How can I tell if the dashboard was out of the car?
 

I had my Supra at my Toyota main dealer to sort out the common heating problem. They charged me for taking the dashboard out but I then had the car with a specialist who said the dash was never out of the car.

How can I tell if the dash has been out or not?

If you can't work on a MK3 supra yourself and you have to take it to "specialists" to "fix" it then you, my friend, should just pack it up and lease a new saturn or a ford something cheap and with a 100K mile warranty.

Theres no way you can tell if the dash has been off unless you did it yourself.

As the old saying goes, if you want something done right, do it yourself.

And don't forget that these cars come stock with a blown head gasket right off the dealer lot. That would explain why you don't get any heat from your heater core. And no theres no way to tell if the head has been off either, unless you did it yourself. Block testers are your friend.....

Look at the screws. Remove it yourself. You'll be able to tell if anyone has been there before you.

look for missing screws,
on a odd chance maybe they forgot to put it back
but other than that
even if the dealer ddnt open it up
unless ur the first owner of the car, somebody else could have opened it up b4 u

I just tend to do $hit the hard way.

What did they say they did to help your problem??
Replace the heater core??

Fix some flapper doors??

Basically the heat did not come on. The heater control panel turns out to be the problem. The dealer did not replace the panel but instead bypassed the heater control valve in the engine bay. They said they cleaned out the heater matrix and had to take the dashboard to do this.

But when I had the car in with a Supra specialist they said the dash was never out as the screws had the original paint still on them and also the wiring looms/harnesses had not been disturbed. I feel ripped off by the main Toyota dealer. Any advise guys??

go cry, and get urself a tsrm. Go to harbor frieght, pick up a basic wrech/socket set for 200$ TOPS. And start your own work.

I do everything I can to my car and I attempt things I shouldn't because the only thing you ever know is that you never know.


I won't let the dealer touch my ride Capital F those guys.
I take mine to a couple of former nissan mechanics that have their own shop.

i hafto agree w/ everyone.. if you have an mk3 you need to know your shit or have the will to try b/c these cars are unlike any other car you will own and if you pay to have it fixed you are gunna get screwed.

now to add to your topic. being a body man you look for a few things.. but like what was already said anyone b4 you could have had it out and you wouldn't know...its a 20 yr old car it was out at one point.


1st paint chips on factory bolts
2nd loose or missing screws
3rd screws or bolts in wrong place.
4th screwdriver marks around the holes..
5th carpet folded over wrong.
anything out off place will let you know.