Woman’s 18-month-old Toyota RAV4 has a problem, but what the dealership charges her to diagnose it has her fuming

A woman with a Toyota RAV4 that’s only a year and a half old got hit with a $500 bill just to find out why her infotainment system keeps acting up. TikTok user Sonia (@sonia_rodri10) posted about her experience with the dealership, calling out what she thinks is a crazy charge for such a new car. Her car should still be covered under warranty, which makes this situation even worse.

Sonia’s frustration makes total sense. According to Motor1, she had to pay $500 just for the dealership to figure out what’s wrong. In her TikTok video, she questioned why her new car needed two separate fees just to diagnose one system problem. “Every time I get my car worked on, I always feel like I’m getting ripped off,” she said. “$500 just to figure out what’s going on with my car. Do better, Toyota.”

It’s strange that a modern infotainment system would fail this early. People buy Toyotas because they’re supposed to be reliable, so having a major electrical problem after only 18 months seems like a factory defect.

The warranty should have covered this issue

Here’s what makes this charge so confusing. Toyota’s new vehicles come with a warranty that lasts 36 months or 36,000 miles. This warranty covers most parts against defects in materials or workmanship. These infotainment systems are usually covered under the factory bumper-to-bumper protection. A system glitch on such a young vehicle should fall under that coverage.

So why did Sonia end up with a $500 bill? This is where dealership practices get really unclear and frustrating for customers. Dealerships can charge diagnostic fees upfront, according to warranty guidance from manufacturers like Ford. The important part is that these fees are supposed to be removed if the repair ends up being covered under warranty. Toyota RAV4 owners have faced other troubles with their vehicles as well.

However, dealerships often make customers agree to pay those fees before they even check the car. If the service department can’t recreate the glitch while testing, or if they decide the issue isn’t a defect but owner error or normal wear, then you’re stuck paying that diagnostic bill. That puts all the risk on the customer, even when the car is still under warranty.

Some dealerships cover the diagnostic costs for warranty-eligible cars, but others pass those costs to the customer. Meanwhile, car owners are facing unexpected costs from various scams and schemes.

People commenting on Sonia’s TikTok video were not happy with the dealership. Many felt she was being ripped off. One person commented “Steelership”. “Toyota isn’t the same, why I went Mazda. Mazda is the new Toyota. Toyota is overpriced and their quality has gone down. The only thing they have now is their name. Mazda is very affordable and dependable,” another wrote.

One person, however, defended the dealership’s policy, saying they have to charge a diagnostic fee in case the problem is the owner’s fault, and if it isn’t, the fee gets removed.