Back-up Bulb Fell Into Lens

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by bresna, Jun 23, 2017.

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  1. bresna

    bresna Active Member

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    My back-up light stopped working so I bought a replacement bulb and set to replacing it. After several hours and many outbursts of vulgarity, I finally got the bulb holder out. And it was empty! I looked down inside and there was the old bulb down at the bottom.

    I tried like heck to get that sucker out of there but there was no way that was coming out. Then I installed the new bulb and found out why - the bulb barely fits through the hole in the back of the lens. There's no way that bulb is every coming out.

    So I bring it to Portsmouth Toyota. Clearly I need a new lens that doesn't have a bulb rolling around inside it, right? After 45 minutes, the service guy comes out and says that'll cost $588 because someone bumped me which is why the bulb fell out. I said, "Really? I'm supposed to expect a bulb to simply fall out of its socket when bumped?" His answer was that it's my fault and that Toyota would never cover it.

    So I told them to leave the bulb I put in there and give me my car back. I'm not paying $588 for this.

    Boo Toyota. Not happy with this one.
     
    #1 bresna, Jun 23, 2017
    Last edited: Jun 23, 2017
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  2. Sam Spade

    Sam Spade Senior Member

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    Along with your brand new car, you should have gotten a "warranty booklet".
    In there, should be a number to call for warranty support at Toyota corporate.

    Use your energy to call them instead of posting in places like this. (y)
     
    #2 Sam Spade, Jun 23, 2017
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  3. bresna

    bresna Active Member

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    Have you ever called that number? I have. An absolute waste of time. I posted here to warn others not to be surprised if they ever find one of their back-up bulbs down at the bottom of their lens assembly. :)
     
    #3 bresna, Jun 23, 2017
  4. Sam Spade

    Sam Spade Senior Member

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    OK, just take the abuse then.

    My second suggestion would be to call your state's Consumer Protection office.......or the Attorney General......but it sounds like you don't REALLY want to get it fixed.

    P.S. You didn't mention if there actually is any evidence of the vehicle being hit in that area; is there ??
     
    #4 Sam Spade, Jun 23, 2017
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    did someone bump you?
     
    #5 bisco, Jun 23, 2017
  6. bresna

    bresna Active Member

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    I assume someone did bump me but I've had many cars get bumped and never had a lightbulb fall out of its socket from being bumped. :)

    The service manager came out and told me that they were ordering a new socket. The service tech dropped 2 more bulbs into the lens trying to debug the problem. :LOL: He's managed to get 2 of the 3 bulbs out of the lens but one just won't pull out. So I will have a bulb rolling around in there. I'd rather that than pay $588 to not have it in there.
     
    #6 bresna, Jun 23, 2017
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  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    The original bulb probably wasn't seated fully in the socket, at the factory. I can't see the car being bumped knocking out a bulb: that was a Hail Mary diagnosis by the service department, lol.

    Yeah, I would leave it as-is too. Odd though, that the mechanic can manage to fish some bulbs out, but not all. Was the the one he can't get out the original one, and it's in an odd place?
     
    #7 Mendel Leisk, Jun 23, 2017
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    idk, if there's no bruise, how can they assume you were bumped?
     
    #8 bisco, Jun 23, 2017
  9. huskers

    huskers Senior Member

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    Surprised they can't reach it with one of those snake grabbing things.
     
    #9 huskers, Jun 23, 2017
  10. stevepea

    stevepea Senior Member

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    Another option to try is to simply go to a couple more Toyota dealerships and ask them. Don't know where you live, but around here there are Toyota dealerships all over the place. If the Service guy at Dealership #1 doesn't want to do it under warranty, try going to another. They may do it as a "goodwill gesture" to convince you to go there in the future. All I'm saying was, if it was me and it was $600 and it was clearly not right (a bulb falling out?) I'd go to at least 2 more dealerships and give it a try...
     
    #10 stevepea, Jun 23, 2017
  11. JamesBurke

    JamesBurke Senior Member

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    This makes no since. If the tech had 2 bulbs fall out then the lamp socket is broken and not retaining them. Why not say the socket needs replaced? Unless you have insurance claim level damage to that area how could this be and not be a Toyota defect. This dealer service dept. is BS'n you, go elsewhere.
     
    #11 JamesBurke, Jun 23, 2017
  12. ems2158

    ems2158 Active Member

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    If the bulb is rolling around in the lens, you shouldn't need a new lens. If the lens is removed from the car, you should be able to shake the bulb loose and get it out of the socket or grab it with needle nose pliers.
     
    #12 ems2158, Jun 23, 2017
  13. bresna

    bresna Active Member

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    They are replacing the socket. They have it on order. I expect I'll be back there next weekend for round two.
     
    #13 bresna, Jun 23, 2017
  14. bresna

    bresna Active Member

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    They say it's 90 minutes of labor to remove the lens so I doubt they'll be doing that to get the old bulb out. :)

    As I said above, the socket opening for the bulb is very tight. It's about the same size as the body of the bulb itself. There is no way you're fitting needle nose pliers in there, especially while grabbing the bulb. Also, the lens area is deep so just getting at the bulb is difficult.

    I have one of those "grabber" tools where you press the end of the tool and 4 wires come out to grab stuff. I tried using this for about 20 minutes and every time i got the bulb up to the opening, I just couldn't get the bulb back through that tight opening. No room. The service manager told me that the service tech used a flexible stick with a wad of bubble gum-like substance on it to get the bulbs out but he can't get it to stick to the last bulb for some reason.
     
    #14 bresna, Jun 23, 2017
  15. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    is it warranty?
     
    #15 bisco, Jun 23, 2017
  16. bresna

    bresna Active Member

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    They say no. They say it's been bumped so the warranty doesn't apply.
     
    #16 bresna, Jun 23, 2017
  17. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    brutal. how could 'bumping' cause a defective bulb socket?(n)
     
    #17 bisco, Jun 23, 2017
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  18. stevepea

    stevepea Senior Member

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    As I said, try going to another dealership.
     
    #18 stevepea, Jun 23, 2017
  19. Sam Spade

    Sam Spade Senior Member

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    So......why exactly do you think that the warranty should cover DAMAGE caused by a collision ??
    Hint: It shouldn't.
    And the fact that it has never happened to you (or a few million other people) makes absolutely no difference.
    Maybe you should contact your insurance company.
     
    #19 Sam Spade, Jun 23, 2017
  20. Washingtonian

    Washingtonian Senior Member

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    So.....why do you assume there was a collision? The bulb fell out of a socket that the dealer is replacing because it is defective. Do you think you could hit the car so hard to knock a light bulb out of its socket yet leave no evidence of a collision?
     
    #20 Washingtonian, Jun 23, 2017
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