X-Posted: Advice Needed on Dealer Service Gone Wrong

Hi all,

***This is cross posted in the Technical Chat, but wanted to post here, too to gain some exposure. Please let me know if not allowed.***

I'm posting this for a friend who I've done service work for on his various Toyota's throughout the years. He's also one of my best and oldest friends. That said, he's not mechanically inclined and relies on me for mechanical advice and for fixing his vehicles when they need attention but I'm across the country in Oregon now and not able to help like I used to.

He has a 1998 5VZ-FE/5-spd Xtra Cab 4x4 with 138k miles on it. He got it from his dad last year who is the original owner and who sparingly drove the truck. It was always serviced at the local dealer (McCoy Motors which turned to Findlay Toyota in Flagstaff, AZ). The truck is in nearly perfect shape and all service records are present. You read that right, too: 138k original miles.

On Monday the 21st, my buddy drove the truck back home to Flagstaff for the holiday weekend and decided to have the oil changed at the dealer on Tuesday the 22nd. The dealer discovered that "the head gasket had a small leak in it." My buddy tried calling me to consult but I was busy at work and couldn't answer. He got a quote from them and, together with his dad, decided to have Findlay Toyota do the work to fix it.

On Wednesday the 23rd they said they were waiting on a backordered head gasket but that the parts would likely be in on Thursday (Thanksgiving? hmmmm) and the service would be done on Friday. Friday came around and the next call that my buddy got was that the work was completed but on the test drive, the tech experienced a catastrophic engine failure that they're "guessing" was a spun rod bearing or a thrown rod. Since it was a holiday weekend, they said they would determine the actual issue on Monday and come up with a quote with the general manager (who was off due to the holiday).

First off, I made sure I was clear on some things:
-What was the oil level and oil condition when truck was dropped off? (oil checked prior to leaving Durango, CO on the 21st. Oil level full but needing a change)
-What was the coolant level? (buddy didn't know)
-Was the truck ever overheated? (buddy said absolutely not)
-Was the truck running rough, making new sounds, CEL illuminated or down on power at any point? (buddy said no, that there was absolutely no indication truck needed anything other than an oil change. He's not mechanically inclined but he is meticulous about sound and changes in how the truck feels; he's a gifted musician and sensitive to this kind of stuff).

I don't deal with dealers for this and other reasons and have very little experience dealing with mechanics, especially dealer mechanics, as I've done all of my own service for the last 25+ years so I'll ask the community here: What should my buddy do??

Thanks in advance for your help and for reading this far.
Nic

 

I feel bad for your friend.

I would have gotten a second opinion the second a dealer who was supposed to be changing the oil on an otherwise sound motor "found a leak in the head gasket". Sounds like they were trying to find additional work on the truck. A head gasket leak is not easy to diagnose.

 

Someone owes your friend an engine and car rental until it’s fixed

 

This sounds super suspicious. What was their initial evidence of a head gasket leak? It’s not something that stands out on an oil change unless the oil comes out like a milkshake, in which case the whole engine needs to be checked out.

 

I agree. I asked what method was used to determine a leaking H-gasket and he didn't know. I asked him to ask them that today. If the oil came out milkshake, I feel there would have been signs, if not failure, on the 300 mile, 6 hour drive from Durango to Flagstaff.

 

Did they replace just the head gasket or the entire head? But to me dropping it off for an oil change and somehow seeing or finding a small leak in the head (which is hard to see by just quickly visual inspecting it). But the truck was under their care getting motor work done. Seems someone fucked up putting it all back together and they owe your boy a new engine. But there is still more stuff that needs to be talked about with the dealership.

 

I'd say your friend is fucked and is about to lose a lot of money no matter the outcome.

The kind of lawyer needed to make it right will probably cost as much as the truck is worth.

 

And even it did need a new head gasket, they didn’t do their due diligence to ensure it was the actual problem before repairing, or they failed to repair it correctly.


There’s a little voice in my head that says they fucked up the oil change and are trying to cover up.

 

Just the head gasket, to my knowledge. And I agree. Someone done had too much tryptophan or was pissed he was working on Thanksgiving and didn't have enough!

 

I've heard of notifying Toyota of America at times like this. Is there reason here to do so? Is there any other recourse or other resources in cases like this?

Buddy just texted and said the dealer is pulling the pan to determine the cause of the failure.

 

^ This.

I realize they probably have to, cause at this point they will be trying to assign blame to someone other than themselves.. but yeah, no good outcome.

 

Beautifully preserved 1st gens are selling for a mint.. whatever the owner decides to do he should NOT allow the dealership or one of the techs to "take it off his hands."

 

Post of the Day right there...

 

It may have been a small external HG leak, that's something you can see just by looking with a flashlight when under the vehicle. I've seen it quite frequently on 3.4s

It's going to be hard pinning blame on anybody in this situation

Sorry OP

 

I agree but it ain't gonna happen. Perhaps there's a mechanically versed TW member that can go into the dealership and at least interrogate the service department to a point where they KNOW they've done a shaitty job. Not that it'd help pay the engine swap bill but at least there'd be some [a little] justice in the world.

 

Yeah, that crusty Toyota red is easy to spot. I've changed enough 5VZ-FE water pumps to know. I haven't noticed HG leaks this way, though. Where have you noticed this on the 5VZ?

 

Sounds like an unneeded head was replaced and someone made a boo-boo during install. If the oil was milkshaked it’s a different story. If they saw coolant around the gasket near the back of the engine, the valley pipe was probably leaking. 138k mile 5vz’S rarely just give in like that. I’d be pressing for a new motor on their dime

-dealer tech

 

Also my advice. I told him I would take it and fix it before they accept this type of offer.

 

@snowsk8air2 is in flag and is pretty well versed. Maybe can lend a helping hand.

 

My coolant crossover was leaking by 158k on my 2000 Xtra cab but I never saw it; just read up and figured I'd knock it out. Glad I did as the valley was full of coolant but not leaking down the bell housing.