Full Service

[tarquin]

Hi all

Just had a full sevice under my service plan with MR T. Thought this morning i would have a look at tbe cabin filter. Low and behold its fully clogged up. Looking down the inspection sheet it shows it as an Air conditioning filter and i assume that translates to Cabin filter in tbe service booklet. It is ticked as inspected as that is the only option on the tick sheet. But in the service booklet it says this item should be R for replaced on a full service. So if the Technican is only presented with the tick sheet , no one would get it changed out as part of a full service!!

I am returning this morning to see what they say

David

[sweet-dentist]

I agree David... on my sheet it did not say anything about this filter... there was no mention of replacing the intake air-filter . .. but is was replaced.

About the airco filter... could not find/inspect this... but during its full-service there was a "free" air-conditioning inspection... they asked me if I wanted this... as I hesitated , they said.. " but it is a free service sir" ??? Why... Where is the catch?

It is very unclear what is done during the 'full' service... is it inspected or is it replaced... do they inspect AND replace...do they inspect and replace only when THEY think it's necessary?

Cause it says the same for the sparks...but they are not changed.... 4th year service (or 60.000 kilometers) ...

PS On the manual it shows where the airco-filter is situated for inspection...but on that place in my iQ there is no slot or opening or inspection thing?

[Hicardo]

You can of course tell them at any time to replace this or that, regardless of whether its on the job sheet - but then i suppose the reason the job sheet and service schedule is supposed to work is for the non technical amongst us, who entrust everything to them (Mr T)

[tarquin]

Ok this is interesting

The reason it was not changed is that Toyota the manufacturer have updated the service book to make the cabin filter a inspection item and with the offer to replace it at the cost to the customer. So mine is a 2009 model. Check your service manual on mine it says to replace it on a full service and just to inspect it on intermediate service

Basically , if you dont have it as a replacement on your full service in your service manual then its at cost to you for replacement

David

[aaronfife]

This is why I get a local mechanic to do my services or I do them myself. Wouldn't trust anyone, especially main dealers. They will try everything in the book to mug you and do little as possible.

But I do understand some people want a fully stamped 'Toyota' service book so personal choice :)

[Grumpy stumpy]

Surely if it says inspect only then it should have been removed , blown out if dirty and refitted ? You have to at least look at it if it says inspect! Then they could of said it's pretty bad do you want to replace it.

My daughters iq had main dealer service and cabin filter wasn,t replaced but was dirty so just bought one and fitted but found it strange at time wasn't done by them.

[johnan]

In all my years of IQ ownership, and service plans, I have never had an a/c filter checked or changed by MrT, even though it is supposed to have been at least checked.

I know this because I have had a piece of anti rattle wadding blocking the filter removal, which has not been touched.

I have bought my own filter and changed it myself.

So if you didn't know to do that, some time down the line the system would become in operative and you would have to take it to MrT to fix it.......ching, ching...

It really is quite depressing how unreliable dealer servicing has become, yet is supposed to be a necessity.

[tarquin]

O am very friendly with the dealer and the spares dept. in this instance the front pads were down to 2mm. Now the normal cost for replacement is £95 but they let me have them at trade price and fitted them for free so was £25.35. I did point out that the filter, although ticked was not inspected. They conceded what i said was true and didnt have an answer for it only to say that they do tick through the list of inspections quick, then follow them up by physically looking and its possible they forgot. My view is that the filter is a bit buried and save money by not checking it and if they did , having to clear up the mess it makes when you pull it out.

My post was really to make people aware to look in the service book to see if toyota have printed to replace it on a full service. If its there its replaced free.

David

[sweet-dentist]

After my last "full-service" I noticed some things when I came home...

1. There was no hanging "doorknobhangerthing" hanging at the mirror...the one who normally says... [the service was done by jack and inspection was done by Mr.T." or such]..

2. The radio was turned on.. on some dumb broadcast... 538 or such.. :-( I hate music and I expect that the car is kind of "reseted" like a new car... SO wipers off / airco off / lights off / radio off.

3. In the rear of the car...my always neat and tidy place was a battlefield ..... after a war.... all tangled and not put straight...and the box in the back did not have the screws left and right refitted..

I know they inspected the sparewheelgunckslimestuff.... so they have been there...

4. I opened the air-intake..to look at the filter... It was replaced .... but with a black (dirty hand) mark on it... that's not how I would treat a car. Air-filters are bright white and not already dirty... :-(

It got me kind of grumpy... sooo ....

.......................

I phoned about after a week... got a friendly lady (Ruth, the lady I was welcomed when I brought the car there) and told her all this.. I mentioned that they are a Toyota AND a Lexus dealer and that this is not a good sign to there customers...

I knew about some people (high up?) were ill and at home... but this was no excuse she said......

She said she would contact the 'bosses' about this...was very friendly and had a listening ear... I told her she was a pearl in this world... and for this company!!!

We called this "learning-moments" :-) :-D

Anyways... after a week... look what came in.... WOW...

Apologies ... and YES I am satisfied about this...

[tarquin]

Peter

Agh 538khz beloved Radio Veronica and should the flowers not have been Tulips?

Ha Ha

David

[bobkneale]

I personally see Toyota's service listings as "minimum requirement" you should "in my view" make your own decisions regarding extra items that you are prepared to pay more for. whether they are a nessacary requirement is of course a matter of debate.

I chose to get the pollen filter replaced (it was very dirty) and new spark plugs at 40,000 miles even though they were not due for replacement.

I also reccomend you ask them to provide all the old filters and parts they have replaced, that way you can be more certain they have been replaced and also inspect their condition yourself afterwards, then throw them away.

Toyota did mention to me that my aircon had no record of any service, I chose not to get anything done to it as it was working OK.

As part of the service check sheet you also should get the Oil level before the Oil change, plus a record of tyre tread depths and brake pad wear amounts left, if no brake pad changes were made.

Plus a copy of all the items checked during the service.

I also mark "various" nuts and bolts with a felt marker so I can see that they have been removed and then replaced, as a extra check for certain items.

Bottom line is you get what you ask for and can then confirm what you are prepared to verify and audit yourself.

This process should apply to anyone who is performing the service for you not just Toyota.

All standard practice in my view.

[tarquin]

Thanks Bob

I know the front pads were replaced and all wheels off because they put a kind of copper grease between the wheel and the hub i suspect to stop the alloy wheels getting stuck on. Cant guarantee the brake fluid was changed although it was changed on the recall. Oil looks new. Filter is new. Part of the test is the seatbelt alarm, which i have software turned off the drivers seat, but there was no mention of it just ticked ok the only reason i let them do it , is because i have a service plan

David