Any recourse for bad parts you bought?

[cedar_23]

Hi:

Last year I replaced the front and rear struts of my 2004 RX330 with KYB Excel-G struts I bought from RockAuto.  6 month later the front set started to leak fluids and I was able to get a replacement set from RockAuto under KYB's lifetime warranty.  The sad story is that the replacement set also begin the leak fluid again about 6 months later.  I guess I could get another replacement set but then I have to pay more labor cost when clearly there's something wrong with these parts.  At this point I'm just going to pay my mechanic to replace them with new parts that his shop sources and cut my loss.  RockAuto is willing to refund the struts cost for store credit as a courtesy but I'm left with paying the labor of replacing the struts 2 times.  Do I have any legal recourse to recuperate my labor cost?

[bayray]

I doubt it since the warranty is for the parts ! You have me worried since I bought the same product from a different vendor ! Did the box say Made in Japan or China?

 

[cedar_23]

bayray, I hope you have better luck than me, I bought the KYB 334400 and KYB 334399 for the front struts from RockAuto, the boxes said made in Japan and they look perfect when I received them.  But 6 months after installation both failed with leaking liquid, RockAuto sent me a replacement set soon after I filed for the warranty, again they looked perfect and Made in Japan but failed the same way after about 6 months.

[bayray]

Must be a bad lot... Sorry it happened to you! You might try KYB corporate!

[cedar_23]

I tried to write to KYB corporate, they are not willing to do anything other than to give you a replacement set.

Given the labor cost to replace the struts, the lifetime warranty really is meaning less, I already spend more on labor than the parts are worth.

[bayray]

Concur. I would ask the shop if they buy & install them ! If theirs  leak would they charge you to install them ? Find a shop that won't and stay away from Rock Auto! 

 

[cedar_23]

This is my first time having major problem with items from RockAuto, I'm not sure I can put the blame on RockAuto, the parts came pristine from sealed KYB boxes.

Sounds like you had bad experience with RockAuto before?

[zieke]

If it was me and I was lucky enough to get a store credit from Rock Auto I would buy another brand. Buying from your mechanic in the first place probably would have been a good option. Now it looks like you're on the hook.

[RX400h]

The first thing I would suspect is installation. Are you sure that no other parts related to the installation are worn? I have had KYBs installed in my old Mazda MX6 GT for many years and never had a problem. However, that was a $2000 car at the time the struts were installed. If I were given a choice among KYB, Monroe, or OEM struts for our RX400h, I'd be tempted to go with OEM but not necessarily from our local dealership. As far as aftermarket shocks for other vehicles, my favorite is Koni. I have them on two of our cars and they have proven to be very reliable and high-performing.

[cedar_23]

I'm having them replaced this week by my mechanic, we will see how the new set will fare.

I thought KYB is the OEM (or at least one of the OEM) for Toyota/Lexus?

[cedar_23]

I took the struts out last week and here are the pictures of the leak