Friggin' mechanics ...

I'm doing my own fluid changes from now on.

I was messing around under my truck thinking about cat shields when I realized my factory skid plate was gone! I got my last three oil changes at the same place so I know pretty well where it went, but obviously no way to prove it. I doubt they stole it, per se, more likely it was just too damn much trouble to bolt it back on, so they tossed it in the dumpster.

Either way, I'm going back to my roots and start doing stuff myself again. Bastards ...

 

I am sorry to hear that, gangsorry it's just the way you worded it, hilarious!

Maybe they thought it was packaging material not removed when they took your tundra out of the shipping crate? Or they were going to put it back on, but forgot? It's probably still sitting somewhere in the corner.

I'd give them a gentle call and see, perhaps it's still there. No need to argue since it won't bring stuff back(sometimes it does, but that's beside the point). They might be nice enough to give ot back or perhaps even order one for you

You never know how much beautiful words do.

 

Talk to the service manager, bring your receipts along, I really doubt someone stole it, they probably were in a hurry and some one just forgot ot reinstall it. All they can do is say no.

 

Write your name and phone number on a piece of paper. Bring it and bring bank records if you don't have receipts to ask for a replacement. If they don't play nice just say, "Fine, I'll get the word out on social media and buy lunch for a few local reporters to help spread the word around." Then lay down your phone number paper and say "Here is my number, if you decide to the right thing". Lastly leave peacefully and wait to see what happens.

 

Can't hurt, I suppose. I'm not going back there anymore regardless. I've already let a couple things go.

Once when they put new shocks on for me, the truck left the shop pulling hard to the right, so I went back in. They said, oh it needs an alignment ... and made me pay for it. LOL Then another time, one of their grease monkeys buggered a lug nut and sheared off the stud. They cheerfully billed me for the nut and the stud.

I'm done with these turd burglars.

 

Side note, I know where there's a 2013 in a junkyard nearby. I reckon that plate would work?

 

Yes....same part number.

 

It's these kinds of things, that make me always try to do a once over before leaving after any service. I know I must look crazy walking around the truck and then looking under it and then opening the hood and checking, but it gives me just a little piece of mind. In the past a had a dealership forget to reconnect an interior passenger door handle after working on my window trim the vehicle and the wife couldn't get out. Hard to find a quality place these days.

If I still had my stock one I would of offered it to you, but I unfortunately tossed it out when I got my front TRD skidplate. Which if you plan to do your own oil changes TRD skidplate will make it easier with the oil access door.

 

The advantage to dropping the plate is it gives one a good look at everything else while in there. Can't get that done very well with going through the trap door version. Don't care to argue, just sharing another perspective.

 

Since I'm already looking at a Talons cat shield, this could be a good way to rationalize dropping a little more coin for a matching skid plate ...

 

I just pull the bumper to take a look.

 

Oh boy. Anudder mechanics shop/dealer/quicky lubey story. We'll just put it on the top of the pile of similar stories. But we'll need a special tool to get it up there.

 

I'm sorry. This is my first and last such thread, I pinky-swear.

 

If you do get a stock replacement "splash shield" or skid plate, modify it like this. Only loosen the two bolts and slide it forward a bit to lower and remove. When replacing, engage the slots on the loose bolts and it will be held in place to put the three remaining bolts in.

 

I recommend changing your own oil like most of us do.

 

When I have the time, I do my own maintenance but when I have to take a vehicle in for service I do the same inspection and don’t care how Kevin/Karen I might look. The most recent example revealed that the shop forgot to do the brake flush (different vehicle than my Tundra) that I was billed for. In some cases I think this type of issue is due to the lack of qualified techs. Not that it excuses the issue.

 

Then, if you do as many miles as some of us, you'll get pissed off one day and leave the skid plate in a dark corner of the garage in the pending pile, reminding yourself every subsequent change that you really must replace that plate.

 

We took off the skid on our Sequoia and it's been sitting in the garage for years...

 

If you can get away from an oil change center with more than 3 out of 8 of your splash pan bolts, then you might as well buy a lottery ticket, or assume the oil change wasn't done. They leave them off in case you come back so they don't have to mess with them, especially on Toyotas, VW's and Audi's.

 

I just ordered the RCI Engine plate. It's 20% off for labor day sale.