2019 2.0L Corolla (E210) Parking sensors

[pcjc]

Has anyone else experienced their parking sensor mounting frames coming un-stuck from the inside of their bumper?

Of course, my dealer says "non-warranty" when I first approached them about this at a routine service, when one sesnsor was loose.  I made a temporary restraint with some electrical tape until it can be looked at properly.

A second sensor fell somewhat last week, and whilst in for another issue (exhaust), my wonderful local dealer looks, sees "all your sensors are rear parking sensors are held on with tape", and declares it must have been repaired at a body shop (with shoddy workmanship). They then don't want anything to know about it, as regards a manufacturing fault, and have quoted four new rear sensors required (emphasising that this is non-warranty).

I'm an engineer, and did not agree with the dealers viewpoint on this, so took the car to an independent garage (more worthwhile than just pulling it apart myself). We put it on the ramps together, and inspected (no bumper removal required). Our local (and well respected) specialist detailed the required repair, which would be cleaning - then re-attaching (probably with adhesion promotor and glue to upgrade the factory VHB tape), then re-installing the original, perfectly functional parking sensors.

He mentioned parking in the sun can sometimes soften the adhesive, and somtimes sensors aren't properly adhered from factory. His opinion was a definate warranty repair - although I'm increasingly skeptical Toyota will do quality work even if they agree. My independent (Ferrari specialist) only wants an estimated 2 hours labour (£130+vat)  to fix this thoroughly - but if this is a manufacturing problem (warranty), why should I pay out of my own pocket to get it done right?

 

Anyone got any thoughts as to why the dealers are going to great lengths to avoiding admitting warranty problems, given they will get paid by Toyota if the issue is covered? Really feel that they aren't making the experience of having a faulty Toyota any better. Should have gone with my gut and bought a pure electric (non Toyota of course, since they don't make EVs).

Thoughts so far I've heard (from various industry people, inside and outside the Toyota world)...

1. Warranty paperwork is laborious and time-consuming, so they may avoid it.

2. Labor rate is far lower when they do warranty work, so they would rather bill it to the customer where possible.

3. Speculation that there is dishonesty at play, and that some dealers might bill the customer _AND_ submit the warranty claim.

 

[Roy124]

Useful to know 

[TonyHSD]

16 minutes ago, pcjc said:

Has anyone else experienced their parking sensor mounting frames coming un-stuck from the inside of their bumper?

Of course, my dealer says "non-warranty" when I first approached them about this at a routine service, when one sesnsor was loose.  I made a temporary restraint with some electrical tape until it can be looked at properly.

A second sensor fell somewhat last week, and whilst in for another issue (exhaust), my wonderful local dealer looks, sees "all your sensors are rear parking sensors are held on with tape", and declares it must have been repaired at a body shop (with shoddy workmanship). They then don't want anything to know about it, as regards a manufacturing fault, and have quoted four new rear sensors required (emphasising that this is non-warranty).

I'm an engineer, and did not agree with the dealers viewpoint on this, so took the car to an independent garage (more worthwhile than just pulling it apart myself). We put it on the ramps together, and inspected (no bumper removal required). Our local (and well respected) specialist detailed the required repair, which would be cleaning - then re-attaching (probably with adhesion promotor and glue to upgrade the factory VHB tape), then re-installing the original, perfectly functional parking sensors.

He mentioned parking in the sun can sometimes soften the adhesive, and somtimes sensors aren't properly adhered from factory. His opinion was a definate warranty repair - although I'm increasingly skeptical Toyota will do quality work even if they agree. My independent (Ferrari specialist) only wants an estimated 2 hours labour (£130+vat)  to fix this thoroughly - but if this is a manufacturing problem (warranty), why should I pay out of my own pocket to get it done right?

 

Anyone got any thoughts as to why the dealers are going to great lengths to avoiding admitting warranty problems, given they will get paid by Toyota if the issue is covered? Really feel that they aren't making the experience of having a faulty Toyota any better. Should have gone with my gut and bought a pure electric (non Toyota of course, since they don't make EVs).

Thoughts so far I've heard (from various industry people, inside and outside the Toyota world)...

1. Warranty paperwork is laborious and time-consuming, so they may avoid it.

2. Labor rate is far lower when they do warranty work, so they would rather bill it to the customer where possible.

3. Speculation that there is dishonesty at play, and that some dealers might bill the customer _AND_ submit the warranty claim.

 

All points 1, 2 and 3 are very likely. Many main dealers are worse than a shoddy local garage, or pretty much the same . 👍

[FROSTYBALLS]

Then again unless they were told beforehand that the temporary tape repairs were done by yourself to secure the sensors in advance of a warranty claim, it may not have resulted in the dealer refusing to treat the issue as a warranty claim.

Try another dealer, but explain what you've done before they investigate.

[Rambler56]

49 minutes ago, pcjc said:

1. Warranty paperwork is laborious and time-consuming, so they may avoid it.

2. Labor rate is far lower when they do warranty work, so they would rather bill it to the customer where possible.

3. Speculation that there is dishonesty at play, and that some dealers might bill the customer _AND_ submit the warranty claim.

 

Service departments generally try to avoid getting bogged down with warranty work wherever possible as it 'costs' the garage.  As Mike says, what you say/show to a service manager/department can have a direct effect on their reaction to your issue, any loophole may be exploited to refuse warranty work.  If unhappy with a dealer response try a different dealer, or log a 'polite' complaint with Toyota UK and state the facts, what you said, who they were, what they said/did, and ask what they are prepared to do (you had an independent report with confirmed findings, did that cost you? Raise that in your complaint).  Service centre advisors are generally trained not to accept warranty liability unless instructed to do so e.g. JLR have a documented oil dilution problem with certain engines but are not allowed to use the W word with customers and pass off the additional oil change work as a goodwill gesture.

Edited September 28, 2021 by Rambler56
missed a word out

[AndrueC]

My boss had this happen recently to his TS. I've had to use some duct tape to hold one of my rear number plate lights in.

[RabButler]

I have just fitted mudflaps to my TS and while this is a simple-ish job it would be quite easy to unseat the rear side sensor as it is very close to the wheel arch liner. I looked up the procedure on YouTube because the single sheet of instructions with the bag of bits is inadequate and actually wrong regarding the front mudflaps. The good news is that the mudflaps do seem to reduce the muck on the back and sides of the car.

[pcjc]

An update, in interest of transparency...

I took the bumper off the vehicle myself, and actually agree with my dealer... it has clearly been repainted (or replaced) at some point, with the old parking sensors pulled off the original bumper, then re-stuck with non-OEM double-sided tape. This was onto a mix of un-cleaned, or un-adhesion promoted bumper surface, and in a couple of places - paint overspray, so no wonder the sensors fell out!

The bumper wasn't even fitted properly, with one of the mounting brackets under the rear light improperly fitted (it is supposed to interlock with the rear light), and a trim piece behind the boot lid held on with glue (to mask a broken clip).

The bad news, is the dealer we bought the car from has no history logged of the bumper being replaced or repainted, despite being a demo-car within their group since first registration. Oh well... it can be fixed for the cost of some mounting ultrasonic sensor brackets... IF I can find the part numbers!

 

[Devon Aygo]

PM your chassis number and I can find them for you

[Cyker]

I've been finding that if you need anything done other than routine servicing, DO NOT go to your dealer first, unless you know they are good and will look after you.

Every time I've gone to my local Jemca first for something, they either overcharge me, give me bad advice or generally won't do what I want them to do.

I started requesting things via the main Toyota customer service and Jemca main office e-mail addresses, and they seem to magically cut through the numerous hurdles the dealer always tries to put in - Case in point: I asked them to action a specific TSB on the car during a service on the Mk2 but they just didn't, so I asked them afterwards and they insisted they couldn't action a TSB without doing a diagnostic, which of course is chargeable, and I would need to leave the car with them for 3 days, but they assured the diagnostic fee would be refunded if a problem was found.

Since, as I've mentioned before, their diagnostic skills have so far been on par with that of a dead tree stump, I knew they would just say nothing is wrong and that'll be £150 please. I e-mailed Jemca's CS e-mail instead, explained very clearly what I wanted to happen and why I didn't want them to do a useless diagnostic, and lo and behold it was booked in for that TSB on a saturday, no diagnostic fee and just 30 minutes labour.

It just seems if you can get the job sent down from on high, rather than dealing with the service department directly, they are more likely to co-operate.