Problem With An Auto Repairer

XCGS351 · 02-05-2010, 04:02 AM

I had a problem with my car that it only starts intermittently. So I took my car to an auto repair shop to have it fixed which is owned by a well known insurance company.
They replaced the starter motor because that's what they reckon was the problem, but when I went to picked the car up, paid their fee, went to my car and what happens, it won't start.
Went back to the office I told the guy at the counter what happened, he sent the mechanic to have a look and sure enough when he tried it, it wouldn't start.
So my car was left with them for another two days to sort it out.
In the end they couldn't find the problem, reckon it started all the time in the two days they had it.

What I would like to know is that should they refund the money I paid them for something that wasn't the problem in the first place. They know they misdiagnosed the fault they know the car didn't start even after they replaced the starter motor yet they say it to my face that the starter motor was the problem (this after I told them what are they going to do about the repair I paid that didn't need to be done).

They done wrong but wont refund the money, does anyone thinks that's fair?

gtxb67 · 02-05-2010, 09:38 AM

try consumer affairs

it is not fair, but if you ask them about it, they will tell it needed a starter as well

ask the shop about it and if they do nothing, then call consumer affairs. they can tell you what your rights are and then you can go back to them with this knowledge. i have been given information off them twice and just mentioning their name worked wonders

JK EX CHASER · 02-05-2010, 11:05 AM

Is you're car repaired if it isn't take it back let them fix it with no charge or ask them to put back the old starter and give back you're money.If they wont ring consumer affairs , at lease you gave them a chance to do the right thing.

XCGS351 · 04-05-2010, 05:54 PM

delete this please moderator

XCGS351 · 04-05-2010, 06:05 PM

An update regarding this issue, they offered to find the problem but since they had it for 4 days and couldn't find anything wrong in that time, I declined.

They offered $117.00 refund out of $264.00 I paid, even though I wanted the full amount repaid, I accepted the $117.00 (the mongrels were determined to keep the other $147.00) they reckon I didn't give them a chance to resolve the issue with my ute. Umm.......they had the thing for 4 days how much more time do they need?

Anyway stuff them! they can keep the extra $147.00, I have 3 insurance policies with them worth $1294.00 that I'm going to cancel and go elsewhere.

Oh yeah went to an auto electrician and in 5 minutes found out it to be the BEM that was faulty.

So if anyone has an XH ute that won't start, turn the key in the start position and give the bottom of the steering wheel a good hard whack and if it starts, it's the BEM

Tom_Jane · 04-05-2010, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XCGS351

An update regarding this issue, they offered to find the problem but since they had it for 4 days and couldn't find anything wrong in that time, I declined.

They offered $117.00 refund out of $264.00 I paid, even though I wanted the full amount repaid, I accepted the $117.00 (the mongrels were determined to keep the other $147.00) they reckon I didn't give them a chance to resolve the issue with my ute. Umm.......they had the thing for 4 days how much more time do they need?

Anyway stuff them! they can keep the extra $147.00, I have 3 insurance policies with them worth $1294.00 that I'm going to cancel and go elsewhere.

Oh yeah went to an auto electrician and in 5 minutes found out it to be the BEM that was faulty.

So if anyone has an XH ute that won't start, turn the key in the start position and give the bottom of the steering wheel a good hard whack and if it starts, it's the BEM

I'm pretty sure all they would have needed to do was hook up a diagnostic unit to talk to the car and it would have told them right away the BEM was the problem.

Did they say they tried this at all?

**TUF_302** · 04-05-2010, 06:18 PM

What a BEM?

XCGS351 · 04-05-2010, 06:20 PM

Well they said to me earlier that it wouldn't tell them that much info, so i think what they really trying to say is they don't have the equipment to check it.

As the auto sparky said, they're only good for changing flat tyres and towing cars... lol

Ah well it's a lesson I've learnt

XCGS351 · 04-05-2010, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TUF_302

What a BEM?

Body Electronic Module or Body Control Module (BCM)

Tom_Jane · 04-05-2010, 06:32 PM

yes.
in your particular model it is located under the steering column which is why as you said hitting it can temporarily rectify the problem.
By hitting it you are shocking the relay and causing the connectors to fully close and create a proper circuit - the problem being the connectors were not touching properly.
Common problem with the model.

LukeGT · 04-05-2010, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XCGS351

An update regarding this issue, they offered to find the problem but since they had it for 4 days and couldn't find anything wrong in that time, I declined.

They offered $117.00 refund out of $264.00 I paid, even though I wanted the full amount repaid, I accepted the $117.00 (the mongrels were determined to keep the other $147.00) they reckon I didn't give them a chance to resolve the issue with my ute. Umm.......they had the thing for 4 days how much more time do they need?

Anyway stuff them! they can keep the extra $147.00, I have 3 insurance policies with them worth $1294.00 that I'm going to cancel and go elsewhere.

Oh yeah went to an auto electrician and in 5 minutes found out it to be the BEM that was faulty.

So if anyone has an XH ute that won't start, turn the key in the start position and give the bottom of the steering wheel a good hard whack and if it starts, it's the BEM

As Tom Jane said, common problem with EF-L & XH models. My LTD did the same thing, ended up bridging 2 wires going to the BEM to bypass it when the car starts.

I must say though from a mechanics point of view it is often tough to diagnose issues particularly intermittent ones and you can spent a lot of time trying different things and changing things before you find it. They would have either refunded the cost of the starter (if they changed it back and put your original one in) and only charged you for the time they spent of the car, or if they left the starter in they have refunded their labour costs and basically spent XX hours working for you for free.

Not an idea situation from either your or their perspective, and unfortunately there is no magic computer that you can hook up to a car and it will tell you exactly what is wrong, often comes down to trial & error.

XCGS351 · 04-05-2010, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LukeGT

I must say though from a mechanics point of view it is often tough to diagnose issues particularly intermittent ones and you can spent a lot of time trying different things and changing things before you find it. They would have either refunded the cost of the starter (if they changed it back and put your original one in) and only charged you for the time they spent of the car, or if they left the starter in they have refunded their labour costs and basically spent XX hours working for you for free.

Not an idea situation from either your or their perspective, and unfortunately there is no magic computer that you can hook up to a car and it will tell you exactly what is wrong, often comes down to trial & error.

No arguments from me but like I said, these guys had it for 4 days and got it wrong the auto sparky took 5 minutes and those ************ wouldn't acknowledge they made an error and wouldn't refund even the labour cost which I would have been satisfied with in the first place.
Change of tune though once I made a complaint.

Won't be going back there again that's for sure.