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The "check engine" light that won't go out

I own a 99 Camry LE, 2.2 L engine with approximately 116k miles. In early June, my check engine light came on and I took it to a mechanic(one man operation) I had been using for approx six months based on a referral. He had replaced the timing belt/water pump in February, did a good job, and charged a reasonable price. So, I took my Camry to him for the "check engine" light, was charged $184.96($96.79 for the part, $81.64 for the labor) to replace a defective Vacuum Switch Valve. I drove twenty minutes down the road and the "check engine" light came on again. Took the car back for the second time and he said the problem was two hoses he had crossed mistakenly(no charge). Drove the car twenty minutes down the road and the "check engine" light came on again. Took it to the mechanic a third time and paid $123.99($77.45 part, $41.31 labor) to diagnose and replace a Vacuum Valve. I asked him the obvious question, that is, did the first part really need to be replaced? He said it was part of a process, whatever that meant and I agree, part of process that's going to put me in the poor house and cause me to pull the last few hairs I have on my balding head. Got in the car, got twenty minutes down the road, the "check engine" light has come on for the "fourth" time. I've left a message on his answering machine to notify him we needed to talk about this thing. So, here I am, $300 plus poorer, with a "check engine" light that won't go out and a mechanic who has made three failed attempts to repair the problem. What is the likelihood that the parts he replaced actually needed replacement? And do I take another chance with this mechanic and throw more money into the black hole? Any words of wisdom?

Reply to
bosco1003
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Key words - 20 minutes - 20 minutes - had a cheby 4.3 V6 that never showed a check engine light till I drove interstate speeds for 5- 10 minutes - fix - O2 Sensor. just my story

Reply to
Drooler

Those independent guys may be great for straightforward stuff ie, most routine maintenance, obvious things that a layman could diagnose, but when things get technical, the dealership is where you're going to have to go. I had a check engine light on my 97 Camry 2.2L, turned out to be some kind of fuel mass sensor. Wasn't cheap at the dealer, but it never came on again and the gas smell I would infrequently get from the car disappeared. Take it to your nearest Toyota dealer, have them repair it. Send an invoice copy to the independent guy and tell him your "process" server will pay him a visit if he doesn't return your money.

Reply to
<psommerhalder

I wish that I could have said that about my local dealer. Took a 91 Camry there several years ago that was running rough and cutting off. I had changed the plugs, wires, and fuel filters with on luck. They changed several sensors for about $ 100 each and even the new wires I had put on. The wires were not Toyota , but Autozone type. The last thing they did was the mass air flow sensor ( about a $ 600 part). That was what I thought it was but did not want to commit that much money without knowing. Bad thing about it is they left on about $ 300 worth of parts I did not need and was charged for them. I could have done that myself.

Reply to
Ralph Mowery

I think that's one of the most frustrating things about "modern" cars. Even otherwise very reliable cars (e.g., Camry) have to be returned to the dealer and incur (sometimes) big $$$. because

***the system that's supposed to tell you if something is wrong is what breaks!***

That's just crazy: the car is fine, but the sensors break so you get a mumbo-jombo code and hyper expensive MAF and O2 and Vacuum *sensors* that go bad.... Give me a break.

I went through that stage and had an O2 sensor, a "we flashed the firmware, nothing was wrong," a MAF sensor, and a catalytic converter thingamabob all go bad. Luckily, this all happened right before the warranty expired so it was covered at the dealer. Phew!

Sorry to you folks who have this happen out of warranty....

Reply to
Big Kahuna

Sometimes, "if you want it done right, you have to do it yourself".

Reply to
mrdarrett

I would never go to a dealer for out-of-warranty repair. They overcharge for everything.

A good mechanic can do the work, and do it for less money.

The OP has unfortunately found an incompetent or untrustworthy mechanic.

Going to a high-price dealer shop is not the answer. He should find a good mechanic.

Reply to
Alfred Einstein

That's easier said than done. It's not that the independents mean to do anyone wrong. They just don't have the expertise with any particular brand or the knowledge base to deal with complex engine issues. The independents (God bless them) seem to think a tune-up will take care of everything or they fumble around taking guesses at what it might be and you keep going back again and again. Dealerships seem to pinpoint the issues and resolve them because they KNOW THE BRAND inside and out. Our victim here has a mechanic who seems to think his tinkering is going to make the problem go away. There's a 90% chance it's a sensor malfunction, but this mechanic is too ill-informed to know it.

Reply to
<psommerhalder

I supposed that it might be difficult to find a good mechanic.

But I've been very lucky. After moving to Florida in 1981, I immediately stumbled on a good mechanic. Used him for six years until he moved away. Then I hit a dry spell for almost 10 years, and I was stuck getting my POS Fords fixed at the dealer.

Then, before I found another good mechanic, I took my wife's Taurus to a Ford thief (er ... dealer). It needed CV joints and axles. They wanted $1200 !!!! Called another Ford dealer. They quoted $720. Got hold of a mechanic on a co-workers recommendation. He did it for $400. No problems. (Would the dealer's work have been better?) Stuck with him for about six years until a hurricane put his shop out of business.

After that, I dumped the Fords and now I own Toyotas. So the loss of that mechanic didn't hurt. The new 04 Camry had zero defects throughout the warranty. The 99 Camry that I bought in 03 has had nothing but routine maintenance. It's now at 53000 miles, with only 6 tires, front brakes, one battery, 2 sets of wipers, 3 lamps, 2 air filters, and one (soon) transmission flush and coolant flush. Didn't need a mechanic for any of that ... the tire store handled the brakes, and did a good job for $140.

But when my daughter wanted to buy a used car, I figured I'd need a mechanic to look at cars before I bought. A co-worker recommended a mechanic, so I visited that shop ... lo and behold ... it's the former partner of my previous mechanic. So now I'm back in the saddle.

Anyway ... most problems are fairly generic. Not all. Most. So it's not all that common that I stand to benefit from the factory-trained mechanics at the dealer. A decent mechanic serves me well most of the time.

Reply to
Alfred Einstein

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