Who thinks Toyota techs take their car out for “test” drive ?

I recently went into Toyota of Orange to get my new fuel pump installed due to the recall. A couple days later I hear a whistling coming from the cab of my car. As soon as I get to work I see nothing. Until I go to my car on my lunch break and find that my gas skid plate is hanging on by merely one screw with a huge hole at the very front as if it had been hit hard enough to crack and create a giant hole.

Not to mention the real reason I was there initially was because they would I believe impacted my oil filter housing on. That over tightened housing stripped a wrench I used for my 2016 and also a new one I just bought. Who thinks I hit something while it was loose on the fwy or they took it out on a joy ride? I’m very anal about my car and know I’ve never bottomed it out or hit it like that.

 

Not that many can say they bottomed out.

they tend to leave the cars idling a long time too.

 

I have an inexpensive dash cam that I think helps with tempering mechanic joy rides.

 

Every shop is different. I don't test drive fuel pumps anymore. Nor do I test drive unless there's a reason if there's snow covering the roads.

 

Midas once took my car “for parts” and test drive....

my car smelled like fries and had McDonald’s napkins on the passenger side floor.

 

I’d imagine if your vehicle looks fun they’ll drive it. I used to have a modified bmw that the dealer would joyride. They damaged stuff and had to fix. I used to post on a bmw forum and some of the dudes in my area with modified bmws I would see their vehicles being driven like they were stolen by the bmw techs. I imagine Toyota’s no different.

 

hopefully you turned right around and brought it back to the dealership

 

They had my truck for 3 days.
"only" less than 1 mile on it and i also have a dash cam.
so this time is a no i think

 

My last job as a tech it was required before and after servicing to take them for a short 2 mile ride. our initial was for our check ride, to check for customer complaints, & attempt to reproduce them, noises, rattles, check steering, suspension performance, braking, and then back tot eh shop to pop the hook check all fluids, tire pressures, lift and check for any leaks, bad rubber/cv boots, exhaust leaks, rust/corrosion damage. suspension. then after the check list is completed we report to service manager, they inform customer of any need to fix now, or concern issues for next service. then we start on the service (typically oilchange, and depending on mileage (with customer approval for service: coolant flush, brake flush, trans flush), and service manager will come back with either (we're keeping it overnight, and doing repairs tonight/tomorrow (whenever parts show up), or it will be done on next service... service is completed, and then we take the vehicle for another check ride, and ensure there are no new leaks or issues with the vehicle, and any fixes done, are effective. no speeding, more or less 25-40mph checking for noises with radio off, and heat off, or on low.. noises from the undercarriage, and exhaust are a pain to replicate...

 

back to the Stealership ASAP

 

I’ve got nothing to add but I’m glad you mentioned the name of the dealership, that’s where I bought my Taco last Spring and I *almost* took it back to them for it’s first service. I’m glad now that I decided to do it myself.

 

Who wants to joyride an AT taco that hasn’t had the TSB for the funky shift points.

 

damnSon.jpeg

 

I’d rather not drive the cars at all!!I hate being blamed for s*** I didn’t do. Fortunately we have a system that takes like 50 pictures of ever car the moment it drives through the bay doors. Saves us a ton of money

 

Luckily they make odometers and trip meters. Make a note of it on the way in, and a note on the way out.

Also, how does an oil filter strip a wrench?

 

Nope but they go 100mph from the garage bay to the parking spot.

 

not sure on the wrench. However I have had them strip my oil filter housing cap to the point where I had to beat on the removal tool and beat it to get out of the tool. Then replace the cap with a aluminum one.

 

Isn't that the truth. Come in for an oil change.....call me 2 days later because the right rear power window quit working. Like we had anything to do with that.

I was in the service business for too long. Dealing with the public is an absolutely dreadful undertaking. My wife was the one who finally convinced me to make a career change. Best decision of my life