How 4WD accessories destroy your warranty in reality

Let’s talk about the lack of integrity in dealership service departments: how they try to brush you off and deny you a legitimate consumer law or warranty claim simply because it's convenient and there's more money in it for them…

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We're going to look at the case of about a guy who fitted a bullbar and a set of driving lights for the big lap of Australia but then got knocked back by a Toyota dealer for a warranty claim because of his non-genuine accessories.

Reading in between the lines, if a Toyota dealer did this: What gives, what is the limit and where are your rights?

This report is inspired by a viewer named Tim Hall:

Hi John,

Have watched and listened to you for years and take your advice.

We have a 2021 LC 200 and we decided to travel Australia last year for 16 months with the kids.

Already I empathise with you, Tim. Nobody deserves either of these situations, but well done for surviving the ordeal and sharing it with the group.

Had a headlight malfunction warning came on the dash on our last leg of traveling home, then realised the LC 200, which is a VX model, has LED self-levelling headlights.

We only do the basics while we did our lap, which was a fuel filter and an ARB bullbar with driving lights.

As you can see below, the email from the dealer regarding this…

We’ll get to the email exchange between Tim and the dealer. But before then, here are some further details to illustrate Tim’s situation - all valid and potentially similar to the arrangement you might have on your pride and joy.

the weird thing is that only the low beam headlight isn't working we're not put the high beams on they work in conjunction with the factory headlight and now Toyota are declining this as I wanted where off you can't even install driving lights maybe listeners might be also added in my issue I have now.

I suppose Toyota don't want you to buy a four-wheel drive and actually use it for what it was intended to be used for maybe only for a soccer mom's car or perhaps they just want to pocket the outrageous three and a half thousand dollar fee to fix the [expletive] problem.

What’s curious is that nowhere on the ARB website does it list something like a Summit bar is ‘not compatible’ with the LC200’s self-levelling headlights, nor the ARB branded ‘Intensity’ spotlights.

For illustrative purposes, this is the kind of arrangement Tim is referring to:

Plenty of reasons for buying one, you’ll note. Image: ARB.com.au

Unfortunately for Tim, while there are Toyota dealers far and wide ready to support you, notionally, it seems dealers gon’ be dealers, at least in Tim’s experience:

Traveling Australia with a Toyota was a horrible experience overall, for dealers trying to rip you off or not actually doing what you asked for.

Let’s drill down into the philosophy of what’s happening here, because it's actually quite serious given that it involves the biggest carmaker in Australia which also has the largest dealership network as well. Give the popularity of Toyota vehicles and LandCruiser in general - especially the 200 Series, this situation could legitimately happen to you tomorrow.

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WHO’S IN THE WRONG HERE?

I've got some excerpts from communications between Tim and the dealer which was supplied by me by Tim. The dealer has said:

as discussed on the phone, unfortunately, Toyota has knocked back the warranty repair on your headlight due to the aftermarket spotlights on the front of your vehicle.

To have this repaired at a retail cost the prices are as follows:
Headlight assembly $2762.91

How much of that do you reckon is profit? I reckon $2262.91 - meaning it should cost about $500 on Planet Rational. This is a perfect example of the worst aspect of owning a modern vehicle >>. Seems to me like dealers are trying to find profit wherever they can, likely as a result of the last three years. (Not that JobKeeper welfare recipients Eagers Automotive has any need for further inflated revenue streams.)

That $2762 is shared between Toyota Australia and the dealer. Labour is being charged at $132 per hour, costing $528 for four hours to fit a couple of headlights and snip a couple of wires on a couple of spotties. Really? They see you coming, don't they.

Here’s more of what the Toyota dealer told our hero:

after reviewing the photos and information provided, warranty help desk does not believe this concern was caused by a manufacturing defect.

we have found no evidence to substantiate a manufacturing defect…the photo supplied show fitment of non-genuine spotlights

This is not a belief issue, this is a facts issue.

Not finding evidence to substantiate a manufacturing defect is not the same thing as evidence that non-genuine spotlights have caused the defect. It's not evidence that there is not a manufacturing defect.

To see how this tale ends, watch the full report…

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