SureTrack Users General Discussion

[Crossland Auto]

Dear customer:
Thank you for coming to my shop to diagnose your cold start issue on your '02 Buick Century. Your complaint: Starts, and runs rough. After driving a bit, the temp gauge almost pegs, then all is good.

I let it sit overnight. I start it, feel a misfire. I immediately shut it down and scan for misfires. Restart, notice MIL light flashing, see #1 misfire counts climbing. Shut it down again, pull spark plug and see it coated with coolant.

Pressurize coolant system, find coolant running out of spark plug hole. My initial diagnosis: bad head gasket, possible head issue. Do not know for sure until I get into it.

Please do not yell at me about my estimate. (When I opened your hood, I saw the new wires, coils, etc. I am sorry you depleted your funds at the 3 other shops you have been to before.) My diagnosis is most likely the most accurate since the others have not been able to resolve the issue. I am sorry you have spent $2,000.00 for nothing before coming here.

There is a reason why your father came here until he passed, I have not seen you for 5 years. It took me all of an overnight stay, and 15 minutes to diagnose your issue. I normally would not charge a diagnostic for something this easy if repairs were performed. Since you decide your money would now be better spent buying a newer vehicle, you owe me an hours labor for checking it out.

Sincerely:
Not the cheapest place in town, the place that actually has a clue.

[Crusty]

Dear customer:
Thank you for coming to my shop to diagnose your cold start issue on your '02 Buick Century. Your complaint: Starts, and runs rough. After driving a bit, the temp gauge almost pegs, then all is good.

I let it sit overnight. I start it, feel a misfire. I immediately shut it down and scan for misfires. Restart, notice MIL light flashing, see #1 misfire counts climbing. Shut it down again, pull spark plug and see it coated with coolant.

Pressurize coolant system, find coolant running out of spark plug hole. My initial diagnosis: bad head gasket, possible head issue. Do not know for sure until I get into it.

Please do not yell at me about my estimate. (When I opened your hood, I saw the new wires, coils, etc. I am sorry you depleted your funds at the 3 other shops you have been to before.) My diagnosis is most likely the most accurate since the others have not been able to resolve the issue. I am sorry you have spent $2,000.00 for nothing before coming here.

There is a reason why your father came here until he passed, I have not seen you for 5 years. It took me all of an overnight stay, and 15 minutes to diagnose your issue. I normally would not charge a diagnostic for something this easy if repairs were performed. Since you decide your money would now be better spent buying a newer vehicle, you owe me an hours labor for checking it out.

Sincerely:
Not the cheapest place in town, the place that actually has a clue.

X-land...BTDT....
"SHOOT the messenger-!!!" LOL

As for the hour labour......ABSOLUTELY-!!!
"hitting it with a hammer is worth 5 bucks......KNOWING where to hit it is worth 40-!!"

This tells it all....
"There is a reason why your father came here until he passed, I have not seen you for 5 years."

Had they been coming to you for the last 5 years, they wouldn't be in the position they are now. The vehicle would have been MAINTAINED properly, money wouldn't have been FLUSHED, and it's possible, and probable that the vehicle would still be serviceable and worth the head/gasket repair, IF it ever reached that point.
KEEPING a vehicle in good condition is a lot less costly than REPLACING THE VEHICLE-!!

[patch]

2008 Chrysler 300, has anyone seen a key fob so messed up( this is a fob only no actual key to it and broken into 3 pieces) that the dash lights wont even come on, no communication to scanner. there is 12 volts to junction box. ty for any info.

[Witsend]

3 piece remote and subs n da trunk

2008 Chrysler 300, has anyone seen a key fob so messed up( this is a fob only no actual key to it and broken into 3 pieces) that the dash lights wont even come on, no communication to scanner. there is 12 volts to junction box. ty for any info.
Reply With Quote

You never know, verify complete power distribution and grounds. Maybe when the fat lady was singing from the top of The Chrysler building, her boyfriend was cruisin da hood and a bullet meant to take his lights out grazed the remote and lodged in the BCM.

[dodge90]

2008 Chrysler 300, has anyone seen a key fob so messed up( this is a fob only no actual key to it and broken into 3 pieces) that the dash lights wont even come on, no communication to scanner. there is 12 volts to junction box. ty for any info.

sorry to say had a journey with same problem, customer droped and stepped on remote. sadly sent to dealer for new key fob and for some unknown reason they replaced switch also.
Crossland, thought I was the only one with that "customer" . Darn straight, 1 hr. labor with out A dought. Would have saved the customer lots of $ if you just brought it to me. Having a clue is worth the bucks.

[greasybob]

05 escape right rear

Any one ever see an 05 Ford Escape with a right rear wheel well so rusted that the shock support broke loose. Lots of internet chatter on it but nothing on any recalls. This is the third that I've seen. Anyone make a band aid that doesn't require the entire support be replaced ?

[dodge90]

Wasn't pointing a finger atcha...LOL
Just posting the fundamentals for others to read some time.
(too often overlooked-!!!)

Ford Fusions....????
Pattern failures with MICROJUNK software installed into the infotainment systems???
SOMETHING isn't shutting down to "sleep" mode.

more like poking lol Yea, Duh moments happen to all of us.
Greasybob, seen alot, fixed alot of these. common problem. ford sells a blow out patch for around 350 bucks. used to be $100, go figure. I just get some heavy sheet metal and go to town making my own.

[greasybob]

How much time to do the repair ? Is it a reliable repair that will last a while ? Welding required ? Or a panel bond, rivet job ?

[Witsend]

05 escape right rear
Any one ever see an 05 Ford Escape with a right rear wheel well so rusted that the shock support broke loose. Lots of internet chatter on it but nothing on any recalls. This is the third that I've seen. Anyone make a band aid that doesn't require the entire support be replaced ?
Attached Images

Lol, Is that the wire harness for the fuel pump in harms way? Sure Looks like those kinda jobs could turn into a future gravy job business for those 10 minute heater core removal guys

[dodge90]

How much time to do the repair ? Is it a reliable repair that will last a while ? Welding required ? Or a panel bond, rivet job ?

usally takes me 2 to 3 hrs depending on how big the patch job is, with removing interior. Get 3-4 hund.for job. weld everything in. Havent had a problem as long as your not afraid to get all the rust removed. Then undercoat inside and out. If your not good at welding then a few pop rivits also wouldnt hurt, but not the whole job. Did first one 3 yrs ago.. still holding, car now has 200,000 pluss on it.

[greasybob]

Thanks for the info, I ordered the part from Ford, about $200 our cost. I put a high ceiling on the quote so I should make out OK.

[greasybob]

The inside view ? Can't wait to see what the replacement looks like. Warning, Graphic Content, if you live in the south or the dry west, you may find the following image offensive.

[dodge90]

yea, thats about the worse one I seen. after finding the problem on the first one I catch them preaty fast . even when they come in for a ofl, I poke back there. I would get the dealer part and not try to patch that either. Funny you got a price of $200. been checking, last month ford dealer quoted me somewhere around $335

[patch]

thanks for the reply, going to get a fob and such will let u know how it works out here

[liljoe]

The inside view ? Can't wait to see what the replacement looks like. Warning, Graphic Content, if you live in the south or the dry west, you may find the following image offensive.

I am in the south (Alabama) and a bunch of years ago I had an escort come in for no tail lights and found that same problem and the top of the shock was hitting the harness for the lights and shorted it out. Wound up getting salvage yard parts and welding them in to fix it. Not something I want to do often at all.