Took vehicle for routine check to dealership. Was told power steering rack and pinion needed replacement due to some fluid leak. Extended warranty expired in April 2013. $2,000 repair costs. Had complained to same Toyota service department back in March of 2013 about "bouncing" sensation at low speeds. No problems found then. Now this issue comes up. Toyota service department says it is not related to rack and pinion issue. Warranty or Toyota Motor Co. not willing to budge. Also had alignment done at the March 2013 service as recommended by Toyota to see if that would correct the "bouncing" issue. Now four months later they will need to have alignment done again as part of the repair, another $90. Just makes one wonder whether all these repairs are being unnecessarily recommended to make their monthly quota in revenue. I see no leaking of fluids anywhere on the engine or ground. The steering seems fine. the "bouncing" seems to have reduced after alignment and tire balancing and rotation.
Update from Jul 21, 2013: Took the FJ back to Toyota service dept. They gave me a 10% discount and did not charge me for the alignment fee after negotiating the service fee. Cost was 1,800. The brief "bouncing" sensation at low speed upon starting to roll is still there. Discount tire have done all they can, balancing, rotating, inflating, to no avail. Tires are fairly new B.F. Goodrich T/A all terrain oversized. The bouncing immediately goes away upon picking up speed and is not present at any higher speed or when slowing down. Toyota says it has to do with the oversized off-market tires. I originally put the same type of tires and put some 90,000 miles on them with no problem. So who knows.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
Took vehicle for routine check to dealership. Was told power steering rack and pinion needed replacement due to some fluid leak. Extended warranty expired in April 2013. $2,000 repair costs. Had complained to same Toyota service department back in March of 2013 about "bouncing" sensation at low speeds. No problems found then. Now this issue comes up. Toyota service department says it is not related to rack and pinion issue. Warranty or Toyota Motor Co. not willing to budge. Also had alignment done at the March 2013 service as recommended by Toyota to see if that would correct the "bouncing" issue. Now four months later they will need to have alignment done again as part of the repair, another $90. Just makes one wonder whether all these repairs are being unnecessarily recommended to make their monthly quota in revenue. I see no leaking of fluids anywhere on the engine or ground. The steering seems fine. the "bouncing" seems to have reduced after alignment and tire balancing and rotation.
Update from Jul 21, 2013: Took the FJ back to Toyota service dept. They gave me a 10% discount and did not charge me for the alignment fee after negotiating the service fee. Cost was 1,800. The brief "bouncing" sensation at low speed upon starting to roll is still there. Discount tire have done all they can, balancing, rotating, inflating, to no avail. Tires are fairly new B.F. Goodrich T/A all terrain oversized. The bouncing immediately goes away upon picking up speed and is not present at any higher speed or when slowing down. Toyota says it has to do with the oversized off-market tires. I originally put the same type of tires and put some 90,000 miles on them with no problem. So who knows.
- Sergio M., Tucson, AZ, US