Car Maintenance Headaches!

[TCAS]

... I was starting to get some power steering squeal. A few days later the squeal was getting worse in the cold, so I opened the hood to have a look. First thing I noticed was low power steering fluid, so I filled it up for about $2 and guess what? No more squeal.

Power steering fluid is a not a "consumable" fluid. Topping off the power steering pump resevoir is not a repair. A competent mechanic's diagnosis would first note that the squeal was coming from a low fluid level in the power steering pump. The next step would be to determine where the fluid was leaking and then determine what parts needed to be replaced to repair the leak.

[TCAS]

When I took my Lincoln in for hesitation, the charged me nearly $100 to diagnose it, when all they did was plug in the OBD reader and look up the codes. Does the $100 apply to repairs? Of course not! Grrr...

Personally I believe that a diagnostic charge should be credited to any charges for performed repairs. That being said, I have no problem paying for diagnostic charges. When I ask the mechanic to make a diagnosis I am not just paying for his time, but also for his expertise. It is like the old joke about the plant manager and the repairman…

The repairman spent 5 minutes looking at the machine, took out a hammer and banged on the machine 3 times…everything worked perfectly. He then presented a bill for $500.

The plant manager was outraged and demanded an itemized bill. The repairman did just that:

“Banging on machine with hammer – $5…

KNOWING where to bang – $495"

Today's ASE Certified automotive service technicians regularly take continuing education courses to keep them up to date with evolving automotive technologies. New flex and alternative fuel vehicles are adding a whole new level of magnitude to the required knowledge for automotive service technicians.

Many of the quality grade professional scanners used to help diagnose a car’s problem cost hundreds of dollars and they have to be updated regularly through a subscription service. That $100 diagnostic fee not only covers the 10 minute diagnosis but also many others that take one or two hours.

I am not in the auto repair industry but I put myself through college working as a part time service writer for a dealership. I often had customers complaining about the amount of the hourly flat rate labor fee being charged because they incorrectly assumed that was what the mechanic was being paid. I would then explain to them that the "labor" rate not only paid the mechanic but also paid the facilities building mortgage, property taxes, business license fees, hazardous waste handling licenses and removal fees, electricity, worker's comp and property insurance, income taxes, facility janitorial and maintenance costs, etc. All of those charges are also part of that $100 diagnostic fee being charged.

I don't disagree that there are some shady repair facilities out there, but in my experience for every one of those there are dozens and dozens of shops that are above board and honest.

[Alex Franke]

Power steering fluid is a not a "consumable" fluid. Topping off the power steering pump resevoir is not a repair.

True -- there's a slow pinhole leak in there somewhere, and I do need to figure out where it's coming from and get it fixed. But they didn't even mention the fluid level (or top it off) or a leak as a possible cause. Instead they wanted to replace the a tensioner and some other things -- I don't recall exactly what -- but it left me with a bad taste in my mouth nonetheless.

Personally I believe that a diagnostic charge should be credited to any charges for performed repairs . . . . That $100 diagnostic fee not only covers the 10 minute diagnosis but also many others that take one or two hours.

I totally agree -- In fact I thought that was standard practice until I took it into that new dealership. I was pretty surprised to find out that it wasn't.

I just wish they'd charge me for the time it takes to diagnose *my* problem -- and building in overhead costs is completely appropriate. If they need to disassemble the engine to diagnose it, then I would expect the diagnosis to cost more.. but then they shouldn't charge me to take it apart again if I tell them to go ahead and fix it.

I don't disagree that there are some shady repair facilities out there, but in my experience for every one of those there are dozens and dozens of shops that are above board and honest.

The trouble is in finding one.. and after a couple of bad experiences you start looking at all of them like they're evil, even if they're not. :lol: The best mechanics I had would have an hourly rate, and they'd say something like, "It sounds like it could be X or Y, but it'll probably take me an hour or so to figure out exactly what's wrong. I'll give you a call if it look like it's going to start getting expensive..."

[JimD]

I bought an OBD II reader from Harbor Freight for about $30 on sale. I like knowing what code it is throwing even before you take it to get it repaired. I'd feel real bad paying anything, let alone $100, to find out the gas cap was not on tight (happened on my wife's car, fortunately I had the reader). All you do is plug it in, follow the instructions, and look up the code in the book that came with the reader. If you want to reset it, it is a few more button pushes. The plug is required to be somewhere under the dash near the steering column. Not at all hard to find or use. Works on all recent cars.

Jim

[LCHIEN]

i have 2 stories.
One is a few years back we had four drivers, four cars, none of them too new, and tw o drivers were in college, just out of college. I tell you, when you have four cars you get them all mixed up, can't rememeber any oil change schedules, inspection sticker, registration stickers and other periodic servicing. It just drives you nuts.

My other story is current. I have been having a check engine light in my Infiniti come one every few months - P0158 something about the rear O2 sensor. I would read it and reset it and it would be OK for months. I figured whatever is tripping the computer is very intermittentand it would not hurt to reset it. My inspection is due in December and of course they won't pass the car if the check engine light is on. It came on for the first time in severl months on dec 3. ON dec 5 I reset it (no light) and drove it a couple of miles to the inspection place. where it passed - the diagnostics said O2 sensor NOT READY as opposed to failing or pass. The inspector said that happens if you disconnect the battery or something and you need to drive it 50 or 100 miles to get it back to normal. Well, I drove it so many miles and brought it back today it still read, not ready.

I have to take the car into the dealer anyway, the local shop replaced the serpentine belt with a Gates belt and it squeals when starting, when cold and when it wants to. I've taken it back several times and they tried another belt and they say say they can't tighten it any more or it will eat my bearings. So they said take it to the dealer and we'll reimburse you.
And I finally read there's a service bulletin to fix the seat belt retractors which don't.

Some days i hate cars, too.