The following are true questions or stories sent to me by people that questioned what took place.

Independent repair shops are for the most part good business people that have the customers interests at heart. I have found that some are not, should we say, sensitive to the customer and are in it for the profit at all costs. These are the ones that are probably the ones that are involved in these situations.

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>I OWN A 1993 TOYOTA TERCEL 4 SPEED STANDARD TRANSMISSION, IN DECEMBER OF 1997 I DEVELOPED AN OIL LEAK. MYSELF AND FAMILY MEMBERS NOTICED SOME OIL IN THE DRIVEWAY. WHEN I HAD THE OIL CHECKED IT WAS A QUART LOW.(A FIRST FOR ME WITH THIS CAR, AS I'VE ALWAYS CHANGED THE OIL EVERY 3000 MILES SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW, RELIGIOUSLY AND HAVE NEVER BEEN LOW ON OIL AT THE TIMES I HAD IT SERVICED) WHEN I HAD THE CAR CHECKED BY A MECHANIC HE SAID THE FRONT MAIN SEAL WAS LEAKING. HE CHANGED THIS. ABOUT 6 WEEKS LATER THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON, I IMMEDIATELY WENT TO THE NEAREST SERVICE STATION AND WAS TOLD I WAS 2 QUARTS OR MORE LOW. I WENT BACK TO THE MECHANIC AND AFTER CHECKING OUT THE CAR WAS TOLD THAT THE REAR MAIN SEAL WAS NOW LEAKING. HE CHANGED THIS. SEVERAL WEEKS LATER THE OIL LIGHT AGAIN CAME ON, AFTER ADDING OIL I TOOK IT BACK TO THE MECHANIC THE NEXT DAY. HE SAID THERE WAS A PROBLEM APPARENTLY WHEN THEY INSTALLED THE FRONT SEAL AND IT WAS LEAKING AGAIN. HE THEN CHANGED IT AG!
>AIN(AT NO CHARGE THIS TIME) SEVERAL WEEKS LATER (NOW WE'RE CHECKING THE OIL EVERY OTHER WEEK OR SO) MORE LEAKING. NOW, UNDERSTAND WE ARE NOT SEEING ANY SIGNS OF OIL ON THE DRIVEWAY AT THIS POINT. THIS TIME I TALKED TO A CLIENT ABOUT IT WHO IS A MECHANIC AND DOES SOME SMALL JOBS ON THE SIDE. HE SAID PERHAPS THE OIL PAN WASN'T SEALED PROPERLY AND FOR A SMALL FEE DROPPED THE PAN AND RESEALED IT. MEANWHILE THE GUY WHO DID THE ORIGINAL WORK HAS SKIPPED TOWN WITH A LARGE AMOUNT OF DOWN PAYMENTS FROM THE BUSINESS, SO NOW I'M THINKING THE GUY HAS NOT REALLY DONE THE WORK AT ALL AND HAS JUST RIPPED ME OFF (OTHERS WHO WORK THERE ASSURE ME THAT THE WORK WAS ACTUALLY DONE). THIS IS AROUND JULY OF 98 NOW. I TAKE IT TO A SHELL STATION BECAUSE IT'S A NATIONAL CHAIN AND THEY GIVE A ONE YEAR WARRANTY. THEY SAY THE FRONT SEAL IS LEAKING, AND I PAY THEM TO CHANGE IT. (I DID TELL THEM THAT IT HAD SUPPOSEDLY BEEN DONE TWICE AND THE REAR SEAL ONCE) SEVERAL WEEKS GO BY OK THEN OIL LIGHT COME!
>S ON, OIL IS 2 QUARTS OR MORE LOW. BACK TO THE SHELL, THIS TIME THEY DECIDE IT'S THE REAR SEAL AND I PAY THEM TO CHANGE THAT. THIS IS IN LATE AUGUST, EARLY SEPTEMBER. WITHIN A FEW WEEKS I'M BACK AT THE MECHANIC. SINCE THEN I HAVE BEEN GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH THEM AND PUTTING IN ABOUT A QUART A WEEK, THEY CLEANED THE MOTOR GOOD AGAIN AND TELL ME TO DRIVE IT FOR A WEEK. EVERYTHING LOOKED FINE, AND FOR AWHILE THE OIL CONSUMPTION SEEMED NORMAL, SO THAT WAS THAT. AROUND CHRISTMAS 98 THE OIL LIGHT COMES ON AGAIN, SAME THING COUPLE QUARTS LOW. WELL WITH THE HOLIDAYS AND ALL, AND THE FACT THAT I'M DISGUSTED WITH THE SITUATION, I CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR SOME SIGNS OF A LEAK AND KEEP ADDING ABOUT A QUART A WEEK. NO SIGNS OF OIL ON THE GROUND AT ALL. SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL ON TOP OF ENGINE NEAR 'CRANKCASE', I THINK IT'S CALLED. THE MECHANIC AT SHELL CHANGED A SMALL GASKET IN THAT AREA, CLEANED THE ENGINE, SAID DRIVE IT FOR A WEEK AND BRING IT BACK FOR US TO CHECK. I WAS TOLD THE O!
>THEIR DAY, BY SHELL, THAT THE REAR SEAL IS AGAIN LEAKING. I TOLD THE MECHANIC THE I FEEL THAT SOMETHING HAS TO BE CAUSING THE LEAK OTHER THAN THE SEALS. HE INSIST THE SEAL IS LEAKING. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THAT CAN BE. I DON'T THINK THEY KNOW WHAT THE REAL PROBLEM IS AND I DON'T THINK THEY ARE GETTING TO THE BOTTOM OF IT. I AM AFRAID THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE WITH THIS TACT UNTIL MY WARRANTY IS UP AND I WILL BE RIGHT BACK WHERE I STARTED WITH KNOW OUT EVER FINDING OUT WHAT THE TRUE PROBLEM IS. HAVE YOU ANY IDEAS ABOUT WHAT OTHER THINGS COULD BE CAUSING THIS PROBLEM? I TOLD THE MECHANIC THAT I CAN NOT BELIEVE THE SEAL IS LEAKING AFTER BEING DONE REPEATEDLY, THAT PERHAPS THE OIL IS LEAKING ELSEWHERE AND RUNNING DOWN TO MAKE IT APPEAR AS IF IT'S COMING FROM THE SEAL. IS THIS POSSIBLE? I BOUGHT THIS CAR BECAUSE OF THE LOW GAS USAGE (I LIVE 25 MILES FROM WHERE I WORK) AND THE REPUTATION THEY HAVE FOR LONGEVITY. THERE IS NO WAY I CAN BUY ANOTHER CAR RIGHT NOW. I'M DESPERATE!
> FOR A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM. AND IF I'M LOSING A QUART A WEEK HOW COME THERE IS NO SIGN OF OIL ON THE DRIVEWAY? HELP!!!! CAN SOMETHING BE CAUSING THE CAR TO CONSUME THAT MUCH OIL? AND WOULDN'T THERE BE SOME TELLTALE SIGN IF THAT WERE THE CASE? WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR HERE IS SOME SUGGESTIONS OF OTHER THINGS TO LOOK FOR. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP. HOPE YOU CAN.

A:I really don't to know what to say.
You have done all you think you could but the one thing that you have not done and that is to go to the local Toyota dealer.
You have been the victim of poor work and advice. Do not spend one more dime with those "professionals" you have been seeking out.
You may have some internal engine problem with the piston rings or the engine bearings may be worn, being low on oil as often as you mentioned is not good.
I can't really do much from here but if you needed legal assistance you would go a lawyer not someone that says they know about law.

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> I had an engine replaced (22R 4cyl,in my 91 Truck 4X4 in the first 500 miles I used 2 1/2 qts of oil after I had 1,500 miles I used 2 1/2 cases of oil,the mechanic told me that the engine has to break in. When I had about 2,500 miles on the engine the engine was removed and sent back to the company who rebuilt it they found nothing wrong, returned the engine back to the mechanic and it was placed back into my truck. Now the engine smokes and the "O2 sensor had to be replaced. When I questioned the warranty people they told me the the reason the engine started to smoke and burn oil was the fault of the "02 sensor. When I took the truck to have the sensor replaced the mechanic told me the reason the sensor went bad was the huge oil consumption. Also there was silicone used around the valve cover gasket that also can cause the sensor to malfunction. Can you tell me who's right. Does the sensor go bad from engine oil burning.

A: You have some serious problems.
The engine you got was not very good quality and was not assembled correctly. The place that installed it should go back to pumping gas or they are covering up for the poor quality of the engine.
The oxygen sensor is now defective but its because of the oil usage, it does not cause oil use.
You may have to wake up and realize that you have been a victim of poor quality work and poor quality parts (engine). You may have to go to what ever state authorities to get satisfaction.
The shop should be fighting for your interests with the engine company. They are not and they hope that you will go away.
Don't unless they agree to have someplace else solve the problem with a new engine that does not use oil.
You may have to really stay on their case but you probably spent almost 2,000.00 for the repair and you should have some satisfaction.