Someone please help me find whats wrong with my car!

[Amir Ghadiri]

Originally Posted by draggin_az

why was it denied?

All I was told is that warranty coverage is denied due to my driving style. No other explanation was given. I've opened a case with Toyota Corporate, but haven't received any updates yet.

[FirestormFRS]

How'd you manage to chew up the ring and pinion?

[mav1178]

Originally Posted by Amir Ghadiri

All I was told is that warranty coverage is denied due to my driving style. No other explanation was given. I've opened a case with Toyota Corporate, but haven't received any updates yet.

If I were you, I'd take a wait and see approach to this instead of providing real-time updates.

Real-time updates just means someone (you, us, everyone on the internet) nitpicks every small detail and easily place blame on one party instead of looking at the big picture.

So I think you should hear back from Corporate first before you get any deeper into this rabbit hole, should you pursue this as a warranty claim. Let the process play itself out.

All of us are armchair mechanics at this point, only you and the dealer have seen the car in person.

-alex

[King Tut]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

What does a rack and pinion have to do with a differential?

He means the pinion gear in the differential. OP's 2" lowered car and love of drifiting and/or smokey burnouts most likely killed the original clutch and has now damaged the differential.

[Amir Ghadiri]

Originally Posted by BRZPDX

did the clicking come from a particular side (drivers/passenger side)? I had this issue after auto-x, pre-FI, and by tightening the axle nut, it stopped clicking. This seems like a very common issue with lowered cars and rear axles giving out.

Sucks to hear it was your rear diff, but before jumping to an expensive conclusion, I would check again if the clicking is audible from one side more than the other. The symptoms sounds just like what I was experiencing, and I was able to replicate it on the rack as well. The noise was clearly coming from my driver side however.

I broke my driver side axle once a few months ago so that was my first concern. It seemed to come from the left which lead me to believe it was a broken CV joint. The axle was the first thing I checked and everything was good. The nut was already tightened to factory specs.

[Amir Ghadiri]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

What does a rack and pinion have to do with a differential?

Details on the denial? Agree that the videos and such looked like a screwed up driveshaft the third video has a shot of the transmission which looks pretty stable, I could understand mods being to blame as that would overstress the drivetrain but other than that...

Mistype, sorry. I meant ring & pinion. Updated original post.

[Amir Ghadiri]

So get this. The Toyota dealer has had my car since Tuesday, and called me first thing in the morning Wednesday saying the car is on the lift and they're taking a look at it.

I called back just before 4:30 on Wednesday asking for an update, and I was told that the techs didn't see anything obvious and decided to just look at it the next day (Thursday, today).

I got a call this morning from the Toyota dealer saying that they completed their inspection and found that the ring & pinion were broken, the car will need a new differential, and warranty coverage has been denied by Toyota Corporate. I was told I'd have to pay $3800 out of pocket for repairs, no further explanation.

I called back around 5:30 to request a copy of the inspection report and estimate be faxed to me. My service adviser has already left for the day, but the guy on the phone tells me that there is nothing recent in the system about my car. The most recent thing he sees is a warranty repair for a blown third brake light, dated earlier this year.

I went to the dealer after work to see whats going on. Service was closed, but the gates were still open and I could see my car in plain view. I walked back there and found my car exactly where the tow truck dropped it off, steering wheel locked in the same position and all. See the pictures I've attached for reference.

What would you guys do if you were in this situation?

Take a look at where the tow truck dropped off the car. Notice the placement of the driver side rear wheel in this picture as well as the steering wheel position, tilted just barely to the left.


Then see the two pictures I took today, after the car was supposedly inspected on a lift. Rear wheel in the same spot, steering wheel tilted just barely to the left. The car has literally not moved an inch.

[martinEZ]

I'm no forensic photoanalyst, but I'd have to concur that it doesn't look like it was moved. Call them on their bullshit and if they push back, go higher up the chain. Everyone has a boss...

[AVodka14]

This^. It probably was not even touched. They can look at your car and make a claim on your "driving style". But what the fuck is this car designed for? Toting grand babies around? Hell no. Take it as high as you can go. I hope you have dates and times of your photos to prove the car has not been moved over time. Or take it to another dealership. I look forward to hearing updates.

[pche]

Off topic, is that shop out in the open without garage doors?? That's effing awesome!

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Amir Ghadiri

I broke my driver side axle once a few months ago so that was my first concern. It seemed to come from the left which lead me to believe it was a broken CV joint. The axle was the first thing I checked and everything was good. The nut was already tightened to factory specs.

DANG, Amir Ghadiri ....... I've got this feeling that you have put more pressure on the driveline than it was designed to tolerate.

You may just have to suck it up ..... or sell the car.....


humfrz

[PT-BRZ]

damn that sucks bro. I hope you fight this to the end and win! Sucks that they are trying to deny it by assuming the way you drive based on how your car looks. wackos.

I've dealt with Toyota of Corona before regarding my Tacoma bottoming out. They were iffy at first but after some barking they eventually installed new leaf springs.

Keep on fighting!

[tennisfreak]

Report that dealer to toyota and provide your pics.

They seem to be dishonest and need their asses slapped.

[Dipstik-sportech]

Clutch kick drifting will destroy your diff in short order as it did to your clutch and axle. It's people like you that make dealers wary of modified cars and warranty claims even if it's an actual defect. If you think you have issues now wait till you get the CX racing turbo kit installed

The Frozen North