The dealership is killing me

[808X]

Ok so my check engine light has been on for 2-3 weeks. I havent driven the truck since Christmas, since I have been away for college. Anyways I changed the oil at jiffy lube, but the CEL doesn't turn off. I use my scanguage and it spits out P0333. Which is the knock sensor error code. I take my truck to servco toyota on Thursday at 10am. Later that day they tell me the same error code that I told them early in the morning. They say they cant clear the code and need to keep the truck overnight. Today they called me and said that a rat chewed through all of these wires in the engine. About $1300 for parts and labor. Does anyone know if replacing the knock sensor is really that expensive? Seems like im really getting taken advantage of here...

 

[Stevenredx]

I can defiantly say if a rat has chewed through a bunch of wires it can get very expensive, the wiring harness by them selves aren't cheap and thats not even talking about the labor charge for something like this. I also guess it has to do with how many and what wires are damaged.

 

[rpmspeedyblue]

You can try going to an independent mechanic and see how much they charge.

 

[Spyder327]

I can defiantly say if a rat has chewed through a bunch of wires it can get very expensive, the wiring harness by them selves aren't cheap and thats not even talking about the labor charge for something like this. I also guess it has to do with how many and what wires are damaged.

Yep, pretty much.


This scenario is actually more common than you would think. I've seen this happen to a few vehicles before, and it definitely does start getting very expensive.

 

[BlackCat]

Unfortunately, if the dealer is right, then you're pretty much toast. The knock sensor is probably fine, it's just that with the wires going to it being chewed up, the ECM's don't see the knock sensor and think it's bad, hence the code. Wiring harnesses are a pain in the derriere to swap, I don't know how the harnesses in our trucks are arranged, but in many cars, harness swaps more or less require a near total teardown of the vehicle... hence the $1300 tab.

Where did this happen ? In a public garage ? Storage facility ? If either, then you may be able to demand compensation since it's often the responsibility of the storage lot to keep themselves clear of vermin. If it was at home, then do you have any kind of maintanence agreement with a pest elimination service (Orkin ? Truly Nolen ? etc) ? If so, check your contract, it might include damages to property from vermin that the service was supposed to keep you clear of.

 

[TahoesHateMe]

Thats nothing. I had to pull the engine on an Audi A6 2.7t because of rats eating the harness and the lines to the waste gates that you can't get to with the engine in the car. That one ran around 4k.

 

[Gadget]

Check the price of a new harness from Toyota. Try www.Partznet.com. Ask for Sean and tell him Gadget sent you.

If you know where the harness got chewed you can fix it your self. Just get some wire, a quality soldering iron, some heat shrink and get to work.

If you don't know where the wire is damaged, things get more complicated.

You can also try junkyards for the harness.

The engine control harness is not that hard to swap out. I got my hands on one, but the goofs at the yard cut the whole thing at the firewall. Just two more bolts and five plugs the whole thing would of pulled out in tact.

Gadget

 

[Simplex Effect]

Think you could claim that on insurance? lol

 

[Gadget]

Think you could claim that on insurance? lol

Yes!!!

Gadget

 

[TahoesHateMe]

Yes!!!

Gadget

+1 I know as a fact they will. I've worked with adjusters many time for rat repairs.



be glab one didn't die there. Picture a new highlander that smelled like death for weeks no matter you tried after a Rat died in the A/C box. I had to remove it.:thumpdown::eviltongue::motz:

 

[808X]

+1 I know as a fact they will. I've worked with adjusters many time for rat repairs.



be glab one didn't die there. Picture a new highlander that smelled like death for weeks no matter you tried after a Rat died in the A/C box. I had to remove it.:thumpdown::eviltongue::motz:

damn that sucks
and yes I have called my insurance I hope they cover this.
I just cant believe a rat could do so much damage. It may have happened over the 6 months I haven't driven the truck at all. (No one else drove it also)

 

[Coupe]

In this area (Houston) many of the machine shops will have cats that wander the shop. With all of the CNC equipment, there is a lot of wiring that can be attacked by rats. Most of the smaller machine shops are in metal building which are very easy for the rats to get in. The cats keep the rat population down.

 

[quicky06]

beware if you decide not to have the dealer do the work they will msotlikley charge you a diag. fee. atleast and hours labor.

i see this problem all the time at work. people take thier high end sports/luxury cars and put them in storage from november to march and you wouldnt believe the damage a rat can do. worst one ive seen is a maserati that the customer chose to replace the harness instead of repair it. harness alone was almost 2 grand but the big problem was they chewed up the air fileter and made a nest in the air ducting and if it would have started he would have screwed him self.'

 

[gregincali]

RATS.... ITS ALWAYS RATS.... :motz:

 

[Hi_On_X]

Is it possible buying the wire harness and replacing it yourself?.... :dontknow:

 

[Spyder327]

Is it possible buying the wire harness and replacing it yourself?.... :dontknow:

The harness itself is still very expensive if i recall.

 

[808X]

I wouldnt know where to begin on how to replace the harness.
Im proud that I did the BHLM and the SS. That was tough enough!

 

[madtrucker]

I'm going through this now. I have a code P0333. Knock sensor. I dropped it off at the stealership & they said it was going to be $1300 at a minimum, maybe more. They are going to call me later today. I love that stupid truck, they got me by the balls here.

 

[madtrucker]

So $1900 to fix the wiring harness because rats chewed through it. Worst of all I still have a rat issue to solve.

 

[mejbro]

Sorry for the bad luck Madtrucker.
Freakin' rats...
I wish your pockets and your truck a speedy recovery!