Been looking at this board for some time, lots of great info, glad it's here. Shame my first post is a problem.

I had Comptech sways put on my car when new by a local shop. I now have 18K miles. Last night my shifter got stuck, & I couldn't get the car into park. It was towed. The dealer now says that the front sway bar wasn't installed right, & pinched the shift cable, which is the cause. I don't see how since it's not a moving part. Anyway they will not warranty it. They want me to pay $320 to fix it. I contacted the installer, & they said there warranty is only 1 year, or 12K miles. So they will not fix it either. I contacted 2 other dealers in the area, & they all say the same thing. Anyone else ever have this sort of problem. Everything is writting on the warrantys, & the dealers will not budge from their position. The car is not driveable now, is my only choice to pay the dealer? I can tell you I will never add another aftermarket mod to my car again.

 

it's one thing if the part malfunctioned and the shop you bought it from doesn't warranty it after the 12K or 1 year mark.

But it's another thing if they don't warranty their labor and workmanship. I'd raise hell and complain to the BBB and go down there and have a talk with the owner.

 

I dunno.....sound like BS to me.

You're saying that you had the sways put on and drove for 18,000 miles without a problem? And then all of a sudden you have a pinched cable and they're blaming the sways?

I'm also wondering which "cable" they're talking about? Is there even a cable for the automatic tranny that controls shifting? And if there is, would it run next to your sway bar?

If it is a legitimate diagnoses, I'd return to the local shop that origianlly did the work. Have them look at it and explain your situation..... If they're reputable, they should repair any damage caused by their original installation, even if it is past their one year warranty.

 

If the car were drivable I'd say go back to the place that installed the sways and have them fix it but since yourre out of that warranty period (by the mileage) and the car is not driveable, you're pretty much stuck (up shit's creek without a paddle).

I have been in your shoes before. About a year ago invested in the driving lights that were the same color as our headlights (piaa or something like that). Anyhow, because Virgnina has annual state inspections, I had to pay the dealer $90.00 in labor to take them out and replace them with regular bulbs--because the one's I put in did not say "DOT approved".

I know it sucks to have to fork over that much cash but atleast you'll have a car you can actually drive (and you've learned an important lesson, like I did).

Its this very reason I hesitate to modify anything on the car (esp without thorough research first!).

 

Woah. That truly sucks. I'd find out if the dealerships diagnosis is reputable. LIke Tom2 Said.


That sounds really strange. I don't think it's happened before to anyone on here.

I'm failing to see how they could improperly install the front sway. It seems fairly simple.

 

eh...sounds like a broken tranny issue to me.

I would head down to the dealership and tell them to show exactly how the sway had pinched anything to disrupt the transmission. Then I would ask them if they have heard anything about the CL's and TL's having transmission problems. I'm hoping since you've been on this board long enough you should know about the Automatic transmission problem. You have an AUTO right?

 

Looks like Acura is right. I went there to see it, & picked up a loaner car. The shift cable goes into the tranny. It is in between the body, & the sway bar. It's suppsed to be over the sway bar so they say. I guess with all the cold weather lately the rubber finally snapped. Can someone check a stock car out & see if the cable is indeed over the bar, & not under it. They didn't have another CL on the lot to look at. Not even a demo. I didn't give the ok to fix it yet. I said I would let them know tommorrow. It's not a tranny issue. I can see clealy where the rubber is torn apart.
Funny thing, they said they would have not had an issue replacing it under warranty, if the red bushing on the rear bar, & those stupid black clips from the kit didn't give away the fact they were messed with.

 

I'd go back to that local shop and talk to the supervisor or better yet the owner. Explain your position. If he won't fix it for you for nothing, tell him you don't want to pay full price for a screw-up they caused and try to work out a deal.

 

Update,

I was able to see a stock 02 car, & the cable is routed different then mine. So the installer did mess it up. I have been in contact with that shop, & they just refuse to do anything, but install the new shifter cable. I would have to pay them for the part, & labor. They say there work is only good for 1 year/12K miles, & I'm past that. That is in the fine print on the back of the recept I have. I contacted Comptech also. They said there warranty is only good for an aurthrized installer so they were no help either. So I gave the ok for the Acura dealer to install it with a written warranty good for the factory warranty terms. That was yesterday. This morning I picked the car up, & all is good. Drives like it should. They came under the quote too at only $289. Also replaced the battery under warranty, cause it died because the key was stuck on. Now that suprises me. If my mod caused the problem, & because of that problem the battery died also, wouldn't that not be covered too?

I learned my lesson. Not another mod unless I'm past the warranty. I only did the sways since it not a moving part. I never thought I could have ever have a problem with that mod. I wish I drove the 80+ miles one way to Park Ave. I wouldn't have had this issue.

 

That is kinda odd, but I know that if you have an Acura dealer do Comptech work, then all should be ok and guaranteed, if not a little expensive.

 

Where in NY are you? What dealer are you going too? I'm sure you can be directed to a better installer. Goodluck.

 

Call Park Avenue Acura 201-587-0029. Speak with Wayne!

 

I had to bring this back from the dead....

I'm searching for the 6MT shifter bushings & this thread pulls up. It's from when I had my 02 auto.

"Not another mod"

 

Check the info thread (alt F for bushing)

 

I knew this had to be an old thread but from 2003??? Fuzzy and New the the Board???

 

lol...I thought the same thing until I noticed the year.

 

It was obviously not the part that caused the issue but the joker who installed it.
This is the reason why Acura installs all of my parts, I pay a few more dollars but they know the car and give me peace of mind while standing behind anything they do.

 

Which is why I install all my own parts. Plus I know its done right

 

All 4 Acura dealers here will not touch aftermarket part installs. A few of them refuse to work on modded cars as well.

 

Same here. If it's within my ability, I do it myself.