Recall: Clockspring

[Banshee]

So... The new clockspring, installed due to the recal has failed. Went to use the horn today & got nothing. Got one of the kids to hit the button while I listened for the relay click in the TIPM, nothing.

Then hit it while driving as I went around a corner, AND IT WORKS. Straight again & nothing. Seems to only work when I have the steering wheel turned ~45 degrees either way...

Have to give the stealer a call in the morning.

[Banshee]

So, today I dropped it in at the stealer to get the clockspring that was replaced under the recall replaced under warranty.

I had it in there in November to be inspected & they verified at that time that the clockspring was shorted.

Over the weekend, I pulled the airbag off & checked the wiring & switch operation. Needle probes to the connector & each of the 4 switches works properly when pressed.

I received a call a few hours after dropping it off, "We verified the clockspring is faulty, and you'll need to replace the steering wheel as well because the switches are faulty."

"No I won't.", I replied, "I tested them over the weekend and they are all working properly."

"How did you test them?"

"I disconnected the battery, pulled out the airbag & checked the wiring & switches with my multimeter."

There was a pause. "OK. I'll order the clockspring." *click*

I really hoped they wouldn't try this crap this time... Maybe he was actually told by the mechanic that it was stuffed, maybe it's just up sell so they get some money back on the warranty job they have to do because either FCA gave them a faulty clockspring, or their mechanic fucked it when it was installed in the first place. I don't know.

[RLT]

Crap aint it

All those dealership overheads have to be covered anyway they can.

[Banshee]

I got it back today. Clockspring, (only), replaced.

Aaaaand surprise, surprise, the horn works perfectly. Once it started working after being completely unused for a year...

Nice to have my own car back, the Misubishi Lancer is a nice enough car, I guess, but the ergonomics really don't suit me. Good visibility with the side mirrors, though! That's about it forthe things I liked on it, however. Also, none of the kids liked it, either.

[Banshee]

*sigh* They've fucked up again. Not as badly, but still...

[rant]

A couple of time the chime kept going off after I pulled the keys out of the ignition, and the remote couldn't lock the doors. Tracked that down to the lock on the steering wheel not coming back out as it was caught on the steering column shroud. Banging the shroud let it pop out, chime stopped & doors now lock.

So I got out the torx driver today to adjust it so that it clears properly. Noticed that the top & bottom weren't properly mated up on the left, in particular. I got 2 of the torx screws out ok, but couldn't get the 3rd one, (on the left near the wheel), out... Eventually gave up trying to do it by feel, moved the seat out of the way, & got under with a torch to have a look. Just as I feared. Some dipshit put a phillips head in there! Got the right tool & removed it. Well, that explains why the shroud wasn't mated up & sitting correctly, the phillips head intruder was also too long! And a little rusty. It's not even a new screw, just whatever was lying around!

[/rant]

[Banshee]

And on top of all that there are scratches on the dash behind the steering wheel & around the holes used to pop off the airbag clips. What did they have working on it? An untrained & unsupervised first year apprentice!?

Took the steering wheel off, eventually. The bolt holding it was in so tight I needed a breaker bar through the steering wheel and a long torque wrench to loosen it! Then the wheel jammed half way off & I had to push it on, yank back a dozen times before it came off. Found a big patch of something on the bolt, threadlocker? Felt more like a thick piece of aluminium foil. Removed it with a needle file.

The splines in the steering wheel felt rough & burred over, so I cleaned it out with contact cleaner. It wouldn't fit back on, now, so I removed the burring on the splines in the steering wheel with the needle file, so now it goes on & off easily again.

Cleaned up the worst of the butchered plastic around the airbag clip holes with the needle file & refitted the steering wheel and was now able to screw the bolt in by hand & tighten normally. Hooked up the connectors & refitted the airbag. Left off the cover & sent photos of the shroud damage to the dealer...

I've had no complaints with their work in the past, but this time? WTF happened there?

[Nanook]

I'd be taking it back and complaining straight away. There is no way I'd put up with that. You could maybe excuse the screw but not the damage to the trim. That is just a complete lack of respect for the customer.

A few years ago I had my XR6 Turbo lowered by my mechanic. When I got it back I noticed that there was grease smeared on one of my rims. The guy working on my car damaged a rim with the rattle gun and smeared grease over the large dint he made so it couldn't be seen.

It cost the mechanic more to have the rim repaired than it did for the job of lowering it.