car repair query

Louis72 said:
Spot on. People think these computers in their cars and at the dealer are the messiah...

Sometimes it cannot even see a vacuum line obviously disconnected in the engine bay but only gives you pointers to the symptom of a vacuum leak affecting other things downstream. A good mechanic should know this.
Click to expand...
A vacuum leak can be very frustrating, had one on my Bantam and the PCM sort of masked it for a while by increasing fuel to compensate for the additional air ingress, eventually it got so bad the engine would not idle properly, there were no error codes apart from fuel pressure high. I found it by going back to basics and checking all the vacuum lines slowly and methodically, in the end I found that the breather pipe from the tappet cover had collapsed and ruptured.
 
TheChamp said:
This what you need to do, ask for a technical report of what was fixed the first time and what was subsequently found to be faulty the second time, ask for the old parts that were replaced, it would put you in a much better and informed position if you want to take this further, it also put the dealer under pressure to commit themselves of what was supposedly fixed, because as it is now they can change their story and you would be none the wiser with all the technical jargon they throw at you.
Click to expand...
Good morning,
They phoned me yesterday to tell me that my car has been fixed and that i will have to come and fetch it today and i will not be paying anything. They told this to me after i had sent a complaint to their head office about everything.
Please advice me on what i should maybe do or say when fetching my car from them.
 
Nomfundo07 said:
Good morning,
They phoned me yesterday to tell me that my car has been fixed and that i will have to come and fetch it today and i will not be paying anything. They told this to me after i had sent a complaint to their head office about everything.
Please advice me on what i should maybe do or say when fetching my car from them.
Click to expand...
I would still insist on a written report on what was wrong with the car and why there were conflicting statements about on whether you need to pay or not, if you suddenly need not pay how are the costs of repairs being convered, is the dealership doing you a favour? Did they find that there was no problem after all or what exactly has changed between then and now. They need to commit to their story if they are telling the truth.

They owe you that much as client, a decent explanation. They are probably expecting you to be happy and drive away, ask them for a detailed report and if they don't, complain even more to head office, because you will need that information if the car develops problems again in future.

Plead ignorance on whatever technical jargon they want to tell you verbally and ask for it in writing so that you can go get a professional opinion on it, tell them it's pointless for them to ramble on because it all sounds Greek to you.

Do try to do all this in calm and collected manner because there is nothing crooks like more than to dismiss an aggrieved client as unreasonable and hostile.
 
TheChamp said:
I would still insist on a written report on what was wrong with the car and why there were conflicting statements about on whether you need to pay or not, if you suddenly need not pay how are the costs of repairs being convered, is the dealership doing you a favour? Did they find that there was no problem after all or what exactly has changed between then and now. They need to commit to their story if they are telling the truth.

They owe you that much as client, a decent explanation. They are probably expecting you to be happy and drive away, ask them for a detailed report and if they don't, complain even more to head office, because you will need that information if the car develops problems again in future.

Plead ignorance on whatever technical jargon they want to tell you verbally and ask for it in writing so that you can go get a professional opinion on it, tell them it's pointless for them to ramble on because it all sounds Greek to you.

Do try to do all this in calm and collected manner because there is nothing crooks like more than to dismiss an aggrieved client as unreasonable and hostile.
Click to expand...
Thank you so so much, i was also not happy about just going there, taking my car and just driving away but i was not sure what exactly is it that i can ask. May you be blessed, thanks again
 
Make sure they didn't just put a piece of tape over the light. Or pulled the fuse that lets the light go on.
 
GhostSixFour said:
Make sure they didn't just put a piece of tape over the light. Or pulled the fuse that lets the light go on.
Click to expand...
Fortunately the ECU is more intelligent, car won't go anywhere if it's incapable of showing you warning messages, good thing because I won't put it past them to pull such stunts.
 
TheChamp said:
Fortunately the ECU is more intelligent, car won't go anywhere if it's incapable of showing you warning messages, good thing because I won't put it past them to pull such stunts.
Click to expand...
Can edit it out with obd cable, apparently
 
Pak Fa Fui said:
Can edit it out with obd cable, apparently
Click to expand...
I am not sure what you mean by edit it out, if you mean clear it then yes, that can be done although it will come back if the fault is not fixed, as i suspect it was the case with OP, but you can't bypass the warning system by pulling the fuse, maybe in much older cars because the new one's won't allow it.
 
TheChamp said:
I am not sure what you mean by edit it out, if you mean clear it then yes, that can be done although it will come back if the fault is not fixed, as i suspect it was the case with OP, but you can't bypass the warning system by pulling the fuse, maybe in much older cars because the new one's won't allow it.
Click to expand...
Edit it out so it doesn’t come on at all
 
TheChamp said:
I am not sure what you mean by edit it out, if you mean clear it then yes, that can be done although it will come back if the fault is not fixed, as i suspect it was the case with OP, but you can't bypass the warning system by pulling the fuse, maybe in much older cars because the new one's won't allow it.
Click to expand...

If you have the right software, not simply an OBDII cable, you can deactivate or manipulate a lot of checks in modern ECU's.
 
Neuk_ said:
If you have the right software, not simply an OBDII cable, you can deactivate or manipulate a lot of checks in modern ECU's.
Click to expand...
Sounds like a very involved process that will have tell tale signs, I take it won't just be an event, there will surely be some after effects.
 
TheChamp said:
Sounds like a very involved process that will have tell tale signs, I take it won't just be an event, there will surely be some after effects.
Click to expand...

Most likely, I haven't heard of it done by OEM workshops though, mostly tuners who add lots of fueling and timing and boost past the standard ECU's safe limits and then simply code out any errors that pop up so the owner doesn't get a CEL.
 
Nomfundo07 said:
Thank you so so much, i was also not happy about just going there, taking my car and just driving away but i was not sure what exactly is it that i can ask. May you be blessed, thanks again
Click to expand...
TheChamp said:
I would still insist on a written report on what was wrong with the car and why there were conflicting statements about on whether you need to pay or not, if you suddenly need not pay how are the costs of repairs being convered, is the dealership doing you a favour? Did they find that there was no problem after all or what exactly has changed between then and now. They need to commit to their story if they are telling the truth.

They owe you that much as client, a decent explanation. They are probably expecting you to be happy and drive away, ask them for a detailed report and if they don't, complain even more to head office, because you will need that information if the car develops problems again in future.

Plead ignorance on whatever technical jargon they want to tell you verbally and ask for it in writing so that you can go get a professional opinion on it, tell them it's pointless for them to ramble on because it all sounds Greek to you.

Do try to do all this in calm and collected manner because there is nothing crooks like more than to dismiss an aggrieved client as unreasonable and hostile.
Click to expand...
My sister went to fetch my car, so i decided to send them and email requesting for the full report. She tells me they are telling her that the service manager is not in until maybe Tuesday and that he will respond to my email when he is back at work. I wonder....
I'm hoping that this car will not give me any more problems now...
 
Can't say I am surprised, I honestly expected lots and lots of stories. Stalling is what you do when are caught in your own lies, shameful behaviour from people you are supposed to trust with lies.

But good luck, hope the car behaves.
 
TheChamp said:
Can't say I am surprised, I honestly expected lots and lots of stories. Stalling is what you do when are caught in your own lies, shameful behaviour from people you are supposed to trust with lies.

But good luck, hope the car behaves.
Click to expand...
The car just got home and the light came on again on the way home... i thought as much...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X