Getting ripped off?

I think you have to suck it up this time captain... be glad they're willing to comp you the upcoming fluid checks and tire rotation.

Next time? You could take your car in to one of those autoparts stores that will read your check engine light codes free before deciding whether to let the dealer handle the "repair".

 

They have the overhead of being there, answering your request for an appointment, signing you in, covering your seats and floor mats, moving your car to the service bay, having the right diagnostic equipment available, having the right repair manuals available, training the tech to use it, setup time (only a few minutes), having shop supplies and commonly used parts available, management, billing, electricity, toilet paper coffee, etc etc.

Yes this time they got lucky and the diagnosis went quickly but sometimes it doesn't. What if they had to go a dozen screens in and hook up additional test equipment. I have a set of manuals that tell me how to interpret the codes the car sends you and there are codes where the diagnostic flow chart is dozens of pages long. Oh, yes, sometimes there are multiple codes present and they interplay and you have to figure out how they interact with each other.

So they have choice of flat charging or getting more complex. Charge you for 15 minutes and the next guy for 2 hours. And the skill and experience of the tech varies too, should they factor that in?

Most dealerships do charge flat rates based on the book. The thing that varies is the per hour charge.

And it seems that they didn't charge for the fix or the check after the fix to assure that the problem still wasn't present.

You had options of not going there, asking how much the diagnosis would be before hand, checking the last thing done to your car before the CEL came on before going there ... must be a dozen other choices.

A diagnosis is always obvious in retrospect.

 

Years ago it cost me $80 at Meineke to get the light reset on my old van and for them to do the diagnostic, but not find anything wrong. I knew beforehand to double-check my gas cap though, so I knew it wasn't that and the gas cap is pressure checked during our emissions test every 2 years. I paid the bill and ordered an ODB dongle from Amazon soon after. Now I check/record the codes and reset the warning light. If it comes back on, then I take it in. Depending on the codes, I take it to either my mechanic or the dealer. I once drove all the way home from Georgia with the light on because the codes indicated the repair could wait.

There are some places that will check the code for free, but not all of them will reset it, probably due to liability issues. If you're not up to buying a dongle and installing an iOS/Android app on your phone/tablet, then check with your local O'Reilly's, AutoZone, etc., to see what they'll do. $130 is expensive, but in my case, I could have spent the $80 at Meineke and still had to take it to the dealer for another test if it turned out to be a dealer-only repair. Now I have no idea who I'd trust with the Prius. My mechanic is no longer around and he might not have been able to work on it anyway. I tried a place called Tech One and they charge as much as the dealer. I have the warranty, so I shouldn't have to worry about it for awhile.

 

ripoff alert, i would demand a free oil change after 10,000 miles, or i would never go back. and i would raise my voice in disdain, while other customers were there, if they balk.

fwiw, my wife had the loose gas cap. i tightened it and took it to my local mechanic. he shut the light off for free. and i think it might reset itself after starting and stopping the car a number of times?

 

How was this not covered under warranty??? Your car is less than 3 years old right?

Or are you over the 36k mile side of the warranty?

Had to ask the obvious.

 

Captain: I think your example is additional proof of why Toyota DEALERS get a bad rap. You're a good customer of that dealer and you get treated like that??? Politely tell him goodbye and find another one that believes in customer SERVICE. I don't think "forgiving" your charge is going to bankrupt that dealership, but the bad "word of mouth" talk will make a lot of future customers go elsewhere..

 

How is user error covered under the warranty?

 

He mentioned his area is all full service gas stations, so gas attendants error.... Besides that fact, If my check engine light comes on, I bring directly to dealer if under warranty, whom am I or anyone but the dealer to say what that issue is.

In essence, there should be no charge! I would not have left there paying a cent for them to tell me my gas cap was loose. Any half decent dealership would send you home w/o charging I would hope.

Further I'm pretty sure most if not all mechanics know to check the possibly obvious issues first....ie. gas cap...

 

The response that it's not a known issue is ignorant. It's been a known issue since at least 1999 when we bought our Montana van and I was specifically cautioned to make sure I put the cap on correctly or it could cause the Check light to come on.

The problem though is that although it turned out to be nothing more than the gas cap, they might have run it though all the checks to make sure that's all it was. $130 is still too much for this service and at the very least I would insist they comp the next oil change, not just the next 5,000 mile service.

One word of advice, getting angry and yelling will not get you anywhere. It may make you feel better in the short term, but a more reasoned approach might just get you the next oil change comp'd. If it does, then I'd consider it a lesson and move on. I get that you were hurried because of the pending trip, and you paid for it, but it's always nest to find out about charges up front. Of course, that's easy to say after the fact, but it pays to educate yourself a bit before problems come up. For example, it never dawned on me that the Prius uses synthetic oil or that the 12v battery is more expensive than others. That didn't change my mind about the purchase, but at least I know going in that I'm not going to qualify for AAA's $14.95 oil change specials.

 

So far as I know, the dealership does not have a price list that says "$120 Diagnosis, or $1.29 if it turns out to be something easy to fix."

OP: if you do not like spending $120 to be told to reset your fuel cap or something else trivial, I suggest investing a couple of dollars in an engine code (DTC) reader app for either the Android or iOS along with a OBDII BlueTooth dongle. The app can also clear codes.

The warranty does not cover wear&tear or owner stupidity. Or accidents. Or invasions from Mars. Or the stupidity of friends. Or ANGRY gods. Or ANGRY cats ... ...

SHEESH, then what does it cover , you ask ?

Manufacturing defects. I think the diagnostic fee is covered if a manufacturing defect is identified as the cause of the DTC.

 

Depending on your tenacity, take a device you ca access these web pages with to the dealer and let them see public opinion of their policies, can't hurt might help.
Scangauge2 reads codes and is fun to play with, after the dealer gives back your money....get one

 

I bought a code scanner for $25 on Amazon years ago when I had a car that was blipping check engine light because it was cheaper than taking it anywhere.
Ending up being something stupid after I looked up the codes on line, bought the sensor that was bad and had it fixed in 2 days for around $35 total for the scanner and the sensor, then reset the light myself.
Still way cheaper than taking it somewhere, and I have used my scanner on other people's cars probably 10 times since then.

 

I've said this many times before... find a reputable local mechanic, and patronize their business. Usually word of mouth, and possibly ratings on the internet can point you to one. I have yet to bring my Prius to a dealer, despite their offer for a free oil change.

If my Prius had done that, my mechanic would have checked it for me in an unscheduled visit, and charged me nothing. If something was truly wrong, they would have done their best to accommodate my schedule, then performed the work at a reasonable price - taking the time to show me the replacement parts and explaining all their work. Needless to say they've earned my trust a long time ago.

I'd rather give my money to someone with a vested interest in fostering their customer's business.

 

My car has done that (or more accurately, I have done that to the car.) I was happy to fix it for free. No waiting, and no trip to the mechanic.

I have to say, I kind of appreciate rapacious dealerships and mechanics. They motivate me to be somewhat less lazy and ignorant.

 

Proves one thing; time and time again; knowledge is everything!

It's money "in the bank."

It's also like having the "number and kinds of tools in your tool box." The more tools that you have; the easier it is to accomplish your task.

It uninformed get taken for a ride time and time again.

 

That's probably very true. Around here they advertise a set price just to do the diagnostic. Some shops will credit the fee if they find the problem right away and they do the repair work. Some will read the code for free, but charge to diagnose the cause. It's a tough lesson for the customer who doesn't have the knowledge, expertise or tools.

 

My ex GF's mom managed to put diesel in her Camry. The dealer covered it under warranty. It would have cost about 2500. So, some dealers will cover owner stupidity.
Get a Mini VCI cable and techstream. It's good for your health.

 

I parse that to mean that the dealer defrauded Toyota to 'do a favor' for the customer.