Toyota Dealership service writer never heard of heater tee issue (1 Viewer)

[KY Tundra]

Had the wife's 100 at the dealer for an oil change. I still haven't fixed her o2 sensor and asked them to give me a quote. Way too expensive. Also asked about heater tees. No leaking, just preventative. From seeing all of the pics on here I figured it was a big problem and maybe they repaired them all the time and wouldn't be too expensive. Service writer said he has never heard of the issue. I know he has worked there for several years and seems like a sharp guy. Is this just because of the small number of 100s out there or is it really not a common problem. Not a big deal either way, just thought it was odd.

 

[Keowee]

After seeing several failures here on mud I replaced mine for peace of mind. Would be cheap insurance as a pm item every 90,000 miles.

Mine looked ok at 160,000 miles but I'm glad I did it along with new hoses.

 

[LBridges]

... Also asked about heater tees. No leaking, just preventative. From seeing all of the pics on here I figured it was a big problem and maybe they repaired them all the time and wouldn't be too expensive. Service writer said he has never heard of the issue. I know he has worked there for several years and seems like a sharp guy. ....

Although I have a LX, I bought my "T"s at the Toyota dealer as they are much closer and sometimes cheaper (I usually tell them I have a 2000 LC). Anyway the parts guy didn't even look up the number, said in stock and they were an surprisingly high demand item. In contrast, I had to special order in the flange gasket used when doing front brake/bearing service. So think about that. Bearing repack is supposed to be a 30k mile maintenance item but a gasket used is not stocked, while the "T" is not a maintenance item, but is stocked.

Is the infamous "T" used on Tundras, 4Runners, maybe Avalons? I don't know if they have rear seat heaters, but if they do, that would help drive the stocking levels.

EDIT: As an aside, when the T lets go it will undoubtedly be out of warranty. So I expect the owners get it serviced at the first place they can get the vehicle to vice towing back to the dealer for what the average Joe would think is a simple heater hose issue - hence maybe why the parts guy knew about it when the service writer didn't.

 

[Manhattan]

I had a 2007 FJ Cruiser with a 6-speed manual. The service writer leaned in to check the mileage and said "Huh... didn't know these came in a manual."

The list of what the dealers don't know is long and varied.... and why you're better served finding a good independent shop.

 

[Rigger]

It's amazing what dealers don't know. Some years ago, I drove my FJ62 in to a Toyota dealership. A sales guy greeted me and asked if I was wanting to trade the 4Runner in!

I took my Hundy in some time ago for its 90k service. I left it with the service manager. I had all the parts already purchased. I also had the tees in with pile of parts. I asked him to replace those at the same time. They did a great job with it. But when I came to pick it up, the service manager was out. One of his underlings said, "We just had to replace them heater hose tees. They were all gunked up and in bad shape!" It was a pure BS story. I had to explain to him that the tees were fine and were replaced at my request.

 

[re_guderian]

Very few people on here (less than 5?) Have actually had a tee fail in service. They only look like crap when you cut them out and they crumble...

 

[Kross]

I had a local stealer service tech tell me hundos don't have timing belts they have timing chains and I don't have to worry about servicing them...

 

[aging fleet]

Probably has a lot to do with the fact that when they eventually fail, the car has over 100,000 miles and is way out of warranty. Many people stop taking their cars to the dealership for service when they get older so it's possible that the service writers don't hear about the need for PM or failure on this part.

 

[tabraha]

My local mechanic is also the Mr T Service Manager and had not heard of the heater tee issue either. I had him do it as part of a pre-trip service this past summer and got a text from him saying he was going to make it a part of his t-belt/water pump recommendation at the dealership from then on. He was amazed how brittle and easily they crumbled.

 

[TXLX100]

I was an advisor for 4 years at a dealer and never had one come in just for that. Sometimes folks would ask for replacement, and sometimes techs would just do them with the TB/WP service.

T's and thermostat are the cheapest preventive for a potentially big failure.

 

[highonpottery]

My dealer didn't know about it either. I wanted them to do it when in there for the TB/WP, but it's unrelated and would have run $250 using stock parts - no thanks. Hopefully I get to it with the upgrade before I get stranded

On another note, I stopped going to one dealer because the service rep said to me "I've never seen a lifted Highlander with mud tires before" Gave him the WTF look and walked right past him to deal with a different service rep.

 

[re_guderian]

My dealer didn't know about it either. I wanted them to do it when in there for the TB/WP, but it's unrelated and would have run $250 using stock parts - no thanks. Hopefully I get to it with the upgrade before I get stranded

On another note, I stopped going to one dealer because the service rep said to me "I've never seen a lifted Highlander with mud tires before" Gave him the WTF look and walked right past him to deal with a different service rep.

He thought your rig was a 200 series???

 

[TXLX100]

He thought your rig was a 200 series???

Haha. Funniest thing I heard all day.

 

[cruiserdan]

It is all about units in operation and failure rates. There are over 1,000 Toyota dealers in the US and less than 100 of them have two or more of those T's on the shelf. that's the overall demand out there.

 

[medtro]

Very few people on here (less than 5?) Have actually had a tee fail in service. They only look like crap when you cut them out and they crumble...

I am one of them.

 

[El Cid]

It's not uncommon.

Dealerships aren't businesses like most businesses. they churn a significant amount of employees. Whether we like toyota is irrelevant. Most sales people don't understand the Land Cruiser brand.

 

[RyanStl]

I plan to have this done when I get the TB/WP changed in a couple months. I was wondering if wherever I took would even know what a heater T was. PM me if you know a good place in St. Louis.

 

[KY Tundra]

Sounds like I'm not alone. Only had it at the dealer because I also take my Tundra there. Got in the habit because I had free oil changes for 2 years and now my business pays for it so I don't feel the sting quite as bad when I have a $90 oil change. Still looking for a good local independent mechanic in Louisville that has some 100 expertise. Looks like I'm going to go ahead and tackle the tees and O2 sensor on my own.