Car Questions

Scotty please help ...
 
Notifications
Clear all

Scotty please help me. Toyota dealer lied to me & I almost had my wheel come off while driving after a trip to the dealer for a recall

  

0
Topic starter

I went to the Piercey Toyota dealership in Milpitas CA because of a recall on the 2014 toyota prius that they told me was just a software update. They had my car for about 5 hours & did an inspection where they tried to sell me spark plugs, an alignment, front brake pads, wheels, etc. They also told me about a nail I had in the front right tire, which I agreed to have patched up. When I got the car, everything seemed fine, but after a week & no more than a 150 miles, i’m driving to work & I hear a clunk sound coming from the left front wheel. I thought the brake pads were worn out & maybe scraping, but the sound alarmed me alot so I avoided the freeway on the drive back home & took the city streets. The clunk was nonstop on the way back, & when I got home to check, the lugnuts on the front left wheel were so loose to the point where I was unscrewing them by hand. The wheel had so much play, & when my dad got home & saw, he said that the wheel being that loose could have killed me, especially at highway speeds, which i’m almost always driving at since i’m a delivery driver. I immediately called the dealer & spoke to the manager & they told me their mechanics didn’t touch any of the wheels except for the one with a nail (front right). After the “multipoint inspection” they also did on my vehicle while at the dealer, they gave me a detailed paper with the measurements of all the brake pads, tread depth, & all that. My dad found it hard to believe they could measure the brake pads without removing the wheels, so I brought this point up when speaking to the manager & he told me that they don’t remove the wheels to check the brake pads, & that if they do remove the wheels, they have to document it. He said that they check the pads from the bottom… whatever that means, so I bought what he said & hung up. Upon removing the wheel that was already almost coming off, I noticed it had white almost grease-like coating on all the threads for the lugnuts, & the plate that they’re on. Also, two of the threads were not even tight & in their socket, they were able to be pushed in with my fingers. Me & my dad had to hammer them back in to their sockets. After noticing the white substance, I took off the other wheel, the one that they worked on, & again, it had that white substance, maybe thread lock? So I took pictures & decided to check the back wheels, & what do you know, ALL the lugsnuts except for two on the back left wheel, were not tight at all. I was able to take them of using only one hand of force with my tire iron. After taking each back wheel off, again they all had that white substance that I have never owned, or never put on any of my wheels lug nuts or plates, since I bought the car from that Toyota dealer. Did I just get lied too? It seems like they definitely took of all the wheels, & didn’t properly tighten any of the nuts. I’d like to add that when telling the manager that I went in on the 25th of October, & it’s been about a week since then, he told me that if the lugs were loose like I mentioned, they should have been obvious within 2 miles of me driving. I don’t know how true that statement is, but I’ve watched so many of yours videos & have done as much maintenance on my own thanks to you. I’m expecting to call them back tomorrow. Please help Scotty. I’m not sure what to do or what I can even do. 


4 Answers
5

Obviously they are just covering their own asses. Service managers often lied they have no idea what the mechanics are actually doing I've had them say I watch them do a brake job on your car to people who had the brake job not even done at a dealership. It's unfortunate but that's what happens when you have dishonest Americans running and owning Toyota dealerships I'm sure this does not happen in Japan. I would contact Toyota Japan myself or if you're near Clarksville Tennessee bring the car by and I'll make a cool video


Sorry for the late response, but I appreciate the help & fast reply. I’d love to bring in my car in the future for a video, hybrid technology fascinated me, & I always look forward to watching your videos about them. I’ll definitely let you know in advanced if i’m ever around Tennessee. Thanks again Scotty.


2

Send this info to Toyota corporate for starters -they need to know what their dealers are doing - check the "dealership service experience"

https://www.toyota.com/support/#!/app/ask


Sorry for the late response, but thanks so much for the help. As I bought the vehicle used from the dealership that did this to me, I don’t even know if I should ever still go back there.


0

You should also get in touch with the state agency that regulates and licenses auto repair shops in your state and file a formal complaint.  Maybe call the local TV station to do a story on your experience.  The white stuff in the studs was probably lithium grease.


0

I actually heard bad stories about that dealership. Thats one reason when i bought my corolla i didnt even look at them. Avoid fremont toyota also.


Share: