need CR opinion

[The_buster]

The mother in law has a 2004 kia rio. The check engine light was on and I read it at work, it came back as MAF. This was a month or so ago and the light was still on. She took it to a KIA dealer today and they hooked it up to their machine and came back and said it just needed cleared and was only going to charge them half. He then went to clear it came back out and said that it wont start now... they claim it is the ECM that went out when they hooked it up to their machine. They said it was "weak" before they hooked it up, but its never given any signs or issues. They're saying its not their fault just that it was weak. She did get a loaner car but did see a paper that had a 600+ price on it.. she asked for a copy of it but they wouldn't give her one made some excuse about already being in the system and it would take too long to reprint or something. My question is is this just some freak coincidence or did they f-up and are trying to cover their ass?

 

Sorry so long and if its in the wrong section...

[351mach11647545510]

The fact they wouldn't even show her a copy of the write up would make me go pick it up

[OSUGT]

First of all, the solution to a check engine light is never "just clear it" Why they would do this is beyond me. Something threw the code.

 

Secondly, you are entitled to a written estimate.

 

Something is going on here.

[Rocky31186]

First of all, the solution to a check engine light is never "just clear it" Why they would do this is beyond me. Something threw the code.

 

Secondly, you are entitled to a written estimate.

 

Something is going on here.

 

You've never cleaned a MAF to cure a check engine light/ drivability issue?

 

 

 

I think they screwed up regardless I wouldn't pay them anything. Except for the initial price quote.

[The_buster]

After I read the code they bought some MAF cleaner and the car ran better just the light was on. Our policy at work is were not allowed to clear codes in-case a shop needs to read any stored codes..other wise I would have cleared it.

 

update... they said they were gonna fix it, now can she refuse to pay for it since it was their machine that messed it up?

[Skinner]

I would argue that it ran before it was plugged into the machine and is dead after. How were they able to tell if its weak or not and if they knew that it was weak before they plugged it into the machine they should have stopped there and said ECU is having issue and if we plug it in it could kill it.

[Green Bastard]

I would argue that it ran before it was plugged into the machine and is dead after. How were they able to tell if its weak or not and if they knew that it was weak before they plugged it into the machine they should have stopped there and said ECU is having issue and if we plug it in it could kill it.

 

+1 sounds like something shady is goin on at the shop.

[copperhead]

How in the fuck do you have a weak ECM?

[The_buster]

If it was weak wouldn't there be a code that they should have seen?

[SinisterSS]

How in the fuck do you have a weak ECM?

 

^^ this, and I just wanna add In the 16+ years I've been working at Acura I've never EVER seen an OBD scan tool damage an ECM/PCM.

[thorne]

You've never cleaned a MAF to cure a check engine light/ drivability issue?

 

 

 

I think they screwed up regardless I wouldn't pay them anything. Except for the initial price quote.

 

I know for a fact I've done that a few times.

[Sturg1647545502]

So whats the deal, im interested to know what happened

[Patterson]

I'm trying to figure out how you can have a "weak ECU".

[The_buster]

They want her to pay 235 for the ecm, they're going to cover the labor. They didn't make her sign anything, should she pay for it or is it KIA's fault? We go in Monday to pick it up after they fix it this weekend.

[Dave1647545494]

sounds like a scam

[Green Bastard]

tell them not to do the work and see what a junk yard ecm does, if it still doesn't start tell them they lied and ask them to fix it for free, if they refuse, start going up the chain of management.

[The_buster]

*UPDATE*

 

 

So.....she paid them...

 

They "fixed" it and then she dove to pick up her husband about 45min away and the light came back on... so she called them and they said bring it back so they can fix it.. thought they already did? I guess they said its only happened once before on a sportage.. any idea why it would have just went poof?

[TTQ B4U]

*UPDATE*

 

 

So.....she paid them...

 

They "fixed" it and then she dove to pick up her husband about 45min away and the light came back on... so she called them and they said bring it back so they can fix it.. thought they already did? I guess they said its only happened once before on a sportage.. any idea why it would have just went poof?

 

Is this a dealership?

[Cordell]

^^ this, and I just wanna add In the 16+ years I've been working at Acura I've never EVER seen an OBD scan tool damage an ECM/PCM.

 

This was my first thought. How an ECM could be labeled as "weak" is beyond me.

 

If it was a GM I'd say call customer service, they're good at dealing with bullshit like this, maybe Kia has a good hotline to call.

[The_buster]

This was at the coughlin kia in newark.

[twistedfocus1647545489]

Sounds like a service writer that's full of shit or sucks at his job explaining or trying to explain away the real issue. Fuck that shit. I wouldn't pay another dime, let alone what she has already paid. sounds super fishy all the way around.

 

On a related note, my dog has been diagnosed with "loose knees", which sounds like the same kind of bullshit diagnosis. I think I'm going to trade her bitch ass in before I have to replace them.

 

My advice, take it the fuck out of Newark and into the known universe for further diagnosis.

[copperhead]

call corporate and ask them if they have ever heard of a weak ecm, see what they think of that diagnosis. Then ask why your mom was charged to have her weak ecm replaced, only to have the initial problem come right back.

[BoostedAce]

By what you have typed, she's getting scammed. DO SOMETHING before she give them anymore money, What sounds like happened is they you fixed the maf, didn't clear code, You thought the light would go off by itself, it won't, you took it to dealership, they are scamming you. DO SOMETHING. End of story.

 

EDIT: Also have her tell the whole story to corp, even bring up refusal to get a quote and not signing to authorization for them to fix it. Scotts right Gm would have no problem having it done at no charge to customer.

[copperhead]

http://ksupport.kiausa.com/ConsumerAffairs/PortalJSP/Portal.jsp?t=8%3A53%3A2+15%2F2012+

 

Consumer Assistance Center

800 - 333 - 4KIA (4542)

 

Seriously - call now before she goes back and give them every detail of what happened. Go over every detail and ask what they think.

[Rocky31186]

This was my first thought. How an ECM could be labeled as "weak" is beyond me.

 

If it was a GM I'd say call customer service, they're good at dealing with bullshit like this, maybe Kia has a good hotline to call.

 

Toyota had a hot line that some customers called also.. And they always took care of the issue. Not sure about KIA, but the last thing a car company needs is to be in the news for bad stuff..

 

 

 

Just throwing my .02 out there.. but at toyota, when reflashing a ECU with the techstream, if you didnt have the battery supply hooked up. And voltage dropped below 11, it would completely lock the ECU. Ive seen it happen 4 times.

 

Maybe they tried reflashing the ECU / health check while clearing the engine codes and lost connection with ECU, therefore frying it..

 

We ALWAYS covered it, never once made customer pay for it..

 

 

Something else... A new ECU for 235$?? All of the ECU's ive replaced are 800+$ just for the part..