Is it normal for a Lexus dealership to charge a diagnostic fee for them to take a look at something if my car is within the original 4/50k new car warranty (and has an unlimited mile L/Certified warranty through LFS until 12/2024)?

My dealership insists on me signing an invoice for a $140 diagnostic fee for them to look at something. They say that if it's an issue covered under warranty, then the charge is waived, but if they can't duplicate the issue, then they charge the fee. This is my first Lexus... I used to service with this same dealership's Acura dealership next door and never had them try to charge me a fee while under warranty. Also about 5 other Acura dealerships never did this either (One of my Acura's was a lemon).

I have my 50k mile service coming up (Going to make sure I go in with less than 50k miles) but one of my teeters are crackling in certain circumstances and one of the trim pieces are squeaking like crazy... but not to keen on spending $280 diagnostic charge for them to say they can't duplicate the issue.

 

I've never heard of this on an under-warranty vehicle.

What are you asking them to look at?

 

There shouldn't be an inspection fee for any warranty work. I've taken mine in to the dealer a handful of times, even for pretty tiny issues that they couldn't replicate, and there was no mention of any fee.

Give another Lexus dealer in your area a call.

 

I can understand why they might want to try to charge that fee...but dealerships are able to charge a wide-range of fees as long as folks are willing to pay them. Don't pay it.

I would def. go to another dealership and hear if they have such a fee for a car that is still under warranty. I've taken mine under warranty for a transfer case noise and a grinding sound near my brakes both of which were not reproducible by the dealership and they didn't charge a fee.

 

Thanks for the input - That's what I thought too (and what I experienced with every Acura dealership I encountered). Just wanted to make sure that it wasn't a Lexus dealership thing. Looks like I might need to find a new dealership to get my car serviced at.

My dealership has asked for me to sign for fee everytime I asked them to look at anything outside of normal maintenance including:
-Speaker rattle (turned out to be master switch in driver door)
-Gas tank door won't shut (Claimed that it could be my fault somehow....)

For those of you in the DC Metropolitan area, the dealership I'm referring to is Pohanka Lexus in Chantilly. The dealership has a no appointment necessary policy and always has loaner cars available, which is why I like servicing with them, but looks like I'll *have* to start making appointments with the dealership a few miles away from me.

 

I recently took my 2010 RX in and my dealer spent about 2 hours diagnosing my car and didnt charge me a penny. I didn't even get my car repaired there and they didnt mind. I told them they were too expensive and I had a local mechanic do the repair. My RX is out of warranty on everything and they still didn't charge me anything.

 

Diagnostic fee at Parkplace dealerships is 99$ which could be waived depending on the SA.

 

Yeah I never get charged for a fee when its covered under warranty.

 

:/ Sounds like I'm experimenting with new dealerships now. TBH, I do understand why dealerships charge a diagnostic fee when a car is out of warranty - In the event people just get their issue diagnosed on the dealership's dime and repair themselves/local shop. But I did find it very odd for them to try to charge whil the car is under warranty - It's guaranteed the client would repair with the dealership.... Oh well - thanks for everyone's input.

 

I think it's pretty normal for them to charge a fee for diagnostics..

 

the only time I have experienced this (and it wasn't Lexus) with a car under warranty was at a dealer that denied all warranty claims from the get go and billed the customers for warranty work.

it was a Chrysler dealer and they did exactly that, charged me a fee and then denied the warranty claim.. I paid the fee (because they wouldn't give my car back until I did) took my car to another dealer who did agree it was a warranty issue.

I filed a complaint with Chrysler, and with my Credit card company, got my fee back and about a year later that Chrysler dealership was out of business, pretty sure they had more than one complaint about their practices.

 

I have never been charged a diagnostic fee or to look at my car whether it was in or out of warranty, I never heard of it. I would not pay it and find another dealership. They did not do anything to fix the problem, why are they charging you over $100 just to look at it or diagnose a issue? Sounds like nickel and diming the customer for anything they can.

I took my Lexus to a Toyota dealership for a off and on groaning noise during acceleration with the AC on, it did not happen at the dealership and I even rode with a tech who kind of heard it but did not know or think it was anything, they accidental changed my oil when they were looking at it which I did not ask them to do and never tried to charge me for the accidental oil change(I would not have paid) or to try to diagnose my car.

 

Most of the dealership doesn't charge diagnostic fee, but it's perfectly normal for them to charge the fee if it's not warranty issue. (Obviously, nobody wants to work for free)

 

I mean, other than brakes and tires, isn't most everything on the car covered under warranty*? Unless you're a moron and put diesel fuel in the gas tank, or put in honey as an oil replacement.

I say no to fees. As soon as my dealership starts charging me a fee, I stop going there. It's their call.

*this statement excludes the folks who have modded their car.