Fox Mulder

Relocated Stock Stereo and DVD ROM/CDRW below Mounted on a shelf inside the boot Fire extinguisher just in case lol

The screen mounted into dashboard

Startup Controller +5v Regulator +5v Regulator Finished Inside the dashboard

Carputer up and running! Specs: Toshiba TE2000 laptop External DVDROM/CDRW Xenarc 700TSV Touchscreen USB GPS Car2PC Adaptor Bluetooth USB Audio Digital/Analogue TV Targus DC-DC Notebook Power Adaptor Pics: Notebook Lid removed and replaced by a notebook cooler Side view of the PC Startup Controller +12v regulator (for Screen)

The Dealer has now agreed to hand over the engine after 60 days after talking with Toyota. I'm also wondering if they knew the car was brought into a service late, why did they not reccomend either - removing the rocker cover, or flush the engine then. Cos there's no point in spending all the money servicing the car from then on, if the engine is going to fail anyway no matter what you do.

But we were told we could have the engine, right up tot he point of handing over the money. It is one of the conditions of why i got the repair done by them. On the reciept it says nothing about warranty claims. Just that it is a goodwill gesture. And since i have paid for part of the new engine, why can't I get the old one back? At least 50% of it is still mine if they are playing the warranty card. If the sludge was caused by the delayed service all those years ago, wouldn't it have been at it's peak then? Shouldn't subsequent oil changes help the problem, not make it worse? Thanks for the info on reusing the parts.

Oh this just gets better and better. I spoke to them on the phone they said yep car is ready you can pickup the car and the old engine is yours for the taking. Now I pickup the car tell them a mechanic is comming tomorrow to pickup the engine and they said that's fine and then I hand over the cheque. Then the service manager calls me in and explains to me that I actually can't have the old engine back. Because it's beign replaced under "warranty". I'm like what? If it was, then why am I paying something? It's being replaced at 50% under warranty. So then I demanded for 50% of the engine lol I don't understand, I paid for the engine when I bought the car new. Now I had to buy a new engine through them and have that fitted, why can't I have the old one back? Because they don't want someone else (VACC) doing an inspection on it. When we agreed to the repair we were told we could have the engine back, now when they get their money they wont give it.

The The price is now $5,800. The car is getting a new engine at that price, but I'm still not happy and will take it up with the general manager of Toyota Frankston. On a side note they told me that they will be reusing the sensors from the old engine, like O2 sensors and various other sensors. Shouldn't they come with the new engine? Might check with another dealer to see if that is the case.

Yep

I have a working carputer, dont have any pics, untill the car gets fixed by Toyota Frankston cos of their dodgy servicing

Now Toyota are offering $5,800 which I will accept we need a car and on the condition that I withold my right to take the Toyota Motor Corporation to court and sue for negligence in maintaining my engine. Consumer Affairs have decided to help me out and are getting the VACC (Victorian Automotive consortium place thingy) to conduct an analysis on the engine. The VACC are saying that they think it's cos Toyota Frankston used the wrong oil or engine cleaner or didn't change the oil in the car, well well soon find out with the analysis done. Consumer affairs will then take our case to Court against Toyota Frankston and Toyota Motor Corporation Australia.

Toyota Frankston are taking the stance that they are not at fault and that because for the 15,000km service the car was brought in at 20,000kms caused the engine sludging. I am hard pressed to see if that is the case why it took almost 101000kms to notice anything wrong with the engine. In the US the court judgement saw it fit that for an engine to be adequately maintained oil be changed only every 12 months. But Frankston are trying to say that in the US they use different addiditives and whatnot, who cares mate it's the same engine! Plus Customer service said that the dealer should've noticed sludge comming out of the engine in the other services whereas Frankston are saying you can't detect sludge from just draining the oil. This is what you get for having your car serviced 100% at Toyota. I have yet to hear what customer service are going to propose. From now on I think I'm only going to deal with customer service and not with Frankston Toyota. It's been a week now and it's starting to become a bit of an annoyance having no car! Might check if the RACV provides a free rental car for comprehensive insurance.

The technician at the service centre is still bewildered at how sludge ended up in the engine and suggested I call customer service. I did that and I told Toyota to talk to the service center and work out a solution and propose that to me. Should be getting a phone call anytime today.

The Oil light in my dad's Avalon started comming on, when we start the car, but going off after about 2 seconds. We checked the manual and it said that this was normal. Then 1 week later whilst driving it the oil light came on and then the engine started making very bad noises. Immediately pulled over and had the car towed to Frankston Toyota. Now Frankston toyota are saying there has been a build up of sludge in the engine - the cause of they don't know and they want to replace the engine at a cost of $10000. The reasons I can see for the sludge buildup is a lack of oil changes, but the car has always been serviced at Frankston Toyota in intervals as specified by the logbook ever since it was bought new. I've done a bit of research and found that owners the USA who have the 1MZFE engine have reported similar engines and that Toyota eventually gave in and provided free replacement engines for those affected. Anyone know if a similar scheme operated here? Search google for toyota sludge and you get hundreds of links. Thanks, Asela Fernando