# Toyota sequioa repairs killing me.



## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Was this at the Toyota dealer?
I've yet to see a dealer not try to rip people off on unneeded items. 
Time to go get a second opition someplace else.


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## ratherbefishin' (Jun 16, 2007)

joecaption said:


> Was this at the Toyota dealer?
> I've yet to see a dealer not try to rip people off on unneeded items.
> Time to go get a second opition someplace else.


+1, sounds like dealer rates. How are your DIY skills? You could replace the rotors, pads, and hardware with Wagner Thermoquiets for about $250 in a couple hours. A rebuilt Cardone steering pump runs about $75 and isn't too difficult to change out. Assuming you have the 4.7L in that beast, it has a timing belt, so changing the water pump is part of a much larger job. The full kit with belt, pump, tensioner, idler, seals, gaskets is around $250. If you do the steering pump and brakes yourself, you'll save a bunch. You should be able to find someone who will do the timing belt and water pump for about a grand, parts included, if you're not confident enough or just don't have the time.


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

Ayuh,.... I've been a Mechanic, 'bout all my life,....

I only worked retail commercial automotive for a few months,.....

I couldn't sleep at night,....
Knowin' I'd participated in Screwin' so many people, so Badly,.....

The way to tell whether a service writer, or used car salesman is lyin' to ya,........

His lips are movin',.......


kirwinjd, why aren't ya Diyin' it,..?? 
Rotors, 'n pads shouldn't run much over a couple hundred, All new parts,...


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## 1985gt (Jan 8, 2011)

+1 on doing it your self. Brakes are easy, depending on how much the rotors are it could very well only cost you less then $250. My wifes nissan rotors were around $100 a piece. SO assuming you have to replace them all 400 + maybe 100 in pads. 

Is the water pump and power steering pump leaking? Water pumps work or don't, generally when the don't work is because they are leaking. Power steering pumps can not work and not leak for the most part, but you would know. it would be hard to steer.

If you are nervous about doing the tasks your self take it to a independent shop. The bill will probably be less then half, and they may tell you that you do not need some of the work.

Oh and I almost forgot, most rotors can be turned or ground down, no need to replace most of them. If they are grooved then turning/grinding them would be a good idea. A lot of parts stores provide this service.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Brings me back to sitting in a Suberu dealership long again waiting for my free oil change.
Service writer calls a lady's name to come to the counter and tells her she needs all new brakes because of a grinding noise when first backing out of her drive way when it's been raining.
Then says it also needed all new wheel bearings.
It was a brand new car with less then 5000 miles on it.
He stood there with a straight face and asked her if she lived on a dirt road and told her wheel bearings are very delicate and will fail if you live on a dirt road. 
When he talked to me about my own car he told me the whole lower end of my engine was shot and needed to be totaly rebuilt that's why it was stalling. Was going to cost me over $3000.00 to fix.
I passed on that idea, come to find out my car had two fuel filters, changed the one I did not know was there under the fender well for $14.00 and ran the car with no trouble for 5 more years.


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

Where do you live?


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## kirwinjd (Dec 31, 2012)

Thanks guys.
I'd love to do it myself except for 2 problems. 
First, my wife doesn't trust me in doing the job right and second, she leaves with the kids this Friday for a 300 mile trip to her mothers for a week. I work 12 hrs every day. No way I could pull it off. 
Plus God help me if I did do the repairs and something went wrong. The car could run perfectly for thousands of miles after my repair work and if gets a flat tire she'll blame it on the spark plugs I changed out.


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## kirwinjd (Dec 31, 2012)

Spoke with the lady who answers the phone at the garage and asked how the hell we could have almost 3 grand of repairs that needed to be done. 
The biggest repair cost is the rack and pinion boots. I'm thinking "are you joking me lady?" I kept trying to get answers through her down home Hokum and sweet sounding voice. Finally she put me on indefinite hold. I think I ruined her day.


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## Hick (Nov 21, 2014)

Call for a second opinion. Ask a few buddies what shops treat them right & call them.


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## jimn (Nov 13, 2010)

55000 for brakes is pretty good. I,figure on my cars anything over 35000 on brakes is a gift. On the other hand even on my Cadiilac CTS new brakes all four, and new rotors,was only 500 not 2800. Rotors on many cars these days are pretty thin to save weight. Often the can't be resurfaced. I would not argue with the work, only with the price.


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## 1985gt (Jan 8, 2011)

I would completely argue the work. Replacing the pads because they are getting close I can totally agree with, rotors do not have to be replaced if they have not been worn to thin, or are to thin to resurface. Even on my own cars I don't resurface the rotors every break job, just when they are grooved or warped.


FWIW and all vechicles are different. I've got 140k on my truck and this weekend will be the first set of rear shoes for it. I replaced the fronts at 80k when I got it and then again last year at around 130k. My buddies truck is about the same, just replaced all of his last weekend, the rears were original, he has around the same mileage.


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## kirwinjd (Dec 31, 2012)

Sounds about right. No rhyme or reason why some go forever without a problem and others start falling apart right off the showroom floor. I've always considered Toyotas to be well built cars (what was I smoking?) and was reliable as opposed to the fords or Chevys. I can't speak for all the models but 
I have to say that except for a few minor issues and bad gas mileage, my 2005 Chevy Silverado has been a work horse. 
Thanks for the reply


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## Hick (Nov 21, 2014)

jimn01 said:


> 55000 for brakes is pretty good. I,figure on my cars anything over 35000 on brakes is a gift. On the other hand even on my Cadiilac CTS new brakes all four, and new rotors,was only 500 not 2800. Rotors on many cars these days are pretty thin to save weight. Often the can't be resurfaced. I would not argue with the work, only with the price.


you must be hard on your breaks mate. I get rougly 60-75k on mine before needing new brakes.


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## kirwinjd (Dec 31, 2012)

Hick said:


> you must be hard on your breaks mate. I get rougly 60-75k on mine before needing new brakes.


Not me mate. Its the wife that drives it. She only drives me to the poor house. 
Thanks


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

Kirwin, get another opinion and estimate. A vehicle that heavy depending on how you drive you just might probably need the brakes done, including rotors. But the cost could be lower. As for the pumps it should be fairly obvious if you are losing coolant or steering fluid and where those leaks are. Ask for the mech to show you.

One other thing that didn't get discussed much after your OP, though... 205,000 miles on you original GM brakes? I don't think so. If you have anything much over 75k you'd better go have a close look at them before you end up in a ditch--or into the rear of another car--- soon!


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## ratherbefishin' (Jun 16, 2007)

kirwinjd said:


> Spoke with the lady who answers the phone at the garage and asked how the hell we could have almost 3 grand of repairs that needed to be done.
> The biggest repair cost is the rack and pinion boots. I'm thinking "are you joking me lady?" I kept trying to get answers through her down home Hokum and sweet sounding voice. Finally she put me on indefinite hold. I think I ruined her day.


 No way....those should be easily accessible on that vehicle. Of the things you've mentioned, the water pump would be the highest cost, probably 600 or so for labor alone, as it's a normally done as part of timing belt kit replacement.
Have you looked at the boots? Are they leaking or torn?
I'm just not buying into what you're being told by that outfit. Find an honest shop to look it over.


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## Olcrazy1 (May 28, 2013)

If rotors are not pulsating/warped, rusted/cratered or beyond minimum thickness don't even mess with them. I have seen dealers and the national tire stores try to replace rotors, pads and even calipers when nothing was wrong. They are all (at least most) looking to rip people off for easy money. I been a mechanic all my life, now I drive a company car and bill all work back to company I work for so I need receipts and do t work on my own stuff anymore only friends and families. I still don't like being ripped off. My breaks were making some noise, I checked them all and everything was good except the left rear caliper slide was hung up and wore out the inside pad. I took it all apart, cleaned it all up, confirmed all was good and I just needed new rear pads. Went to NTB and said please replace the rear pads. an hour later I get a call saying my breaks are all messed up and I needed pads all around, rear rotors and 1 rear caliper. I said just replace the rear pads only. They said no, it's unsafe and they can't do that. I advised that I was a certified mechanic and I already checked it all out and know everything was fine and if report them trying to rip me off. They replaced the pads and wouldn't make eye contact when I went to pick it up. Go to someone you trust


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## roladerce (Apr 17, 2017)

kirwinjd said:


> Bought 2007 Toyota Sequoia brand new and with only 55.000 miles, we got told today that it needs over in $2800 repairs. Primarily, it needs all new brake pads AND rotors even though we've had no symptoms of a problem. Is that possible even without any signs of a brake problem whatsoever? The car stops smoothly, evenly and without any grinding or squealing.
> Also requiring replacement is the water pump and power steering pump.
> 
> My Chevy Silverado service truck has been humping hundreds of pounds of tools and parts since 2005 and 205,000 miles later, it still has the original brakes.
> ...


Just to let you know, the 2007 Sequoia has a TIMING CHAIN not a TIMING BELT. The timing chain does not need to be changed unless you rebuild the engine.


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

kirwinjd said:


> Thanks guys.
> I'd love to do it myself except for 2 problems.
> First, my wife doesn't trust me in doing the job right and second, she leaves with the kids this Friday for a 300 mile trip to her mothers for a week. I work 12 hrs every day. No way I could pull it off.
> Plus God help me if I did do the repairs and something went wrong. The car could run perfectly for thousands of miles after my repair work and if gets a flat tire she'll blame it on the spark plugs I changed out.


My wife is totally the opposite. She says, "I figure you wouldn't do the repair if you didn't know how." She looked at me funny when I told her I was taking the Navigator in last week to have the tranny leak repaired, like I was slipping or something. "I said, 'I don't want to do it. I'd rather pay somebody even if I could probably save a couple hundred bucks if I did it myself. It is too much of a hassle.'"

She shrugged and and asked me who was going to replace her window lift motor. I said, "I will. That's easy and I don't have to crawl around under the car." 

Now, she is adamant about me not doing laundry, but as far as car repairs are concerned she has no issues as long as the car gets fixed.

Oh, you can usually find a shop that will let you bring them rotors and they will do the brake job. They almost always want you to buy their pads, but they usually will let you supply your own rotors. Find one that will let you do this, go to RockAuto and buy some. I just checked, even premium rotors run about $50 a piece.

If the brakes aren't making noise, I would just politely thank them for the advice, take the truck home, take a wheel off and check the pads. No noise, no problem, usually. When they grind, yeah, it's time. Anymore, with rotors so cheap, I usually replace them as a standard maintenance item.

The complication I have found with brake jobs is pushing back the caliper. I had to open a brake bleeder on the last brake job I did, to get the caliper to compress. Oh, and rear disc brakes can be a pain because of the emergency brake system. No way a brake job (4 wheel) should be more than $400, and that's at an expensive place. Stay away from $99 special places though.


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## roladerce (Apr 17, 2017)

Just to let you know, the 2007 Sequoia has a TIMING CHAIN not a TIMING BELT. The timing chain does not need to be changed unless you rebuild the engine.


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## polarzak (Dec 1, 2008)

Guys...this post is two years old. He either got the job done by now or got rid of it.


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