[oilsandsfj]

So heres the story, 2-3 weeks ago my FJC is towed to toyota because rubbing/binding in the drivetrain and its 50K check up. They find the the front LH side shock (Walker Evans) is rubbing on the CV axle. Pics below. So they do the tune up call me back, oh this and that needs to be replaced as well, blah blah 1K worth of parts, plus labor. Obiviously the one shock is no good, I ordered an OME kit. Yesterday I talked to them, ya we'll have it done tomorrow. So today they call, "ya we have bad news". Your front diff has grenaded. So I ask to talk to the mechanic and he says he cant be sure forsure how this happened whether it binded because of the failed strut or whether a bearing ceased and took everything else out. Now they are saying that my new diff + labour ($3600) is not covered under warranty specifically because I have a 2" lift. The mechanic said that toyota has pretty much been denying everything under warranty that is not bone stock...

When I bought this machine, the sales person told me my warranty would be affected up to the CVs when putting a lift on. Second when they installed the walker evans, they put the resevoirs on backwards (who else knows what they fucked up)... My family and I have been going to this dealership for 15 years, never have we been jerked around before like this.

Im so F*CKING pissed off right now. I need to build some kind of case here, Im waiting for the service manager to call me back so I can plead my case. I fail to see how they can deny it specifically because of the lift. Tho i do see how these penny pinching capitalist bastards would f*ck long time customers just to save a few dollars...'

Do have case? Whats the best way to go about this? Although it would be futile if it were the shock that caused this, WE would probably not pony up, anyone else have this failure with theirs? I just wanna get it fixed so I can sell this fucking machine.
Forgive my horrible grammar and spelling...

Heres a pic of the LH (failed shock)


and RH side

[Downey]

I could talk about design flaws with your W.E. kit for quite some time, but I don't think that's the issue here (unless you are concerned with it's fatness running into your axles and CV boots?). I think your issue is that your front diff gears have a problem and the Dealer wants to deny warranty due to modifications outside the front axle housing. I believe you have a leg to stand on, but not with the Toyota Dealer. You have to go to the Bu. of Auto Repair (or your States equivalence of the BAR) and have them explain certain rights that were given to you specifically because of Dealer warranty denial problems in the past. I agree that Toyota should not have to be responsible for any drivetrain outside the axle housing, but I'd put up a huge argument in your case.

[joebob2586]

Every dealer is privately owned, so its the dealers call weather they want to cover anything under warranty. I had an issue with my steering rack, it bent, my cv boot broke and the joints rusted up locking my steering, this all happened over a week period. I took it to one dealership and they said since my truck had dirt on it, they had determined that i did the damage off roading and wanted to charge me 2000 to replace it. I took it to another dealership and they fixed everything free of charge. maybe you should try another dealership...just an alternate option

[oilsandsfj]

Well it does concern me that the axle iwas rubbing the shock, could it have have impeded it so much it would cause the gears in the diff to fail? Do I have any hope in hell getting WE to cover this cost if I can get the toyota mechanic to back this up (He was very nice on the phone and is siding with me, but its not in his hands).
As for another toyota dealership the nearest one is 500km, so thats out of the question.

[fmj308]

What joebob says is pretty much correct. The dealers get to pick what work they want to warranty ouitside of what your original warranty contract says. Do you have an extended contract with nan independant warrany company? If so, your fight is not with the dealer. No two unrelated parts should be touching in the first place. But still, like joebob said, maybe you should try another dealer. The competition just may give you a better deal once they know they could steal a customer from another dealer. It's worth a try. I mean, you're already mad as hell. Whaddya got to lose?

[eventhough]

Dealers have say so on warranty but so does the Toyota Regional Rep - check the fender bulge threads - the Regional Rep carries a lot of weight too.

[knoll0351]

When the Regional Rep checked on my fender bulges the first thing out of her mouth was "since you have a lift and oversize tires (33") your warrenty is void on this issue". I see this as being an easy out for Toyota when they don't want to put out for repairs. That being said they have replaced my driver side half shaft twice as well as my CV boot one additional time. All of that being said I'm reading your first post and it sounds to me like you had the struts installed at the dealer? I'd say that if they didn't give you some sort of disclaimer when they did the install that should give you a leg for both repairs. On the other side of this coin I'd say that if the struts are sold specifically for the FJC then you would have a case against the company that built them. Since they were installed at a certified mechanic they can't say you did it wrong so someone should be on the hook. That's just from watchin' the judge shows on the TV though...

[kjnarmyfj]

the is a law that was passed nation wide that says the dealer ship has to prove that after market part caused what not to break for it not to be coved under warrenty . forgot the number and stuff but my bud is a lwer and showed it to me , my cv boot busted on my taco when i had it and my dealer told me sence i put 1 size bigger tires and new aftermarket racing shocks! ha that it busted my boot i told him do i look dumb! and my friend printed this paper out ad he sighned it and said tell them to read this so i did that and thye fixed it! haha