ThaTRUF

iTrader: (1)

GM 'Ziners. My last post was about my a/t trans doing the do. I finally had a swap done. Long story short, I picked the car up and there are issues from day 1. I didn't even get a mile up the road before CEL and two other lights came on. I pulled over and shut it down. I came and picked it up as guy was closing shop, so he had left by the time I called him.

Car will not shift out of second gear, and after 30 seconds or so of driving, those lights come back on. First time I went to go pick up the car, it wouldnt go into park nor drive gear, only reverse. At this point I do not want him touching it again. Looking for suggestions on what I should do before I have to take him to see ol' Johnny Law! If you think you may know what he's done wrong, I will give you the blow by blow of what has occured.

I just want to know what I should do as he has been paid in full, but car is still not drivable. At first I was looking to have him correct his mistakes, but after two weeks of him bsing me about picking the car up, I had to have it towed to my house over 50 miles away!

yungone501

iTrader: (4)

Well, as I automive repair shop manager/technician, I would say give the guy atleast ONE chance to fix the issue. If its not properly repaired on your next visit, demand a refund. It would also be a good idea at this point to take it to another shop and have them inspect the other guys work. Most other shops would be eager to point another mechanics/technicians flaws and mistakes...it's a pride thing. If he refused to give you a refund after giving him two chances to fix the car, stop payment immediately and open a dispute with your bank or credit card company. If the guy is smart enough, he'll then realize it would be cheaper to issue the refund regardless of who's at fault. Generally speaking, everything is in the buyer/customers favor...protection when problems occur gives you assurance when using their (credit card company or bank) services and that means using them more in the future.

Whatever you do, don't settle for anything less than perfect when it comes to auto repairs. There are many safety concerns that become involved when repairs aren't done properly. This is especially true if you have kids. I always go above and beyond with making the car as better than it was prior to having any issues. But, mistakes can happen and it's how he handles them that really shows the integrity of his business. If any negativity or reluctance is detected in correcting the issues that were not fixed, NEVER GO BACK AGAIN.

Hope this helps...

Dead-Fox

I'm reaching waaaay back when I remember reading about a similar problem to yours when these trannies first started having issues even when swapped out.

The general consensus was that after a tranny blew and got replaced, the system wasn't flushed very well and all the metal parts in the transmission fluid contaminated the second tranny.

Not saying this is what happened to you, but just a possibility.

Catfisha

Did you have an Odyssey or TL transmission put in?

Also, you were told the car was "ready" on two separate occasions...?!

ThaTRUF

iTrader: (1)

There was a 3rd gen TL trans put in. As far as being "ready" on two separate occasions, the battery had to be replaced the initial time I came in. Brought him a new one and a case of Honda ATF.

Don't know about the linkages and all of that, put the tranny was brought in dry on a pallet.

I gave this guy MORE than one chance to fix it. He has decided to leave it up to me as to what to do next. The city in which the car was being repaired was 90 miles from where I now live. It broke down less than two miles from his shop. I drove it to a friends home that was not far from there where it sat for two weeks.

I called him immediately after it went down to try to get him to meet me back at his shop; he did not. I then informed him the same evening of where the car and its keys would be. For two weeks it sat there with him saying he would go there and pick it up. Long story short, he didn't ever pick it up, and now he is doing the same with his phone.

Again, it wasn't about the money...I just wanted the car fixed. I have already paid him in full in cash. My only recourse at this point would be to sue. I had it towed at great expense to another shop that deals stricktly with transmissions. Once they give me a write-up on what he's done wrong and what it takes to put it back in operational condition, he will be served!

Thanks to all for your responses. Will report back when I get the final word on what the new shop finds.

CL-S progression 01

iTrader: (2)

yea it sounds like the trans got contaminated by the metal shavings... all it takes is one solenoid to malfunction and the car goes bonkers.
i change the trans fluid every oil change primarily so i can clean the magnetic drain plug. i also put in new atf external filter every 2 years

yungone501

iTrader: (4)

Well, if it's not too late, stop payment on the check/card.

That intolerable and you should've not waited as long as you did about doing something. Now you have the lapse of time between the original repair date and date of making a complaint working against you. All I can say here is don't delay any longer than you already have and become a burden to this guy in any way possible in hopes of him surrendering your money back.

Good luck...seriously.

aznboi2424

iTrader: (10)

See bold below:

First mistake. Pay after it's done or at least only a part up front.

ThaTRUF

iTrader: (1)

I know that you must have misread my comment, so I'll reiterate it here. I paid him in full the day I picked it up. It cycled through all necessary gears until I got about a mile from the shop. Of course I didnt pay this clown in full beforehand.

Does anyone have any idea what wouldve happened that soon after to cause this and how to correct it? Could it be an electrical/computer issue maybe? Had two solenoids removed and replaced due to codes it was shooting. Cycled through all gears until coming to stop, then going back to only first two gears engaging. I'm about ready to just part this thing out. I'm not buying another trans for this thing, when this one appears to be fine...

CL-S progression 01

iTrader: (2)

the guy who fixed it obv didn't know wtf he's doing so it seems... and that i am sorry for... if u have a good mechanic these care are easily fixable.. cause the trans breaks so often there are people out there who have rebuilt over 100 of these things..


too bad you don't live in the GTA you would bee hoooked up

phee

iTrader: (5)

sounds like he just put the 3rd gen trans in without following the directions for modifications.

ThaTRUF

iTrader: (1)

I am now thinking this is EXACTLY what has happened. Tried to do a straight swap, and I heard only a 3rd gen TL can be straight swapped if its not a rebuilt 2nd gen CL POS. Do you have any idea what I need to do to mod this swap to work. Shits really irking my nerves...

Rapture

You do a 3x3, or just drain/fill 3 quarts?

aznboi2424

iTrader: (10)

A 3x3 every oil change is pretty extreme. I'm going to follow the 3 quarts every oil change method myself.

CL-S progression 01

iTrader: (2)

i used to do 3x3.. but honestly i just do one trans fluid change.. maybe two ..every other oil change or so. depends on how i feel i have driven the car. cause when i find the most important thing is to clean the magnetic drain plug which is coated in metal shavings which can only can pick up so much. so that is just as much of a priority to me. besides. the fluid doesn't look bad when u do it often. and when u do do a 3x3 on the regular, which i used to do for a year 2x... maybe 3 i cannot remember. the oil looks by FAR the worst... the first time u do it... the second time u remove the fluid it looks the same as the new fluid u are putting in.. (If u do it on the regular that is). which is why i just do it more often and do a 3x1 or 3x2.

my trans has now run 60000kms solid, strill easilly chirps, no slippage.. LOVEing it

learnt a thing or 2 due to the 1st trans rebuild

aznboi2424

iTrader: (10)

about the drain plug. Every time I take it off in 30k miles, that thing is coated in a 1/2 inch of clutch material. Scary.