Totally Perfect Car before Has Issues after Log-Book Service - What to Do?

Hi guys,
I have an angry woman blaming me for destroying her perfectly working car, so I am after an advice what to do next.
Long story short, totally perfect car doesn't start properly after the logbook service done by a local mechanic.

Background
3 weeks ago, I decided it is time to service missus’s 2018 Toyota Yaris (I don’t drive this car at all).
The car ran perfectly with zero issues before the service and as per the log-book service includes all basic stuff + brake fluid change + in-tank filter replacement. I checked the official service, and it was $600. The ozbargainer inside me said “hmm. Let’s check local mechanics especially given that is just a Yaris not a French/Italian car and there is nothing fancy with this service”. Done deal!
I opened google maps and found a local mechanic service with a 4.8 star review. What could possibly go wrong?
I rang them and told them that what all I want to be done is a standard 4y/80K logbook, I especially highlighted about the brake fluid change and the in-tank filter.
Here was the first red flag, because the dude didn’t sound that confident and started saying “well I have to check… but yes we can do it” when I asked about the filter. We agreed on $460.
The second red flag was on the day I brought the car to them, the manager gave me the working order to sign, I noticed and pointed that the filter replacement is not listed in the works, he assured me that he has to check first and he is going to replace it, so I left the car and went back to work.
The dude gave me a call 2-3 hours later, saying that everything is good, the car is mechanically perfect and the battery was in average condition and I shouldn’t worry at all.
When I was collecting car later the cost jumped from $460 to $590 as I found that he included the in-tank filter replacement on top of the agreed cost (he never called me about this cost change). I swallow this pill and quietly paid $590 as I normally prefer to avoid scandals and quickly decided that I was an idiot signing the order without this work listed.
As it turned out later, these extra $130 is nothing in comparison with the troubles I am experiencing now after this service.
Anyway, I collected the car, in the hindsight I remember the car cranked longer when usual but I didn’t pay attention because I thought it is temporary because of the new oil/ filters.
Next day my missus complained me that the car cranked too long before started (not always but especially in the morning and after several hours parked), of course I happily ignored her complaints and blamed her imagination. She kept complaining about this occasional problem for several days and I suddenly recollected that the dude mentioned “average” battery so I decided maybe he was too optimistic about its condition so I changed the battery several days after the services, as you can guess, it didn’t resolve the problem. The car still started cranking a bit longer than before.
Today she came back home after school drop off nearly screaming that she could even start it from the first attempt. We went to the mechanic and told him that after his service the car stopped starting and it is getting. He took it to the workshop for 10 mins and returned it saying that everything is good, we shouldn't have replaced the battey as the old one was good enough and if we have any problem, we can bring it back to him.

What is my best course of action in this situation?
Option 1. Missus insists that we need to bring to Toyota official service and let them check everything including the work on the in-tank filter done by the local mechanic and it if it shows that something wasn’t done properly (e.g. the intank filter) then we will go back to them and ask at least for a refund.
Option 2 is to bring it back to him and let him fix the problem. However, I can see a risk that they must fix the omission (if any) and started blaming another random part of the car for that, so I won’t be able to prove that they did something wrong.
with either option I think we should start to communicate in writing with the mechanic as it has been all verbal/in person communication.
Thank you.

** to provide more context to the story**
1. This car mechanic service is a Repco Authorised Car Service and relatively big not a 1-car garage with a dude hanging around.
2. I did my research to find out what the mechanic could do wrong by googling "yaris cranks but doesn't start after fuel filter replacement" and it appears to be a relatively common problem (for DIYers though) because it shall be assembled properly as (I am simplifying) it's c/w an o-ring between the 2 parts and if not installed back properly fuel drains back to the tank i.e. the fuel line doesn't hold pressure while the car is parked due to air ingress or something like that.

Comments

  • +7

    Official 600.
    Local mechanic 590.

    Technically, you can push and argue that the local mechanic did something dodgy. But that's a lot of willpower. Against the mechanic and your other half.

    Choice is clear imo

    • +3

      It was $460 in the beginning and, again, I mistakenly thought that her Yaris is a stool with wheels and it is impossible (if not deliberately) to damage it during a normal log-book service. Lesson learnt.

  • +5

    Just do what your partner wants. It's only $600 or whatever for an authorised dealer with a real relationship with Toyota would charge. It would be cheap to uncomplicated all this, get peace of mind, and forget it ever happened. If they find something shocking maybe you'll get your money back from the first guy, probably you won't. Your partner relies on their car to get to work probably and it's not that old, it's still probably the single most expensive thing she physically owns and posses outright.

  • +1

    Read that twice. All I understood is that you went to a third party mechanic for a service and the car later developed a supposed issue where it still starts but takes longer to crank. It might be complete coincidence and nothing to do with service at all. Could be a sensor issue or fuel pump issue etc.

    What I would do is check the voltage of the battery on the dashboard and see if it's reasonable condition. Supercheap offer a free battery health assessment so you can go get a second opinion on it's condition.

    If no issues there, I would get a paid diagnostic done by Toyota to figure out if there's an actual recognised issue or not.

    You may also want to get your own OBD scanner to lookup fault codes on your cars if that's a desired approach.

    • I replaced the battery is totally fine according to the mechanic and the SCA dude who replaced the battery.

  • +9

    option 1.

    why would you trust a dodgy mechanic to diagnose issues he caused?

    you should have no doubt he is dodgy because of the increase in price without informing you, so that you could choose to accept that new quote or not. he shouldn't have done anything that wasn't agreed upon without talking to you first.

    some mechanics hate people like this (car goes in fine, comes out and breaks all of a sudden) but it sounds like this mechanic has actually done something stupid.

    • +3

      I did my research what he could do wrong by googling "yaris cranks but doesn't start after fuel filter replacement" and it appears to be a relatively common problem (for DYIers though) because it shall be assembled properly as (I am simplifying) it's c/w an o-ring between the 2 parts and if not installed back properly fuel drains back to the tank I.e. the fuel line doesn't hold pressure due to air ingress.

      • +1

        if he didn't know how to do it on your model of car and lacked the mental faculty to google it, i wouldn't trust him with it again, but that's me. i would be asking for a refund of that extra charge.

  • +4

    Lol yet dealerships get a bad rap…

    • Yep, no more local cowboys - not worth saving $130 given all risks. In my case even if everything went fine I would have saved only $7.

    • +1

      Except the dealer would have quoted $600 but then produced a list of things it needs for another $600 (you know the usual bs upsells - brake pads/rotors, air con / power steering servicing etc etc that don't actually need doing but the service advisor gets commission on)

      • And guess what you say… "no thanks"

        Simples

        Not like this mechanic didn't do even worse:

        When I was collecting car later the cost jumped from $460 to $590 as I found that he included the in-tank filter replacement on top of the agreed cost (he never called me about this cost change).

        • Totally agree - but this is why dealers get a bad rap with those who know better.
          Sadly too many people fall for it and get milked. I expect OP may fall into this category.

          One of mates was a service advisor at a few different dealerships, the stories he tells are frightening

  • +1

    I thought the Yaris has a cheap 5 year capped price servicing from the dealer?

  • +7

    What to Do?

    Apologise to wife.. seek forgiveness

  • -5

    Drive the Yaris yourself for a few days then decide. Might just be the way you are writing but wife sounds a little dramatic

    • I tried to start the car several yesterday and it really cranked for 5-7 seconds.
      She says she was was reluctant to tell me about the problem as she thought that I would not believe her but it looks she is not making up the story.

  • +1

    bikies

  • +11

    Just want to say that you are on the money with it being the in tank fuel filter. I had a mechanic improperly install a filter in my vehicle (he broke one of the clips when installing it) and I had this exact issue with having to crank it for quite a while before it started due to it losing fuel pressure.

    You should be able to test it by putting the car into ignition and giving the fuel pump a few seconds to prime the lines. Then try and start the car. If it starts without the cranking issue you've found the problem.

  • +5

    Tldr.

    If an O ring is fitted incorrectly, pinched, missing etc on the fuel filter install, this is the sort of issue you get. Take it back and tell them to fix it.

    • Thanks.
      Any suggestions how I should appach him? In writing via an email "please fix your omission"? Should I point him to the filter or just leave the car. He might respond that I am not a certified car mechanic (and i am not even a car mechanic) to give any advices him wahy to do.

      • +4

        Just call him on the phone. I'm a mechanic, so you can tell him that's what you've been advised by another mechanic.

        • +9

          OP: I was speaking to a friend of mine who's a mechanic

          Repco: really? What's his name?

          OP: Brendan

          Repco: Brendan who?

          OP: Mmmmmmm

  • -1

    The brake fluid only needs checking for moisture, not replacement. A 4 year old battery should still have a couple more years in it as well.

    • +4

      4yo battery is getting long in the tooth. Under ideal circumstances they’ll last longer. Frequent short trips and a smart alternator could easily have killed it by 4yo

    • +1

      Given that cars don't go to mechanics regularly, replacing brake fluids every 2 years is prudent.

      • Toyota has a moisture analyser that they dip in the reservoir to test it. Should be good for around 10 years as the system is sealed up rather well.

        • 10 years? I still go by the 2 - 3 years replacement rule of thumb (but then again I've never tested it).

          Is the moisture analyser a simiple multimeter or a test strip?

          • @JimB: They use a boiling point tester that boils the fluid.

  • +1

    A fuel rail pressure reading when starting from cold and warm would probably be able to confirm your o-ring theory - unfortunately in Australia you will need access to a fuel pressure gauge, in the USA places like Autozone rent them out, but I have not heard of that here.

    • +1

      Another thought that may confirm; when you turn the key to the second position (just before it cranks) the fuel pump should prime (runs for a couple seconds). Run a few prime cycles by turning to this position, then off and repeat three or 4 times before cranking, if the engine then starts normally it may confirm the hypothesis of fuel draining from the fuel lines back to the tank.

  • Given your partner is angry at you and has a clear idea of what she wants to do, why not just hand it over to her and let her deal with it? Just better to not be involved in these sorts of situations when too many people have too many opinions. If it's her car, she wants to take charge, then I'd say just let her be.

    • I just tried to be a gentleman.

      • +1

        more like this is now your problem because you chose not to take it to the dealership as she would've done.
        hell hath no fury like a woman scorned

  • AlextheMeertkat

    simples

  • 4.8 stars, is it just 7 reviews?

    • let me check…77 reviews!

      • +1

        are they all from people who left 1 review, or all reviewed the same places… around the world?

        • yep, some reviewers have only 1-2 reviews. not sure how to check if they not from Mozambique

          • +1

            @AlextheMeertkat: basically see where the location of the other reviews are from by clicking on the reviewers profile.
            If they have 1-2 star reviews could be mates / family therefore impartial.
            If they have reviews of the same places / around the world could be bought reviews.

  • +1

    Take the car to a reputed toyota mechanic (Could be toyota authorised service or independent) and ask them to troubleshoot /find whats causing the issue. you might have to pay for this. then you can decide weather you want to get repco to fix it or continue with them.

  • After changing in tank fuel filter, did you notice any petrol smell inside the car?

    I had mine done with the mechanic and smelt pretty strong. Went away after a few days. (Toyota Yaris also)

  • In regards to people saying you should have went to an official dealer, our official dealer whom we purchased our car from didn't change the air filter and cracked an aircon pipe doing the oil change.

    Also never question your wife, I did and it turned out we had a faulty fuel injector after fobbing her off for ages.

    • Agree! even in general! questioning an angry female human is a deadly trick like putting your head in the lion's mouth

  • How brave were you to take your wife's car for a service even though you've never driven it previously?

    What were you thinking?

    • What were you thinking?

      Dr Phil has entered the chat

      • -1

        Nah! Just trying to understand the why 'cause OP's wife doesn't seem to be very happy with the consequence of what appears to be a one-sided decision making process about her vehicle.

        • I was just quoting Dr Phil who says with monotonous regularity

          What were you thinking?

          • +1

            @MS Paint: It's better than "You cannot be serious" ;)

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