Got my letter today
 

I got my recall notice today. Here it is.

I don't know what I'm going to do about it. Since my car has over 145,000 miles on it with no problems what so ever. I know one thing I'm not going to do. I'm not going to be the first in my area to get it done. If I have it done at all. After seeing what's involved, I don't see how the local yocals could possibly not screw something up. Maybe I should just leave well enough alone.

^ ya, I hear that - :iono:

My 2013 FRS only has about 23,000 miles on it, and I'm not sure what I'm gonna do when/if I get a recall letter.

I looked over that post showing all the things they will have to do - and I ask myself, NOW, what are the chances of my engine surviving all that without at least a leak - ??

:confused0068:


humfrz

Got mine yesterday...




Your info is blacked out in the first pic, but visible in the second?

You know, the car was assembled by the Japanese equivalent of your local yocals right? It wasn't assembled by some master mechanic with some level of Zen training. Just saying...

Actually our cars have similar mileage and I was thinking the opposite. This is a good opportunity to get a LOT of zero mileage parts on my car, particularly seals, gaskets and such. I would be more likely to NOT do this if my car had fewer miles on it. I would wait until I had over 100K miles then take it in rather than replacing relatively new parts that work.

Just a different way of looking at it. It's the same reason I had the "cricket TSB" done right before the warranty expired. I didn't need it, but it zeroed out my pump.

I just got the dealer invitation as well...

Yep. Fix the timing cover leak, replace a bunch of seals, coolant and spark plug change (gotta pay for the plugs but saves the PITA labor). That's a nice little refresh. I just hate I have to get it done to renew my reg in CA as I wanted to drive another 20k miles before my plugs and coolant were due again. Guess they'll just get changed early.

I think you should do what you feel like doing, Bruce.

My local yokels built an entire engine for mine under warranty when the oil pump gear exploded. 30K miles later it still seems to be doing fine.

Got mine also
 

But I will ignore the letter as I replaced the springs with hi-end stuff when I built the engine along with custom machined rocker blockers.
Funny thing, I almost said no to the upgrade ! :bonk:


Glad I didn't say no :D

Blacked out the plastic of the envelope window, not the letter itself.

Thanks, I understand how an envelope works...


If OP was going to show his name and address; Why black out the envelope?


I thought OP may have done it on accident. So, if he didn't want his details on blast, I was just trying to point it out for him to correct.

At 145 000 miles, if the valve springs were defective they would have gone a long time ago. I would skip the recall, and keep the letter in case it ever does happen. AFAIK there isn't a deadline or timeline to accept your recall.

are you sure this recall not being performed would prevent you from getting your registration renewed?

When that huge airbag recall was going on I dont believe I heard any registration renewals being halted for that not being done.

WTF?

I'm asking for clarification if not getting this recall completed would prevent one from renewing their vehicle registration in Ca. My wife has an older yaris that was affected by the takata airbag recall and I'm pretty sure I renewed the registration while the recall was out but before I got it taken care of.

No. You'll be ok.

If that was true, then why did they make a recall after 5 years? Not all of the cars have such a high mileage, but most of them don't have a very low mileage either.

It's on the letter and in Toyota's system. It's because of emissions, not safety. Not sure how anal they get over this kinda stuff.

I haven't had a safety recall on my FRS performed without issue for a number of years.

The Japanese equivalent of my local yocals? I would tend to believe that most of the car is assembled by robots that assemble it in a precise orderly procedure. And it's the only thing they do. My local yocals mostly work on Corollas and Tundra's. And I think that the more seals, gaskets and such that they touch increases the odds of something new leaking.
But that's just my opinion.

I suppose the engine assembly could be robotic, that had not occurred to me.

Primarily I just meant that assembling these parts isn't that difficult, its primarily just time-consuming and a matter of having the correct tools. Heck, reading through the instructions, I'm pretty sure I could do it in a fully equipped shop and I definitely qualify as a local yocal.

They are also requiring (or maybe its recommending) that it be done by an appropriately trained and skilled craftsman.

In the end though, I know different people have different levels of comfort with these things. In the end (at least in my case) we're talking about a $12,000 car at this point so I can only expect so much.

Guess I was way wrong. Notice says California owners have to get it done to be CARB compliant. Toyota is required to supply CARB with a list of cars not done.
So yea, it looks like you will not be able to register it you don't get it done.

I guess it didn't matter with airbag recall because parts arent smog system related.

This is unfortunate, I'm not pleased with this.

Yep, guess it is not a voluntary recall in Cal.

Well there is the option to move to "the other 49" before you registration expires...

If you ever sell your car and not have had it done, It may turn potential buyers away as it would put having the recall work done on them.

I received my recall letter yesterday. I have about the same mileage on my 2013 as you, and undecided on if I'm going to take it in. So far it's been running great. If I keep it 10 years maybe I'll reach 60K miles. Drive it as much as I can but retired so only short trips around town and a few runs a year on the Smokies' back roads, i.e., the Dragon.
If I decide to take it in I'll give the dealership a few months or a year to get some experience doing the recall.
Yeah, agree, what are the chances of my engine surviving the recall work without at least a leak - ??

Ya, I hear that.

I go back and fourth about having the work done or not.

On one hand, why mess with a good running engine - if the valve springs were that weak, wouldn't they have gone south by now?

On the other hand, I wouldn't want to be stuck out in the middle of nowhere on one of our driving adventures and the engine go bam! - :bonk:

Or, get dinged on trade in because the recalled work hadn't been done - :sigh:

Or, give the car to my oldest granddaughter, knowing that the recall work hadn't been done - :(


:iono:


humfrz

I am seriously fucking livid about the California "you can't register it unless you have it done" bullshit.

Makes no fucking sense, let me sign a release form that says if the engine pops it's my responsibility because I didn't get the recall work performed.

I registered the car this year, why can't I register it next year? Nothing will have changed if I don't get the ridiculous valve spring recall work performed.

.

OK, I have a plan - :popcorn:

I'll invite you and @Ultramaroon up for the weekend. I'll cut a deal with Toyota to have them give me a set of parts needed for the recall work.

I'll arrange for an unlimited bucket of fried chicken to be delivered.

I'll also arrange for a delivery of assorted craft beer to be delivered.

I'll sit in the recliner and read the detailed instructions as you two do the work. I'll also act as QA person.

mrs humfrz will be on hand to go to the airport to pick up ol @Tcoat if he would like to join us for this party.

Fun will be had by all - :happyanim:


humfrz

TFTI

Well, we do need a photographer, so we can video tape the process. So, if you have the proper equipment, come on up - :thumbsup:

Do you like your chicken regular or extra crispy? Any preference for a craft beer?


:cheers:


humfrz

Nice. DIY for everyone.

Extra crispy for me. And I'll bring you guys some of the good stuff from CA to share

Got my notice in the mail yesterday... will be taking mine in since it has had valve cover leak issues from day one, has never been trouble free (but has been pretty reliable), and I want to sell my FR-S ASAP. Have less than 60K miles on mine and clutch throwout bearing is about to bite it. Just ordered an Exedy Stage 1 clutch kit.... once comes in will schedule mine for the recall work.

Wish we could take it to a Subaru dealership for the work instead though...

Is the Toyota coolant the EXACT same thing as the specialized SUBARU coolant? I ask because the Subaru coolant is all I've ever used in mine, as my brother use to have a 2.5RS Impreza and gave me his stockpile after it was totaled in a flood. 2.2L Legacy, 2.5L Impreza, 2.0L FR-S.... think I've had my fill of boxer engines for the rest of my life. They are not bad, just quirky and more difficult to do routine maintenance or fix leaks.

On these two, you could always have it done right before selling/giving. There is no time limit on the recall, technically you could have it done 20 years from now. For course, by then you'd be risking having it done by a robot that hadn't been programmed to do it.

I think I hit the sweet spot on mine. When I took it into the shop yesterday the techs at the dealership had already done a handful (one they finished just as I was bringing my car in as mentioned above). So, now they have experience but haven't had enough time to forget what they've done.

Also, as mentioned, I'm not sure I'd do it yet if I only had 23,000miles on mine either. I'd probably wait.

Move.

It's an engine problem. It might make the engine run less efficiently and emit 7 more carbon molecules into the atmosphere. Therefore it must be fixed, because environmentalism is a higher priority than your individual rights. It makes perfect sense in the context of your idiotic emissions regime.

The most logical choice for me when I graduated film school would have been to move to California. I couldn't bring myself to do it. I grew up under a government of religious nutjobs in Alabama. The last thing I wanted to do was trade the religion of Roy Moore for the even more rabid and irrational religion of Governor Moonbeam.

Y'all voted for it. If that's what you want, fine. What infuriates me is that California sends lobbyists out to other states to try to convince them to adopt CARB. They made owning a car more expensive for California residents, so rather than reduce their costs, they want other states to raise the cost for their own residents so that it's more "fair."

Other states should pass laws making it legally fair game to shoot California's lobbyists on sight. Swearing in a new legislature should mark the beginning of "California lobbyist season" for hunters.

CA: Where you can change your gender but not your muffler.

Kudos
 

I agree totally. Mine is a higher mileage car and I will be getting it done once it comes out of storage. Lower mileage folks, I would wait.

If it does, here's where something will go sideways. It's all in the details:

• Not cleaning enough around electrical or fluid connections before cracking them.
• Buggering the mating surfaces of covers when separating them.
• Dropping ANYTHING into an oil gallery while it's apart.
• Not cleaning the mating surfaces well enough before applying new sealant. Proper degreasing is critical.
• Busting an electrical connector or bending a pin when reassembling.
• Over-tightening the most vulnerable 6 or 8 millimeter fasteners because "who uses a torque wrench on those?"
• Rushing or ignoring the evacuation step before charging the AC. This happens all... the... time.

The actual spring replacement, valve train clocking, etc... is not rocket science. What really bugs me is that book time is based on servicing a clean system. Most techs gloss over the details for the sake of expediency. I've personally seen and railed against it throughout my professional life.


Oh, and everybody fucks up from time to time. Rare and appreciated is the guy that isn't afraid to admit it.

My car runs awesome and leaks nothing. Now because CA says I can't renew my reg until Toyota gets their greasy mitts all over my engine. Makes no sense. If it ain't broke why you trying to fix it Toyota?

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