I've been having check engine light drama lately and thought it could be a bad MAF or something to do with the intake. So I took off my InjenSR, cleaned the MAF and ran the car stock for a month. Guess what... CEL again!

So off to the dealer I go. It turns out the code was P0302 (misfire in cylinder #2) The dealer reset the light, test drove it, and it happened again. So they kept my car for two days trying to figure out the problem. When I eventually go to pick up my car, the service manager gives me a load of crap about my 18" rims may have caused it. But for some reason they decided to change all of my spark plugs for free. Hmmm, maybe because I had a bad plug in cylinder #2 ??? Yeah, I think so too.

Anyway, this guy was talking right out of his azz, trying to tell me that Scion "doesn't allow rims bigger than 17" He quickly stumbled when I asked him about the factory option 18" TRD AND 19" TRD rims made for the xB. He obviously didn't know what he was talking about. But that was only his first lie. Then he tells me he took the rims off and put stock wheels, and the car didn't misfire... The problem is I have two different sets of aftermarket wheel locks AND I NEVER GAVE HIM THE KEYS! So how exactly did he get my rims off???? that's lie number 2.

Anyway, they must have found something, or else they wouldn't have changed out the spark plugs under warranty. It's just funny to me how they looked my car up and down to find some aftermarket mod to blame the problem on. From now on I'm putting the steelies back on whenever I go to the dealer. It's a hassle, but I'm not giving them any excuses!

-THE DON

 

A misfire...sounds like a sparkplug or intake problem. If they were educated, I would've blamed the intake

 

Every time I hear a story like this it remonds me of my experience with the volkswagen dealer. You need to go somewhere else.

 

what in the hell does 18" wheels have to do with ENGINE problems!?!?!? Braking system... maybe... suspension system... maybe... Morons.

In order to deny warranty coverage based on an aftermarket item, the dealer must provide IN WRITING upon request, an explanation of why the coverage was denied (in relation to the aftermarket item.. wheels in this case) and also in that written explanation, must describe HOW THE PART DIRECTLY CAUSED THE FAILURE. If they cannot provide a reasonable explanation and proof - then they cannot legally deny the coverage. The 'hunch' or guess on the part of the Service Dept. wont cut the mustard.

not to mention as you've already pointed out, the SvcMgr has no clue as to what the hell he's talking about with 18" being a warranty voiding item on a MOTOR. (and it is possible to remove wheels even if somone got crazy and had all 16 lug nuts are a totally different locking nut - a good many shops have a 'universal' locking lug nut removal socket set - I've had to use them a many good times when I couldn't find the lug key.)

 

____ them man. I'd never give them my business again. Lucky for me in Socal there are 10 Toyota dealers within a 30 min. drive.

 

Oh, I almost forgot lie #3 out of the service managers mouth. According to him, after the car was all fixed HE was the one who took time out of his busy schedule to "personally take it for a test drive to make sure everything was running ok," but when I got in the car, my radio was on a spanish station.... I'm pretty sure this 50+ year old white guy was not bumping spanish music.

I just didn't believe a word out of this guy's mouth...

Hopefully I have no further problems. I've already contacted Scion Corp. about this.

Yup. I'm with you buddy... This place was just the closest, but now that I know how they operate I'll be driving to a different dealer from now on.

-THE DON

 

I haven't dealt with the service department yet, but Cerritos Power Toyota was great for buying my car as well as the follow up.

 

well you see, heres what happens...bigger/heavier wheels then stock force the transmission to work harder, possibly burning your clutch and your gears out faster, and you've also put your cv axles in harms way with this mod...well the force travels up into the crankshaft of the motor causing abnormal vibrations which lead up into the piston, the uneven vibration of the piston causes it to overload casing the up/down motion of the piston to be abnormal, forcing a misfire on the car, which could lead to a fire in the engine bay, which could lead to the death of multible babies and dolphins...

thats the biggest BS story I've ever heard...so far, toyota has been good to me, but I know a lot of honda dealerships would blame anything on why something broke so it wouldn't be covered....you have an intake, it caused your window motor to go out....???

 

...and the scary thing is that 90% of the scion buyers would swallow that hook line and sinker. :D

 

You overlooked the fact that the rear tag was 2 degrees out of plumb. That is why it was plug #2.
And and old white guy can bump en Espanol......

 

Did you check your mileage just to see how much test driving he actually did?

 

Whoa, didn't know 18 inch wheels had a direct effect/impact on the ECU, coil pack, and spark plug!

I guess I do learn something new everyday! LOL!

 

I bought my xb with 18" rims from the dealer that service guy is an idiot

 

dang that sux my dealer blamed everything but my aftermarkey stuff and i have 2 agree with squirrel i didnt kno rims could mess up the firing mechanism of ur coils and comp.

 

damn at least he did not blame the imbalance caused by a scionlife sticker on the hatch.......

 

....

That's almost word for word the load of crap they tried to tell me! "Abnormal vibrations," I swear they used those exact words!

Dude, you could get a job at that dealer!

-THE DON

 

I don't know why everyone is laughing, I'm being serious...I've seen many of babies die b/c of people like you, and if your the guy I think you are...your right, I should get a job at the dealer...maybe a different one b/c your the third guy that has come into our shop this month and had a messed up car b/c of your wheels!!!

 

How about the dolphins???

 

never seen it personally, but i've heard tragic stories ;-)

 

I bet they were tunas instead....