Dealer misdiagnosed..Should I have to pay for this??

[tjk_art]

So, I installed AAC's footwell lighting a few weeks ago. I plugged it into my fuse block using an add a circuit so I could power it from a push button on my dash. I pulled the same fuse shown in AAC's installation pictures.

When I pulled the fuse out of the block to plug into the add-a-circuit, it disconnected the onstar signal from the airbag deployment.

I didn't know this at the time, I only saw the "Service airbag" on my screen.

So I took my car in after having set up an appointment a week in advance, and the service employee told me I had no appointment.. so he set me up with another appointment a week later.

I told him the first time I brought it in that I had installed some footwell lighting and had to disconnect a fuse to do so. The same night that I installed it was the night the message started to appear. He told me "Ok, well we will find out what is going on but I don't think that would be it. I think we will have to replace your entire module"

I took the car in again, and he said they would set me up with a rental car free of charge and GM will cover the costs. I didn't ask for a rental, I didn't even need one. The service guy set me up with one because he told me it was under warranty.

I had the rental car all yesterday, and he called me today telling me they didn't work on it at all yesterday even though I bought it in at 9 AM. He told me they hadn't found out what's wrong with it yet but he thinks they need to replace the module because that's what the onstar diagnostic says.

After a full day of looking at my car, they finally decide to check out the fuse bock like i mentioned in the first place, and the technician said that had broke the ciruit giving off the signal to onstar.

The service guy called me back later tonight and told me that the diagnostics will not be covered under warranty and I must also pay for the rental car.

I'm a little steamed about this, even though the initial problem was my own fault.

They offered me a rental car I didn't need, telling me that it would be covered under the warranty by GM. I had this car all yesterday when they didn't even look at my car yesterday, and I could have just brought my camaro in today. Plus the charges in diagnostics would have been slim to NOTHING if they had checked out what I said first. Instead he diagnoses it as a faulty module needing to be replaced??

I'm wondering if you guys could help me out here. I've got a lot of information on my answering machine from this service tech. showing clear proof of what I've mentioned above.

Any opinions/suggestions are welcome.

Thanks.

[Tallboy]

The problem was created by you, and you knew it.

Your nickel.

[tjk_art]

Originally Posted by Tallboy

The problem was created by you, and you knew it.

Your nickel.

I told him what I did up front and he told me the diagnostic by onstar didn't match that so he didn't think that was the problem. He then set me up with the rental car telling me it was covered by the warranty.

[Sterling]

Sounds like crap to me... since when do you pay for an Onstar diagnostic anyway?

[Tallboy]

Originally Posted by tjk_art

I told him what I did up front and he told me the diagnostic by onstar didn't match that so he didn't think that was the problem. He then set me up with the rental car telling me it was covered by the warranty.

That is correct, but you KNEW the problem wasn't going to be covered, regardless of what the advisor said. Ergo, the rental car would not be covered. Since you said you didn't need a rental, why did you take it? Were you forced to take it?

[Sterling]

These places need to start listening to what is being told to them instead of doing whatever they want first charging you for it and then doing what is asked of them. Sure you should pay to have them fix the problem, but you pointed them to it. You didn't want the rental either... they made you take it. Here I know you don't need it but here is a nice new ZR1... oh wait a minute, I told you it was free but now you have to pay for that. Nice doing business with you.

[Sterling]

Why wouldn't the rental be covered? I thought any time that they need to keep the car overnight a rental is provided?

[tjk_art]

Originally Posted by Tallboy

That is correct, but you KNEW the problem wasn't going to be covered, regardless of what the advisor said. Ergo, the rental car would not be covered. Since you said you didn't need a rental, why did you take it? Were you forced to take it?

I wasn't forced to take it, I was under the false impression it would be covered because of our conversation. He told me onstar was diagnosing it as a faulty module and that wouldn't come from the lighting install.

I didn't need a rental car, so of course I wouldn't have taken one if I had to pay for it. But I wasn't going to fight it because he told me it was covered.

[Tallboy]

Originally Posted by tjk_art

I wasn't forced to take it, I was under the false impression it would be covered because of our conversation. He told me onstar was diagnosing it as a faulty module and that wouldn't come from the lighting install.

I didn't need a rental car, so of course I wouldn't have taken one if I had to pay for it. But I wasn't going to fight it because he told me it was covered.

I'm sure OnStar DID diagnose it as a bad module [no signal], but OnStar DIDN'T KNOW you pulled the fuse. YOU DID.

End of story.

[2010 SSRS]

baztards

[tjk_art]

Originally Posted by sterlingnotes

These places need to start listening to what is being told to them instead of doing whatever they want first charging you for it and then doing what is asked of them. Sure you should pay to have them fix the problem, but you pointed them to it. You didn't want the rental either... they made you take it. Here I know you don't need it but here is a nice new ZR1... oh wait a minute, I told you it was free but now you have to pay for that. Nice doing business with you.

I agree. If theres a chance I have to pay for everything, they should check what I mention first. That should be no question.

That's what I'm curious about. If there is no one being held accountable what stops these people from taking advantage of their costumers? They could have left my car in their "shop" for a week saying it was "being diagnosed" or they could replace expensive parts that don't need to be.

All I'm saying is they should only be able to charge me for the amount of time it took to diagnose and fix the actual problem (5 minutes?).

And if you say something is covered by GM, whether it really should or not, they should be held to their word. Or AT LEAST let me know that depending on the problem, it may not be covered so it's my option whether or not to take a rental.

[thiggin2]

Sounds to me like the dealer put his foot in his mouth. You can NEVER guess its a module because most of the time its not. Also Onstar CAN NOT diag anything. All they can do is read a code. They are not the tech. Beacuse of what the service adviser told you they should eat the cost. Next time something like this happens, is advise the customer that they may be liable for the cost of repair if its determined its not a warranty issue like this.

[tjk_art]

Originally Posted by Tallboy

I'm sure OnStar DID diagnose it as a bad module [no signal], but OnStar DIDN'T KNOW you pulled the fuse. YOU DID.

End of story.

The service tech knew I pulled the fuse. Upon receiving this information he told me that would not be the problem.

[thiggin2]

Originally Posted by Tallboy

I'm sure OnStar DID diagnose it as a bad module [no signal], but OnStar DIDN'T KNOW you pulled the fuse. YOU DID.

End of story.

What if it was a bad connection or an open wire. OnStar CAN NOT diag anything, they can only read codes.