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My Tacoma headlight saga....

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TR6BILL

Luke Skywalker
Offline
Yes, I convinced Toyota of America to replace my headlight assemblies (the running lights melted by too hot a bulb for '09). Made an appointment today (Friday) after which the area dealership said they would have the assemblies in. Sooo, I dropped off the truck at 7:00 am when they opened, gave them my cell number to call when finished. My wife met me and we went to Lowes and other stores. After 2 and a half hours, I went back to pick up the truck. They had just pulled the grill off! And I was first in line, with an appointment, yet! Plus, they had only gotten one of the two assemblies in stock. You think they would have told me this, they were going to install the one headlight. I was PO'ed to say the least! I said just put the grill back on and when the other assembly comes in, call me and I will buy both (I have to pay first and submit the paid invoice to Toyota in Cal. to be reimbursed.) I will have my local bodyman install the headlight as Toyota will not pay for the labor. I lost half a day for nothing. The dealership is 30 miles from my home.

What are people thinking?
 
This kind of stuff is just TOO typical nowadays. Really P****s me off!! Service is basically gone forever.
 
TR6BILL said:
Yes, I convinced Toyota of America to replace my headlight assemblies (the running lights melted by too hot a bulb for '09). Made an appointment today (Friday) after which the area dealership said they would have the assemblies in. Sooo, I dropped off the truck at 7:00 am when they opened, gave them my cell number to call when finished. My wife met me and we went to Lowes and other stores. After 2 and a half hours, I went back to pick up the truck. They had just pulled the grill off! And I was first in line, with an appointment, yet! Plus, they had only gotten one of the two assemblies in stock. You think they would have told me this, they were going to install the one headlight. I was PO'ed to say the least! I said just put the grill back on and when the other assembly comes in, call me and I will buy both (I have to pay first and submit the paid invoice to Toyota in Cal. to be reimbursed.) I will have my local bodyman install the headlight as Toyota will not pay for the labor. I lost half a day for nothing. The dealership is 30 miles from my home.

What are people thinking?
Click to expand...

Bill, you gave them your cell number and said to call when it was ready. So I assume you went back after 2 and a half hours because they had called you saying it was ready?

Not sure I understand "Made an appointment today (Friday) after which the area dealership said they would have the assemblies in." So you confirmed that they had the two assemblies before you went in, right?

Also, if Toyota will not pay for the labor, then why did you make an appointment anyway? Seems like just stopping by to pick up the parts - after you confirmed they have them both - would have been a lot simpler.

What am I missing?

Tom
 
TR6BILL said:
, After 2 and a half hours, I went back to pick up the truck. They had just pulled the grill off! I was first in line, with an appointment, yet! Plus, they had only gotten one of the two assemblies in stock. You think they would have told me this, labor. I lost half a day for nothing.

What are people thinking?
Click to expand...

Sounds like a trip to the doctor rahter than a dealer. :laugh:


Looks like gettin' your truck fixed is just like pullin' teeth. :jester:
 
If this is a warranty repair, should they not cover labor as well?
 
Still waiting for Bill to reply to our earlier questions.

Sometimes it's frustrating to read a member's troubles, but then we get no responses when we try to understand, and ask about the details.

:crazyeyes:

T.
 
It is not that complicated. Toyota dealership said they could easily get both headlight assemblies in in a few days. So, I made an appointment 8 days later. They were wrong, only one headlight came in and they assumed I would be happy having only one installed and come back another day for the other. Like I have better things to do than drive a 60 mile round trip, twice, and sit around for half a day. They should have called me right away when they discovered (parts department and service department don't communicate very well, it seems) they only had the one in. To make it worse, the mechanic had only begun my repair. He and the service department got a good chastising from me when I came back 2.5 hours later. One phone call to say they screwed up and needed the other headlight would have made me ok. Yes, Toyota of America agreed to replace both units, parts only ($600) and the local dealership agreed to discount the labor from $85/hour to $70/hour. So that is why I decided to let them do it. Now I will just pick and pay for both units when I pass that way in a week (have a doctor's appointment in the next city over). The dealership is on the highway to where I need to go. Strangely, my local bodyman repaired my Tacoma after a parking lot hit and run a few months ago. Using original Toyota parts, new rear fender, new taillight assembly, and new rear bumper, plus painting, in less than 2 days!

Make sense fellas?
 
Oh, and the reason this is not warranty repair as such, my truck is now 14,000 miles over warranty. I discovered the glitch in the '09 Tacoma forums on the net and dug up a Toyota service bulletin to that effect. After much complaining, in a nice way, they finally had agreed to pay for two new assemblies. But not the labor.
 
Now, could someone please explain the <span style="font-weight: bold">meaning of life</span> to me?
 
The meaning of life:

My favorite line, from Woody Allen's 1983 movie "Zelig" -

On his deathbed, Morris Zelig tells his son that life is a meaningless nightmare of suffering, and the only advice he gives him is to save string.

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For some, that pretty much sums it up, eh?

Tom
 
TR6BILL said:
Now, could someone please explain the <span style="font-weight: bold">meaning of life</span> to me?
Click to expand...

42
 
Having worked as a service writer for a dealership (for only a short time) I can tell you this.

When you make an appointment, it is to talk with the service writer, not to have the work done.(I got into a heated discussion with the service manager about this, and that is part of the reason I left).

The service writer is not told if the part came in. It is up to the parts dept. to call.

Talk to the service manager, tell him if they do not satisfy you, you will contact Toyota. They are very concerned with CSI (Customer satisfaction Index). Dealers are dinged when there is a complaint. Follow through.
 
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