That would be interesting to do, but unfortunately I don't have the tools to do that job and I am sure the dealer won't touch it since it does put out cold air. Therefore they will say "working as designed". I complained about that noise during the new car's first summer. They did claim to discharge and recharge the a/c when they performed a TSB for that condition. The fix was to install a "flow straightener." It didn't affect the noise a bit, and I later found out that the TSB was for earlier builds of the car than mine.
I expressed my concern about the short cycling as well and even got the local zone rep involved. Everyone thought I was making a big deal of something that was operating completely normal. I am still concerned that the short cycling will shorten compressor life but the warranty won't fix it if it isn't broken.
On the other hand, I have heard that it is normal for LH cars to cycle the a/c fairly often. Anybody have any experience?
How difficult is it to measure those pressures if one has the guage?
When I was service manager at a Toyota dealership, I had issues with the DP about charging/overcharging. I REFUSED to take the shop flat rate, and made a point of NOT invoicing for little things like lubricating sticky door handles, replacing wiper blades, or replacing bulbs. A customer would come into the parts department and buy a bulb, wiper, or whatever, and then go out to the lot to install it. After watching for a few minutes, I'd grab the appropriate tool, go out, and install the part for the customer. They'd invariably ask "how much" - and I'd send them off with a wave, and "just remember us when you've got something worth while". Boss wanted a work-order. Processing a workorder in 1986 cost $25.00, including cost of form, filing, etc. from service desk to final . Our retention rate (3 yr) was over 100%. (means we serviced more cars than we sold) and absorption was routinely above 80% - and often over
100% (means the service department profits paid 80% or more of the entire operating costs of the dealership) - and we didn't have to overcharge or do un-necessary work to do it. Couldn't afford to do un-necessary work, as the bays were always full.
Common problem was sticky door handles. Solution was a well-aimed shot of "white lightning" carb and choke cleaner followed by some wiggling and a drop of oil. If I made a workorder and charged enough to break even, the customer would have a $30 bill including taxes. Next time anything went wrong - a flat tire, bad muffler, or whatever, all he'd remember was the $30.00 bill to lube the doorhandle, and Firestone, speedy, Midas, or whoever got the business. Lube-It got the oil change, and you never saw the guy again - he'd be driving a Nissan or a Chevette next time.
As it was, they remembered the good service - and it didn't matter WHAT the problem was, the first place they thought to take the car was back to the dealer. They told their friends too - including those who bought their car across town or in the city down the highway. And we sold them their next Toyota.
The service department made the DP several million dollars over 10 years. Not counting the repeat sales.
When the "philosophical differences" between myself and the DP got to be more than I wanted to put up with, and I left, they switched to flat rate, and charging for EVERYTHING, overnight. Lost a LOT of customers. Lost profitability, and reputation.
"When the bottom line is the bottom line, you can't get past the bottom line"
Flat rate IS the problem. Makes mechanics try to cheat the system. Many Flat Rate mechanics make more money with their pen than with their tools. Piles of parts end up under the mechanic's toolbox, instead of in the customer's car. Jobs where overlap exists are charged separately. Diagnostics are NOT covered by flat rate. They are billed extra. The good mechanic is penalized, as he only gets .5 units for finding the problem, while the imbecile gets paid for 5 units. Said imbecile also gets paid for replacing 10 parts that have nothing to do with the problem. So the GOOD mechanic says "screw it", packs up his tools and goes driving truck, or whatever, where he doesn't have to deal with all the crap.
(Left the trade over 15 years ago)
Now, try to hire a good mechanic - or try to find one. They are not working at the dealerships - and in many cases not in the trade anymore.
With OBDII you are just about there - but it would help if the manuals gave you the information to interpret the information the scanner gives you. Mst of the "flow charts" are bunged up, and don't lead you to the problem.
I'm the one that made the post about the Ethernet jack on the car, and what your talking about IS the problem - the need for manuals. With todays microelectronics it's totally unnecessary. The entire manual and diagnostics info can be retained on storage in the car computer. All that should be necessary is to plug in a laptop and obtain an IP number from a DHCP server on the car, then fire up your web browser and type in
formatting link
or some such and bang -you have the complete car computer right there, plus all service manuals and diagnostic testing procedures. You can even drive the car around and get updates of what the engine is doing in real time, right on the screen.
Say what you want about Chrysler making money off the tech manuals but I don't think that is true at all. I've seen the prices on techauthority and they are barely breaking even on sending all that paper out the door. The CDROM subscriptions are more profitable of course, but that isn't going to go away because you can't put the TSB info for future TSB's into the car at point of manufacture, so there will still be need of subscriptions. It's just that you can completely do away with DRB scanners and the like.
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