Just happen to look under my 4runner

Let me preface by saying i have a 2024 4runner sr5 premium with `10670 miles on it..I baby the car...Furthermore i am no mechanic so bear with me......anyways My dog's ball went under my 4runner and i happened to notice something seems to be hanging down..looks like some kind of guard...small looks like the size of a cigarette box...maybe one of the scres came loose...who knows what this is...by the way its located about a foot in near the passenger front wheel...I have attaches a pic...any hep would be appreciated

 

Access door. One of the bolts came out.

 

Oh ok...thought it was something like that...Hopefully it will stay on until i bring it to Toyota on Wednesday....I didnt have any work done...unless they need to remove for oil change?..and thanks by the way

 

Kinda seems overkill to take it to Toyota for a bolt that came loose. The bolt you need is M8-1.25x30mm. Here is a Amazon link

$10 VGBUY M8-1.25 x 30mm Flanged Hex Head Bolts,External Flange Hex Drive Screws,Class 10.9 Black Zinc Plated,Alloy Steel,Full Coarse Thread,Pump,Fix Car,DIY Project(20Pcs)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DB1FV9C6

Save yourself a trip to the stealership.

 

The easier option is to remove the other bolt holding it on and throw the thing in the recycling bin. The only thing that cover protects against is saving time while doing an oil change.

 

So when they did oil change they did not tighten...is that what most likely happened?

 

If you take it back to the guy that did the last oil change, he’ll have the bolt on his tool box. Most likely took out 1 bolt, loosened the other, and spun the shield out of the way. Probably been that way since your oil change.

 

Yeah makes sense...I had oil change 3 weeks ago...Geez they suck

 

Thanks Guys!!

 

Toyota dealership at its finest...I think i will just bring it in tomorrow with no Appointment...im going near there anyways ..screw them

 

Looks like you got the high school kid special oil change.

 

Be sure to ask if there is possibly something else they could have forgotten.
Be sure to find out who did it so your 4Runner doesn’t go back to the same person next time.

 

Dealers can be trouble, or good.
Ask your service writer if he personally has a 4runner.
Then ask him if any shop techs have a 4 runner.
Best of course is both of them do!

 

You lucked out that it wasn't your drain plug. This is one of the lesser oil change screwups by the dealership.

 

I think its time for a new dealership...List of screwups in 18 months...1) they installed running boards..One of them was clearly bent from factory yet they installed anyway...they had to replace. 2) my sunglassholder kept popping open...they took off upper console with scrdriever gaughed the whole console...They had to replace it...they reused a clip and it sagged in a few days...they put new clip on it and finally repaired...they used my lockinh lug nut to do tire rotation...not dealer policy...of course they forgot to put back in my glove box and i had to go back to pick it up....now this oil plug cover thing....if you are counting that is about 7 trips to dealer and aggravation...That was my last free oil change so thats that..

 

The dealer lube tech remembered to put oil in the engine and didn't clip the building on the way out (or worse, run over a coworker)...

 

I'd get under there and see if the other bolt is broken off on the skid plate.
Might get a new one out of it.

 

Ive heard a story of a carmax employee forgetting to tighten the lug nuts on a wheel, customer drove off and wheel fell off lol

 

That screwup happened to my brother and my work friend in October, it’s not cool!

 

Whoever did the oil change threaded those 2 bolts in by hand and never tightened either one with a wrench. One probably loosened from road vibrations and fell out, the other's still there, but loose. If one bolt had been tight the cover would have stayed up. Luckily you still have that cover. Dealers...

 

whoever did the last oil change for you forgot to put that bolt in or snapped it off. I’ll just left it as is.

 

Really!! That's messed up. That will eventually seize your engine if not detected in time.

 

Man that is bad I feel for you.
I also experienced skid hardware spinning out, losing nice spacers, I still blame the Valvoline tech not myself. I remove my skid kit ahead of time ever since (no access holes)

*did you check yet if the bolt sheered off or is it gone?

 

The dealer needs appointments for oil changes?

You can just crawl under there, remove the other bolt, and throw the little access cover in the trash. The Tacoma skid plate doesn't have the access cover over the drain plug. Aftermarket skid plates from RCI, CBI, etc. meant for actual off-roading, don't have the access cover either.

 

Ok i went to dealer yesterday....Dealer admitted what happened..when tech sis oil change he took one bolt off loosened the other swiveled door open to drain and put the bolt back on and tightedned halfway i guess not to forget it was there...then drained oil and did change and never put door back to normal...I went back and read them the riot act...going over what dealership has done in the 18 months since i bought vehicle. I talked to Asst Manager and said they dropped the ball..and apologized to me for this..and he assured me this wont happen again (yeah sure)....Here is what they did for that day....1- Rectified problem. 2- Gave me 1 free Oil Change 3- Gave me a 50 dollar Card for Gas 4- Washed Car...So there you have it

 

Just for fun go back there for your next oil change. Let's see what they leave out then. Maybe they will give you a $100 gas coupon next.

 

Theyve already f-d up 18 times. Why risk 19.

time for new dealership or learn how do it yourself.

 

Count #19 !

They gave him a “Free Wash”, they helped him scratch his clear coat with other peoples dirt imbedded in their wash brushes!!
(Spoiler Alert: They don’t clean them often)

Years ago, a seasoned Toyota tech said to never use their car washes. He witnessed a new Lexus have its paint ruined with those machines.

Now, if you could give a shit less, go for it!