Complaint about car mechanics?

You could probably make their lives a living hell, but why? For $156? And it probably really was a conincidence,speed sensor on my truck has gone out a couple of times in 8 years and nobody touched them. Small claims court isn't free,filing fees, time off from work, but you have to decide what is worthwhile to you.

If they won't make good on it see the service manager or owner. If no joy, well you learned something about the dealer for short money Anyway you are dumping it for a chevy anyway so trade it and move on.

Roy

I did talk to the manager already. As for what I learned about them, that's not that valuable, I have yet to find an honest mechanic anyway.

I will just fix it up with another speed sensor, but I would like to write somewhere about them.

I would get the filing fee back if I prevail.

You know, I hate to be the devil's advocate, but with an attitude like that I bet there's nothing they can do to make you happy short of making service free. Having been on both sides of the counter, it's real freaking simple and reasonable: you have to accept the fact that electrical components often do fail without warning and at odd times, and they have to accept that if there is any sign of damage to the wiring or the sensor resulting from the work done, then you need to get a far better deal than list price + book hours....if not on the house.

If you're talking about a dealer's service shop, and they've failed exonerate themselves, then perhaps you need to lodge a complaint with your local BBB. In my opinion, that shows you're far more serious than a small claims suit where you've got a 50/50 shot with the judge.

Ignoramus4299 wrote:

Well, if they did the work and fixed the problem, I would be happy.

As it stands, they did the work (replaced all bearings and, according to them, made proper adjustments) and the noise did not go away. Well, okay, sometimes it happens that they fix one thing and it does not help.

Now when they do this work, and also break the speed sensor (come on, what are the chances of it failing randomly on the same day), and say it is not their fault, it goes a little too far.

OK. I will do just that. Seems easy enough.

I'd try for compromise first... like maybe you buying the part and the labor being free...

Don't know what state you're in, but in Calif., writing to the State consumer affairs, Automotive Division is very effective... make sure that you document charges, payments made, etc...

A few years ago, they kicked Pep Boys ass for me.... Mac

I am in Illinois. Mine is a very simple story actually. I will definitely research if the state AG office has a department like that.

What proof do you have that they made the sensor fail? No proof? You won't win in court. You pay. As far as the noise not going away, did they say that what they would do would solve that problem, or did they do what you told them to do?

Larry Behold Beware Believe

My complaint is not about noise that did not go away, it is about the failed speed sensor.

As for proof, I will check the sensor to see if it bears any signs of damage. Winning in civil court requires preponderance of evidence.

It's a part that fails all the time. I have to replace mine about every two years. 'Usually buy two at time so I have a spare on hand.

beekeep

Well, sure, mine failed also, two years ago, but how likely is it that it failed due to their repair, on the day of their repair, vs. failing due to random bad luck, on the day of repair?

I think that they hit it when they were reinstalling gears. If I recall correctly from my previous replacement, it sticks into the inside of the gear case.

What worries me more is whether pieces from it could damage the gears.

I will remove and inspect the speed sensor ASAP to see if pieces from it are missing.

Anyway, I did file a complaint with the better business bureau, that was easy.

Even if the sensor shows visible damage that doesn't mean the damage caused it to fail, nor does it mean the service person caused the damage. There is no way after the fact you will be able to prove any damage you may possibly find was caused by the service person. This is NOT CSI and this isn't a murder case. But if it will make you feel better to take them to court, by all means go for it, that is your right. I'll look forward to your postings about that adventure.

I want to see what happened to the speed sensor, by removing it. If there is any visible damage, I will take photographs of it.

If it is visibly damaged, then it is one story. Mechanics would see it when they removed the carrier gears, which means that they would let me know if they saw it. They did not tell me that. So, then, they damaged it due to reinstallation.

If that so, I will take pictures of it.

If the speed sensor does not work, but shows no signs of damage, then, I think, it is likely still due to what they did, but harder to prove.

And once you remove it, you've tampered with it. How is the dealership, the judge, the jury or the executioner supposed to know you didn't damage it when you removed it?

Suppose there is no physical damage apparent, then you check it with an ohm meter, the resistance measures above or below spec. (open or shorted) Explain to me how the mechanic could have caused that?

I think the chances of failure that day are/were the same as any other day since the truck left the factory.

I do NOT want to play lawyer here, but logic would indicate that a picture taken after the truck was back in your 'possession" would seem useless as "evidence"... I'm not saying that you would do this, but the damage could have been done to it after it got home for the purpose of furthering the "cause"..

When I was a kid, I was riding with a friend that bumped a car at a stop sign... just a little bumper damage... the guy put in a claim for several hundred dollars (lots of money for rep[airs in the 60's) and showed pictures of his trunk and fender all bashed in...

The guy ended up on trial for insurance fraud.. lol

Mac

It's a $30 part and a 5 minute job. Go to Autozone and buy the part. Crawl under there and do the repair. If you can't do that, pay the money and move on. Often times we don't pay people for what they do, we pay them for what they know.

yep. Bought the part foor $27 today and will do it, it is more like a