Question96 Previa LE S/C All TRAC
90k miles
Just spent $3550 on a new supercharger for my 96 Previa LE S/C All Trac 90k miles.
Plus FNT DIff and 90K service -all within last 4 weeks.
In Jan 94 noticed oil leak and "binding" in left Fnt when I got to Truckee.
76 station looked at it Sat Am, Fnt Diff was low, put in a QT.
Binding was only at very low sppeds, wheels truned hard to left. maybe snow, ice, rack at stop?
Took it to dealer Monday when I got back for 90K service, new water pump, brakes, rotor and upgrades $1700.
Said it was leaking from Fnt diff cover, need diff cover, breather valve , $500 to put in.
Fill plug was stripped. OK to drive until plate came in.
Ordered parts from Japan.
Went skiing again (Sunday AM), but only got as far as Sonora before fill plug fell out, lost the load of Diff oil.
Thought is was a big leak, not missing plug!
Got to Jiffy Lube in Manteca Sun AM, saw plug was missing,. Found plug to fit, filled, limped home.
Back to dealer, Binding when hot again.
Fnr diff gone, metal shavings. New Fnt Diff installed. ($900, split w/dealer)
Drove for 1 ½ weeks 15min/day freeway driving, no leaks, no binding
Tried Again 2/14. Made it 45 min at freeway speeds. Smoke and Oil from underneath.
Had it towed back to San Jose ($215).
Rented a Chevy Tahoe to go to Tahoe on vacation.
Dealer "thought" they fixed it, test drove to find binding, Superccharger went out 20min away and had to be towed back.
S/C from Ontario installed Thur/Fir/Sat.
P/U Sat Asked infQA was done, Yes. Test drove? Yes.
As soon as I left the lot and got up to 20-30MPH , heard "whirring, Whinning" noise from
Engine, drivetrain areas. Took on freeway -same noise up to 65 70 MPH.
Sound of a new S/C?
Turned right back to Dealer. Had not heard this sound before failed to get towed in.
Maybe it was the new Fnt Diff?
Dave the Mechanic and I test drove it. He heard whirring too, still there if trans in nuetral, engine on /off.
Said we had to "rack it" to check .
Bill ( who installed S/C ) racked it with his group of assistants.
Fnt Diff Fill plug very hot. Opened it up,
Opened fnt diff drain plug ( I was in front of Bay to see this)
Diff fluid came out in one short spurt" Bill says "not enough"
Examines in pan and on rag, then scurries off to find Service Advisor.
Pulls him aside for a private conversation.
SA puts me back in rental car. Says (New) Fnt Diff is gone "metal shavings on magnet."
"Never seen one bad out of the box", He rebuilt his own, he tells me.
We'll see what they say on Monday.
So what do you think?
Does Toyota service here know what is really wrong.
Was the S/C going out all the time?
Did it really go out during their test drive?
How could the new Fnt Diff go bad? Was it really leaking when I had it towed in and they didn't check it?
Didn't they fill Diff fluid when they installed a new Diff?
IS there anything in the wheel, running gear, that could cause Fnt Diff to fail?
( Had new tire put on (same size) and Alignment checked prior to first trip up in Jan.
I am not going to pay for any more service parts or labor.
What should I have them look for and check to make sure they have found root cause of these problems?
Serviced at 30, 60,90k at toyota.
Does it sound like they know what is going on? Doesn't to me.
What advice can you give to me and them?
Thnx
john.blink@sbcglobal.net
AnswerHello John, it sounds like someone continues to mess up your vehicle and no I don't think they are diagnosing the problem correctly, I don't see any correlation between the supercharger problem and the differential, there are way to many probabilities and problems here for me to even begin to have an answer for you, just too involved and too many things going wrong and I have no idea who may be giving you a bunch of bs or trying to cover up mistakes, something is very wrong with this whole story, sorry.
