A few days ago my wife gets a "check engine" light on her 2004 Toyota Corolla. This is an extremely well maintained, low mileage (55,000 miles),
never abused vehicle. I told her to make sure that the gas cap was screwed down all the way...it was. She made an appointment with our local Toyota dealership, car is under warranty, and took it in the next day. The service manager called her a couple of hours later to say that they put it on the diagnostic machine, and they got back a code that tells them that there is something wrong with the fuel filler neck. Probably corrosion, he tells her, and $400 and something, labour included, to replace it, filler tube and gas cap
complete. I told her to pay the diagnostic fee, ($70.00) and get the car out of there.
The next morning, I jacked up the back of this car,disconnected the battery negative post, and pulled the left rear wheel. Everything is clean,dry, and not rusty. I removed the three 10mm bolts that retain the plastic shroud in the wheel well that protects the filler tube, and aside from an accumulation of powdery dry dirt that washed away easily, everything is in excellent shape. I the replaced the shroud, replaced the wheel, and dropped it back down on the ground. I reconnected the battery, and started the engine. Absolutely no light, car runs great, and has been fine for almost five days now. For good measure, I swapped the gas cap from her car with my 2003 Corolla, just to see if I will now get a light. So far so good. What really irks me, is that the dealer threw out this pop diagnosis
without even checking out the car properly. In wonder how many people have been suckered into expensive non-existent repairs by an unscrupulous
dealer and a stupid yellow light.
However, it would be a prudent idea to jack up your Corolla on the left side, you don't have to take the wheel off, remove the shroud, and clean up the
dirt accumulated in there. It will prevent possible trouble in the future.
Good post. Also, whenever I get an engine light diagnosed, I'd make sure to get the actual code stored in the computer. Even if they don't reset it, just ask what the code is. Or maybe they wrote that on the repair order. That way, you can do some research yourself on it.
I read that Dealerships [all of them] make the lions share of their money in the Service of Vehicles not in the Sale of Vehicles.
Your post seems to support that.
local places in the states like autozone will check codes for you for free
One time I had an engine light it turned out to be something with the gas, it was just the gas cap not completely tight.
I am not sure if AZ or the like check for free in Canada. I know California just changed or made a law saying that it cannot be done any more for free.
I am not sure if AZ or the like check for free in Canada. I know California just changed or made a law saying that it cannot be done any more for free.
Wow.. CA must really be suffering to have to charge people for that. Yeah, it's time to buy a code reader if that's the case.
Lancaster Pa? I grew up there miss the green grass but not the cold.
A code reader is a great tool to have. Not only can you check the codes yourself, but you can also CLEAR them, so after you fix what you think is the problem, you don't have to wait for the light to go out on its own to know whether or not you really got the problem. You can get them for 40-50 bucks. You'd easily save that in gas and time driving back and forth to AutoZone working just one problem, getting them to scan/clear, scan/clear, etc.
Wow.. CA must really be suffering to have to charge people for that. Yeah, it's time to buy a code reader if that's the case.
Lancaster Pa? I grew up there miss the green grass but not the cold.
Yeah, Lancaster, home of the Amish and cows, and of course Turkey Hill.
A few days ago my wife gets a "check engine" light on her 2004 Toyota Corolla. This is an extremely well maintained, low mileage (55,000 miles),
never abused vehicle. I told her to make sure that the gas cap was screwed down all the way...it was. She made an appointment with our local Toyota dealership, car is under warranty, and took it in the next day. The service manager called her a couple of hours later to say that they put it on the diagnostic machine, and they got back a code that tells them that there is something wrong with the fuel filler neck. Probably corrosion, he tells her, and $400 and something, labour included, to replace it, filler tube and gas cap
complete. I told her to pay the diagnostic fee, ($70.00) and get the car out of there.
The next morning, I jacked up the back of this car,disconnected the battery negative post, and pulled the left rear wheel. Everything is clean,dry, and not rusty. I removed the three 10mm bolts that retain the plastic shroud in the wheel well that protects the filler tube, and aside from an accumulation of powdery dry dirt that washed away easily, everything is in excellent shape. I the replaced the shroud, replaced the wheel, and dropped it back down on the ground. I reconnected the battery, and started the engine. Absolutely no light, car runs great, and has been fine for almost five days now. For good measure, I swapped the gas cap from her car with my 2003 Corolla, just to see if I will now get a light. So far so good. What really irks me, is that the dealer threw out this pop diagnosis
without even checking out the car properly. In wonder how many people have been suckered into expensive non-existent repairs by an unscrupulous
dealer and a stupid yellow light.
However, it would be a prudent idea to jack up your Corolla on the left side, you don't have to take the wheel off, remove the shroud, and clean up the
dirt accumulated in there. It will prevent possible trouble in the future.
I usually go to the Autozone, in Plattsburgh N.Y., about an hour and a half due south of here to get a free diagnostic, but I didn't have the time. However, I am seriously considering getting a machine of my own. I also intend to have it out with the service manager and try to get my $70.00 back.
Here's a follow-up to this whole story. After a few weeks and sporadic communication between me and the service manager by e-mail, I finally
was informed that my $70.00 diagnosis fee would be returned to me by mail.
They still stand by their story, saying that the problem is with rust forming
inside the filler neck, at the mouth where you put the fuel nozzle. Note that there is no rust showing on both our vehicles, and no trouble lights on.
Refunding my $70.00 to me is an admission of guilt. Beware, especially women,
of seemingly unreasonable repair diagnosis offered by mechanics, when common sense would dictate the impossibility of the failure of a particular part
in a relatively young vehicle.
Also note that I received a positive reply from the service manager after forwarding a copy of my e-mail to the director of the dealership.
Dealers have their place in the car maintenance world but it certainly isn't fixing cars which are no longer under warranty. Note the word 'fixing'. They change oil and rotate tires nicely but when something even slightly more substantial comes up, watch them gleefully making wild responses to the diagnostic machine. It's wildly profitable but you're the guy paying for them to throw mud at the wall in hopes that a solution will be found.
Find a third party shop. Montreal has got to be full of them, you just need to chat up anybody you bump into with an old Toyota that looks like it's in good shape. Eventually you'll find somebody convenient, capable and who's bottom line is to keep good customers.
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Questionable diagnosis of engine check lite
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