Hi Everyone, I am new to this forum and would like any thoughts that can be provided. I have a 2007 Toyota 4Runner Limited w/ Navigation that we bought from a dealership last July (07). The car as right at 6K miles on it. I was out running errands this past weekend and the car turned off while I was driving at a slow speed (under 10 MPH). The battery was fine - all power, windows, radio, navigation, etc worked on the car just fine. When turning the key, the engine was dead - nothing, no clicking just dead. We had the car towed to the local dealership who proceeded to let me know that they wanted to warn me that whatever the problem may not be covered under warranty. I inquired further and they let me know that an animal could have chewed wires would be an example. Well, guess what. Today when I called the dealership to check in, they said that was what had happened. They person will still try to get the warranty to cover it to do me a favor. I am just in shock that this could be true. I live about 3 blocks from the beach in an area, park on cement/garage in a newer construction home with very limited landscape or shrubs. We don’t have squirrels near my home (lots of birds) and no rats or mice to speak of. Is this really possible? I feel I am at the mercy of the dealer and don’t want to risk having to pay out of pocket to escalate the issue because I don’t believe the person I am working with. It just seems too strange to me that the one example they gave to me is the one thing it is? And in our environment and the car’s environment, I just don’t believe it. Please provide feedback or thoughts for me.
OH it’s possible. Have them SHOW YOU the wire(s) that were chewed. Report back what wires were chewed for further help.
We just had a drunk when he was arrested, take a bite out of the weather stripping on the police car. I suppose an animal could have done the same thing to your 4Runner. I do think that they should show you the wires that had to be repaired and I also think it is strange that they suggested, before making the repair, that it might not be under warranty because of animal damage. One of our cars is a 2003 4Runner and no animal has taken a liking to the wiring. However, I did have a chipmonk eat through a rubber fuel line on my 1978 Oldsmobile. My mechanic had just replaced the fuel pump a month before and when the car stopped, I found that I wasn’t getting gas to the carburetor. I had it towed to his shop. Twenty minutes later he called back and said the car was fixed. He saw the problem right away–the tow truck had the rear wheels elevated and the gasoline was really running out of the fuel line which I didn’t see when I looked under the hood. I guess it is possible that an animal (or a drunk) took a nibble out of your wiring. I had the chipmonks eat through the thermostat wiring to my heat pump and the technician who made the repair said that chipmonks are a problem with wiring.
OKAY - I am on my way to the dealership. They have me this time, I really can’t complain or raise this up to management like I want since they did “cover” it under warranty. I asked to see the wires and he said it was in the or near the steering column and they fused the wires together could not show me any evidence. That just doesn’t sound right to me, unfortunately, it just doesn’t.
I wouldn’t go back to that dealer unless it’s the only shop in town. Not all dealers are created equal. I’ve taken my Toyota into one dealer only to hear, “Sorry, that’s not covered under the warranty!” when a different dealer happily repairs the same problem under the same warranty.
If the wire were repaired, the repair would obliterate the damage. Why didn’t you ask for photographs, if you doubted so much, Thomas?
Don’t worry it was repaired. Animals exist in the oddest of places. For example I left a vehicle in a condo garage for a winter in the most “unnatural” setting and found chewed up wires.
The next few winters it was in a 200 year old+ barn parked on wide barn boards with a cow cellar below. Not a single bit of damage there.
There was a Nissan Dealer in NH that was NOT covering many repairs under warranty. If you went to regional rep then there was a much higher chance they’d cover it. However it turned out the dealer was doing the work under warranty. They did the work submitted the warranty to Nissan…AND at the same time charged the customer for the service…the dealer was getting paid TWICE for a single job. TOTAL SCUM. They got caught and got their hand slapped by Nissan.