Dealer caused electrical horror story?? Advice requested!

[mp]

A few weeks ago I posted asking if anyone knew of a common relay or fuse that controled the power seat belt retractors, windows and door locks.
Under the hood in the fuse box is a green colored 30A that is used for at least these functions. Mine blew due to a short in the system.

I took the car to a Subaru dealer and after waiting over 5 hours left with a homemade fusable link in place of the fuse with everyting working properly.
I asked if this was safe and was assured that my only problem was the blown fuse. Cost me $120 for labor. Fuse had to be ordered.

3 days later while driving the car with A/C running smoke starts billowing out the track where the power seat belt runs on the drivers side. We are talking ALOT of acrid smoke. Pulled over immediately opened the hood and pulled the fusable link. Car started so I took car back to dealer relating this occurance.

Checked car and found my wiring harness melted. (gee whiz). The cause of the short was discovered to be one bare wire approximately where the drivers left would rest. Apparently the insulation failed from rubbing or vibration. Service Manager offered to compensate me one hour of free labor towards replacing the harness (estimated at 3 hours @ $85 hour plus $280 (wholesale cost of harness) I have an appointment Wednesday to have it installed. We will see then if this electrical fire toasted anything else once it is installed.

Clearly the fusable link they installed alllowed this to happen,
I would apperciate any educated opinions as to how I should handle this situation when I return to the dealer to (hopefully) complete this repair.

MP

[vrg3]

They replaced a fuse with a fusible link?! That's completely irresponsible! You're always taught never to replace a fuse with one of a higher rating, let alone with a fusible link with many times the current capacity!

It's so plainly obvious that they did something wrong I wouldn't even know how you would go about trying to prove it. Maybe bring them an introductory automotive electrician's textbook? Or have them refer to any manual they choose off their shelf?

I would insist that they pay for the entire repair. If they're unwilling, I'd even consider taking them to a small claims court. Any person you call as an expert would tell you they caused the damage to your car and even put your safety in jeopardy.

[JasonGrahn]

This sounds like an EXTREME oversight on the dealerships part. Does your invoice say something like "fusable link" on it? If it just says "labor" or something equally as vague, have them print out for you a detailed receipt invoicing the hours spent as well as equipment used and tests they did on your car - It is industry standard for dealership wrenches to keep a troubleshooting log per issue. See if you can get a copy of this log.

Call subaru HQ and inform them of the situation. I suggest calling them after you have eaten lunch or dinner so you are calm. Think your thoughts through completely. Write down a timeline on paper including any notes. Keep your statements free of "emotionally charged" words.

Customer Service: 1-800-SUBARU3
Eastern Hours: 8:30 - 5:00 Monday-Thursday, 10:30 - 5:00 Friday
Central Hours: 8:30 - 5:00 Monday-Thursday, 9:30 - 4:00 Friday
Mountain Hours: 7:30 - 4:00 Monday-Thursday, 8:30 - 3:00 Friday
Pacific Hours: 7:30 - 4:00 Monday-Thursday, 7:30 - 2:00 Friday

[evolutionmovement]

I find this amazing. Why a dealer would risk the liability or bad reputation from this is beyond me. Obviously if something's blowing fuses, then there's a cause. Putting a higher rated fuse is almost like sticking a penny in the fuse box. It's only going to cause whatever is shorting in the first place to now be able to pull more current when it shorts again. You're lucky the car didn't go up in flames. I'd never go back to those morons - even PepBoys probably has marginally better mechanics on staff.

They should pay for the whole fix as well as reimburse you for the original repair and apologize. That is unacceptable and definitely get the tally as Jason suggested before telling them you want (at least) the new repair done properly or you'll take them to court for safety violations resulting from utterly careless 'repair'. There must really be a shortage of mechanics for them to think they could get away with that. And at $85/hr!! My mechanic would cut off his finger before doing work like that and charges $40/hr for labor (I want to tell him he should try to get more, but then I need him sometimes as I don't have a garage or even a driveway).

Steve

[mp]

I wanted to thank Jason, Steve, and VRg3 for responding so quickly as tomorrow morning the car goes in to have the harness replaced. I have spoken with 3 mechanics and everyone agrees that they are totally liable for the entire repair and that the car should never have left the shop with a homemade fusable link in place of a blown fuse.

I suspect I will be given a service order to sign estimating the costs for the repair. I should probably tell them at that time that they need to fix it without charge whatever the cost or whatever electrical faults are present since none were prior to the installation of the FL.

The original service order says:
checked circuits for short to ground - none
fuse not available
temp repair by installing fuse link

The second service order states:
rubbing live wire cut through insulation casing shorting or wiring harness
(had previously installed fusable link wire for temp repaair which didn't stop further burning of harness) Will credit previous 1.0 to replacement of wiring harness to comp. cust.
for now taped up visible damage wires and isolated If further damage should occur will not be responsible Its already known that power window inoperable

Question:

Should I wait until car is fixed before insisting that they do it for free or tell them this when I drop it off? I have avoided dealerships for 95% of my repairs the last 5 years. This event just furthers my resolve to stay away for them!! As Jason pointed out what they did was an extreme oversight.
It was both dangerous and stupid.

[evolutionmovement]

Seeing as these guys have not shown any kind of character, I would try to argue it before hand just because once they have your keys, they may keep them until you make payment or fight them in court for reposession. Its worse timing to argue it possibly, but better than them possibly holding the car hostage. They have lots of lawyers and who knows what kind of crap they could pull, then (I hate most lawyers).

Just my opinion, though. You might want to mention reporting them to the better business bureau - that's worked for me a couple times.

Steve

[ciper]

Contact subaru directly.

[JasonGrahn]

Contact subaru directly.

Customer Service: 1-800-SUBARU3
Eastern Hours: 8:30 - 5:00 Monday-Thursday, 10:30 - 5:00 Friday
Central Hours: 8:30 - 5:00 Monday-Thursday, 9:30 - 4:00 Friday
Mountain Hours: 7:30 - 4:00 Monday-Thursday, 8:30 - 3:00 Friday
Pacific Hours: 7:30 - 4:00 Monday-Thursday, 7:30 - 2:00 Friday

[mp]

Here is the update on my electrical hassles.

New wiring harness was installed yesterday, dealer had the car for ~ 7 1/2 hours. Everything seems to be working properly.

My total expenses for this repair are now $619.70
Service manager was not present and service writer was unwilling to acknowledge responsbiity for tech's error. So I paid the bill with credit card under protest and took the advice of Jason & Ciper and called Subaru this morning.

The Subaru rep said he would get back to me shortly.
I then received a call from the dealers Service manager who is "reviewing"
the case and will let me know tomorrow what they are going to do.

I will post the results tomorrow. Thanks to all for your help!!!

- MP

[magicmike]

BULLSHIT

The wire was bare because there was a dead short still in the system and their fusable link had a higher amp rating than the wires themselves under your seat. The wire sheilding did not rub off, I have never seen that ever. I have however seen a wire that had melted through due to a no fuse situation. This really gets me pissed off. They couldn't find out what your problem was the first time and they still charged you for their time ASSHOLES....Also every dumbass knows that you cant put a larger rating fuse in place when it keeps blowing the fuse that its rated for. I'm so mad I'm going to go beat my wife now.

I'm only joking I'm not married

-Mike

[scubaroo]

hello I'm sorry to here your woes. I wish I would have seen this earlyer.First you should have taken pitchures when the smoke flew of the repair. second you should have had the car towed to the dealer right then and there. But anywho you should not pay for the repair or any other damages caused by their incompatence. so cancel payment hold all paper work and see them in court.

[mp]

Subaru service manager refused to pay for the wiring harness but offered to throw in a few hours of labor towards the repair. Called Subaru and was refered to "Shuman Carriage" who contracts with Subaru to provide warranty mediation here in the state of Hawaii. Shuman made a call on my behalf and caused the dealer's service manager to promptly return my call. Service manager then stalls me for 3 days while he "looks into it"

Called the owner of the dealership directly and got his full attention.
He looked at the paperwork and immediately cut a check to compensate for the repair in full (parts and labor) and also apologized for the obvious error made by the mechanic.

I thanked him and the car seems fine.

Thanks to all for your help.

Aloha,

mp

[ciper]

Wow! Better than I expected. I would have guessed you still paid for the wire harness and fusable link.

[JasonGrahn]

that's great! way to go!

[evolutionmovement]

Excellent! Its nice to see the regular guy win once in a while.

Steve

[vrg3]

Awesome. I'm glad it worked out so well.