MichaelRoss

I have been living with P0012 for a long time now. There was little or no functional result , maybe a slight stumble with very light pedal pressure. The lights (CE, VSC, TCOFF) and code would come and go all the time. It looked like the problem was intermittent because the lights would go out and it could be 100 miles or more before I would see them light again.

I needed to get a fresh inspection sticker and this time the lights were lit so I couldn't pass the scan test (last year it worked during the test). So I decided I might still be under the emissions warranty and took it to the dealer.

They told me no, and since I was at 60617 miles I was out of the powertrain warranty that covers the Timing Gear Assembly (I have no idea why it isn't part of the emissions warranty if I can't pass the emissions inspection without it). This is a cautionary tale - know your warranty lengths and don't procrastinate.

Anyway, I went into begging mode and the Scion Customer Relations people were pretty good. I am told that the dealer could have given me some grace on the powertrain warranty since I was only 617 miles past the end and no one would have given them grief. So one black mark for my dealer.

I don't exactly feel like they are my partner in this and looking out for my best interests. They are more concerned with making sure I don't get over on them somehow . As a past owner of 3 Camrys, put my parents in 2 Camrys, and own 2 xB's and pickup, I have been a strong cheering section for Toyota. I hope this all works out, I have had no complaints in the past.

The Scion Customer Relations guy said there is a TSB #EG003-07 from 2/07 that covers my problem. They have superseded the original timing gear assembly 13050 21040 with 13050 21041 meaning there was a defect that could be fixed.

I haven't actually seen the TSB myself.

This me talking not the Scion guy:
Not all these engines will necessarily fail due to this defect so I think that is why there is no recall. Maybe the numbers are actually not that great - remember other things can cause the same trouble code, the OCV solenoid, and filter, the wiring, the ECM. Anyway, if they don't diagnose a problem with the timing gear assembly don't expect them to replace it. It'll seem like a dirty trick to me if they don't replace them beyond the 60,000 mile powertrain warranty when they do fail.

At some point they would have to say, "We can't fix that you have 200,000 miles." You get the idea. What is fair? Maybe 120,000 miles? I have grown to expect at least 120,000 to 150,000 miles relatively trouble free miles from a Toyota, so that is what I think I am buying when I plunk down the bucks.

The other thing my experience tells me is that you might have to take matters into your own hands to get this fixed as a warranty repair. The dealer (some of them like mine are new to Scions and don't see very many, this is pickup truck and SUV country) might not be up on this. In my case I think the customer relations guy at my dealer is just not a very sympathetic guy and he didn't even bother to see if there was a way to help me out.

I haven't actually gotten this fixed yet, so I will keep you all abreast of the saga.

Supposed to get a call back by Wednesday. Because I AM over warranty there is a formality to go through the regional (customer relations?) manager first. I could have gone ahead and paid for the repair and waited for reimbursement, but I am a little concerned that the diagnoses may not be entirely correct. I am not so sure the mechanics are really up on the Scions yet.

Mike

I have two! '05 xB and '06 xB.

OldYeller

Did you ever have them look at the car when the lights were on? I had my timing gear changed out at about 35,000 miles. If they have a record of looking at the problem prior you might have a better chance.

MichaelRoss

I appreciate the good advise. Unfortunately I didn't have a dealer handy until just 6 months ago. Eastern NC is not exactly Scion country. So I have been servicing it myself. I got the codes read at Advance Auto around 40,000 mile and that is how I know what I have been dealing with.

It's OK though the Scion Customer Relations people, as opposed to the dealer, seem very interested in fixing it under warranty. We shall see how it goes.


Mike

I have two! '05 xB and '06 xB.

jbrolowxb

This is a TSB issue, shouldn't they fix it regardless of warranty ? Mike, search Tomas, he has all the TSB's listed in his signature.

MichaelRoss

These things are always warranty work when they say they are warranty work. We shall see.

bB2NER

Hope it works out, I've always been under the impression that if there is a TSB on the problem it will be fixed whenever it needs to be. Kinda like a grand fathered in fix it whenever it goes bad thing.
I'm not quite at 35K and haven't had the problem yet. I'm worried that by the time I get to the 60K mark it could be like almost 10 years old. It only gets car show miles now.