I want to get this straight: If i decide to do the regular maintenance 5000 miles change oil rotate tires visually inspect brakes .... If something happens to the engine or brakes or tires .... would they not honor the warranty ? Lets skip to 15,000 miles: Oil, tires , brakes. And then a long list of stuff to inspect.... If something happens relating to those items will they refuse warranty ? I think I'm going to only do the 30K at the dealer... but i can do it myself without affecting the warranty ? Thanks for the help !
The Magnusen-Moss warranty act protects you for lots of bad faith dealing by some businesses. In general, you should keep receipts for the service items you purchase to do your own maintenance. You should keep some kind of service log also. To prove abuse that would void a warranty, the dealer or Toyota corporate has to prove that there was intentional abuse to the vehicle. That is generally very difficult for them to do, especially when there was no abuse to a vehicle needing warranty work. Anyway, no dealer should ever avoid doing warranty work because they get reimbursed for it by Toyota. Feel free to do your own work. Inspections done by you, an independant mechanic or Toyota are all the same.
Good advice. Use common sense. The purpose is to take care of your car. The service schedule that came with your car is a good guide. If you can do it yourself, fine. If you have a professional available who can do it, that is fine too. If something isn't working right, is leaking, is making a strange noise, or a warning light comes on, the car needs attention from someone who knows how to fix it. If you are obviously taking care of your car and have records of what you did, and receipts for parts and services, Toyota will honor the warranty.
If you do not know how to inspect brakes, suspension and steering parts, CV joint boots, etc., and do not have proper equipment to inspect them _safely_, go to someone who does. That someone need not be Toyota Inc. But the point is that these inspections are for occupants' safety first, the car's health second, and warranty purposes last of all. I change oil every 10k miles or a bit less frequently. More often than that, I am underneath checking systems. DAS
