Toyota... yes, I said Toyota, service question

**pajeff02** · 01-10-2012, 04:59 PM

My father is a stubborn, stubborn man... he takes after me. The parents have an '07 Toyota RAV4 and it is scheduled for service at the area Toyota dealership on Thursday. I have offered for years to service their vehicles, however, he has almost religiously taken their cars to the dealership for routine maintenance, other than oil changes. The dealership is indicating that their RAV4 is due for a "steering shaft service" or "power steering service" (I'm not sure which is correct) to the tune of $379.00, in addition to a transmission fluid flush for $189.00. Of course, this f'in pisses me off as I see "rip off" written all over it. I searched a bit on-line and could find no such thing as a "power steering service" on a RAV4 other than changing the fluid. The transmission flush is clearly way over-priced in my book and is something that I can easily perform.

I think I finally have my father convinced that he has been flushing money down the shitter and with my mother's coaxing their vehicles will now be coming to my garage. He described the last scheduled service, which was at 60,000 miles, in which they supposedly dropped the rear differential from the vehicle to clean or replace the vent tube -- all at a cost of a few hundred dollars. I am calling the service department tomorrow to see what sort of ass-brained description they are going to give in explaining their "power steering service". However, before I go off half-cocked, I just want to ask if anyone has ever heard of such a thing on a Toyota as I have never owned one or previously worked on one to any extent.

**GTP231** · 01-10-2012, 05:03 PM

All I know would be a power steering flush. Doubt they have a steering shaft lube maintenance interval

**pajeff02** · 01-10-2012, 05:27 PM

I tried a different search and found this: http://ww2.justanswer.com/uploads/sn...steering_2.pdf

My parents never mentioned that the steering clunks or makes other noises though.

**GTP231** · 01-10-2012, 06:01 PM

TSB repairs/services are only to be done when its a customer complaint. Odd they're trying to sell them that
Tech may have noted the noise last visit even if they didn't mention it

**pajeff02** · 01-10-2012, 06:25 PM

I read through the TSB and it does not appear to be a safety concern. My mother pays no attention to stuff like that and dad usually forgets to wear his hearing aid. Looks like they can save $379.00. The transmission fluid and filter change procedure appears to be the same as on our other cars. The recommended fluid is Toyota T-IV, so I may need to get that from the dealership.

**wileyCoyote** · 01-10-2012, 06:44 PM

well first of all let me caveat this by saying i have a tacoma, not a rav-4, ..but it may be similar maintenance..

...so, in my manual, it mentions two things for steering: 1) inspect steering gear box, 2) inspect steering linkage boots.. this is to be done at 30k intervals, per the manual..

**pajeff02** · 01-10-2012, 06:45 PM

Heck of a lot of coin to just look at or inspect those two things, don't you think?

**GTP231** · 01-10-2012, 06:50 PM

They were prolly gonna change the intermediate shafts

**pajeff02** · 01-10-2012, 06:51 PM

^^ That is my guess. I'll find out tomorrow.

**Smittro** · 01-10-2012, 07:02 PM

Sad part also is they'll charge him for the trany flush and likely won't change the filter..

**INMY01TA** · 01-10-2012, 07:39 PM

The wife has a Scion (Toyota) and they send her these service calls in the mail every so often. Her car hasn't been back to the dealer since the free oil change that came with the car. Lol. Sounds like if you start doing your parents maintence the techs at their dealership may need to pick up a second job. J/k

**Detroit Power** · 01-11-2012, 01:02 PM

Drain & Fill transmission fluid =/= to a "flush"

Just sayin'

**GTP231** · 01-11-2012, 02:47 PM

You don't clean the convertor on a drain and fill generally. Flush does a better job and cleaning out the trans

**pajeff02** · 01-11-2012, 03:41 PM

No argument that a flush does a better job at removing the old fluid.

**GTP231** · 01-11-2012, 04:46 PM

Originally Posted by pajeff02

I read through the TSB and it does not appear to be a safety concern. My mother pays no attention to stuff like that and dad usually forgets to wear his hearing aid. Looks like they can save $379.00. The transmission fluid and filter change procedure appears to be the same as on our other cars. The recommended fluid is Toyota T-IV, so I may need to get that from the dealership.

Its not a safety thing. GM has bulletins about replacement or lubricating them for knocking and clunking noises

**pajeff02** · 01-11-2012, 06:31 PM

I talked to my parents and brother this morning and no one has noticed any clunking or other noise in the steering. I then called the service desk and inquired as to what "steering shaft service" consists of. I received a half bullshit answer that they would be "lubricating the joints" -- no mention of replacement. When I then said that there were no problems or noises in the steering he of course acted surprised and indicated that I would not have to have that service completed. I thanked him for his time and cancelled the appointment.

**GTP231** · 01-11-2012, 07:16 PM

And some dealership employees don't understand why the stereotype exists

**cammed goat** · 01-11-2012, 08:02 PM

The only thing I can think of with a steering service is syphoning the old fluid out while pumping clean fluid in. I did that when I worked for Mazda. Was a recall-related service.

**Silver Bullet 8150** · 01-12-2012, 09:18 AM

Im a tech at a toyota dealership and rav-4's only need a power steering flush at 50k miles and anyone can do it, just use a turkey baster and suck out the old fluid and put new fluid in while the car is running and turn the steering wheel to get the fluid circulating. Now i forget the year maybe 08 or 09 is electric power steering with no fluid. But if the vehicle is in service and we feel the clunk from the steering shaft we do let the customer know and show them the TSB and let them know if they are in warranty or not and let them make the decision. As for the trans fluid it might take WS (World Standard) fluid and only needs to be flushed at 100k miles. Our dealer has done away with "flushes" so we just do a drain and refill. I personally have seen ravs and other cars with this WS fluid black as shit at 40k and let the customer know that its not due till 100k but its dirty and let them make the call. Some techs are nice and upfront but i know i have a few here that a straight criminals and would love to set them up to get caught doing bad shit so they can be fired....

**wileyCoyote** · 01-12-2012, 09:43 AM

Originally Posted by Silver Bullet 8150

Im a tech at a toyota dealership and rav-4's only need a power steering flush at 50k miles and anyone can do it, just use a turkey baster and suck out the old fluid and put new fluid in while the car is running and turn the steering wheel to get the fluid circulating. Now i forget the year maybe 08 or 09 is electric power steering with no fluid. But if the vehicle is in service and we feel the clunk from the steering shaft we do let the customer know and show them the TSB and let them know if they are in warranty or not and let them make the decision. As for the trans fluid it might take WS (World Standard) fluid and only needs to be flushed at 100k miles. Our dealer has done away with "flushes" so we just do a drain and refill. I personally have seen ravs and other cars with this WS fluid black as shit at 40k and let the customer know that its not due till 100k but its dirty and let them make the call. Some techs are nice and upfront but i know i have a few here that a straight criminals and would love to set them up to get caught doing bad shit so they can be fired....

ATF change at 100k?

..no flushing?