I Own a Wheeled Toilet! Vent About Automotive Nightmares

Worst car I ever owned Toyota RAV4. Complete crap. Ran into an interesting news article.

The first line says it all!!!!!!!

Toyota recalls 4 car models made in China
Last Updated: Monday, August 24, 2009 | 4:26 PM ET Comments27Recommend14The Associated Press
Toyota Motor Corp. is recalling nearly 690,000 of its China-made vehicles after finding problems with their electric window controls, China's quality watchdog says.

The recall involves 407,503 Camry and Yaris passenger cars made by Toyota's joint venture with Guangzhou Automobile Group. Tianjin FAW Toyota is recalling 280,811 Vios and Corollas for the same reason, said a notice by the Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.

The notice, dated Aug. 18, was posted Sunday on the agency's website.

Staff contacted Monday at Toyota's headquarters in Japan said the company had no comment on the recall.

The notice said that due to excessive lubrication, the window switches could short out, possibly causing them to catch fire or otherwise malfunction.

Owners of the affected cars can contact Toyota beginning Tuesday to get faulty window switches replaced for free, the notice said.

© The Canadian Press, 2009

One thing is for certain: no matter what the brand, if it came out of china, it's gonna be junk!!

I had a set of chinese ball joints last 8 months!! That's it!! At least they had a 1 year warranty!

I hate to be Ford bashing again, but.................

Hate to bash Ford myself but...............................

This morning I'm pulling the motor on my 2000 F-250 SD with the 7.3 diesel so that I can replace the oil pan that has developed a pinhole leak in the oil pan. It seems like some Ford oil pans are very susceptible to rust perforation from the outside in. 10 years and 159 K miles and I have to do this.

I just can't wait.....Flat rate states over 20 hours to R & I the motor. I just hope the engine hoist can handle the load !!!!!

You bought a used car, sight unseen, over the internet, without getting it checked out by a 3rd party?

Rick 386 wrote:Hate to bash Ford myself but...............................

This morning I'm pulling the motor on my 2000 F-250 SD with the 7.3 diesel so that I can replace the oil pan that has developed a pinhole leak in the oil pan. It seems like some Ford oil pans are very susceptible to rust perforation from the outside in. 10 years and 159 K miles and I have to do this.

I just can't wait.....Flat rate states over 20 hours to R & I the motor. I just hope the engine hoist can handle the load !!!!!

rick... cut the rivets off the crossmember...change the pan...use grade 8 bolts,locks,nuts to replace!!

Poconoeagle wrote: rick... cut the rivets off the crossmember...change the pan...use grade 8 bolts,locks,nuts to replace!!

Jeez, yeah, don't pull the engine, especially THAT engine, for a oil pan. Crossmember is easier.

I appreciate the ideas but this also has 4WD and snow plow brackets on the front.

Plus I suspect a rear main seal leak. The rear main seal leak has been ongoing for a few years but not too bad. It's this damn oil pan that really has me. I think that I would have to completely remove the front axle assy to have room to drop the crossmember and I'd still have to support the engine somehow. This is one of those times I think an overhead hoist on tracks would be nice. IF I had one I may tried to do the crossmember.

Seems like I'm not the only one.

You must've paid them guys real good -- I wouldn't do that much work for a relative! I could see the weight of that big diesel flexing the hoist as he was lowering it to the floor -- that's a big chunk of iron!! Makes a 350 look like a lawnmower engine!

Don't you love Ford oil pans? Your now the 5th person I know that has had to replace one. They don't last long after a few salt baths. They go even faster if you plow, then park it for the summer.

ErikLaurence wrote:You bought a used car, sight unseen, over the internet, without getting it checked out by a 3rd party?

3rd parties cost money, & you can't be sure that they aren't getting their palms greased from 1000 miles away either -- or if they even know what their doing. Sellers are SUPPOSED to be honest on Ebay -- this one wasn't & he got the appropriate feedback. Like I said before ... if the Carfax report was up & running I never would have bought it. I went against 2 instincts that I used to never violate: #1 I bought from a used car dealer, & #2 I bought based on looks. But what's done is done. The wife is driving it right this second & it's in better condition than any used one is right now.

I actually went @ 8pm last nite and came home @ 11ish to my buddies and jerked out the ZF 6speed top loader gear box on the '00 f550. that pig is big and heavy specially with a huge pto hanging off the side for the 8ton crane in the back. he told me that ford put a new crate motor in it, a 7.3, 30k ago to the tune of $10,000. the front of it was pissing oil!!

the 13" $500 clutch disc exploded around the center hub!! I will post pics later.

I see if its a 4x4 ya need to yank the motor for the pan. so napa wanted 1300 for a clutck kit with a new flywheel!!!! lol

(ford sucks) to work on....

Update:

Bullcrap on their flat rate times !!!!!!!!!!!!

Biggest hurdle is dealing with the turbo tucked under the cowl. So you have to remove the turbo to gain access and have vertical clearance to get the motor out. The real issue was trying to disconnect the turbo pipes. Finally had to cut the "Marmon" clamps as they were too rusted to remove.It was really tight getting the motor high enough to clear the crossmember.

My hoist did pull it but it was straining.

In speaking with the Ford parts delivery guy, he told me that at the dealership they R & I the cab to have access to the motor. Their top tech can get the cab up in the air in 2.5 hours. Then roll back the frame and box assy and have full access to anything on the motor. I might just raise the cab 2 or 4" prior to installing it.

If only I would have heard that before I had the motor half out.

Rick

yeah huh. just like zipping the rear bed bolts out , gas fill hose and lights to lift off the bed to get to the top of the fuel tank for pump replacement on some pu's.

we used to buy cheap black hockey pucks at a sporting good store, drill a hole in the center, sometimes buy longer bolts, and lift the cab several inches for little money!

I got side tracked removing the cylinder head off a mercedes today instead of slamming that 7.3 clutch and tranny today. cam broke, bent valves........blah blah blah.

the turbo on the 7.3 is indeed the big pita

here's the birds eye view of those lovely turbo exhausts

darn clutches cant take the 28yr old dooing hole shots on a crane truck..

fun with fords...

and the benz is also a dream...

SMITTY wrote: Sellers are SUPPOSED to be honest on Ebay -- this one wasn't & he got the appropriate feedback.

My former boss had a great saying: "Trust is great. Mistrust is even better."

I've used that philosophy many times since I heard him first utter it.

no offense but the 2000 GMC Jimmy was a piece of junk when brand new. Even worse are the Trailblazers. Holy cow they are garbage, even when running properly and not burning up they get 13 miles per gallon. For the record I drive a 2002 Dodge Ram 1500, 4.7, 4x4, automatic. No wonder Chrysler went bankrupt. 4.7 liters and 200 horsepower in a full size truck means no balls, at least the mileage is good right? Wrong my truck gets 12 mpg empty, pulling a small horse trailer 9mpg. I'm not the only one either, find some honest Dodge owners that record their mileage and you'll see it's all bad. On the highway the truck can get 17mpg but as soon as you get off onto the hilly back roads look out. I know a smart mechanic, he leases a new pickup every 2 years.