Bracing myself for a warranty battle

I recently posted a question in the leaking cam shaft tower thread and have made an appointment with the local dealership to look at oil leaks on the engine. The glass half empty part of me expects the service manager to minimize the leaking and tell me it's nothing to be concerned about and the dealership won't correct the problem. My question for the members on this forum is...if this turns into an bigger issue in the future such as the cam shaft tower or valve covers continue to seep oil, have I created a paper trail that memorializes the problem and Toyota will be obligated in the future to fix it after my powertrain warranty sunsets? Thanks in advance for any thoughts/opinions.

 

What’s leaking? Pics? Generally speaking, I don’t think making generic complaints will do anything to extend your warranty. If there is a problem, address it. If not, it sounds like you’re grasping straws…

 

2742. Here's the link to what I posted yesterday which includes photos etc. When you write that I'm making a generic complaint are you implying I should "tell" the service manager what is leaking? I do a lot of maintenance on my truck but I'm no mechanic.

 

I agree with the other post in that thread - I’d have a Toyota dealer check it out and save the photos in case it leaks worse down the road. You mentioned multiple potential leaks (valve covers and cam tower) so I wasn’t sure if there was any indication of something going on…

 

IMHO, cam tower leak is kind of a safety concern and depending on its severity, should be fixed sooner than later.

 

Clean it up. Check oil level. Drive it. Note any changes in oil level and if the seep returns. If it bugs you, take it in and have it checked out.

 

I sincerely appreciate the replies and I don't want to come across ungrateful or snarky, but my original question remains. Will the documentation of an issue (like mine) retain my rights to have something repaired after the expiration of my drivetrain warranty? Any perspectives on this kind of situation will be welcomed. Thanks.

 

If the dealer will document it, yes, it protects you to a degree.

 

Opinions are like assholes. Here’s mine. If there is an addressable issue now have it fixed. But just documenting a potential concern would unlikely result in a favorable outcome after the warranty period expires. Only if it’s addressed and fixed during the warranty period would I expect some satisfaction in a covered repair after the warranty period if it were to fail again.

 

I had cam tower weeping prior to my warranty expiring that Toyota would not fix. The issue got worse after my warranty expired and Toyota picked up the tab.

 

Is it a problem? If I wipe my finger on suspect leak and no oil shows up on my finger there isn't a problem. Discoloration is irrelevant. If I wipe my finger and it glistens then the leak needs repaired.

 

With CAM tower leaks, I was told by a tech at my local dealer that they send photos to Toyota when a CAM tower leak is found. Then Toyota makes the determination based on the severity of the leak on whether it will be fixed. Glad Luckydog was able to get the proper fix after the warranty period. Guessing not everybody will be as lucky.

The tech also mentioned that he wasn't saying you should put a bit more oil on the weeping area prior to visiting the dealer if you have an issue, but.....

 

Why is cam in caps? Have I been missing out on something my whole life?

 

Oops. My apologies. Thought I'd seen it in caps as if it's an acronym. Thanks for the clarification.

 

I always thought that you put acronym in CAPS also.

 

Just got back from the dealership and they diagnosed the cam towers are leaking and have scheduled me for repair covered under the drivetrain warranty. Thanks for all of the input and optimism. I'm not sure I would have been looking out for this if it hadn't been for this forum.