Need Help in NC New 4Runner Transmission or T Case Leak

Good afternoon everyone. I've posted about my issue a few weeks ago in the General section, but it didn't get much attention there, so I'm hoping someone that can help me sees this here.

I'm in NC and I have a 2022 TRD ORP with under 20k miles on it. The only mods are window tint, sliders, gas tank skid plate and aftermarket fog lights.

Last year, I noticed a small puddle of fluid under the transfer case in my garage. I took it to a nearby dealership (where I purchased the 4Runner from brand new) and they said to leave it overnight so they could take a look at it. The following morning I got a call that it was good for me to pick up. When I asked what the problem ended up being they said it was just dirty water that splashed up and there were no leaks.. Needless to say, I wrote them off and took the 4Runner to another dealership 45 minutes away from me. Once again I left it overnight but this time they called and said that one of the seals was bad and needed to be replaced.

I picked up the 4Runner and around this time I prepped it for 6 months of storage. I am active duty, and get sent overseas every year (1 year home, 6 months abroad, rinse and repeat). I had a friend starting the car a couple times a month and keeping an eye on it while I was gone. Upon returning I saw there were no puddles on my garage floor. However about 4 weeks later (only 300 miles driven since returning) I got underneath the 4Runner and saw the transfer case was once again wet with some kind of fluid. I saw a drop forming (it was a very slow seep) where the transfer case housing and the transmission (?) connect. I took back to the dealership (that replaced the seal originally) and they had me leave it with them for a few days. They called me saying that they replaced "both seals" and it was good now.

I took it home, and 1 week later I took another look underneath. Once again, I saw a fresh drop of the same fluid seeping from the same spot (where the T Case and transmission meet). I took the 4Runner back to the dealership for a 3rd time and they said they were going to just change out the transfer case housing. They told me since it was a seep I was ok to drive home, and they would call me when the part came in. The following week they called asking if I could drop the car off so I did. They said it would take about 3 days, but they gave me a loaner car.

After 3 days I called to check up it everything was fine, and they said that the part was on backorder and they had no ETA on when it would come in. The issue here was that I could only renew the loaner car in person, which was difficult with my work hours + their business hours. After 2 weeks I called to get an update, and the head tech told me my car was good now. He said that they put over 75 miles on it test driving it to make sure the leak was for sure gone.

I went to pick it up the following Monday and noticed they put about more than 75 miles on the car. I thought it was odd, but figured maybe that's normal(?)

After getting home I parked the car in my garage, and left it there for a week; I had surgery and wasn't able to drive. Yesterday I took a look underneath and...

I see the same leak from the same spot. I called them again and they asked me to text a picture of the leak over, so I did. I got a phone call after saying that they were going to order new gaskets, and they'd call me when they get them so I could come in to get them replaced.

I told them I could just bring the 4Runner over so that they could get a better look, because I thought it's probably the transmission housing (or whatever part connects to the T Case) that might be defective and causing a bad seal.

They said no. They said it's definitely the gaskets that probably got pinched during the install.

This is now the 4th or 5th time I'm taking it back there. I'm trying to get a sanity check here to make sure I shouldn't be doing something else? I honestly don't know what to do at this point. Everything is covered under warranty, but if the Toyota dealership isn't fixing it then I don't know where else to take it or what to do. I do oil changes and such, but I'm not confident enough to mess with the transmission myself (not to mention this is a warranty issue).

I'm not trying to belittle anyone or be a d$#%, but I just don't understand why they're not doing anymore to fix it?

Does anyone know of a good reputable Toyota dealership in NC they can point me to? I'm about an hour south of Raleigh.

 

This is the most recent photo of the seep ^

 

Lemon law if your state allows/does that.

If the fluid is pink, then it's transmission fluid. Gear oil/T case fluid would be a golden/brown color.

 

Gear oil also has a very distinct pugnate smell. Like dead cats.

Good luck, you’ve definitely been through the wringer.

 

It sounds like you have enough to try to go the lemon law route. (If your state allows it)

New car that’s been in for the same issues 3+ times and it’s still not fixed.

Thank you for your service.

 

Thanks guys, it's definitely a golden brown color. I checked and NC does have lemon law. What's the way to go about doing this? Is it something I need attorney for or is it something I just bring the paperwork to the dealership and say I want to switch out my car?

 

I sent an email to Toyota Corporate with copies of the dealership work invoices. I don't know if it will get anywhere, but waiting for a response and looking at this lemon law thing. Only issue I have is I don't know how much money it is going to cost involving attornies and I don't have much time before having to go abroad again.

Sorry for any typos, I'm still recovering from a surgery.

 

Look up a good lemon law attorney in your area. Check reviews.

 

You don’t need an attorney, you’ll have to go to the Toyota dealer that has attempted to fix the issue and request they get Toyota corporate involved. Reference your state lemon laws inform them you’d like to go that route.

I was able to use the lemon law with a Kia I bought a few years ago. I had all the documents and receipts so it was very simple.

It took 6 months but they eventually swapped the car out. No attorney involved and it was my first time using the lemon laws to replace a vehicle.

 

In NC? No you don't Need an attorney, but it greatly helps with all the filing and getting a quicker response. I successfully filed and lemon law suit without an attorney and it was a pain. Lots of paperwork, lots of waiting. A lawyer can negotiate and most times successfully get you reimbursed for more than just a buyback-attorney fees, lots wages, etc.

 

You’re correct, the process was a headache.
(Phone tag, email battles, and waiting)
Which manufacturer was your lemon law suit with?

OP - Based on your situation with deployment and time constraints you might be better off getting an attorney.

 

Lemon law on a 2022?

 

I think as long as it's still under warranty, yes.

In some states the lemon law starts from first time you made the dealership aware of the issue. So say you keep having the issue a year later, they owe you all of your car payments starting the first time you advised them. That's why it's very important to have the service writer put your concerns in writing on the estimate.

 

That is correct, I filled a lemon law suit in 2019 for a 2017 model with 45k miles. The key was to have documentation….I requested a thorough write up each time the car went in for the same transmission issue.

I opted for the vehicle to be replaced & they put me in a new 2019 with 13 miles.

 

This story has the stench of a Hendrick dealership all over it.

 

thats a trans leak. Maybe cracked housing. Torque converter leaking back?

 

looks red/pink to me

 

It could be, I do have a color vision deficiency. Any ideal what would make a torque converter start leaking under 20k miles?

 

Could you expand on this?

 

could be lack of use and seals drying out. Just a thought

 

There’s no way it could be that. I daily drive the car. I also live next to lots of dirt roads. My wife and I take our dog out to the training areas every weekend so I have lots of opportunities to engage all the 4 wheel drive settings at least once a month.

I would think maybe the lack of use could have been a thing while I was gone 6 months, but I had a friend running the engine 1-2 times a month. And even if he didn’t - the initial leak I caught was before I left.

I also think the dried out seals would have been all replaced by the 3rd visit to the dealer.

 

Yeah, that looks like transmission fluid. They might have damaged the main transmission seal where the Transfer case shaft connects into the transmission.

A cracked housing? Doubt it. They were probably too rough putting the TC shaft back into the transmission and ruined the seal, or if that seal was a new one, it could be installed incorrectly…or both lol.

If the transmission seal wasn’t one of the seals they had previously replaced, then they probably wrecked it from the sheer number of times the transfer case has been removed and reinstalled.

It’s a damn shame the dealer can’t figure this out. It’s not hard to remove the TC, it’s not hard to identify the type of oil, and not hard to carefully verify the leak isn’t due to something cracked or broken.