Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Options
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
And that local service station guy will simply jump start the vehicle, and then I'll drive it to Walmart and get a good EverStart Maxx model MAXX-24FS. Been there, done that with my previous vehicles.
If your car starts, then it's still good .
But ... newer cars have more electronics in them and some CarSpace members are saying that marginal batteries can cause problems with your car's computers and sensors. Even though your battery may seem strong, you may want to pull it and have it tested around year 5 or just replace it.
btw, the Edmunds Maintenance Guide will tell you what Nissan recommends be done when, and will estimate how much it should cost in your zip code.
Hey, I think you may have just hit on Toyotas UA problem, it's a low battery .
But I was disappointed. My local dealer, Delray Toyota, still insists on trying to con me about what my Highlander needs in the way of repairs and maintenance. At 40,000 miles I was told that my brakes were almost "metal to metal" and needed immediate repair. I passed and at 45,000 miles I was told (by another "service adviser") that I needed numerous flushes, but that my brakes were okay, but in the yellow zone -- meaning they were worn. I declined again and today, at 50,000 miles, I was told (by yet another adviser) that my brakes were paper thin and were absolutely dangerous. And oh yeah, my rotors were too bad to resurface and had to be replaced. He even offered me a loaner car if I left the Highlander for repair. He had a manner a lot like Bob Newhart's and I think he might do better as a comedian
I have stopped telling the service advisers that the Highlander has brake wear indicators . . . they insist my particular model doesn't . . . and don't even bother asking how my brake pads went from metal to metal to okay in 5,000 miles. I find it personally insulting that they think I am so dumb. I even wore an Edmunds teeshirt today, thinking they might get some kind of hint.
So . . . now I know at least three service advisers are liars and have to assume the service manager sanctions the lies. If the service manager advises me on a safety matter, should I believe him? Can't the Toyota company understand how dangerous it is to demonstrate again and again that they can't be trusted?
To me it is now official. Toyota may build good cars, but they have no respect for their customers and, like Ford, GM and Chrysler, think a PR campaign can paper over serious problems. Instead of fixing what's wrong, they buy advertising, telling us that nothing is wrong. It didn't work for the old American car companies and it won't work for Toyota. I have to assume everything they say is a lie unless I have absolute proof that it isn't.
Maybe a new company will come along and be like Toyota used to be.
And strange as it may seem as a DIY buying new rotors it often at least equal to the cost of having rotors turned. Not that I think your rotors need to be turned but that is the policy of most dealers.
Also, their script about brake service is a little muddled. If the worst that can happen from rear brakes -- the ones they said were worn out, and less important than front brakes -- going metal to metal is damage to the rotors, what difference does it make since they say the rotors are shot anyway. Also, Highlanders do have brake wear indicators, whatever the service advisers said, so I am in no real danger of driving with completely worn out brakes.
Bottom line is the story doesn't hold water and it makes he sad. Technical people I have worked with in the past have generally been honest. The automobile industry seems to have a corrupting influence.
I replaced our '03 HL front brakes a few months ago at about 95,000 miles only because of posts here. They weren't totally worn out, and hadn't even reached the wear sensors, but were only 1/8" or so away from making squealing sounds.
The rotors were fine without turning. (And I spent a decade working in the business.)
At least the '03 model HL HAS wear sensors, and I put them back on the new pads. If the pads have ever been changed they may no longer have wear sensors.
Maybe our car is unusual to have gone that far on a set of pads.
Phil
"I replaced our '03 HL front brakes a few months ago at about 95,000 miles only because of posts here. They weren't totally worn out, and hadn't even reached the wear sensors, but were only 1/8" or so away from making squealing sounds. "
I think how long brakes last has to do with the driver. My Aunt Tillie and my brother have the same year and model vehicle and he seems to wear out tires and brakes a lot more than she does.
Actually, 1/8" on a brake pad is huge. The friction part of new front brake pads are only 12mm (slightly less than half an inch) thick so at your rate of wear, 1/8" should last another 25,000 miles. The friction part of new rear brake pads are only 10mm thick and a lot smaller in other dimensions since the rear brakes do less work than the fronts.
Assuming normal traffic conditions, people who get lots of miles from a set of brakes often get better gas mileage too. They probably take their foot off the gas when they see a stop ahead and coast for a while instead of accelerating right up to the last moment and slamming on the brakes.
Here in Florida I try to time my driving with the lights so when I see a red light ahead I take my foot off the gas at the point where I think I will reach the light just when it changes to green. Most of the time somebody in another lane will accelerate past me, foot on the gas, and slam his brakes. If I have timed it right, I go cruising past him at the light since I didn't have to stop at all.
Okay I apologize. Before I get lots of hate emails, let me explain that I know my style of driving irritates a lot of people in a hurry. My defense is that I don't carry it to the extreme -- I don't coast along way slower than the speed limit for long distances and my timing is normally good. And if I do stop at a light I accelerate away faster than 90% of the other cars even though my Highlander is a 4 cylinder. Drivers in Florida are like cattle in a herd -- very slow to get started, way too fast once they get running and irrational about slowing down.
I realized I could've gone farther but I thought 95K miles was acceptable and I already had the first side apart with a box of pads at the ready.
I guess I drive like moonlight's aunt.
Phil
I am about to replace pads on my 2004 Kluger (Highlander) with 130,000km on it. That is 80,000 miles. IT is currently doing mostly city driving so I am pleasantly surprised but your point about driving to minimise braking reflects the fact that I also get about 10% better economy than government tests would suggest.
Cheers
Graham
Try going to my CarSpace album http://www.carspace.com/jrfiero/Albums/HLHeadlights . The actual headlight looked worse than the before picture, in my memory.
The covers had fogged enough that I was worried I wouldn’t pass safety inspection, due this month. I used a 3M headlight cleaning kit, ~$15 on sale at Advance Auto. It consists of a drill attachment with 500 and 800 grit sandpaper, a reusable pad with 3000 in its name so I assume it’s 3000 grit, a buffing pad, and rubbing compound.
The user needs to supply a drill with a speed setting of 1000-1600 (more on that later), masking tape, rags/paper towels, and water, best in a sprayer.
The instructions are good, the process is straightforward, it’s an easy job for a DIYer. After the 3rd of 4 steps, I stood back and said “wow.” Even if you did a lousy job, it would still be better than all fogged up.
The basic steps are: Remove the yellowing and discoloration with the 500 grit (kind scary), remove the 500 grit scratches with the 800 grit; remove the 800 scratches with the wet 3000 pad; polish with the buffing wheel and rubbing compound. Then wash the car.
I took me about an hour and a half, including looking all around for a water sprayer that actually sprayed, going in to get a beer, and not rushing anything.
Inspection sticker ON!
A few tips and comments.
The instructions tell the user to put two layers of 3M masking tape all around the headlight. This is really important – if you sand through the paint while trying to fix your headlights, you’ve just wasted all the money you were trying to save cleaning your headlights, IMHO. I just used blue masking tape. If you try to clean the headlight all the way out to its edges, you WILL hit that tape. Probably best to just come close to the edges.
Also, just open the hood rather than tape its edge – throw a towel over the engine compartment or you’ll get dust and sanding slurry in there.
The instructions say a drill speed less than 1000 rpm won’t work well, and that over 1600 risks burning the plastic headlight cover. Take heed – you CAN burn the plastic. I used a cordless Milwaukee with a range of 1000-1800, and on my second lens I was using the max speed with the 500 grit, and it started to melt little sections and redeposit them as brownish streaks. Easily removed with slower speed, but it’s fair warning.
The instructions also say, “More sanding at this step will make the next step easier.” Good advice, as any woodworker or refinisher will recognize. If you don’t get all the discoloration off with the 500 grit, it’ll be more difficult with the 800; if you don’t get all the 500 grit scratches out with the 800, it’s real hard with the 3000. Once you think, “that looks pretty good,” go over it again.
I suspect you could find some better polish than what’s in the little blister pac in the kit, but it works. They say to use a dime-sized amount, and don’t let the pad run dry. Go ahead, use a quarter size, these are big headlights. You’ll need to reapply it, also.
There is plenty of material in the kit – at least it was for me, your mileage may vary. Eight 500 grit discs, I used two; six 800 grit discs, I used two; I probably have more than half of the rubbing compound left. The 3000 grit pad is reusable, you use it with water, and it apparently stays sharp.
Don’t be fooled by reflections coming out of the light looking like scratches. If you do the work in sun, which I was doing, enjoying a beautiful 70 degree Virginia day after our really lousy winter, the reflections on the inside of the cover look like scratches – funny, you can’t polish ‘em out! Check your work without direct light.
Anyone else having trouble seeing the pics?
Now, someone try the gel toothpaste trick and see which works better.
Healing Hazy Headlamps
Note on the "after" shot - see those vertical white marks under and in front of the main headlight? They are reflections of the same stair railings which are reflected in the blue paint to the right of the headlight.
I need to bone up on my photography.
Check out Steve's link to Healing Hazy Headlights. Lots of alternatives.
Thanks for any help you can give.
"Leak detection pump (2AZ-FE engine). This pump performs fuel evaporation leakage check. This check is done approximately five hours after the engine is turned off. So you may hear sound coming from underneath the luggage compartment for several minutes. It does not indicate a malfunction."
Thanks,
Keith
I've got an '03 and have ZERO issues.
Sorry to hear about your troubles. My '03 is as your '04, totally trouble free (so far).
I know these subjects have come up before, and I searched for "oil consumption" and "pcv valve," but no definitive answers.
I was SHOCKED when my oil light briefly came on when braking to a stop, after a 1300+ mile trip at mostly 79mph. Two quarts of (very expensive) Mobil 1 from the convenience store got it up to a comfortable level.
So, there have been discussions of high speed oil consumption, and suggestions that the PCV valve was the culprit, but I couldn't find a conclusion that was the case. Anyone have a definitive answer?
I was going to ask, like ualdep did in 4857, where the pcv valve is, but in 8673, 8684, and 8687 of the generic Highlander discussion there is the answer. Supposed to be threaded into the block at the left rear (after Jan 2001). Since I bought mine in March 2001 it could easily be the earlier design, pushed into a grommet. I have the shop manual, I suppose I could look it up!
Thanks,
Jonas
I am a 2x Highlander owner and I am having problems with my 2006 Highlander with a rear end thudding noise when I am at highway speeds and turning to the right at highway speeds. I have 75,000 miles on my SUV, they have replaced the following and nothing has resolved the problem: rear end spindles and bushings, rear sway bar bushings, rear sway bar links. I am up to over $700 with no solution of the problem. Any thoughts out there?
bY THE WAY WOULD YOU HAVE AN IDEA HOW TO GET THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH TO WORK, MINE POPED OUT ONE DAY AND I PUSHED IT BACK IN AND NOW I HAVE NO CRUISE CONTROL .
Have YOU been diagnosing this problem yourself and then TELLING the dealer what needs to be replaced?
I worked enough years in the auto repair industry to know that if someone came in and told us what to repair/replace, we did it no matter whether or not it fixed the problem. If it didn't fix the problem, not our fault... totally the customer's responsibility.
If someone came in and said "this is the symptom I have, can you fix it?" then it was up to us to PROPERLY diagnose the problem, give an estimate, then when authorized, fix it. If we made a mistake diagnosing the problem, any incorrect repairs were our problem, not the customers.
Have the rules changed?
Phil
Also, replacing parts just because the customer asked for them to be replaced knowing it won't fix a problem would not be doing the customer a favor. Perhaps they received wrong information somewhere and just thought they really knew what would fix the problem.
Anyway, being as high strung and misinformed as you are, I hope you're not longer in the automobile repair business. You'd be doing all customers at your service center a big favor. Shame on you for not being more HELPFUL to your customers and informing them they're mistaken about what would or would not fix a problem.
However, if a customer is totally convienced they know what they're talking about and still insist on replacing parts even though you knew it wouldn't fix anything, then I would agree with you, otherwise, I'm glad I've never had you for a service advisor.
I also wanted the OP to understand how most, if not all, auto repair businesses operate with regards to someone coming in and saying "change this".
Sorry I'm so misinformed and high strung for your likes.
Phil
And no, the rules haven't changed about dealing with a service department. Since I started driving in '66, if you say do it, they'll do it and bill you for it without a second thought.
Except for the brake job I tried to get the dealer to do on an '06 Avalon before I sold it to a woman at work. They said it didn't need it and the original brakes were just fine. Go figure, 46k miles. It passed state inspection.