I’ll just make one more comment. When you drive an older vehicle and take care of it well, it is worth far more to you than anyone else. So the risk is always if something happens, you’ll never be compensated for what you think its worth. Been there. New clutch, new tires, new front end, etc. etc. doesn’t mean anything when it gets wrecked. So other than verifying the quality of the engine, just try to remember it is an older vehicle and the lower mileage is not really an issue except to you.
Not that a 2011 is real old but it’s not like a two year old car that they ruined the engine on. And the yearly mileage is pretty low so how many more miles would be driven before wanting to trade anyway. Yeah ask a few questions and take the deal. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot.
I would be happy with a Toyota sourced engine. Aftermarket, not so much. My daughter had to replace an engine on a 2004 RAV 4 about 8 years ago. Her mechanic installed a Jasper rebuilt with a warranty. The first engine arrived was installed in her car and was leaking oil through a porous head casting, It had to be crated up and sent back to Jasper for examination before they would send a new engine and pay for another removal and installation.
Second engine arrived and installed, burning oil at a rate of 500 miles a quart. Repeat replacement process.
Third engine ran ok and didn’t burn oil but it always vibrated at idle and idle speed would not stabilize, 8 trips back to shop to correct, would seem to be fixed, but problem would return. 6 months after 3rd engine installed she traded in the car. This shop had always served her well in the past.
The odds of this being an oil seal failure are zero IMO. It’s much easier to lay the blame off on something that could be claimed to be “not our fault” instead of “we screwed up”.
The one concern I would have is are they really going to install a reman engine OR are they going to install a clean one from a boneyard and pass it off as a reman.
Years ago when I worked for Nissan we had a truck with a wiped manual transmission come in. It was trashed to the point of not being economically viable to repair. So a new trans was ordered.
A week or so later it came in and when I busted the wooden shipping crate open I found a shaky looking transmission. Some of you may know what something like that looks like when it’s been blasted at the car wash. I told the service manager something was rotten. On the bench I discovered a “new” wiped out manual transmission. Somewhere along the chain a transmission was obviously hijacked.
That would get everyone off the hook and you’d be good as new, and better than you were. The dealer’s trade-in offer would be for your car with the original engine in good condition, before their screw-up.
If you decide to go for the rebuilt engine tell the dealer you want the original powertrain warranty on it. He’ll represent the rebuilt engine as good as new so why not get a new engine warranty?
The normal industry practice is to install a repair part and it would still be covered by the original warranty, so for this particular case it is no warranty, the point is moot.
Dealer offers 1 year / 12,000 miles warranty on replacement engine, it is a step-up form the current OP standing, at least on “warranty” topic.
Yes, sure, it would be better if the situation did not happen at all, but given realities, the dealer offer is absolutely fair, especially considering they are paying for a loaner while the troubled car is in the shop.
Given some dealership remorse, if OP wanted to trade, it would be a time to get a good deal and replace the vehicle with no even getting it back, but it’s totally separate topic.
The backstory is that at my last oil change they asked me if I was interested in selling my car due to its condition, low miles and high demand. However I declined. I’m not new car enthusiast.
This Monday morning the service manager texted me that the tech is working on my car and will call me with diagnosis.
This oil change at the service dealer was completed at 1:30pm last Friday and the car broke down on highway at 2:30pm that day. I got it towed back and they gave me a loaded 2019 RAV4 limited as loaner.
Service manager who was not at service center called me on Saturday that the engine seized due to oil filter seal fail and offered replacement engine with 1 yr warranty. I sent him the photo of the missing drain plug and then he said he needs to be at the garage to look this.
They all feed us these stories, and it has nothing to do with them needing your particular type of vehicle on the used car lot, but in their ability to roll the new car off their lot.
Considering that Toyota car stock is at unhealthy high level now due to slow demand, they play all kind of tricks.
The service manager updated me that the tech is still working on this but states that the lower block of the engine would have to be replaced and the upper or long block of the engine checked out undamaged. The lower block would be a new replacement from Toyota.
More information will be provided tomorrow.
Any opinions on this diagnosis check out? Thanks
Yes I do have an opinion. Just wait until all is done and you have the vehicle back . The more you worry and contact the dealer could effect their attitude . As I said before they seem to be doing the right thing and they have to watch their dollars at the same time.
A mistake was made and they could have stone walled and caused you more trouble such having to hire an attorney.
A 12 month/1 year warranty is normally sufficient if any problems are going to occur. Back in the 1950s, the standard new car warranty was 90 days or 4000 miles. There is a statistical distribution which models failures due to manufacturing defects. As time increases, the number of warranty repairs goes down dramatically for the life of the vehicle. In 1963, Chrysler increased the warranty on the drivetrain from 90 days or 4000 miles to five years or 50,000 miles. It really didn’t cost Chrysler much to extend this warranty as most of the problems would occur in the first 90 days.
What I am saying is that a 12 month warranty is sufficient to cover any defects in the rebuilt engine.
A Toyota provided short block (meaning sans cylinder head) is the best option.
My only concern would be if the cylinder head camshaft saddles and/or cam journals/lobes have any damage at all due to oil starvation. Hopefully they know what they’re looking at or for as damage in this area may be very subtle. Offhand, sounds like they’re doing the right thing though.
I’m assuming the cam shaft/lobes are parts of the long block. Will these subtle damages if any, surface and impact the engine performance within the 12 months covered under the warranty? Or would they appear in the longer period? Do you think a third party inspection is advised?
That tow guy did me a solid when he took a photo of the missing plug. I believe that they are trying to right their mistake but I have to protect my interest.
I do hope you have that photo that the tow driver took. If the dealer refuses responsibility on this hire a lawyer. For the service manager to blame the “oil filter seal” when the drain plug is MISSING is the height of slimy-ness.
Also, the assumption that the engine is seized may be wrong. If you really did pull right over when your oil light came on the engine may be fine. Make sure the engine is toast before you go any further.
The dealer is already working on the vehicle . They have accepted responsibility for the mistake. Marvel06 is stressed enough without comments like ( @glasspilot - Make sure engine is toast ) and making a difference on the type of engine the person receives.
At this point whether it was a missing drain plug or a faulty oil filter seal or both it just does not matter.
After the person gets their vehicle back then they can decide what to do - keep or replace.
It seems to me that the dealer is doing just what he should do,providing you with a rebuilt engine. You have the dealership in a bad situation, as he, or his employee goofed and now they have to make this “goof” go away, so take the rebuilt engine and "suggest to the dealer that you would be “happier” with the repair with “lifetime free oil changes and some free car washes too”!
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