (that’s retail).
Curious as to why they “adjusted it”. For the price you were charged, I would have replaced it if I were the tech. Weird.

Also, if you know you are going to park the truck for 3-6 months.
Put 100% gasoline non-ethanol. The higher the octane the better.

As for the the power steering. You can disconnect the return line, turn the steering wheel left and right and catch the fluid coming out of the return. Keep adding new fluid to the reservoir as it goes down. (Do this with the front wheels off the ground)
When “clean” fluid comes out the return line. You’re done. Full flush.

 

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

It sounds like the PS issue was semi-legit, if overpriced. I'm not at all mechanical (hey, that's why I drive Toyotas, right?) so I'm okay with that one.

The EFI issue seemed odd to me, as I said - never had that on higher mileage Tacomas, and I have suspected for awhile that the quality of my available gas was lacking. I usually dump a bottle of HEAT in once a month October-March.

The heater issue, which I originally thought was a wide open thermostat preventing the engine from building heat, was (in my opinion) most likely caused by one or more Huskies (or puppies) burrowing/fighting under the dash on the passenger side and knocking it loose. If it cost $400, it costs $400. My issue was that they "diagnosed" it (which maybe took 5 minutes) then fixed it - and charged me for both. If they had said "it's this" and then I said, okay, I'll do that later, I think a diagnosis fee is appropriate: but I got it fixed by them.

As @MGMDesertTaco said "life goes on" - just sad that ANY Toyota dealer has gone low-grade like this. Anybody know where I can get a low mileage Mazda B2600? Or Isuzu P'uP? How good are those Suzuki trucks...?

Oh yeah... and yes I am going to ask "the manager" why some of these things weren't under the 36/30 warranty.

 

^Fuel injection service isn't to fix an issue; it's a common maintenance upsell. Toyota doesn't have it in its maintenance program but does advertise it. The technician injects a cleaner into the fuel rail and it's burned alongside regular fuel.

Most shops have a base rate for diagnosis that's separate from the repair. i.e. if the diagnosis is quicker, the shop takes it as profit; if the diagnosis takes longer, the shop will ask you to pay more. If you don't like the price, decline the quote and go to an independent shop that charges a lower base rate for diagnosis. You're 5 months past warranty anyway.

 

Seems like a VERY profitable day for the dealer.