Friday, September 29, 2006
I've got the mini-van back! After how many weeks? Five? Well, I almost have it back. I stopped by the Chrysler place today, and paid for the work, but I had to leave the van there because I was on my way to Poughkeepsie. But I did sit in it, and try starting it, and it started, and the check engine light didn't go on. I'll call them Monday, and they'll send someone here to take me in to get it.
The service manager said it was the hardest job they'd ever had - trying to figure out what was causing the stalls and the sensor failures. It turned out to be a combination of things.
Apparently, it all started with a rubber cover over the computer. It had a "slit" in it, which allowed moisture into the computer. This caused intermittent false sensor readings. When the sensors (oxygen and cam position) were replaced (several times), whoever replaced them screwed it up a little bit more each time - bent connections, out of alignment, incorrect gaps, etc. So then the sensors started reporting both bogus and real failures, while the computer was also intermittently failing. That caused some fuel mixtures, air mixtures, timing, whatever, to be off. Which caused stalling even when the sensors said everything was ok.
So fixing any one thing wouldn't have fixed the system.
They replaced the computer and the wire harness (and I HOPE they replaced that rubber cover), reseated the sensors, and a bunch of other stuff. They must have test driven it at least 350 miles, because I gave it to them with a full tank of gas, and it's on empty now.
We'll see how long it behaves.
Oh, and it didn't cost much at all because the computer and harness was still under warranty.
2 comments:
My Taurus spent more time at the shop than in the driveway. The paint fell off and Ford offered to paint half. I asked which half - front, back, in the middle? They didn't think it was funny.
I now loathe American cars.
I had a Taurus before the van. I loved driving it, but yeah, it rusted something awful. Paint on foreign cars is much better, but I have a friend who says that's because foreign manufacturers can use toxic materials under dangerous conditions that are not allowed under US laws. So your choice becomes ugly or guilty. Can't get innocent beauty in cars.
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