Dealership didn’t rotate my tires!?

Since you really have no way of proving it...
The "damages" are some fraction of a couple of tires since tires are going to wear out no matter where the are.
How much effort are you going to put into getting this fraction of tire wear back?
Maybe write a letter and complain. Maybe you will get one free tire if you buy 3.
The same deal they run every so often at most dealers or tire shops.

Mike

 

go talk to the service manager calmly. explain what happened and your concern about the uneven wear. try to be reasonable, and see what her response is.
if you don't get any satisfaction, write a letter to the gm or owner. this is not a toyota issue, dealers are independent.
how can you have 3 5,000 mile services in 11,000 miles? at 39,000 miles, most oem tires are well done anyway.

 

I had an issue with a Toyota dealer out in Wichita while were out there.

They were supposed to present the inspection results in checklist format when returning the car from an oil change. When this did not come with the report, I asked for it and the service writers response was “oh well they must have left it on the seat and now it’s gone”.

When I reminded them of the inspection results, they had a tech come out and pencil whip it.

I accepted the copy of the report, scanned that copy and the previous copy of the inspection results which showed the brake pads had GROWN 3 mm in thickness.

Sent that to the GM and said I would leave bad reviews all over social media.

I ended up getting an apology letter and a free oil change for the effort.

Just one example.

 

You should try to watch then do the work. Depending on how they have their bay's set up, you may not be able to do that.
You should have written down on a piece of paper the colors on which tires.
When you picked up the car, you should have asked if they rotated the tire. If they said yes, ask them how.
Front to back with or with out switching from left to right.
Then compare the colors. And show them the paper if it is the same.

 

Easy, one right after he bought the car and 2 after that. Remember, he started with over 28,000 miles, so it was due.

I also suggest talking to the service manager, they may not be aware one of the techs is not doing the job and at the very least they should rotate them and give you a report on the tread depth, not just eyeball it. Oh, and having the car serviced doesn't necessarily mean the tires get rotated. My dealer does oil change only for 1 price and oil change/rotation for a higher price. I usually get them rotated at Costco or Discount Tires or by my daughter's mechanic when I'm visiting her in GA.

 

ENTIRELY unnecessary if you did like he did and mark the tires.
His mistake was NOT checking them before leaving the shop.
He HAD the proof......but kind of lost it when he drove off the lot.

I've had a shop or two who had a "grease monkey" who though the proper tire inflation was what is stamped on the sidewall.......so I always check that before leaving. I even had that happen once when the service invoice specifically said: "Do not change the tire pressures."

Once I took a car to a tire shop with one tire that had a HUGE balloon like lump sticking out one side. They put on a new tire........on the WRONG wheel. Can't trust anybody anymore, it seems.

SIGH.

 

I agree....
If I had a tire machine and a balance machine I wouldn't need someone to do that for me.
And a lift would REALLY help! But I don't.
So I stand outside the bay and WATCH them!!! They always OVER torque the lug bolts, striping them out.
And they do NOT know how to use a torque wrench. They bounce it. With 3 different people!
It doesn't matter how many times you do something wrongs, it doesn't make it right!
Most people take no pride in their work. They only care about themselves. It's very sad.

 

Think you gettin new or the correct weight engine oil, any filter and fuel cleaner additives also? Just like tire rotation, doesn't happen most of the time when you pay for the service. Another thing to do is to give them specific instructions like: "Rotate front to back, back to front, no crossing, leave tire pressure alone, torque to 78 foot pound, I know there is 6mm left on front pads and 7mm on back pads so don't inspect the brake pads." That's when they know you know your shit and they'll rotate it for sure because if your that OCD, they'll know you're gonna go over their work and know if they didn't rotate it.

 

They did rotate them -- they just rotated them all the way around the car into the same place!

Seriously, I'm sure if you take it back they will rotate them for free, no questions asked. To say that: (1) they never rotated them and (2) that is the cause of the wear difference, is a stretch that they will surely not agree to.

The dealer could very well claim that the color chart was made after he received the car back or was not correct to start with. The only real proof would be if he logged the color on the dealer's work order before work started.

 

But then they for sure would be on their best behaviour.

Yeah I'm thinking too: contact the service manager. If he's not interested, let the general manager know you'll be shopping elsewhere for service in future, and why. I suspect the service manager will be receptive though. If not, you're well shut of them.

 

Rotating tyres is not part of the standard service package. Also claiming you would need to buy tyres more often because of not rotating tyres has no merit. The best tyres should be on the rear anyway so if your fronts wear out quicker and you need to replace them, put the rear tyres on the front and the new tyres on the rear.
Nothing to be furious about, no false advertising and I think you are overreacting a bit.

 

Just an FYI on that "over torque" of the lug nuts.

Most shops utilize torque extensions. Which snap if over torqued. So unless you see them putting that socket directly onto the impact wrench itself, don't assume they are over torqued. The dealership I hang out on a bi-daily basis utilize this religiously. It's that or either buy new rims for customers on every other wheel install because you over tightened and cracked that aluminum rim. (Seriously, this is critical - again, so much so that we simply let the guy go who busted up two rims in the same week for not using them.)

 

I know, I watch them use that stupid thing, then use a regular torque wrench, improperly, they bounce on it!
And then they have two other people do it. Idiots!

 

okay, at 39,000 miles you have firestone tires? how many miles on them?

 

Rotating tires every 5K miles is listed as regular maintenance on US Toyota Manual. Not sure but I have read other countries especially in Europe, they often do not rotate tires. I have let dealer rotate tires on free Toyota Care service, but after that, unless free rotation is included in the service, I don't bother with it. If I don't rotate regularly, I buy two new tires at a time when front two are worn. Put two new tires on rear, and bring old rear tires to front. Rotate often and change all 4 tires at once or do only 2 as mentioned by @Maarten28. Either way, you are spending same amount of money on tires (provided you are getting same price/tire). One advantage of purchasing 4 tires is that you can get sales price and rebate on set of 4 tires often, but if you have to pay for rotation, it will be a wash.

 

Yes it is. From the 3rd Gen Prius, Toyota USA Maintenance Schedule; it's on each and every interval:

 

Well that kind of defeats half of the purpose.
You mark the tires.
You make a record of that on a piece of paper and put it in an envelope in the glove box.
You call them out on it before you ever get into the car.
If they protest, you ask for the Service Manager and have him get the paper out of the car.