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Comments
The breaking of the sensor by the "technician" is nothing more than poor workmanship and carelessness.
Here is a general rule to follow - "Never take your car to the same place where you can buy clothes".
More later, I am sure.
It is very likely it was caused by the computer reprogramming. Most dealers when they reprogram the ECM for ANY REASON usually test drive the car for just these circumstances.
After all, how many of us install new software, clean our hard drive only to affect something else on our own home computers?
Same thing.
If I had it to do over, I would have tried to get a price for the tires with mount/balance from the dealer or have bought the tires only from Sears and then had the dealer handle the mount/balance. Even the dealer's tire people can accidently break a sensor (and have, per the dealer's assistance service manager) but they have the know-how to replace the part and handle the necessary reprogramming - which not any other tire dealer is likely to be able to do.
Tire Store (West Coast area tire places) and they were familiar with the TPMS.
They mounted and balanced 4 tires and didn't break anything!
Glad everything worked out for you!
P.S. - that environmental charge...when no solvents, rags, oil, was used?
BOGUS!
DQ
The filter is on the top, so that looks fairly easy. I'm curious about the oil drain plug. Do you need to remove any of the skid plates to get to it?
By the way, I don't own a 4Runner, at least not yet. But I'm real serious about buying a new one.
My dummy light came on in my 2000 4Runner. Coolant sensor malfunction. Can anyone point me to it's exact location? I thought it would be near the gooseneck, but I am not seeing it. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!
Did you ever get the Lexus part installed and did that fix it?
Just bought a 1998 4runner 4cylinder with 120k miles. Everything seems to be working except for a slight rattle in the rear end (any ideas? ).. Also I got the extended warranty, but was wondering if it is really necessary for a 4runner at this mileage?
All std. maintenance was done on the truck through the dealer (got records).. Anyway, it I got a 2 year 24k warranty on everything (not just powertrain), a level II through western general, for about $2k...
Any experience with this company? Is the warranty really needed? Reading this board suggests otherwise as a lot of people seem to have high mileage late 90s 4runners that are still running with minimal problems...
Cheers,
Simon
While I am at it, how does one determine the thread size?
Thanks for any help
--bob
Regards, DQ
Honestly a piece of cake to do.
Thanks for your reply. I'm new to the Toyota brand. For some reason I had it in my head that the dealer had to change the oil and do the various inspections outlined in the maintenance schedule in order to keep the warranty valid. But the dealer assured me such is not the case.
I've enjoyed changing the oil in my own vehicles for years, not necessarily to save a few bucks, but because I've heard too many horror stories from friends who took their cars to quick lube places.
I'll still take it in to the dealer from time to time, especially for things like checking the differential, but it's nice to know I can do the oil changes myself when I feel like it.
So as I was writing this, I wondered if the dealer sells a "how to" maintenance manual specific to 4Runners, and gave the Parts Department a call. The "manual" they sell is actually a group of about 10 maintenance manuals put out by Helms in California (not by Toyota) at a cost of about $300-$400. He suggested I try to find a more general purpose Haynes manual, or something similar, at a retail auto parts store (like NAPA).
V8 Limited. Problem with clunking stopping and starting, along with hard shift after stopping and when starting. If you would be able to forward any additional info you have reguarding your researched info on the driveline replacement it would be very helpful when I return to the dealership. They told me that the tech drove it and it felt fine, even with the computer hooked up - thanks for listening.
Good luck!
Thanks
In addition to that, I would make sure it has a complete compression check and make sure you or some one who is qualified put it up on a rack and have a real close look at the frame, etc.
In short, this is basic stuff you should do to any high-miles used car before you buy it.
Good luck!
ty .
"Our advice is to always have any pre-owned vehicle you intend to buy inspected by both a mechanic and a body shop. The cost of these inspections is cheap insurance and will give you piece of mind that what you are buying is actually worth your hard earned money, and is a safe purchase."
Certified Pre-Owned: Don't Let The Label Fool You
Obviously not all horror stories will be as bad as this one, but buyer beware.
Well, yeah, it has 140,000 miles on it! How much they want for this jewel? Who is selling it? Private, Reputable dealer, metal lot?
I have a 97 Limited with that i bought new and its still my daily driver today (~160k miles now). In 2000, i prepped it so i could go wheeling with my buds in the So Cal. Jeep club; 3 inch lift front and back, onboard air, etc... Its cool when i run in the desert with my buds, especially the ones with the open tops. They razz my but they eat dust while i'm crusing with my Big Gulp, A/C and CD.
I can honestly say that this is the least problematic vehicle i own. In fact, i had to take my new GS430 back to the dealer a few times to fix NHV problems.
Give me a shout and i can go over all the details regarding maintenance and issues with you.
-vince
need to by junk tailgate - mine is a 1998 - what other year tailgates would fit.
(old work truck - anything works)
and/or - how would i go about straightening out the bent frame around the window.
thnaks
I looked around the dash and under the hood but must have missed it.
I have something of an intersting question to ponder regarding radiator flushing.. Tonight (yes, I know, big Friday night) I flushed the cooling system in my 2003 4Runner V6. I've done this before of course in the past, but tonight something occured to me. So you drain the radiator, thoroughly flush the system with distilled water, run the engine so the thermostat opens and circulates the water through the block, etc etc. Fill, circulate, drain.. standard stuff, right? Okay, so now to add the coolant. What do you add? 50/50 mixture of course, everyone knows that. But hold on, you're only going to be filling the radiator. Yes, you're going to run the engine to get the air bubbles out and do a little more topping off, but volume wise just the radiator. What about in the block? That's 100% water now from the flushing process. I did a little experimenting and researching online and found that my radiator capacity is about 1 gallon and the total cooling system is almost 2.5 gallons. So I'm adding a 50/50 mixture to less than half of the total system volume. After all the fluid mixes, I now have at best a 20/80 coolant/water ratio. What am I missing here? Heck, even the back of the coolant container gave me the usual drill about flushing, running water through, running the engine, blah blah, and then filling (the radiator) with 50/50. I can't seriously be the first person to think of this. I even called my car buddies and they were equally "huh, didn't think of that" Everyone just thinks 50/50, 50/50, 50/50.
So I ended up filling my radiator with full concentrate coolant. If I really wanted 50/50 whole system mix, that was the thing to do. Right? I know I over think things (a lot), but I know cars faily well, and I can do the math here..
Does anyone have any thoughts on this? I'm really curious to know. So much so, that its 1am on Friday night and I'm still thinking about it!
Thanks in advance. --Eric
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
Grease Monkey took me down underneath my 04' 4-Runner to show me that whoever changed my oil last put the wrong plug back in the transfer case plug hole and stripped the threads. My transfer case has also been leaking because of this. I called my dealer and they said $3,500 to fix, because there is no way to repair the hole. One plug. Unbelievable. I called a japanese repair shop and they said that there has got to be a creative way to fix it. Grease Monkey said I'm ok as long as I stay out of 4-wheel drive. I'm taking it to this japanese repair shop on Monday but wanted to see if anyone had any similar experiences, thoughts, or suggestions...Thank you...
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
I had a flat this week and swapped the tire out with the spare which is also the matching rim. The spare that has never been exposed to car cleaner is the worst rim of all, so it can't be the car cleaner.
Is there anyone else out there with this problem and/or any recommendations for getting the dealer to replace my rims? The truck currently has 45,000 miles.
Thanks! Alex
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
I've gotten some vague answers from a couple of dealerships.
( I know this 'aint inexpensive to do !)
Also, How many '03 and '04 owners reading this have actually had their timing belts replaced already ?
I didn't specify that in the previous message !
The V8 engine used in the 4Runner is known as the 2UZ-FE..
It uses a timing belt, and Toyota's recommended interval for changing
this belt is 90,000 miles, which means I've got about 10,000 miles left to go
before I have to shell out those bucks..
ponytrekker, you've got a ways to go before you hit the 90k mi. mark, I would assume. But don't assume you're engine has a chain.
If the belt goes (and there's no warning when it's about to) you will be doing some fairly costly damage to your top end.
The (newer) V6 uses a chain, though !
Heck, if I had known that when I bought my truck, it might have swayed my decision between the two engines. But the V-8 is sweet.