Any Advice!

[Norn Iron]

Hi folks, I got the dreaded news on sat that the head gasket on my SR180 is on its way out! I understand this is a common fault, and thanks to the info on the forum, I was aware of the rextended warranty. The guy in the Toyota dealers couldn't have been more helpful however, my car is under the 7yrs but I don't have the previous service history. I've got all my Toyota reciepts and there's a service logged on their computer from 10k, (there's now 82k). Has anyone any advice? I was for phoning Toyota GB to try and argue my case and plead for sympathy but cant even find a number!

[FROSTYBALLS]

What has your Toyota dealer said about the goodwill warranty (it is not an extended warranty) - are they going to approach Toyota?

[Norn Iron]

Thanks for the correction, he said because there's 82k on the car they need 8 service stamps or receipts to ensure proper maintenance of the vehicle. From what I can gather he had approached Toyota whilst I was there. I'm a bit confused as the owners manual states the service light only comes on every 25k miles, if that's the case why should there be 8 stamps? I'm maybe wrong, I'm definitely no expert but surely if its a common fault and they provided a goodwill warranty and the car is eliglble why not just fix it!! I've tried to track down the previous owner but no success. The car is English so cant even track down the garage where the 1st service was performed.

[FROSTYBALLS]

Servicing on Toyota cars is every twelve months or 10,000 miles, whichever occurs first.

So if the car does less than 10,000 miles in a year, it should be serviced on the time basis (every 12 months).

If the car does more than 10,000 miles in a year, it should be serviced on the mileage basis - every 10,000 miles.

Have you got any other evidence of the service history - invoices from VAT registered garages, etc - to show that it has been serviced according to Toyota guidelines.

If you do contact Toyota GB directly - see https://www.toyota.co.uk/contactus

bear in mind the warranty is goodwill - so to get the best outcome you don't really want to be too demanding, argumentative, etc, just polite and to the point .......

[Norn Iron]

Thanks for setting me straight on the servicing. I may be wasting my time but its well worth a try. The Toyota dealer quoted me in and around £800 to get the gasket fixed! But as you say politeness and manners are probably the only way forward, I'm at their mercy at the end of the day. Again, thanks for all your pointers.

[FROSTYBALLS]

The Toyota dealer quoted me in and around £800 to get the gasket fixed!

Not sure whether you have already seen the following - http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/132178-charliefarlies-guide-to-the-toyota-2ad-diesel-engine-and-its-issues/

With the head gasket problem, the usual solution is a factory re-built 3/4 engine.

I'd be inclined to check with the dealer what their fix is for the head gasket, as, from other posts, I understand the head cannot be skimmed. I'd also ask them to look at the Technical Service Bulletin mentioned in the first post of the topic I provided the link for. If you're not happy with their answer then, I'd speak to Toyota GB.

[Mistermena]

You could Go find a garage and give them £100 to stamp your book up! Oops!... Did i just say what I was thinking?...Bugger it! If you've got receipts for service items! It would suggest the car had to be maintained.

[TomdeGuerre]

I don't know what this fixation with service book being stamped has to do with cylinder head gasket failure. I remember Honda had the same issue. I could see the point of it if the cylinder head bolts required re-torqueing at prescribed intervals and this was done during a service but otherwise? If the car has been overheating or if the oil & filter has not been changed then this will be self-evident once the engine has been stripped. I once had a Ford car towed into the garage with the big ends gone and the driver insisted there was plenty of oil in it but found out he had only added the oil AFTER the big ends had gone.

[FROSTYBALLS]

I don't know what this fixation with service book being stamped has to do with cylinder head gasket failure.

Its an easy way of determining whether the car has been serviced at the right intervals. As far as I'm aware, with the head gasket/oil consumption issues, Toyota are looking for a reasonable service history - not necessarily a Toyota dealer service history.

[Parts-King]

I don't know what this fixation with service book being stamped has to do with cylinder head gasket failure.

It has nothing to do with it whatsoever!

What is has to do with is GOODWILL. If Toyota are going to carry out a major repair, they also want to see some goodwill on your behalf. If you have taken the time to have your car serviced, especially within the dealer network, then their will be goodwill by both parties. FSH is worth it's weight in gold if and when you want to make an out of warranty claim

[TomdeGuerre]

Correct, it's got nothing to do with it. In other words no amount of servicing will compensate for a latent defect in an engine. I don't see Toyota as a benevolent paternalistic figure offering goodwill gestures.

Why is it that some Service Bulletins contain the instruction that they are only to be embodied IF the customer complains? How many owners will be fobbed off before they come up against an uncompromising one who is sure of his ground and demands satisfaction? If there's a deficiency they should be upfront about it instead of looking at the cost.

As to your comment that FSH is worth its weight in gold when you want to make an out of warranty claim, I know guys in the taxi trade and the motor trade who can get service books stamped without any problem. A few months ago one I know had his VW DSG gearbox fixed out of warranty with such a book.

[FROSTYBALLS]

An example of a manufacturer accepting only their dealer network service history for out of warranty repairs is BMW/Mini. When their timing chain problems with some engines were featured on BBC Watchdog, their public stance was that if the vehicle had a BMW/Mini service history, they would make a contribution towards out-of-warranty repairs.

Certainly with the AD engine problems, Toyota adopted a more lenient approach.

At the end of the day, beyond the new vehicle warranty, no manufacturer is obliged to help with out-of-warranty repairs, whatever the circumstances.

[Mike169]

Hi, you may find this email address handy to discuss your problem customer.relations@tgb.toyota.co.uk Good luck!

Mike

[Parts-King]

Why is it that some Service Bulletins contain the instruction that they are only to be embodied IF the customer complains? How many owners will be fobbed off before they come up against an uncompromising one who is sure of his ground and demands satisfaction?

As to your comment that FSH is worth its weight in gold when you want to make an out of warranty claim, I know guys in the taxi trade and the motor trade who can get service books stamped without any problem. A few months ago one I know had his VW DSG gearbox fixed out of warranty with such a book.

Firstly, dealers (any dealer of any manufacturer) are not allowed to actively seek out warranty work, manufacturers are not cash cows whereby we just bill them for warranty work. One of the things we need is a signed job card with the specific customer complaint, that is why you see the note about if the customer complains

FSH has little to do with the illegal activity of filling in a service record book. We access the general Toyota dealer service history and would look at that. If your service record book showed a full service history OUTSIDE of the dealer network, you may well be asked for receipts, not a glance at a fraudulent service book.

[Mistermena]

I'd still give it a go! Ooppssss!.... Did I just say what I thought again! Lol. :)

[Mistermena]

No really!... You should never do that! It's wrong! And they're against it! And it makes you a very bad person! DON'T DO IT. :)

[ToyotaAuris]

When my Versos engine seized in because of a known problem excessive oil consumption, Toyota couldent care less, it has full service with Toyota, yet they still refused. then 2 days later (coincidence), the car turned 7 years old and they dident accept any liability.

[FROSTYBALLS]

As far as I'm aware the 1ZZFE engine as fitted to the Corolla Verso, Verso and Avensis wasn't provided with the same 7 year goodwill warranty as the AD series engines,

[ToyotaAuris]

it has 7 yr extended warranty

[TomdeGuerre]

So after paying for 7 years extended warranty and 7 years of very expensive Toyota dealer servicing when you encountered a known problem you were refused any claim and just left hung out to dry. That's some goodwill from Toyota isn't it? It certainly puts to rest the myth about a full Toyota service history being worth its weight in gold.

[TomdeGuerre]

By the way, just how long is it before I'm allowed the privilege of being able to use the "quote" button on this board?

[Parts-King]

So after paying for 7 years extended warranty and 7 years of very expensive Toyota dealer servicing when you encountered a known problem you were refused any claim and just left hung out to dry. That's some goodwill from Toyota isn't it? It certainly puts to rest the myth about a full Toyota service history being worth its weight in gold.

Not the way I read it, the poster did not have a 2AD engined car did he? There must have been a good reason for it being refused.......like not being part of that campaign, IE, not the affected engine

[ToyotaAuris]

So after paying for 7 years extended warranty and 7 years of very expensive Toyota dealer servicing when you encountered a known problem you were refused any claim and just left hung out to dry. That's some goodwill from Toyota isn't it? It certainly puts to rest the myth about a full Toyota service history being worth its weight in gold.

Not the way I read it, the poster did not have a 2AD engined car did he? There must have been a good reason for it being refused.......like not being part of that campaign, IE, not the affected engine

well, the car drunk 1 ltr oil every 350-400 miles. It was a 54 plate 2004 Verso so it was affected. The Toyota service history is worthless, they dident care. Well shows alot, wasted all that money to Toyota for servicing and got nothing from it. Thats a lesson to be learnt, go to independent garage and dont get ripped off.

[TomdeGuerre]

Just what I though TA and I'm sorry you had to find out the hard way. It's tough when you get left like that, makes you feel like Don Quixotic tilting at a very large oriental windmill and that's the way Toyota prefers it. What did you do about the engine anyway, did you replace it or get rid of the car?

[ToyotaAuris]

well its such an amazing car so have to keep it lol. Getting new engine with about 40k miles on it even though cars mileage is 160k!!! Was better off with new car but its really good car.