Tire troubles..

Sucks to be you. Everybody has that problem, ball joints eating tires I mean.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This seems more than slightly ridiculous to me. If the proximate cause of the tire wear was due to faulty ball jounts, then why shouldn't Toyota pay for not only the ball joint replacement, but also pay for your tires, which were in effect DAMAGED by their faulty product? Geez!

Yeah, it's so ridiculous that it makes me want to know what the WHOLE story is...

If the inner and outer tread of the tires were worn out, then the cause was probably not due to bad ball joints. A review of the recall notice does not mention premature tire wear as a consequence of the bad ball joints. The alignment is a customary part of replacing ball joints, not a consequence of bad ball joints.

If the dealer won't pay for the tires, you need to take it to the next level, probably the district manager. Keep working your way up until the pay for the tires. You can also contact your consumer protection department.

Ditto what ray said. The apparent problem with a select number of ball joints was a scratch on the ball portion that could lead to seizing down the road. The recall was not issued for freeplay in the joint, and therefore would not affect tire wear.

Just make sure you have documentation that links the ball joint issue to the premature tire wear.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Right. This is an issue that, because of the cost and aggravation involved, should be taken to Toyota management....in other words, don't let the dealer blow you off. If you dig in your heels, it's likely that they'll finally relent and replace your tires....just keep remembering that it's THEIR fault!

This would be all I would need to turn me into a Honda Owner...

The district manager does not have any authority over non-warrantable expenses.

This is a candidate for a posting on

Bring back any fond memories, Ray? :)

Yup, kinda missing the company car and hanging out in the shop.

I went to my son's college orientation last week, and the parents were given the option of spending a night in a dorm. Since I commuted to school, I have never spent a night in a dorm room so I thought it might be kind of fun. My "room mate" was a guy that used to twist wrenches on Olds, Chryslers, and Fords, then came down with lupus and moved over to service advisor and warranty administrator. So, we spend a couple of hours telling war stories about problem cars, irate customers, and factory reps who can't fix cars or get warranty claims paid.

I'm missing the smell of brake cleaner in the morning!

Funny system. You guys have to deal with unreasonable customers who just don't get it, while we have to worry about someone talking our wives into having the muffler fluid changed.

Everybody should know that muffler fluid no longer has to be changed, however, muffler bearings still need occasional replacement, preferably with chrome reverse ones, which have a longer life ;-)

Imagine the delay if their left-handed spanner is missing! Wasn't there a bulletin specifying that the chrome reverse muffler bearing have to be installed with a left-handed spanner? ;-)

That was a top secret memo! Now you let the cat out of the bag!

A) Its perfectly possible to go through a set of tyres in 11K miles depending on your driving style. B) Ball joints wont necessarily cause rapid tyre wear, especially depending on how badly worn they are - unless they were knocking like mad (which hopefully the OP would have had sorted anyway) it just makes the handling a little less predictable. Had two cars with totally screwed ball joints and no added tyre wear. C) Without having checked the alignment before and after you have no proof that the alignment wasnt WAY off beforehand, maybe due to pothole damage etc so the dealer wont cover it. The evidence does not point to the BJ being the cause.

Also, it depends on the type of tyre wear seen in this case.

That's right! Don't blame the BJ! ;-)