Shaftburied Avenue

My Toyota Yaris T3 D-4D, purchased new in July 2003, has now covered 37,300 miles. It has developed a ticking noise when on full lock which a Toyota main dealer has diagnosed as driveshaft wear. They have quoted me £1,112.31 for removing and installing new shafts and outer joints, and fitting the old inner joints onto the new shafts. Is replacement at this mileage and the shockingly high cost reasonable or should I seek a contribution from Toyota? Is there a cheaper option available?

Asked on 25 April 2009 by

Answered by Honest John
This is the penalty of making full turns in a diesel-engined car, which imposes an immense strain on the driveshafts at their maximum articulation. You should always try to avoid applying any power at full lock. If you find yourself at full lock, wind off a bit before letting out the clutch. That said, I’ve heard of a few cases of this on Yaris II diesels and Toyota might be sympathetic, so it's worth pleading for some goodwill via the dealer towards the repair.
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