Am getting hosed by the dealer?
#1
10-27-2008, 07:09 PM
Am getting hosed by the dealer?
Hi all,
Here's the background:
My gf owns a 1997 Toyota Camry XLE. It has about 12X,000 miles on it. She's owned it for about a year and half, purchasing it from a local dealer. Really sharp and clean car. I had her old cd player installed in it from the previous vehicle (Pioneer something, has grpahics on the screen and OLD) about 8 months ago by ABC warehouse. She keeps up with maintance on a regular basis.
The problem:
This Saturday, when we went to the store at night the head lights and the cd player wouldn't go off while standing outside. We opened and closed the door several times. Nothing. Still on so we waited a little longer and they go off. The gf was worried, I calmed her nerves on it saying maybe the cd player face needs to cleaned (not the truth). Well we head off from the store to a vido store. Same story except the waiting doesn't work. She gets worried and says she just wants to go home. I turn the cd player off while we were driving. The headlights are still on at this point. We turn the cd player on a little bit down the road. Plays like usual. We get to my house and the we have the same problem we did at the video store. We open all the doors and shut them. The cd player and the headlights are still on, doom light is off with the keys out of the ignition and all the doors shut. Well I get in shut the door, doom light goes off. I shut everything off manual i.e. lights and cd player. She also said the manual light switch turns off the cd player. None of the above has ever been expierenced.
Today she goes in from the dealer she bought the car from and the sales man she dealt with just so happens to have the same exact car. Well the shop said that it was a door switch and it would be $60. They also had "0" explaination for the cd player staying on when the keys were outside the vehicle. They also stated that she shouldn't be equiped with automatic turn on lights, just auto-turn off's. Here's were someone is lieing. At this point her mom is there talking to that saleman they dealt with. He states thta he lights turn on automatically to. The shop said that they would need to order the switch as it is a special order item. I told her to not to order it because one of three things were being fixed (dome light was actually not coming on or off now). I felt she was being raked over the coals because the real problem wasn't being addressed.
What I think, tell me if I am wrong:
I think it's her cd player dieing. Called up my hard core car buddy (step-dad works at another Toyota dealership) and he thought the same thing. The lights have powered the cd player on in worst case scenrio from a shotty wiring job on it. Her cd player took a turn for the worse by having a "mind of its own". Meaning switching tracks on it's own going into different modes. Her speakers also sound bad too, no subs or real abuse. The 23 year old listening volume. I am calling a local audio shop referred to me by my buddy. Hopefully he helps and so do you guys. I would rather have a new cd player/ speakers put in because the the condition now if it the root cause. Then go back to the dealership and throw money at it hoping works if the other two problems can be accounted for.
All ears....
Gavin
Here's the background:
My gf owns a 1997 Toyota Camry XLE. It has about 12X,000 miles on it. She's owned it for about a year and half, purchasing it from a local dealer. Really sharp and clean car. I had her old cd player installed in it from the previous vehicle (Pioneer something, has grpahics on the screen and OLD) about 8 months ago by ABC warehouse. She keeps up with maintance on a regular basis.
The problem:
This Saturday, when we went to the store at night the head lights and the cd player wouldn't go off while standing outside. We opened and closed the door several times. Nothing. Still on so we waited a little longer and they go off. The gf was worried, I calmed her nerves on it saying maybe the cd player face needs to cleaned (not the truth). Well we head off from the store to a vido store. Same story except the waiting doesn't work. She gets worried and says she just wants to go home. I turn the cd player off while we were driving. The headlights are still on at this point. We turn the cd player on a little bit down the road. Plays like usual. We get to my house and the we have the same problem we did at the video store. We open all the doors and shut them. The cd player and the headlights are still on, doom light is off with the keys out of the ignition and all the doors shut. Well I get in shut the door, doom light goes off. I shut everything off manual i.e. lights and cd player. She also said the manual light switch turns off the cd player. None of the above has ever been expierenced.
Today she goes in from the dealer she bought the car from and the sales man she dealt with just so happens to have the same exact car. Well the shop said that it was a door switch and it would be $60. They also had "0" explaination for the cd player staying on when the keys were outside the vehicle. They also stated that she shouldn't be equiped with automatic turn on lights, just auto-turn off's. Here's were someone is lieing. At this point her mom is there talking to that saleman they dealt with. He states thta he lights turn on automatically to. The shop said that they would need to order the switch as it is a special order item. I told her to not to order it because one of three things were being fixed (dome light was actually not coming on or off now). I felt she was being raked over the coals because the real problem wasn't being addressed.
What I think, tell me if I am wrong:
I think it's her cd player dieing. Called up my hard core car buddy (step-dad works at another Toyota dealership) and he thought the same thing. The lights have powered the cd player on in worst case scenrio from a shotty wiring job on it. Her cd player took a turn for the worse by having a "mind of its own". Meaning switching tracks on it's own going into different modes. Her speakers also sound bad too, no subs or real abuse. The 23 year old listening volume. I am calling a local audio shop referred to me by my buddy. Hopefully he helps and so do you guys. I would rather have a new cd player/ speakers put in because the the condition now if it the root cause. Then go back to the dealership and throw money at it hoping works if the other two problems can be accounted for.
All ears....
Gavin
#2
10-27-2008, 09:07 PM
RE: Am getting hosed by the dealer?
The auto light off system wiring diagram does show a drivers door courtesy switch. Is this the switch the dealer wants to replace?
You may be able to pull the switch out and test it for on/off operation.
Depending on year the radio receives power from either the Dome and Cig/Radio fuses or Radio 1 and Radio 2 fuses.
One fuse is always hot to prevent the radio's memory from being erased. If the radio does not turn off, there could be an issue with the ign switch or a wiring problem with the radio. With ign switch off, the power to the radio should be off (other then power to memory).
You may be able to pull the switch out and test it for on/off operation.
Depending on year the radio receives power from either the Dome and Cig/Radio fuses or Radio 1 and Radio 2 fuses.
One fuse is always hot to prevent the radio's memory from being erased. If the radio does not turn off, there could be an issue with the ign switch or a wiring problem with the radio. With ign switch off, the power to the radio should be off (other then power to memory).
#3
10-27-2008, 10:33 PM
RE: Am getting hosed by the dealer?
Yeah it's a switch in the door. It's older. It never did anything till now...isn't that a little weird.
So should I check the fuses?
So should I check the fuses?
#4
10-28-2008, 04:56 PM
RE: Am getting hosed by the dealer?
The auto light turn off system uses the Dome and Gauge fuses. Would not hurt to check the fuses but sounds like a radio wiring issue.
Not so strange a door switch can fail. They often cause issues on cars with alarms, auto door locks, etc.
Test the switch with an ohmmeter, try pushing on the switch manually when still installed in the car. If you have an auto salvage yard around pick one off a wreck for a few dollars.
Not so strange a door switch can fail. They often cause issues on cars with alarms, auto door locks, etc.
Test the switch with an ohmmeter, try pushing on the switch manually when still installed in the car. If you have an auto salvage yard around pick one off a wreck for a few dollars.
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