Front Passenger LCA replaced, but cam tab gussets sheered and broken during alignment

I bought my "new" to me 22 4runner TRD ORP on 8/31/24. It was sent for an alignment prior to buying to clear up steering vibrations as it had just rolled in the lot a couple days prior. Vibrations were mainly eliminated with this, but there was still a slight pull to the right w/ stiff steering and a quiet squeak coming from the front passenger side every now and then. They told me to call them if it gets worse. Drove it to work for 3 days (20mile round trip) and the creaking/squeaking and vibrations and poor control in steering intensified. I took it back to the dealership who determined it was the front passenger LCA. They replaced it and aligned it. (Took 2 weeks, but they paid). When I picked it up, the tech said he noticed a slight creak on the front driver's side too, but that wasn't approved by the GM to look into. I noticed the creak too at lower speeds over uneven roads, bridges, etc. or pulling up onto our uneven carport, but the vibrations were cleared up completely and steering was more controlled, but still real stiff/tight from what I know it should be. I drove it for 3 more days to work and steering became more uncontrolled, & creaking just got worse on the driver's side. (I can bounce on it and duplicate the sound...it does it on the slightest bump, turn, etc.) and some creaking back on the front passenger side again! I took it to a different repair shop this morning, they put in on the lift and immediately had me look at the cam tab plates. The dealership sheered one tab & broke the other tab on the new LCA they installed. And the tab adjusters look upside down. I'm a nurse by day, so by NO means do I know much about suspension, but nowhere online shows those plates facing that way, and I can see where they used to be facing up in the past. Took pics and went back to dealership right then. The service manager went in circles talking alignment specs with the type of "lift" I have they did the most they could, and said that how the cam bolts tighten in are tight enough that the gussets weren't that necessary with the type of "lift" I have cause they weren't moving anywhere, but they could fix them "if we wanted them too". From my "google" knowledge, the OEM cam tab plates are crap anyways, but still a very necessary working piece to keep that alignment in check. I've drove plenty of truly lifted 6"+ trucks that have drove and rode 100% better than this little leveled out 4runner. I told the dealership I wanted the tabs fixed, the alignment done right, and the creaking completely pinpointed/repaired. They said they can't get to it for a couple days, but it's safe to drive and I can bring back for them to dive into more. I already have an appt tomorrow w/ a reliable guy that does suspension lifts and repairs. At this point, I feel the dealership has created more problems than fixed them and will only create more. I'd be better off letting the reliable guy look at it, maybe put on better re-enforced gussets altogether, look over the complete front end suspension for worn/loose parts, and do an alignment properly. Can anyone confirm I am not crazy? Advice on creaking and alignment work?

 

Welcome from Wisconsin! Sounds like you have a handle on it, I personally have never seen these tabs broken like yours. The creaking noise your speaking of may be when the shop discovered broken tabs, tightened the crap out of the LCA to compensate for broken tabs, causing the bushings in the LCA to squeak and creak. Either way, it was not the appropriate fix. I'm thinking you have the dealership on their toes maybe, but I would take it to the guy at the independent shop with tons of knowledge. Good luck.

 

jesus chrisr did they fuck that all up! First of all a 2022 4rnr should never need control arms replaced right now. My 2011 forerunner went almost 160,000 miles before I replaced the lower control arms.

yes, the adjustment lobes are way out of whack and upside down. I can’t believe a dealership had the nerve to damage your vehicle, Do a misalignment, sheer off your tabs (which are needed for proper alignment), Lie to you that the lower control arm was bad and then give it back to you like it’s OK. I would drive that thing through the front showroom windows and tell them you want a new 4runner.

I have a 2” lift in front and my alignment and lobes dont look like that. I’d find a new dealership hope it wasn’t Toyota.

 

Y’all, It has been two days, and no word. Called and they were “gone to lunch.” Went there after work. Service manager said he still didn’t have a loaner and couldn’t get to the “squeaking” I wanted them to check out for awhile. What a joke! I went off about the screwed up alignment and cam bolt dials/adjusters being turned wrong, tabs broken, etc. he STILL argued how the tabs aren’t necessary when driving down the road, mainly for an alignment, and you can put that dial on upside down when you bolt it in. I told him, “bullshit, regardless on being backwards and who’s right me or you, you’re trying to get out of fixing this and doing it right. And you said yourself tabs are necessary for an alignment! Do you think I’ll never need an alignment again?” He just stared at me! Idk shit about most of this stuff, but I know when I’m being screwed over. I told him to go fuck himself, got with the sales manager, and I’m gonna trade it in at the price I bought it for and get in something better!

 

oh wow, that guy is full if shit. You should take the guy from the alignment shop that discovered all the damage over to the dealership with you. I’d like to see if if he tries to feed that guy some bullshit lines. So sorry you’re going through this.

 

Exactly! I hate to say it’s cause I’m a female, but… I just want to thank you and others for the honest advice and info!

 

i just saw your post with your case. How did it get resolved?

 

Was hoping and waiting for an update also, Hasnt been online since October 2024

 

I would have hired a lawyer. This is too serious imho.

 

Easy now, lets not start acting like Subaru drivers...

 

when its your baby that get destroyed, you can act anyway you please.

 

My reaction would be to weld on some total chaos cam tabs and call it a day

 

i dont think she had the luxury to do that nor should she be responsible for damage she did not create. Just saying….

 

I agree with that perspective. I tend to embrace chaos and fix problems instead of complaining. Even if it’s someone else’s fault, I will be ultimately responsible for getting it fixed.

That said, I’d have just viewed the problem as an opportunity to upgrade. Instead of complaining and escalating to a lawsuit or chewing out some incompetent shop owner.

Everyone handles problems differently. For the record, I’m not saying one way is better than the other.

 

if they want to upgrade things free for her then great. But i doubt that will happen.

i look at it this way, if you dont hold people or dealerships accountable for what happened and just “look at the bright side and deal with it”, this will continue to happen to other people.

the only solution here is to get an estimate from a reputable shop that can correct the damage and make the dealership pay for it, in addition to refunding every penny OP spent on the original job that was botched by the dealership. If they dont do both, time to escalate and also use social media to expose them. Just my $.02, but to each their own

 

I agree completely. Just posing a different solution for future readers.

Not here for debate on social justice

 

agreed! Cheers

 

@TrailSpecial22......is this you??

https://youtu.be/fNiqJJBN9-s?si=xDYPpdqkOeJinSKN

 

haha nice! If that was me driving it would have looked like a missle going through the front door. Lol!

 

I’ve started to dable in fabricating stuff, bought some basic tools like an angle grinder, band saw, clamps, welder, and played around with it all on some basic projects. I’ve learned enough to be dangerous.

I actually do think it’s the better way to solve the problem. I mean, I feel like freakin superman every time I manage to make or fix something that I wouldn’t have expected to be able to fix 10 years ago.

If there’s something I can reasonably tackle, I’ll definitely prefer to do it myself than to rely on a drawn out process with a shop that won’t acknowledge their own mistakes. It’s no contest, I’ll do it myself to avoid the heart attack and ending up as a menace to society like that that guy in the video lol.

But it’s totally understandable to go full lawsuit against a shop that wrecks my shit and then tries to tell me everything’s fine. Especially if I bought the car without ever intending it to be a hobby car. 99.9 percent of people don’t have the means, desire, ability, or down-time to buy and learn how to use the tools needed to do this job correctly on their own. So if someone buys a car and a repair is botched, they’re owed a fix, not excuses or denials. It’s a shame when people can’t admit to mistakes and just take responsibility for their mistakes, especially for something like this. Hopefully the OP didn’t get hosed on a trade-in. And hopefully she didn’t give that business to this dealer (unless she made out good on the deal lol).