THIS is Why Dealerships get Bad Reputations! Makes me Very UPSET!

THIS is why dealerships get bad reputations. This also applies to the car repair industry as a whole.
We find out in this video how the owner of this 2008 Toyota Highlander kept going from dealership to dealership and from auto shop to auto shop and NONE of these could address their Simple and basic concerns!
The dealership's service department often are called Stealership or other bad names which makes me sad, but in some cases they actually earn that name because of their ways!
Mechanics need to inspect cars properly, Report everything they find then make recommendations based on their findings on what needs addressing now and what can wait. Then they need to stop talking and let the owner of the car make a decision while answering any questions they have. This sometimes happens but unfortunately as you'll see in this video, it doesn't always happen!
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#thecarcarenut #cardealership
0:00 Dealership problems!
6:55 Car Interior Inspection
8:18 Under Hood Inspection
12:21 Under Car Inspection
19:04 Wiper Issue Diagnosis
22:18 Sun Roof Drain Checks
24:39 Conclusion

[@brucecann1591]

I’ve been a Toyota technician since 1988 I’m a shop foreman at a large dealer in California. You did a great job with this video I see this all too often in my job. It really does make a bad name for the industry. Your attention to detail is excellent. Keep up the good work.

[@TheCarCareNut]

Thank you Bruce!

[@muumarlin1731]

Bruce - taking my car to you!! Seems like you can help oversee a proper inspection and deal fairly with the customer:)

[@dinhscot]

The owner loves his Toyota and it showed how clean and well they keep it. I too am really pissed of at Dealership and repair shop not doing the right thing and not repairing the car correctly...

[@Rob-ik2cv]

Trust is a beautiful thing, once it is earned. I imagine you have that, Bruce.

[@TheIpadiphone]

Bruce what city are you in? so I can take my car to you

[@MatthewBonacci3881]

This is why I do my own work. Hard to find not only an honest mechanic but a competent one.

[@ACommenterOnYouTube]

Amen

[@marco1173]

Yup. And even the good ones sometimes fail. I took a '10 GTI to my mechanic of 10+ years for an oil pressure issue and they couldn't fix it. It sat in my garage for months while I researched the issue that turned out to be a missing oil filter inner tube that costs $16. My mechanic was suggesting swapping the engine for over $3k, lol

[@ryans413]

I do most the work myself but I don’t know everything and I still use a shop for some work. When I go to the shop I straight up tell them what I’d like done that way they know I’m not someone they can push over. Most the time I know the issues just don’t know how to fix it. I’m still learning I don’t own a garage or a driveway so doing work outside on the street is not always the best thing.

[@LasseDeleuran]

I like to do my own work too... only problem is my own incompetence! :D

[@TechCrazy]

I am in the same boat. I wish I lived closer to AMD.

[@vicinvesta8349]

There are just two options really. You either learn and fix everything yourself (and that includes not just cars, but everything). Or you earn enough money so that any repair cost or just getting a new car every 3 years does not matter to you. Being without money and having no skills is the worst.

[@TheStealthbob]

Bought a new Mazda CX9 in 2017, I have been the only person to lay a wrench on it. Funny enough, not ONE mechanical failure after 230,000KM's. Its a good car but I cant help but thinking what would have failed if I trusted the stealership for all the maintenance. My goal will be to get this over 500,000 KM's, just hope the rust (Canada) doesn't get it first.

[@vicinvesta8349]

@@TheStealthbob totally doable. A car in caring knowledgable hands will run for a really long time. Try some rustproofing. People show good results just by washing undercarriage and applying Fluid Film. Needs to be done at least once a year.

[@henrykemka2164]

A very honest and simple consideration for all to digest. You're a straight shooter. Like myself, you call it the way you see it!

[@henrykemka2164]

Oh man, the more I think about your statement, the better I feel about being earnest

[@purringc5552]

That's what I had to do. Learn to fix it myself. I just didn't have the money to have it done. Mistakes were made along the way, but knowledge and wisdom were learned. And most importantly, I'm still learning.

[@clutchinv1803]

I went to a local Lexus dealer for an oil leak and they came back with a long list of items that they told me needed to be replaced. Not only did they misdiagnose the oil leak but they told me I need new spark plugs and a new serpentine belt which were both replaced about a month before my visit to this dealership. When I told my service advisor, he had this weird look on his face and then came back and showed me a picture of my “worn serpentine belt”. I’m convinced that he took a picture of a belt from another vehicle. $193 diagnostic fee down the toilet. I knew better than to go to the dealer. I left a horrible Google review and when they tried to call me I ignored all their calls. Stay away from Ourisman Lexus of Rockville. There I said it. Screw them

[@rhynod6796]

I'm convinced dealerships overlook issues they would need to replace under warranty. Once the warranty expires they will charge you twice as much to replace something that should have been noticed during previous service intervals.

[@wholeNwon]

No kidding!

[@Odat]

I heard from a friend who worked at a dealer is that they when they do warranty work they get paid the full amount by Toyota so I’m not sure why they wouldn’t want to do it. Sometimes they have to get the warranty work approved first.

[@wholeNwon]

Don't know about Toyota but they are usually paid on a lower scale and, since the manufacturer supplies the parts, they don't get their usual mark-up on the inflated price to the consumer.

[@Chewyzard]

@@Odat warranty time is not worth doing most of the time. The pay is really low for warranty jobs.

[@dtna]

@wholeNwon That is not true. Dealers are paid their normal "labor rate" + parts mark-up on their parts. Call a Toyota dealership near you and ask them what their hourly labor rate is. It is probably ~$100+. That is why once your car is out of warranty, you should seek an independent Toyota repair facility. One that worked for a dealership and is factory trained.

[@steveboone5450]

Awesome. I have always said that having an honest and knowledgeable auto technician is one of the most valuable assets you can have -- particularly for those of us who keep their cars for 10-20 years and 200k+ miles. You would not believe how much your viewers would like to have access to you to service their vehicles. Between your brand-specific knowledge, your integrity, and your attitude of saving your customers money by only recommending work that is necessary and being willing to "keep an eye on" minor non-safety issues, you are a gold mine for your customers. Watching your videos over the last year, your honesty and integrity come through so strongly (along with your Toyota-specific knowledge and experience). I am convinced that this is why your channel is so popular and successful. Keep up the great work and continue to set a high bar for other technicians to emulate!

[@rightlanehog3151]

[@blissfuljoy6049]

I have yet to find a through and honest mechanic and it's beyond frustrating. I'm pretty much convinced that I am not meant to bother with having a car over 100000 miles. I hope I find one some day 🤞

[@ryans413]

I know about cars a little and I herd this noise every time I’d turn the wheels lock to lock. So I thought maybe it was bad tire rods. So I went to this shop that had good reviews they looked it over gave me a call and said they found no play in any of the steering and the tires were rock solid no play. I asked if they could test drive the car and listen because the noise is there. They got back to me and said they herd it and said it’s probably the strut mounts but everything was fine the struts were not leaking and they didn’t recommend any repairs. They could have easily said yea we herd the noise you need this this and that. They said as long as your okay with a little noise there’s nothing wrong with the car it’s rock solid. I went back to the shop expecting to pay a diagnostic fee and the guy told me don’t worry about paying for that. I was kinda shocked I was willing to pay the guy for his time. I was just taken back by the honesty of this shop I will definitely return.

[@alexdesamsonow822]

Perfectly said. AMD is a gem and a good honest man!

[@blissfuljoy6049]

@@scout7060 I am so frustrated with the whole older car ordeal. I think the middle of the road way to go about it is to buy new or close to new and keep it for maybe 8 years. Hopefully it will still have some resale value and then use the money to help get another new one. Once cars start to get older it's such a gamble. I wouldn't want to not own a car though.

[@jwilkers1]

At my former shop we made KZbin videos showing the condition and why we recommended work before and then after work was completed. This effectively took the trust issue off the table since people could see specifically why their vehicle needed work. On issues where testing was required they were shown the tests before and after. Many times customers trusted us and didn't bother looking at the materials we sent but often it made die-hard believers out of our customers and a few times it saved us from customers that would claim something "wasn't doing that before", it was always nice to pull up their video and give them a specific time stamp showing yes indeed it was faulty before and here's the video evidence.

[@thereissomecoolstuff]

That is a great way to do business. Especially as easy as it is now. My tech takes before and after photos and then keeps them for future repair needs. Huge fan of doing that.

[@2k_]

that's amazing for both.

[@duanehenicke6602]

If I had $1,000 for every time i had a repair done on a tractor or vehicle, and it came back with (multiple) problems that it didn't have before. I would owe $0. Plus money in the bank..... All my stuff is so old, i have to diagnose it for them. Source the parts. And tell them what they need to install them. 🤦‍♂️

[@nunyabeezwacks1408]

My Toyota dealership does this and I appreciate it.

[@jwilkers1]

@@nunyabeezwacks1408 my customers loved it because they didn't have to trust me they could see for themselves

[@jeffbaldwin9842]

I bet the dealership that reported the life threatening oil leak wouldn't have actually done anything but charge for the repair. Lots of fraud in the auto repair business and dealerships lead the way. They can't even fix a burnt headlight connector? What a joke.

[@MT-zh3kx]

Just a bad tech and a hungry service writer from a none good Toyota dealer.

[@kenhoward3512]

The technician likely didn't even inspect the connector.

[@max4377]

I'm not surprised. I've had issues of my own. Toyota needs to look into what its dealers are doing. 🤔

[@michigancane4883]

same with Lexus I had a similar problem with a Lexus dealership that I service my car for 15 years they're awful but I didn't know where else to go

[@Houndini]

MAX. You got that correct. You should read my post what happened to myself. If I saw that building on fire I wouldn't stop to pee on it. Dealerships are the very ones giving Toyota a very bad name. I hope day be coming very soon. They be no middleman Dealerships. Only direct from the Auto Companies itself & only there own owned professionally controlled service garages. Cut out these greedy crooked middle men.

[@tharais]

@@Houndini Tesla tried that. Did you know that in some states, it is illegal for the manufacturers to sell directly? Just more rent seeking from special interest businesses at the state government level.

[@kenhoward3512]

I've had dealership problems with every brand I've owned. When I've contacted a manufacturer, I've been told, literally (after a series of unproductive calls), "He (ie., the dealer) is an independent businessman. I'll talk to him, but we can't tell him what to do." The harsh reality is, the dealer is considered the manufacturer's customer - not the car buyer.

[@brad3741]

Toyota as a company is every bit as corrupt as any particular dealer. You want to know what dictates if Toyota renues a contract to allow a dealer to sell cars? Sales! Business is not about honesty or integrity, it's all about profit

[@jessefloyd4835]

I'm so glad there are people like you in the world. I'm a huge diy guy but for special knowledge items I tend to take my car to a shop. If you were in my area I would never take my car anywhere else! Please keep up the good work!

[@keachmister]

As I retired from the dealership, I had to wish the customer a lot of luck. The 70's 80's gen techs are history. Today, it is what it is.

[@flight2k5]

They were still shitty back then

[@p6102zrfxe]

Before two years, after technician in dealership left mess in my car together with dirty plastic seat cover, I asked to talk with Management. Salesman convinced me to go have a coffee and come back in one hour. When I came back, I got my car cleaned with out need to pay for service. After that incident I have never had a problem with same dealership. Thank you Mrs TCCN and AMD.

[@ironsheek834]

Never bring your car to the dealer unless you are still under warranty,find a trustworthy mechanic is the only way to go

[@AT-wl9yq]

I get what you are saying, but trying to find a trustworthy mechanic that knows how to work on a modern vehicle is not an easy task. If you don't have factory training, you're going to have a very difficult time learning the things you need to know. Not all dealerships are bad. Some are honest, some are not. If you can find a dealer with a halfway decent reputation, there's things you can do as a customer to make things work in your favor. You'll always be dealing with a service advisor, but you don't want to stop there. Find some type of excuse to meet the service manager or shop foreman, and even the tech that's working on your car, if you can. You want to be the customer that everyone wants to deal with. If you are the type that's always complaining and hard to deal with, you'll get the minimum. For example, looking at the situation in this video can be done from more than one point of view. By the way the information was presented in the video, it looks like the customer was neglected. And its most likely true. However, that's not always how things work out. If this customer is a typical pain in the ass, they just want to get them out the door with as little interaction as possible. You don't want to be that person. You want to build a relationship where people are happy to see you. Also, always try to give a perfect survey. Those things count for a lot. Those after service surveys that the manufacturer gives you are extremely important to the type of relationship the dealer has with the main company. Even 1 bad survey can be a big deal. I know I'm not very good at explaining things, so I'll try and sum things up as best I can. You want someone like the guy in this video working on your cars. I don't know his background, but he's a dealership tech. Maybe not anymore, but he was at some point. That means you could go to a dealership and he could be doing the work. I think most people would be surprised to find out that most dealers have at least 1 or 2 techs that are similar to the guy in the video. Some guys just won't take advantage and do everything by the book. So what I'm recommending is to build a relationship with your dealer. Then you can find the best tech they have and keep requesting him or her to work on your car. Just a side comment. As the years go by and cars become more difficult and expensive to repair, I see every day extended warranties bailing customers out on expensive repairs they would not be able to afford otherwise. Its just something to consider.

[@toobalicious]

I’ve had similar results with my local Toyota dealer. In my case, they botched a four wheel alignment - THREE (3) separate times! On the first, when you took your hands off the wheel, the car swerved right where before the procedure, it went straight. They spent literally fifteen minutes trying to tell me why I was wrong and it was just due to the crown in the road! Of course, the fact that the steering wheel was also now canted 15 degrees in the opposite direction when traveling in a straight line didn’t influence their opinion that the job was done correctly. Needless to say, on the second service visit, they straightened the wheel, but the car still pulled to the right,. After the third visit and no resultant change, I gave up and went to a local independent shop (recommended by my neighbor) who fixed the problems on the first try. Needless to say, the Toyota dealership wouldn’t refund their charges for bad work, nor would they admit anything was wrong. I wish all Toyota dealerships would have somebody like AMD but sadly, they don’t.

[@valvodka]

The problem with dealers is their techs come and go. There are good techs and bad techs. You never get the same tech twice. Find a small shop where the is an owner and one or two additional techs. That way you get to know them and they know you. Dealers charge so much more to. They have to pay for fancy waiting rooms and espresso stations.

[@scottt7400]

AMD, you are the man. I have had 4 Toyota truck's since 1984, and I for one, appreciate your videos. You are a plethora of information for anything Toyota, and I have learned so much watching your channel. Recently, I purchased a new 2022 Tacoma, and thanks to you, I know the good and the not so good without having to experience it first hand. Knowledge is a wonderful thing, and that is what you empower us Toyota owners with - knowledge.

[@pierlouis7325]

What happened to the 4 Toyota you had since 84? Accident, pass it down to kids or family, accident. Stolen, crazy chick set it on fire, what the story?

[@somap8380]

Very well said. 👍

[@captinbeyond]

Aren't Tacoma's now assembled and built in Mexico ? Don't want anything built there that cost over a dollar

[@rightlanehog3151]

AMD, The longer the RANT the better!! Videos like this are the reason I am ready and willing to pay your channel's sky high Subscription fees😂😁😂😁

[@Pfsif]

Went into a Hyundai dealership for a recall, the "service writer" said they checked out the whole car and said they found $3500 worth of repairs that needed to be done. One of the itemized issues was a left front noise for $650 ( there was no noise). I looked at the service writer and said "How do you say this with a straight face"? They also said I needed front brake pads and I said I just put new ones on last month.

[@rightlanehog3151]

I suspect the individual would probably be fired if he did not produce 'estimates' like that.

[@nickoshana2246]

Years of Practice !

[@susanmeredith4957]

@@rightlanehog3151 shady dealership. I’d write Hyundai and report it. Thankful my Hyundai dealership has always been honest.

[@bikerz3857]

I would freak out if I ever see that much rust underneath my cars!

[@rhawkins4578]

Completely appreciate the way you presented this information. Very important for vehicle owners to understand that we have to use due care when looking for service providers for our "rolling homes". Thanks!

[@tracy3812]

AMD 2 great things you have taught me: 1) not to be afraid to put a little muscle into it 2) how to take things apart w/o breaking them. Thank-you.

[@ajfogertyfan8245]

When I bought our 2012 Tacoma it came with a free oil and filter change for life perk. At each service, I got a detailed check list of the inspections performed. At about 60 thousand miles at every 5000 mile servicing reports of front brake pad wear, after a number of these reports I was told the pads were about to go metal to metal on the rotors and new ones should be installed immediately. Since the pads are a normal wear item, it would of course be on my nickel, and the price they quoted, as is ALWAYS the case, was very high compared to quotes from local chain repair shops and my own mechanic that I have been using for over 20 years. I had my indie replace the pads and it turned out that the original ones were only a little over half worn. At that point I stopped using the dealership for any service and walked away from the free oil and filter changes.

[@lozza9789]

Thanks AMD, quality honest advice right here. Stealerships give dealerships a bad rep. In fact anyone associated with the motor industry can get tarnished by just one owner’s bad experience. Customers tell other owners, they tell others, and so it goes on. Keep up the great work!

[@richardwarren7492]

As a tech, parts and service director for 11 stores for 27 years, I agree with you 100% and love the diagnosis element. We were number 1 in CSI for 10 years straight until the dealerships were sold to Penske. We had a variety of makes Honda, Acura, Mercedes, 1 GM store. We never "oversold" if we found things we would advise the customer, even put on a rack and showed them if it was underneath. Every custome got their old parts back in a tightly sealed plastic bag. We had great techs, all went to factory schools on a regular basis. Someone mentioned putting off warranty work so dealers could make more. That never happened in our stores. Lost in that comment is the fact for years warranty has paid the same labor rate as retail and the markup on parts is the same. What happens at shops or dealerships is what their training, care of the customer, intent to repurchase rests on management decisions. And? Some of it is pretty bad. But- not all. Keep up the good work and the vids coming.

[@idahospyder1620]

Very hard when you expect the dealer to tell you the truth but they just want to increase their profits by doing unnecessary work or fraudulent billing. Thanks for the good video

[@THEH2OMAN]

Over the years I have developed an excellent working relationship with the service side of my local Toyota dealership, I work mostly with one service writer and he knows not play games or try and up sell me. He also knows to walk me back into the service area and have the tech point out and explain any issues they discover with my trucks, this avoids any confusion and heads off problems.

[@njsongwriter]

Our car recently had a 48,000 mile aftermarket warranty expire. Before it expired we took it to our local Toyota dealership. The transmission had acted up a few times during the three years we had it. They found nothing wrong with it. They said the intermediate steering shaft was making a clunking sound but wasn't a safety issue. Not happy with their findings we took it to the dealer we bought it from which was over an hour from home. They replaced the transmission under warranty. I informed them after getting it back that I could still hear the clunking in the steering. Then they replaced that also under warranty. Now all is good.

[@CurtisDJunior]

Smart

[@travissnyder8277]

Wow. Just from pulling the headlight connector out, you can instantly tell what the problem was. Never understood why the dealership couldn't diagnose that or the owner himself, lol.

[@christophershoe9642]

I think anyone could have noticed the problem with the light if they looked at the connector, but that's just me.

[@neildean7515]

The piont is, they could diagnose, but, they are greedy and this is not worth their time, so they leave the customer in the wilderness. No wonder people do not trust dealerships.. Oh, its about time you bought a new one Sir… soon change their attitude 💰 greed and profit….Thats all it is

[@smitty1952]

As a 2013 Toyota Avalon owner I find your videos invaluable. You have helped me out more than once, like my blind spot monitor issue. Keep em coming AMD! Thanks

[@randomrazr]

whag t was th eissue or solution

[@jotu173]

I am willing to bet money the "MAF sensor kit" is literally a "kit" of 2 very small spray bottles made by CRC & sold in the WMart auto section for about $7. One can is MAF cleaner and I think the other is throttle body cleaner.

[@budnotu]

One of the main problems is that the customer's are not allowed to see the work being performe so they never know if the job was ever done.

[@Mark_5150]

I will never go to a Toyota dealership after the experience and the issues I had during and after picking up my car this year, and won't go to other dealership after their ego of trying to sell them over MSRP. Not even going in for my free maintenance, just can't trust them.

[@rogersmoot6194]

Thank you for being so thorough in every video you make. It's a real tragedy that most repair shops, especially dealerships, and their mechanics are often worthless or just plain 'care-less' about their jobs and their customers.

[@estuardo2985]

In most places it is hard to get decent techs and normally the techs only care about how many flag hours they can squeeze in. Unfortunately, doing a good job and what is right means making less money. Taking time and correctly looking at the vehicle and then taking the time explaining that to the customer or the service advisor that then talks to the customer doesn't pay well for the short term.

[@bwest-yq3uc]

Thanks for an Honest Inspection of a customer's vehicle. All those shops and they FAILED to provide the owner a list of issues and what needs to be done right away or for a future date. Good thing he got you to look at it. Keep up the Honest work.

[@robertmcgovern8850]

I just bought a 2006 4Runner. It came with only a valet key + no remote fobs, and I wanted a master key as a spare and to program a couple aftermarket fobs I bought. Dealership cut me a new chip key ($48 !) but said I had to have it programmed in the service department. They gave the whole song & dance how it requires a deep re-seeding of the car's ECU (a 2 hour soak); only one advanced technician knew how to do that; he was booked til late April & I needed to make an appointment now and leave the car with them for an entire day. The price for the programming was $179. And I really should take this opportunity for a full check-over of the new-to-me vehicle, $200 and I'll be glad I did it. I paid for the new key and said thanks, lemme think it over. ("Sorry your Chief Wizard is so busy. You telling me a 20-yr old WyoTech graduate can't do this? And why do we program cars to match chip keys, instead of the reverse?") From their parking lot, I called a local indie locksmith. He said sure, I do Toyota keys all the time. I'm mobile and can come to you. I said nah, I'll drop by on my way home. Parked in front of his house. He plugged in his code reader, futzed around with a couple menus, then said "Right! All keys lost." Punched thru a few more screens, and twelve minutes after I pulled in, I pulled out with two chipped master keys and two working remote fobs. Total cost: $69. *That* is why no one trusts dealerships.😒

[@lindap.p.1337]

I watch a KZbin channel from Canada. The guy lives in his van. The guy left the van for several days for multiple problems at a Ford dealer. The technician texted this van owner, with photos, over every issue. Why not, it is 2022 and we all have phones? FYI i HATE my Toyota dealer in Roanoke, VA. We are driving our second and third cars purchased new from this dealer. They have phone numbers and emails on us but we are nearly always told they cannot find our appointment. Once my husband waited 2.5 hours for the 25000 mile check. I mistakenly said I was there for warranty work once and the girl jumped down my throat because she said there was no such thing. She knew EXACTLY what I meant. The last visit I asked them to check my tailgate as it does not always work. The guy said so, does it work or not? They would not check the tailgate without a prepayment of $200. I even spoke with the ser, mgr. who said it was like a deductible on medical care. I told her I had a current ext. watt. purchased from them. She stood her ground. When I got home I checked the manual. I was doing it wrong. But, since then it does randomly malfunction. Did I say I HATE this desler? I will buy in another state 100 miles away the next time.

[@curtgomes]

Excellent video! Finding an honest and reliable automotive repair shop is incredibly hard. I was taking my vehicles to a small shop run by father and son. They were great! Unfortunately, the small shop went out of business due to property lease issues. I have worked on cars all my life and I know when I'm being scammed or the work is poor quality. My local Toyota dealership sucks. I'm having a difficult time even finding a competent shop for a simple oil change! The search is on. It's maddening.

[@derrickjohnson5219]

Well it depends where you live.You just haven't done any research on it or you may have to go a long way.Insane isn't it?

[@TheRealHungryJoe]

It really is! Aw sucks when small businesses go down.. I usually find those mom pop shop and support them. Their fair and are honest (for the most part) I live in Houston and my mechanic lives in New caney, Texas.. it’s far!

[@jaimieconroy36]

I understand. I used to go to a local mechanic that I knew and trusted. He is a Honda specialist and ran his independant shop himself. He took good care of my CTV and Fit, but retired last year and moved out of town. It is difficult to replace a trusted mechanic and I don't want to be ripped off at a dealership.

[@bigcauc7530]

What's even more maddening is that the reason these shops and dealers remain incompetent is because the incentive to simply BE in a business is greater than to be GREAT in the business. The bar is set so low because the general population doesn't care about honesty as much as they do about saving, and they don't realize this ends up costing them more as a result of this feedback loop where people no longer care about their chosen craft. It's about the money, not improving the world we live in. I'm no expert in cars but I do love mine and i pay attention to people. The honest ones will show you through their actions. The dishonest ones are obvious because they will give customers obscure answers to avoid saying anything and will keep the money coming. Sadly, lying and incompetence seems to get more business from the general public. Honest shops typically attract more honest people who can spot a bad mechanic and they are limited compared to the number of wannabe business owners everywhere.

[@DylanL69]

If you worked on cars your while life do it yourself oil changes are simple and working on modern cars isn't that difficult to do. I also understand you might be up there in age so you may not be able to

[@johnrose3169]

Nice car for its age. AMD, the advice you provide is spot on. Your attention to detail is what makes you a good technician. I liked the small rant on the body plugs - something so small and so simple, yet are crucial to the vehicle in the long run. The body plug serves a purpose, yet so many vehicle owners are not aware of them, nor under the car to observe they are missing. That is where a good technician comes in. On the mass airflow sensor kit - some shops put together a "cleaning kit" which includes induction service cleaning solution and small bottle of throttle body cleaner in a spray can. Not sure if that was what was done in this particular instance, but have seen parts departments charge out items like this in a "kit". Always enjoy your content.

[@chadyang7770]

Love your straightforward style. Impeccable professionalism. I watch Scotty, TFL, and many other KZbin channels. I enjoy your straightforward, non biased style. Everyone has their perceived favorites. You always give us true mechanical performance reviews based on experience with vehicles. Thank you for what you bring to the world of enthusiasts and regular car people who are looking for an honest opinion.

[@saulreynoso4371]

This is why this is my favorite channel. Great information, knowledge and tips on your toyota. I am so glad I found this channel. I've done so much work on my 13 highlander since I found the channel. I do all preventive maintenance myself because unfortunately I don't trust others, which includes the dealer. Thank you so much for all the great work you do. 👍

[@pontiakgaSport]

AMD, I have quickly become a fan of your channel. To contribute to your thoughts on the repair industry and the poor misconceptions, it is all very true, however the way the flat rate technician industry is designed, it has created these misconceptions itself. It does not cater to technicians learning or taking their time because if you do you will starve. Instead it encourages incomplete diagnostics and parts shotgunning, as well as motivation to sell unnecessary services. I am a ASE Advanced Master tech and hold the basic Toyota certification. I love the product and the work, but the industry has me driven down a different path as of last summer. If I had worked at a dealership with an MDT such as yourself, who is interested in helping others and doing the right thing, I am certain I would still be there. Unfortunately, our mdt was the most arrogant self center person, I have ever met in my life and referred to himself as “one of the best there is” even though all his diag was experience based vs skill and he was spoon fed day in and day out while the rest of us got the warranty diags and less desirable tickets. Anyway, to wrap this up, I agree with you 100% and wish the industry would adapt to the times, to eliminate some of these stigmas.

[@calholli]

You can throw a bottle of ATP 205 into your oil and that will slightly swell those seals and "re-condition" them and they will stop seeping.

[@ian0841]

Excellent video, you are becoming one of the top guys on KZbin for this stuff. Huge market for the Toyota repair videos.

[@bobwilliamson2828]

It’s hard to find a mechanic that you trust, wish AMD would move here

[@lmbear]

Great video. Very refreshing to see such an honest mechanic that knows what he's doing.

[@Life-ch8rj]

If only every shop could be a Christian professional such as you sir! God bless you! BTW my wife drives a 2012 Toyota Highlander Limited.

[@edmckay8001]

How do you know he's Christian? And why should that matter? What if he's a Putin Christian?

[@aldrichemrys]

Ignore @@edmckay8001, he's a troll.

[@edmckay8001]

@@aldrichemrys Aldrich, if that's your real name why is that trolling? It's a valid question. He said god bless you. I'm asking which one. You know people worship more than one god. Are you a Putin Christian?

[@edmckay8001]

In addition, @life, not his or her real name, alluded that only Christians are honest and professional. Now who's the troll? I'm just looking for honest respectful discourse

[@Life-ch8rj]

@@edmckay8001 Have you been born again?

[@michesbianan]

I just love how very supportive Mrs. Car Care Nut is.

[@bwest-yq3uc]

She is the FORCE behind it all.

[@charlesbranch4120]

@@bwest-yq3uc "The FORCE is strong with this one." (the first of the Star Wars films, in describing Luke Skywalker). 🥰🤙

[@luckyguy600]

We got to see the Mrs. today in the reflection on the rear window! :)

[@kendallkyle585]

I really enjoy your videos. I have two Toyota's. I'm not a mechanic but these videos help me to assess issues and I really appreciate your efforts in creating them. Thanks so much!

[@jonmartinez1562]

Huge fan of this channel! Im a factory trained Toyota and Lexus technician and the stuff that he covers in this channel is so spot on!!! I got out of the industry a few years back and love watching his videos on the new model vehicles! Gotta stay up to date somehow without having access to my tis account anymore!!!

[@Mr-Clark]

How to get dealerships to admit something is wrong: Go to a dealership and pretend you want to buy a car telling them you want to trade in your car. You really don't. They will inspect your car for free. Have them print out what they find is wrong with your car. If the dealerships name is on the printout, the better. Then go to another dealership where you want them to fix it under warranty. If they deny your claim and say nothing is wrong, you bring out the printout from the other dealership.

[@dareisnogod5711]

Sounds like a big hassle that will get you nowhere & that D#2 will talk himself out of.

[@joebreen5175]

11:12 11:19 11:19 11:20 11:22

[@Mr-Clark]

@@dareisnogod5711 They can talk their way out sure. But you can also contact the manufacturer. If that fails you can sue them. Since one of their authorized dealer acknowledged the problem, a judge might be more inclined in your favor.

[@HotRod-wv4vm]

Though I drive a 2004 Honda Element. I love your channel and your tips. I take my car to the dealer where I bought it since new and though I have been generally satisfied until their recent expansion. Not too long ago I took it for a valve adjustment and a week later I noticed they had broken 2 of the valve cover bolts. I took it back later and they fixed it at no cost except my time. The good thing is that I have a good relationship with the service manager. Some other time they left off sone of the plastic screws from the splash shield. Lately I have taken my car back 3 times for a wheel alignment. Last time they had to center the steering wheel. Now the car pulls to the left 😡. One thing I do like is that they give you a picture of what needs to be replaced. They perform a free multi point inspection. Thanks to my dad I learned to verify the work and ask for the replaced parts back.

[@uta667563]

I have heard of some people people going to a shop for so work like a oil change and later on finding the splash shield under the vehicle missing.

[@tardeliesmagic]

We need more mechanics like you Amd,this is the reason many of customers are struggling to trust garages. That's headlamp connector is so blatant to see.

[@samroncancio1006]

I appreciate your videos. I trained and worked in Toyota Germany and do work for friends. I have dealt with shop mess ups that make your skin crawl.

[@tuffytoys9707]

Thank You for your honest opinion on the car repairs and inspection. There are too many Deceitful "Professionals" who are't even that knowledgeable or experienced in car repair and charge an arm and a leg to do the simplest of tasks. I would like to see how to repair the wiper assembly on the glass though as there are many other makes of cars with the same problem.

[@herbertcheung7595]

I am a Honda man but I love your knowledge, honesty and find your videos very informative. Keep the videos coming!

[@raymondreiff8170]

Me too like to find a Honda Tech like this on You Tube, Wish he also worked on Honda's 🤓👍.

[@XenomorphLV426]

Toyota quality> Honda quality

[@Maxfli82]

I need to find a Mazda mechanic on KZbin like this. Haha

[@peterkwok9608]

Thanks for being an honest and detail mechanic AMD. God bless you and your family 🙌🙌

[@drutgat2]

Not only was that fascinating, but it is so refreshing to see and hear someone who is honest, and concerned about customers. Many thanks.

[@RoboGeeeeeek]

This is a great KZbin channel, I have learned lots of useful service tips here. Keep the great content coming!

[@johnanderson9735]

Absolutely true. I would rather find a great independent honest mechanic than at least checks instead of ‘suggesting’ unnecessary work, that won’t address actual problems and safety issues. Videos like your can go a long way in giving customers insight into what is really needed in terms of repair work. After a lot of reading and research I feel I am able to make much better decisions on what is actually important work that needs to be done.

[@ryans413]

It’s probably a good idea to film your work it forces you to not mess up or lie because you filmed yourself

[@Chewyzard]

I've only been a toyota tech for 2 years and even I know about the steering shaft pop

[@bobelam268]

Thank you for this video Mr. Nut! In these times of inflation we need all the help we can get to keep our cars running. 2001 Echo 350+K, 2003 Corolla 200+K. For a stealership mechanic, you are one in a thousand. Your knowledge and honesty is appreciated!

[@kato2531]

I love this guy’s honesty.only if all mechanics are this honest.

[@kenhoward3512]

The tone is usually set by management. While I've worked in a different field, I've found that the business chain location would either praise me or berate me for my honesty with customers, depending on the general manager (/tyrant) of that location.

[@frankbiz]

Thank you for a few great tips especially the roof drains. I own the same year Highlander Limited with 214,000 miles. I personally change the oil every 5k miles with Synthetic Oil and always use OEM parts and lights. My original headlights lasted 8 years then the after market lights would last less than a year until I went with OEM. Great SUV. Change the transmission fluid every 50k with OEM fluid, the same with the coolant.

[@lightning611]

Thank you Car care nut for all tour greatly detailed videos! I have a 2008 Sienna and a 2007 Camry I inherited 8 years ago. Your teaching videos have helped me to better discern where my DIY skills can be applied and where I will have my local (portland, OR) trusted shop tackle the repair. As a FYI, the Camry with 113 K miles, 2 AZFE only drinks 1 qt. of oil between oil changes. Monitoring it closely and wondering when the low tension ring issue will really start to raise its ugly head. Gods Blessings, stay safe and sane!

[@kaafromoz]

TY Sir, as always honest open and how all us customers should be treated with respect and honesty. A very well looked after vehicle and I am sure with your guidance and experience they will have many more enjoyable drivetimes in it. Keep Safe Keep Strong

[@vm6674]

AMD you are simply amazing. I learn so much from you and you make it really interesting!!! I say this being a woman in my 60s who started watching as I’m looking for a car. I’ve had absolutely no interest in car mechanics but your videos… you are a teacher !

[@cindyh9011]

VM I just wanted to say your comment resonates with me. I too am a 60s non-DIYer woman who LOVES AMDs videos!! The maintenance information he has provided is extremely helpful--just wish I knew this years ago. I even enjoy watching some of the repair vids knowing I would never attempt the work myself. I have pages of notes to refer to and have a lot more confidence when I have my car serviced. I too am looking to replace my 2006 RAV4 for a new RAV4 hybrid at some point in the future when the inventory and prices improve. FYI - for car buying I have found YAA (Your Advocate Alliance) and "Kevin Hunter the Homework Guy" KZbin channels very good if you're interested. AMD has done a couple of videos with the guys on YAA. Good luck

[@bobberndt9744]

LOVED the lonnng intro. Helped me feel the frustration of the vehicle owner. 😤

[@saleemakhtar87]

Very through and detailed analysis with show and tell approach, you are a pleasure to learn from based in Toronto Canada....keep it coming forever....good job!

[@cuccia22-70]

Been watching your videos lately and man. I wish you were by me. I would use you as my mechanic so well around man. Thank you for what you do. Stay to the point without bullshit. I hope you and your shop and your guys make it big.

[@shelly4281]

I've been through this situation, sad to say. I appreciate your videos.

[@404notfound.....]

Unfortunately at the dealership level you're paying for 1st and 2nd year apprentice to work on your car. Usually the mundane work gets relegated to the new tech. Example 》Explain to Tech that you would like the wheel torque set to 83' ft-lbs. Tech argues and says no it's 135 ft-lbs But agrees to set it to 83 ft-lbs but when you check it with your torque🔧 you soon find out it is indeed 135 ft-lbs. 🤔

[@curtgomes]

Had my oil changed at the local Toyota dealership. They reinstalled the large gravel shield incorrectly. It came off on a road trip 500 miles from home. It was hanging under the car and scraping on the roadway. I nursed it to a local garage. The mechanic told me that whoever did the last oil change did NOT install the gravel shield correctly. This is NOT a complicated job! I went back to the dealership, with the destroyed parts, and proved to them what had occurred was their fault. New parts, including mounting brackets, had to be replaced. Parts and labor was NOT cheap. They ate it after some argument.

[@tharais]

Yeah. I used to fight with the local Toyota dealership to do a five tire rotation on my Highlander Hybrid. I told them that the full size spare would age out with no miles on it otherwise. A total waste. I also pointed out that Toyota called for that in the maintenance manual.

[@conklin7stringbass]

Love your channel, enjoy seeing an honest mechanic breaking everything down without nonsense. A Toyota dealership here does shoddy work. My wife had to have her power door lock on a low mileage 2017 4 runner replaced and they left the key lock jammed up and inoperable when they were done. I took my Lexus in for an oil change and they left oil and grease all over the front of my car and a hand print on the hood. The mechanic had the nerve to try and say it came in that way. I wish you were here, our cars would only see your shop.

[@tinhanh7cha]

in this day , it very hard to find honest garage or dealership , most of them try to pick your pocket

[@tinesdof5837]

It happened to my friend who owned a 2011 4runner, he went for a oil change, but smart for him marked the oil filter, fresto the oil filter never changed so he called the local newspaper, the dealership apologized, offered him lifetime oil change but declined.

[@MackTheGovnah]

This is a great and simple solution. Mark your oil filter with vertical lines.

[@zacharypeery4082]

Lifetime oil changes using the same filter 😂 I would have declined as well. I enjoy doing a oil change on my vehicle.

[@bennylam1]

Hi AMD, Yes. I have a 2010 Kluger/Highlander in Australia with 160000 kms. The Intermediate Steering shaft clunk happened to mine since new. Toyota replaced it for me under warranty but most likely with the same part. It was good for about a year then it started making that clunk noise again and you could feel it every time when weight of the car changed from left to right example steering through a roundabout... About 8 years later Another dealer asked Toyota if they could replace it for me once again but Toyota refused.... I had to write a letter to Toyota to complain as it was so annoying and they came good and approved the free replacement of the intermediate steering shaft as the dealer told me there was a revised design.... I haven't had any more clunking noise since that time... Other than that...a very reliable car....

[@eleanormassaro5195]

I have the popping when I turn my steering wheel on my 2010 RX too. But it didn’t start to happen until about a year and a half ago and I’ve had the car for almost 12 years. My mechanic is aware of it, but he said it’s not a safety issue either, and it is expensive to repair

[@DamonJohnCollins]

I love it when you make videos covering the Highlander. Thank you!

[@AerialLensVideo]

GREAT as always! I WANT TO THANK YOU also because you saved us a TON of money last year when we bought our 2010 Highlander Limited -- it had the the rubber oil cooler line, and I changed it myself to the genuine Toyota metal part; you had a whole video dedicated to that and it was a true blessing. If not for YOU, I never would have known until too late. By the way, we bought the car from a major Toyota Dealer (?!). By the way, WOW -- that 15 year old paint job in your video is BEAUTIFUL!

[@agostinodibella9939]

AMD you made finding the headlight socket problem so easy! Don’t these shops know what they are doing? Also great tips on this Highlander!

[@4runner653]

We need more mechanics like youself and Car wizard in every community. Keep up the great content Brada!

[@Txcowboy80]

& south main auto. They are my top 3 i view to actually learn something.

[@boggy7665]

@@Txcowboy80 Rainman Ray's Repairs too

[@johnreitz5676]

"Car Wizard" should really be called "Car. Jester".

[@SW-ci9zv]

Love this guys full and HONEST explanations - FULL MARKS for bringing the faults found to the attention of owners. His presentations are always expertly put together.

[@kk0dj]

I'm thankful you're willing to take a customers car home and provide this information for us. We own a 2008 Sienna and a 2011 Corolla. These items - at least a few - cross over to our cars and will help me to do a cursory inspection of many things. I'm hoping our 2011 Corolla sunroof drains have the drainpipe all the way to the outside! I've been a DIY'er since 1966 but have come to a point where I have to trust others to do much of our inspection and repair. We have a good shop here in town that I trust (so far) but wish the drive to your shop wasn't so far! Blessings to you brother. Thank you for your dedication, thoroughness and integrity!

[@StephenGrinwis]

I always learn so much when you do these videos! I love when you point out what the problem is, show us what it looks like, and then describe how bad it is, especially the various fluid leaks! That way, when I get underneath my own car and see a problem, I know what I'm looking at, and how big a problem it is. Thanks for taking the time AMD, and thank Mrs The Car Care Nut as well. We might have to petition to start calling her The Silent Saint! :)

[@Puggy42069]

This is exactly what other automotive channels have been saying for years. The bad shops out there ruin the public perception for ALL technicians. Every tech is considered a scam tech until proven otherwise. I have been fortunate to have a local mom and pop shop that does great work. However, I hear horror stories all the time from other shops.

[@qhew]

appreciate your honesty about a particular models idiosyncrasies. most dealers won’t admit these to customers & their chain of command doesn’t help. wouldn’t be marvellous to have my 16yo Toyota Corolla reported on by video as you do & the issues ranked as you do. that’s real transparency. anyway, learnt such a lot common to all cars of that era. keep it up. would never have thought a bad connection would shorten a headlight bulb’s life. i would instantly think “overvoltage”, but then the Q is how! shows one can be too fixated on a specific cause.

[@pluijm2]

I like your take on car maintenance and repairs. Honesty and professional advice is what I'm looking for in a repair shop. I als like your video's very much. Keep up the good work.

[@jordez1]

We own a 2009 Highlander with 97 thousands miles here in Houston and the intermediate shaft noise was there since new. Oil cooler line needs to be replace with a new design. Other than that, our car is being without any major issues other than basic maintenance. Thank you for your grate videos.

[@kclefthanded427]

Toyota really need to pay attention to it's US dealers in terms of customer satisfaction

[@kiromanev1310]

What to say! Honest to the bone! I am so glad that we the Toyota owners have You. God bless!

[@feeshermann726]

What an incredible analysis! You are amazing and the tips you share are so useful. Thanks!!

[@4.6lexus83]

Good honest man. Keep up the good work brother.

[@geriscape]

Excellent, excellent video with commentary and analysis. The kind of shenanigans -- greed, indifference, incompetence and outright claims intended to facilitate fraud - are all too common. Almost all of us have some experience with these elements, particularly (though not exclusively) with dealership service centers and national service chains. (That has been my consistent experience in Chicago, Texas and Massachusetts over several decades). When we've had enough, we move on, leaving, these days, civil but incisive and blunt commentaries on Yelp and Google Reviews. Apart from finding a competent shop, the best defense is knowledge and the powers of observation. You demonstrated that, immediately, by simply looking at the connector/socket for the offending headlight, and identifying it as the problem. And, of course, as you've mentioned in prior videos, transparency in this business, matters. Here, it takes the form of requesting to view (and perhaps to take possession of) the old parts (such as would have been the case with the supposedly changed belt tensioner). I'm up in Chicago for family business, yearly, in the Spring. In 2019, I stopped by for a simple oil change at a Toyota dealer on Touhy and Cicero. They produced a laundry list of unnecessary services (failed to look up prior available history, as well) and misdiagnosed a evap core leak as a mere need for a $150 A/C service. (Declined, as were more than $1100 of bogus service recommendations). I left a comprehensive review of the many failings of this dealership service department on Google Reviews, so it's no secret how greedy and incompetent this service center was, in my case. My vehicle had two issues (while visiting Chicago from Central Texas) in 2019 and 2021. Both times (an evap core replacement, which I know is very labor intensive in 2019 and a rusted out resonator/flex pipe in 2021), a small independent shop (and I've left good reviews for them, on Yelp and Google Reviews), G&G, did competent and timely work, aware of the fact that I was staying in hotels (family member is in assisted living). (I have no financial or personal affiliation with G&G). And, I have a good shop here, east of increasingly expensive Austin, Texas, as well, for specific work I cannot easily do. (Over the last year, I've done a lot of my own work: I've recently replaced a number of items, such as a leaking valve cover gasket, installing new spark plugs, new inner fender liners and engine splash shield, a rebuilt trunk latch, a new serpentine belt, drained and replaced of power steering, transmission and coolant fluids, cleaning the MAF and throttle body, plus a few routine oil changes). And I've been inspecting under the car, the best I could, with the use of ramps. I can only reiterate what you've said, many times. Learn and do what you can, and the quality of the work will be often better, because we care the most about our vehicles. And thanks for clear-eyed appraisal, and the disposition behind that appraisal. __ Parenthetically, I'm soliciting advice. I have a 2008 Camry LE, 155K, original Denso starter and alternator. The alternator still tests out as functional, on my Topdon battery/alternator tester. The starter is original, no grinding or inconsistent power, yet. I'm driving to Chicago in May. And I'm considering replacing (or at least putting in my trunk) DENSO remanufactured alternator and/or starter. Is this a good risk reduction strategy, at this point, given parts shortages, the desire to avoid Chinesium replacements, and the necessity of a properly working vehicle, while in metro Chicago? Thanks.

[@TheCarCareNut]

Hi! It wouldn’t be a bad idea to have parts at hand especially if you’re diy and can replace them yourself which is simple on your car

[@geriscape]

@@TheCarCareNut Thanks for responding, particularly at this hour. Much appreciated.

[@keithdavis3411]

Watch the battery close. If the starter is shorting there will be heavy current draw on the battery. I keep mine charged up every couple of weeks

[@edwinmedina4338]

You will have life long clients because of your honesty! Love working with people like this myself. Keep it up Yota Master 🙌

[@frankstavalo5788]

As always very professional coming from another technician it’s very nice to see. This industry is filled with a lot of great technicians and some bad. I believe it has a lot to do with TRAINING. Keep up the great Contant.

[@jasonjakubowski8507]

Thank you for the good content. Keep up the good work. 👍

[@abbasa7860]

I had the same issue with the wiper. I just sprayed it with penetrating oil and it freed it up. And mine was way stiffer than that lol.

[@tomschmidt381]

It is nice seeing you go over the car and explain what needs to be fixed and what is a lower priority. I'm at a loss how even an incompetent mechanic could have missed the headlight connector problem after having multiple bulbs fail. (fixed typo should be incompetent not incumbent)

[@ajfogertyfan8245]

I suspect that in most of the cases where the headlight went out, the bulb itself did not burn out, it simply was a case of it not making proper contact in a defective connector. I had a similar problem in our 2012 Tacoma where the ventilation system fan in the dashboard would intermittently cut out in any speed other than maximum. Read all sorts of people having this problem on Tacoma World forum, with dealers replacing fans and speed control resistor modules, and then seeing postings about the real root cause of the problem - poor contact in the wiring harness connector to the speed control resistor block. Apparently there is a chronic and widespread problem with the contacts of the largest diameter conductor being a bit too loose as built. Replacing the connector may solve things for a while, but the new one will eventually have the same problem as the sleeve side of the contact is a little to large to make good contact with the mating pin on the resistor block side of the connector. Sure enough mine showed burn marks on the plastic molding around the problem contact. Permanently solved by my placing a small sliver of copper foil inside the contact sleeve to tighten up the contact with the pin side.

[@jamesmulder5262]

Great Video, AMD! I can’t thank you enough. I have a 2012 Highlander Base w/Towing Pkg. and I tow some heavy stuff with it. I’m the original owner with 170,000 miles and going strong. I wouldn’t part with this vehicle for the World.

[@louisax4058]

Dealers are not there to help you, they are there to make money fast. Most on their income comes from service/parts not from car sales...

[@davidelizabeth4933]

Way to get them sorted, AMD! 👍🙏 ❤❤

[@derrickjohnson5219]

I'm so glad AMD you brought this up! Because why would you have a car on the lot and the thing won't start? Greedy that's why.

[@erikhaw7313]

God bless you Ahmed for taking care of people with such love, peace and success to you and the family.