Busted rear diff not cover by warranty!

[FirstToy]

LandCruisers4Life,
I don't understand why you constantly bring up the rear diff in every single thread regardless of topic (which you have experienced no problem with on your vehicle).

Please refer to the topics and keep to them. If you have concerns of the rear diff, post a specific tech thread on it or refer to the ones that are active. You do a disservice to people searching for real information on the topic. I will tell you this will not continue. I am not asking to censor you, I am asking you give the members proper respect and add info where it is appropriate.

[LandCruisers4Life]

FirstToy:

I generally stick to topics. However the differential gear problem is something that I will not drop. This man has a direct link to Toyota Corporate and has generously agreed to mention this problem to them. Toyota needs to deal with it, as I have paid good money to buy their vehicle which should NOT have this factory defect. I only brought it up here because this man works for Toyota Corporate. Corporate seems conveniently inaccessable to the customers, who are forced to go through dealers who have an option to turn a blind eye to customers.

I have experienced no problem with my rear differential YET. I am a person who drives 8 hours (EIGHT HOURS) to get to work, and return home from work. I work 8-9 months of the year at sea, and spend the rest doing whatever. My schedule is one that I never know when I have free time to deal with something major with my vehicle (I don't know when I will be off, or working, I am on call 24/7). I would rather Toyota replaced my R&P gears without all the BS that every other FJ owner has gone through. Waiting for my gears to blow before Toyota replaces them is simply stupid. When I get back home, I am going to Toyota to discuss this all in detail, and if they refuse to replace my gears, and later on I have the blown gears, and get stranded in some place remote, I am going to have more than words with Toyota.

PS - I will be more discriminating in my posting from now on.

[FirstToy]

now this topic is in the appropriate thread.

[NYCTRD]

Well decided to swap my diff oil out this weekend with royal purple synthetic.

Oil in diff was solid black, full of sludge on the drain plug and had plenty of metal.

Looks like I got an old diff...(build date Oct. '06).

Arg.

[greenfox]

Originally Posted by NYCTRD

Well decided to swap my diff oil out this weekend with royal purple synthetic.

Oil in diff was solid black, full of sludge on the drain plug and had plenty of metal.

Looks like I got an old diff...(build date Oct. '06).

Arg.

That does not sound good, You need to have it looked at!

[ringpinion.biz]

For you guys that dont get covered under warranty, we have built tons of these diffs, and can set them up to hold up better than stock. In fact, we have yet to see one of our setups fail, (not to say it cant!) We also have aftermarket 4.88 available for front and rear.

[uphill]

I know that individual dealerships have caused some hassles for people like FJCRUZR, who I know personally, but from everything I've seen and heard, Toyota Motor Company has completely "owned" the engine bay cracking issues and they replaced the harder third member ring and pinions with softer gears that are less likely to break when smacked off-road beginning with the February 2007 build dates.

It's easy to jump on Toyota when a problem develops, but they are addressing it in a serious way. I know of different people in the SoCal area who have been offered new replacement vehicles for their old (20,000+K Miles on them) FJC's because of engine bay cracking. To me that speaks to integrity and a serious attempt to put things right.

[valkyrie610]

Bump for you guys!

Carl, you don't know me, but I am a Director at Toyota of Dallas. Jacque has kept me up-to-date on your progress with the 4.88's, and I have encouraged Phil Stetson to work with you.

Barb who runs the Internet Department is my wife, she should be in contact with you soon.

Thanks for stepping up and taking an interest in FJC owners who actually wheel their rigs!

[ringpinion.biz]

No problem! We are all avid toyota owners and wheelers here too.

Originally Posted by valkyrie610

Bump for you guys!

Carl, you don't know me, but I am a Director at Toyota of Dallas. Jacque has kept me up-to-date on your progress with the 4.88's, and I have encouraged Phil Stetson to work with you.

Barb who runs the Internet Department is my wife, she should be in contact with you soon.

Thanks for stepping up and taking an interest in FJC owners who actually wheel their rigs!

[NYCTRD]

Originally Posted by greenfox

That does not sound good, You need to have it looked at!

That's why I had the dealer do it! Plus, when they saw the black oil and metal, they didn't chrge me labor and noted it. I just paid for the oil.

I meet the regoinal rep next month for the engine bay bulge...now I guess they'll take a look at the nice sharp metal flakes I saved!

[FirstToy]

do you have pics of the metal flakes? post it up

[NYCTRD]

Originally Posted by FirstToy

do you have pics of the metal flakes? post it up

No. I left the "black sludge ball" intact with the shavings mixed in so the rep would get the whole picture. They'd be hard to see in a photo.

Most were the typical metal "filings" found in gear boxes/diffs. But two were obviously part of the thin leading edge of a ring or pinion gear sheared off. Small, but not a good sign mixed with BLACK SLUDGE!

Does anyone know what Toyota puts in the new diffs? Synthetic?

Think I could get a diff under warranty, or do I have to wait until I'm stranded on a mountain peak in February?!

[modified cruiser]

Just picket up my rig from Steven creek in San Jose, CA. No charge for the entire job. I had to tow my vehicle for 70 miles to the dealer and they gave me a loaner (o8 Camry) till the rig was ready.
The Toyota parts/service manager was at the event when the ring broke and he knew I was off road at the time.

What I don't understand is how he stated Toyota tech dept was unaware of the problem. He did say he had read some threads on the problem earily model rigs. My rig was manufactured in 03/06

[ckline]

no one has posted on this thread for a while, but I wonder now...and at the request of the blue forum I will leave names out. I will use the name Michael Scott(MC) for my service adviser instead of their real name, not because I want to bag them but because I'm afraid they may get in trouble for information given. at a dealership far far from here, my service adviser helped me with a problem on my front diff. MC noticed the mileage on my truck was nearing 30k. When we were alone in my truck driving around the lot MC told me to bring it in before the factory warranty was up. I have the extended warranty, but explained it was through a third party and they always have a "reason" to deny a fix due to "abuse" especially if your lifted, have larger than factory wheels and tires and large bumpers (pretty much any mod...maybe even a Trail Team metal grill emblem). MC advised that while it was under dealer warranty they would have one of their head techs take microscope from the front bumper to the rear. Said the techs WILL find a problem with the tranny, transfer, diffs and anything else those that "abuse" their trucks have brought them in for. At this point they will put away the microscope and replace every single part under warranty. Its like driving away with a brand new truck with 35k miles on it. Thank goodness for good dealerships, and good people. Wish I could name the place and you all could do business with them. maybe with a PM i will disclose a little more info. depending on who PM's, their rating and my sense of a fraud will decide how much I will tell!

With that said MC has not denied one single repair for me under warranty regardless of if it was my fault or not. To be honest I was quite suprised a couple of times. Their philosphy is "why was this truck built, and what did we build it for?" If your not sure, just log onto Toyotas website and watch the stock FJ tackle rocks a jacked up Rubicon might have trouble getting over...its an advertisement on toughness. USE IT FOR THAT, IT HAS TOYOTAS NAME ON THE BACK FOR A REASON. A good rule of thumb I have learned while picking a dealership to work on your truck is to see what the techs, parts and service reps drive. If their trucks are modded, dented and scratched, your are prolly safe.

Also, the extended warranty was given for a few hundred dollars. As explained by the dealership that sold it to me told me, this is a new model...it could have problems with the new technology. The last thing, he said, he wanted to do was foot me with a bill for something that was a defect.

[valkyrie610]

Originally Posted by ckline

Thank goodness for good dealerships, and good people.

Well, good thing you omitted the names, because what he is proposing to do (with your knowledge and consent) is highly unethical. Toyota views it as fraud, and sees it no differently as if you and he conspired to break into the Parts Department to steal parts or break into their safe to steal money.

Originally Posted by ckline

I'm afraid they may get in trouble for information given.

You are correct.

In the car business, it's commonly called "selling warranty", and would likely cost his dealer principal a huge fine, sanctions from the manufacturer and possible termination of his dealer agreement. At the least, it would result in the termination of everyone involved, and be a career-ending event for them as far as Toyota is concerned, as well as repayment for all the bogus warranty work billed to Toyota.

While it may make you feel warm and fuzzy to feel like you have a "buddy on the inside looking out for you", rest assured he is not your buddy, nor is he looking out for you. Like any good con man, he is simply playing your fears, suspicions and greed... getting something for nothing.

Your adviser and his cohorts in the shop have only their own interests at stake, and you are just a pawn. Your adviser is paid a nice commission on parts & labor sales (warranty is no different), and warranty work pays his technicians good rates.

You must remember that, given the opportunity, someone that will steal for you will steal from you.

This may not have been the response you were looking for, but it is what it is.

Originally Posted by ckline

no one has posted on this thread for a while, but I wonder now...and at the request of the blue forum I will leave names out. I will use the name Michael Scott(MC) for my service adviser instead of their real name, not because I want to bag them but because I'm afraid they may get in trouble for information given. at a dealership far far from here, my service adviser helped me with a problem on my front diff. MC noticed the mileage on my truck was nearing 30k. When we were alone in my truck driving around the lot MC told me to bring it in before the factory warranty was up. I have the extended warranty, but explained it was through a third party and they always have a "reason" to deny a fix due to "abuse" especially if your lifted, have larger than factory wheels and tires and large bumpers (pretty much any mod...maybe even a Trail Team metal grill emblem). MC advised that while it was under dealer warranty they would have one of their head techs take microscope from the front bumper to the rear. Said the techs WILL find a problem with the tranny, transfer, diffs and anything else those that "abuse" their trucks have brought them in for. At this point they will put away the microscope and replace every single part under warranty. Its like driving away with a brand new truck with 35k miles on it. Thank goodness for good dealerships, and good people. Wish I could name the place and you all could do business with them. maybe with a PM i will disclose a little more info. depending on who PM's, their rating and my sense of a fraud will decide how much I will tell!

With that said MC has not denied one single repair for me under warranty regardless of if it was my fault or not. To be honest I was quite suprised a couple of times. Their philosphy is "why was this truck built, and what did we build it for?" If your not sure, just log onto Toyotas website and watch the stock FJ tackle rocks a jacked up Rubicon might have trouble getting over...its an advertisement on toughness. USE IT FOR THAT, IT HAS TOYOTAS NAME ON THE BACK FOR A REASON. A good rule of thumb I have learned while picking a dealership to work on your truck is to see what the techs, parts and service reps drive. If their trucks are modded, dented and scratched, your are prolly safe.

Also, the extended warranty was given for a few hundred dollars. As explained by the dealership that sold it to me told me, this is a new model...it could have problems with the new technology. The last thing, he said, he wanted to do was foot me with a bill for something that was a defect.

[Mountainclimber]

Originally Posted by valkyrie610

Well, good thing you omitted the names, because what he is proposing to do (with your knowledge and consent) is highly unethical. Toyota views it as fraud, and sees it no differently as if you and he conspired to break into the Parts Department to steal parts or break into their safe to steal money.


You are correct.

In the car business, it's commonly called "selling warranty", and would likely cost his dealer principal a huge fine, sanctions from the manufacturer and possible termination of his dealer agreement. At the least, it would result in the termination of everyone involved, and be a career-ending event for them as far as Toyota is concerned, as well as repayment for all the bogus warranty work billed to Toyota.

While it may make you feel warm and fuzzy to feel like you have a "buddy on the inside looking out for you", rest assured he is not your buddy, nor is he looking out for you. Like any good con man, he is simply playing your fears, suspicions and greed... getting something for nothing.

Your adviser and his cohorts in the shop have only their own interests at stake, and you are just a pawn. Your adviser is paid a nice commission on parts & labor sales (warranty is no different), and warranty work pays his technicians good rates.

You must remember that, given the opportunity, someone that will steal for you will steal from you.

This may not have been the response you were looking for, but it is what it is.

Valkyrie-

You speak the absolute gospel on this one.

Nice to see people stand up for the right thing every once in a while.

Hats off to you.

[NYCTRD]

It sometimes amazes me the "sense of entitlement" many buyers have regarding their new products.

Ya know "manufacturers defects" are the 3rd reason consumer electronics are returned.
1st is "I couldn't figure out how to work it"
2nd is "buyers remorse" (returned within' 48 hours).
3rd is defects.

I raised hell on the Engine Bay cracks and got resolution (repair forthcoming once the new fender aprons start shipping late summer). I would have prefferred a buy-back...but that's not realistic. I'm accepting the fact that I have an older rear diff. and it may blow one day. I will check the oil more frequently.

Ce'st La Vie!

I'm not thrilled that my seatback cover has a hole worn through it @ 18-k. Warranty denied. Wet Okole's it is.

Many dealers are fair if your expectations are reasonable.

[Lemony]

The dealer that I bought mine from, sales great, parts great service department absolutely horrible. The day I walked over and bought it and was waiting for it to be prepped... I walked around to the service dept and became Invisible, 1030 am no customers anywhere, 6 or 8 service dept people milling about the pit, I stood there for over 5 minutes and no one said a word to me, and then the service got really bad.

lets see i've been told, "super charger's for the fj are installed free, because they don't exist" which totally blew me away and thought i rode the short buss and left.
called trd and they laughed so i went back and the service manager said "it will blow up your engine" "you will be dissapointed because it wont be a race car" and we put on several and they were terrible. I walked to the parts guys and asked about price and if they ever ordered one, price not too steep, would give me a discount, but they have ordered 0, service manager = 0

Then it gets worse, service advisor says "I don't know who makes the warranty decisions but your entire drive line is voided and at 17k black rear diff oil and metal flakes is the end of the world and they have to tear it down at my cost". $147 for changing the fluid in my rear end and they didnt even put in the synthetic i requested. I have the early ring gear, when I asked they said toyota always updates its part numbers, no problems with any part.

sorry about the rambling, I know my tires and lift void parts but don't lie to me please!!!! every single time i've been there I leave wanting to choke the living S@@@ out of them.