Ticked off at Dealer!!!!

[Tailfeathers]

Went to my Toyota dealer. Walked to the service counter, 6guys at 6 stations ( there was a second long counter further with about 5 guys too). I'm the only customer at the first counter. 40 feet at the second counter one other customer way over there. 2 customers and 11 service guys on stools. They are all yaking like a bunch of wash women. I walk slowly watching them all with my left eye and finally a guy at the end of the first counter becomes alive and asks if he could help me. I tell him I want a transmission flush for my 2003,V-6 4WD Automatic Transmission Tundra.How much and can they do it today? $179. Ok, do they change the tranny filter? Answer,no. How much extra to get the tranny filter replaced? There is no tranny filter, only american vehicles have tranny filters. Hmmmm, I says to myself, I have a Hanes manual that shows a photo of a tranny filter, I have a forum at Tundra Solutions that have many guys who change their tranny filters, I have another Transmission Service shop, very well respected by a number of my friends that quoted me a price that includes replacement of the tranny filter....that doesn't exist. The counter guy asked a "mechanic" sitting right there and he said there is no transmission filter on a Tundra. I told them I don't feel confident, they just lost a customer who bought the vehicle there, and had his truck serviced there and there only for the stuff like this that I didn't or couldn't do myself. I feel the Tranny and the engine and all the differentials and transfer case is the life blood of my truck. A truck that has 90K miles on oi and needs to last for at least 400K. Thats I want the flush and a new filter. So, am I nuts or are the 11 yakking counter guys?
Whew, I feel better now.

[HOGWILD]

Conicelli Parts Center
Does not surprise me at all, What did service manager say about it, next time have a sit down and do like i did mark the bolts to see if they were removed. but if it were me i would take it somewhere that gave customers service but i would let service manager and the General manager know why i was taking my Toyota elsewhere!
http://www.2carpros.com/how_to/transmission_service.htm

[ICON]

Well i believe it isn't a traditional filter found on most american cars but more like a screen, kinda like the screen on oil pickups. It doesn't need replacing but more of a cleaning if needed. So technically they were correct in saying it doesn't need replacing but they deffinately should've said they clean them and only replace it if it's really nasty or shows other problems.

[mikeinaustin]

Originally Posted by ICON

Well i believe it isn't a traditional filter found on most american cars but more like a screen, kinda like the screen on oil pickups. It doesn't need replacing but more of a cleaning if needed. So technically they were correct in saying it doesn't need replacing but they deffinately should've said they clean them and only replace it if it's really nasty or shows other problems.

that is correct, there is not a filter but a metal screen. haynes and chiltons can only be used as guides. both tend to mix pictures of one cars parts with another in the same manual without telling you. i believe they do this as a general guide to you and so they don't have to re-shoot everything in every car they tear down. this is true in this particular case where the tundra does not have a filter while most other cars do. be careful when using those manuals!

[green man]

I've been there myself with the O2 sensors...My dealership insisted that there was no extended warantee on them. I researched on this web site and found out there was. So I got a hold of Toyota and there was..The service manager had a hissy, with me! not his counter guys!! For sniching on his shop...I'll never take anything to servivce there or buy another new truck there...I think they were "Double Diping" taking money for warantee work and turning it in to Toyota as such.

[Boosted27606]

Looks like a lack of communications to me. The service writers are typically not mechanics, they just repeat what the mechanics tell them.

And indeed, the Tundra does NOT have replaceable filters as other trucks have.

So technically the service writer was correct.


And I am sure that there are dealers that "double dip" and rip customers off.

Most of the time they are in business for the long run and try hard to keep every customer satisfied.

[HOGWILD]

All transmissions have filters and here is Toyota info on the filters, you can call them what ya want but the have not changed for years and one filled with contaminates will cause a transmission to malfunction.
Conicelli Parts Center
just click on link and see what Toyota calls them, BTW this one is for the 06 tundra!
http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/se...294966832+5746

[c5engineer]

I agree with Hogwild. The part he has linked definitely looks like it's more than a screen. It definitely is a one piece unit with no ability to be disassembled and cleaned. My uncle managed a Goodyear for years and he has his own garage out at his farm. He rebuilds everything for everyone and I trust him. He actually has positive things to say about the auto tranny flush. He's thinking of purchasing a system. He says as long as your regularly servicing your transmission, the auto flush isn't a problem. I was lazy with my Dodge. It had almost 200,000 and I'd only replaced the fluid twice, but I had a flush done from the dealer and watched the tech do it and my fluid looked awesome. Not to mention I never had anything on my drain plug when I drained it. I guess I'd change the filter for insurance, especially since I've read really bad things about Tundra transmissions on this very forum. At a minimum, I would speak with the service manager and the general manager and find out if they want to lose business. Service at my dealership, Toyota of Boardman has been outstanding. I might even let them do my timing belt when it's time......Well probably not because I want the challenge, but many other things I'll let them have a crack.

[integraGSR]

flush is usually 12 quarts of ATF plus time to do it. 12 X 4(?) bucks = 50 bucks. another hour to do the flush, labor rate approx 100/ hour. 150+taxes... just my thoughts...

[diablito1975]

there is no filter in the transmission only a metal strainer that doesnt really needs replacing, just cleaning with parts cleaner and a compressor to blow off any sludge. so the service writer is correct, there is NO TRANSMISSION FILTER

[c5engineer]

It may not be a traditional filter, but it doesn't look like it can be soaked in parts cleaner and blown out with compressed air. It is a completely enclosed housing with openings at opposite ends. Anyway, if there was anything substantial that needed to be cleaned out, and you could do a thorough job, it wouldn't matter anyway because you'd be headed for a new transmission.

[MEvang]

Most all automatic transmission have a similar type of filter. Some are a screens or strainers and some have a fiber cotton type materal. Either way they are all filters. Sounds like the SM was just being a smart a**. He should have known what you meant and went from there to help you out. There has simply no reason for him to be that way.
Mike

[Sandinmytires]

Makes me think that their "flush" does not involve removing the pan! That would explain why they refused to change the strainer.

Spend your money (and buy your vehicles) elsewhere.

[HOGWILD]

I have cleaned a group of these years back and have found groups of sludge in them and they need to be serviced if you wanta get optimum life from the transmission. These newer transmissions are probably not as prone to needing the strainer/filter serviced but myself feel it's a personal issue and myself i prefer to do mine around 50K because i feel new ATF is good but i do not feel it's 120K good!! I also feel if you are going to do full fluid change why would ya not do the strainer/filter? Service managers sometime do not understand what you are asking for unless you spell it out to them and it's amazing how quick they come around when ya do this to them. You are paying for the service and they get top dollar for the service, so WHY would they not do what you ask? Also pays the light bills and overhead since sales have been WAY down for a while now!! ASE Techs at my dealership have been mostly GREAT minus my alignment Tech! Toyota Engineers messed this up when they took our dipstick!! so everyone is not even checking fluid level in your tranny until 120K?
I might just be due a Vegas trip around 50K and go see Victor and let his shop hook me up since he has gotta be one of the most service oriented Service Managers i have met!!

[integraGSR]

even though my tranny is "lifetime" World Standard fluid, i will be flushing it out at 60K. i'll have to pay my friend that works at toyota. a case of beer.