200 Series 'Noise' HELP! (1 Viewer)

[SEAWOLF]

I have a 2017 200 with just over 65k miles, zero issues ever.

I needed to do an alignment and the only place local to me that is at all competent or reasonable is the Toyota dealer. So I just have the oil change, rotation, balance, etc. done as a package deal to save time. I know, I know, I shouldn't go to the dealer.

They said I needed pads and rotors up front, and I knew I really did, so I confirmed, again no time to do them myself. I typically like to do my own work to avoid headaches.

I pickup the vehicle and notice a faint noise coming from the front passenger side wheel area, I assumed it was just the pad and rotor getting use to each other. Less than 5 miles from dealership to my house. I parked and honestly forgot about it.

Days later, I drive around doing errands, don't notice anything. Stop at the car wash, car gets wet, makes the same noise as before but much louder.

So I drop the 200 off at Toyota and they look at it the next morning. I get the standard, "we looked and couldn't hear the sound at all". I pull out and can clearly hear in the dealer parking lot, so I pull back in and request the tech does a ride along to hear for himself.

He can hear it, says he wants it on the lift. They call me back and simply state: 'You need a new transfer case', no other info at all, no other inspection done (fluid, etc.)

Service advisor says it's a $4,700 part!

I'm in disbelief... zero noises or issues before this, nothing. I pick it up and it's making the sound. After a whole day of demanding they share the video to substantiate their claim, they finally send it over, I'll try and attach is here.

Any advice on what to do next? Has anyone heard of this? I'm planning on taking to an independent Toyota service garage tomorrow, the owner also owns a late model 200 series. I'd honestly have done this from the start if he had an alignment rack.

Feeling distraught over here!

 

[SEAWOLF]

He's a link to the video they sent me:

 

[radman]

Do the notes say that they serviced or greased your driveshafts? It's possible the tech pumped too much grease into the prop shaft slip yoke and the force of the expansion pushed into the transfer case.

Does my 200 land cruiser drive shaft have grease zerks?

Hi guys, I had a 100 in the past and I was able to grease it's DS. Does the 200 have grease zerks? The dealer is telling me that I have to remove the DS to grease it. Does this sound right? It's only an hour of labor so I'm not too concerned but $100 saved is $100 earned!

forum.ih8mud.com

"For those that don’t know, It is EXTREMELY important that you not put too much grease into the slip yoke. Filling this area completely with grease prevents the driveshaft from shortening with normal suspension movement. This can quickly destroy your transfer case output shaft bearings and even diff pinion bearings. Bad news."

 

[indycole]

It seems like quite a leap to go to replacing the transfer case. I had a similar-but-definitely-different noise that turned out to be a bunch of hardened mud in the output shaft flange. Also, on separate occasions, I had a couple other noises that were related to weeping at the input and output seals. Each of those issues presented with noise and all were $200 or less to fix including parts.

I will say that we did look into a pure transfer case replacement (with a $1500 lightly used transfer case) as parts were hard to find. We didn't go that direction. Any chance you purchased an extended warranty as I suspect this would be covered?

 

[SEAWOLF]

@radman checking with the tech on this now, thanks for the suggestion...a definite possibility.

 

[SEAWOLF]

Here is a video I took while driving along some parked cars and an office building, it helped to amplify the sound.

 

[SEAWOLF]

@indycole definitely a major leap. To my knowledge they haven't even inspected the fluid. They are more interested in telling me how fast they can get the new part here, and how fast they can get it installed...they seem to have an interest in 'doing work' and not 'finding the real issue'.

I personally don't want a Land Cruiser with a replaced transfer case...seems like it might diminish the value going forward...and possibly open a can of worms to other issues, especially if it doesn't actually fix the noise.

They told me Toyota would send the new case within 3 days and would take 6 hours to swap. This also happens to be during the one week I have off this summer to spend with friends and family, and of course, the first camping trip planned since I added the Superlite Tent from GFC.

Deeply saddened by this news...thanks for helping me find the light at the end of the tunnel, lol.

 

[TLC2013]

So no specifics were given about what was wrong or broken in the T-Case? Seems fishy to me. Are you the original owner? That may help with a “good will” warranty repair. Whether at this dealership or another.
Any history of the fluid being changed. I’d start with new fluid and ensure it’s at the proper level. Also poke around the area and see if anything like road debris or mud got caught up in the area.

 

[SEAWOLF]

Forgot to answer @indycole about the warranty. Yes, I do have it, they confirmed with Toyota it's covered.

At this point, the service and communication from the dealership has been so poor I'm thinking I'll have it towed to another dealership 45 miles away.

I spoke with their service manager this morning and would rather give them my business than the clowns I've been dealing with.

I've decided to leave out all the dramatic details about how terrible they are, it's almost common knowledge at this point...

 

[SEAWOLF]

@TLC2013 They provided me with a vehicle service report that only says:

1. Customer asked for multipoint inspection.
2. Customer states: install new transfer case.

That's it.

I originally complained that it was a sound related to my recent brake service (sticking caliper, warped rotor, etc.)

 

[indycole]

Glad to hear it's covered -- that's pretty great news. Your point about the dealer experience is worth considering... there's a nonzero chance that a replacement won't be the end of the story so go with a dealer you can tolerate.

 

[SEAWOLF]

@radman the service manager just confirmed no grease was added

 

[turbo8]

Sounds like the u-joint to me, the zerk on that joint is hard to get to, so it is common to be low on grease.

 

[NoClue]

Sure it's not a backing plate rubbing up against the fresh front rotors that you just had installed ? I've done an awful amount of front brakes on 200s to know that sound is a backing plate is making contact with the rotors

I just find it absurd that your transfer case would be making that noise after a brake job was done.



Edit : it's honestly sounds like the dealer wants to pump their warranty numbers up before the end of the month. Your vehicle is covered, so they probably went with the most expensive & easiest repair they could find that would be covered

 

[RET2]

Sure it's not a backing plate rubbing up against the fresh front rotors that you just had installed ?

I just find it absurd that your transfer case would be making that noise after a brake job was done.

That's a given to start troubleshooting with last mod or service.

 

[SEAWOLF]

We brought it over to a local independent Toyota tech today...he seems like a reasonable and knowledgeable guy. Here's hoping it's something simple.

He also owns a 2016 LC with some nice modifications, so I feel good about leaving it in his hands. Hopefully when I get the call he will let me check out what's happening in person.

Fingers crossed!

 

[SEAWOLF]

So we get the call…of course it’s the ‘we can’t hear the sound’ call.

I suggest driving it on the ground first, then putting it back on the lift, which actually worked!

So they hear the sound now, and noticed a bunch of wet grease around the ‘flange to the front shaft’ (I’m paraphrasing here) and he even might have said ‘output’ and mentioned that it was a seal that can be replaced for $100 or less. (Sorry my wife took the call and I didn’t get the full story).

He then cleaned all the gunk off it, sprayed it down with parts cleaner, and now we can’t get the sound to come back at all!

Plan is to drive it normally until I hear the sound again, then look at replacing the seal. If that doesn’t work it’s back the the beginning.

I will say that the Toyota dealership has been super unprofessional and shady. Basically dealing with a circus of clowns. They have lied to me on multiple occasions in this single interaction and I truly feel that are seeking warranty repair dollars in a predatory fashion.

They didn’t do anything to rule out other causes, basically slapped the hood and just said “new transfer case”.

Then it’s all this rhetoric about how fast they can get it here, how I won’t be off the road for long, how they’ll pay for my rental car, like they are doing me this major favor.

Is there anything I can do about this? I want to nail them to the wall…full page ad in the Sunday paper? Lol.

 

[kennyao30]

I find that most dealers like to fire the parts cannon. Glad the independent narrowed it down.

 

[radman]

of wet grease around the ‘flange to the front shaft’ (I’m paraphrasing here) and he even might have said ‘output’

more suspicion around incorrectly greasing the driveshaft and having it expand into the TC. Do you ever get the flashing center diff lock light on the dash? maybe a new TC under warranty wouldn't be the worst thing...

 

[goldwater58]

From the sounds of it, I don't think I'd even trust that dealership with the task of refilling the windshield washer fluid.