What did they do to my car?

[civicdoody]

Took my '06 LX in at 20k to have the serpentine belt changed (tsb 06-059)and when I started it up it sounded louder. Like a low grumble in the exhaust. Kind of reminds me of a Cobalt I drove once.

After driving it for a while, it is definitely louder and seems like it runs different somehow, like it would if the exhaust were faulty. It's freezing out and I don't see any steam escaping around the pipes and it's too full of road salt to see if it's damaged from a tool or something.

What could they possibly have done to screw up my car just changing the belt? Did they sabotage me because I don't bring it in for my oil changes?

Of course, they couldn't hear anything wrong. This is the same place where somebody sat in it with a screwdriver in their back pocket.

I'm pissed. It's like a different car, but I can't prove anything.

[kero]

I had the belt kit also installed a few weeks ago. The car sounds slightly different at times as well.

No big deal really but the car idles slightly smoother as well.

I honestly think everything is fine, the belt gets routed differently along the pullies so it might affect a few things.

[radiocontrolhead]

Originally Posted by civicdoody

What could they possibly have done to screw up my car just changing the belt? Did they sabotage me because I don't bring it in for my oil changes?

That's funny stuff. I'd have to answer that's a definate no. The guys that work on these cars back there called "mechanics" are really guys who screw things up while they try to fix a problem. There are of course a few exceptions out there who acctually know what they are doing, but the majority really know squat. To say they did this on purpose is ironic because they "sabotaged" your car NOT knowing they did so.

If you are convinced your car is not running the way it did when you brought it in, I would bring the service manager out to diagnose your problem. If he cannot see what is wrong with it, tell him to pull out another LX and start it up to compare the two.

[civicdoody]

He said it would naturally be louder because it has 20k on it. It actually sounds kind of good, but it feels like I'm wasting gas. I'll know in a few days.

I tend to trust the mechanics, it's the techs and service writers I have no faith in. It's always 'normal' or can't be reproduced. They're just there to tell people who don't know better that if they don't spend $400.00 to have a perfectly good car inspected their warranty may be voided. It doesn't help when you take the time to explain something and he writes an abbreviated work order that doesn't define the problem.

I'm going to reset the ECM and see if it changes anything.

[fiji06si13]

Originally Posted by radiocontrolhead

That's funny stuff. I'd have to answer that's a definate no. The guys that work on these cars back there called "mechanics" are really guys who screw things up while they try to fix a problem. There are of course a few exceptions out there who acctually know what they are doing, but the majority really know squat. To say they did this on purpose is ironic because they "sabotaged" your car NOT knowing they did so.

If you are convinced your car is not running the way it did when you brought it in, I would bring the service manager out to diagnose your problem. If he cannot see what is wrong with it, tell him to pull out another LX and start it up to compare the two.

+1 surefire way to see what's up ^.

[Si_Chick]

Originally Posted by civicdoody

He said it would naturally be louder because it has 20k on it. It actually sounds kind of good, but it feels like I'm wasting gas. I'll know in a few days.

I tend to trust the mechanics, it's the techs and service writers I have no faith in. It's always 'normal' or can't be reproduced. They're just there to tell people who don't know better that if they don't spend $400.00 to have a perfectly good car inspected their warranty may be voided. It doesn't help when you take the time to explain something and he writes an abbreviated work order that doesn't define the problem.

I'm going to reset the ECM and see if it changes anything.

Although I don't work at a 'stealership', but as a "service writer" as you call it, I can say that that is not my job. My job is to try and communicate effectively with you, the customer on what the problem with your car is, or what it needs (oil change, belt, etc), and then again communicate with you after the vehicle has been diagnosed.
Don't make assumptions about a job, unless you have done it yourself; many people know nothing about being a "service writer". What radiocontrolhead suggested is the best idea for now.
If you have a problem with how they write the work order, speak up, you're the customer, it is also your JOB to communicate just as effectively with the service writer, so tell him/her that you don't think your issue is indicated clearly enough on the workorder. If they say no, then their manager needs to teach them about customer service.
Best of luck.. something sounds a little fishy to me

[Cybergypsy]

I had the belt done and mine seems soooo much smoother....no noise at all :*

[civicdoody]

Originally Posted by Si_Chick

My job is to try and communicate effectively with you, the customer on what the problem with your car is, or what it needs (oil change, belt, etc), and then again communicate with you after the vehicle has been diagnosed.
If you have a problem with how they write the work order, speak up, you're the customer, it is also your JOB to communicate just as effectively with the service writer, so tell him/her that you don't think your issue is indicated clearly enough on the workorder. If they say no, then their manager needs to teach them about customer service.
Best of luck.. something sounds a little fishy to me

I had a couple of other issues that I thought I thoroughly explained and he had the mechanic looking for the wrong thing entirely. I only noticed this after I got the paper back with the work order.

I have dealt with this particular individual in the past for a problem with a bad window regulator and run channel. Instead of having someone look at it he proceeded to spray a half a can of WD40 down into the door. There were a couple of other issues he insisted were normal after I pointed out, on the car next to mine, were not normal. I later had it all fixed at another dealer but they are about 90 miles away.
I was just there to have the belt changed, but had a brain fart and mentioned the other issues. I simply will not return to this dealer.

Bottom line is my car is running different. The way it sounds, shifts and vibration in the gas pedal. If I reset it and there is still a problem, I will take it somewhere else.

By the way, to reset the computer all I have to do is disconnect the battery for a few minutes and let it idle for a few, right? My old Cadillac had to be driven at certain different speeds for a certain time each, etc.

[rivas240sx]

Hey Civicdoody,

About your run channel and regulator, I went to the dealership today because my window wouldnt go all the way up unless i forced it to, and they told me that was the problem. How was the outcome after they replaced the regulator and the run channel?