Check Engine Light and some differences between dealers
#1
11-05-2003, 11:46 AM
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Huntington Beach, California
Age: 76
Posts: 401
Rep Power: 37 
Check Engine Light and some differences between dealers
I have had a problem with a check engine light on my car for the past several weeks. I posted about this here and elsewhere.
My first recourse was with a local dealer I shall call "A". They looked at my Europipe Exhaust and the different Turbo's and said; "it's the exhaust system triggering the fault code, you have to change it back to stock". I told them that there was a vast body of experience that indicated this did not happen or was very rare to the point of being unreported. They wouldn't budge from this position. I asked them for the fault codes which I posted on some forums and the response back from those who knew them was: "not an exhaust or O2 sensor problem".
I next went to Andial in Santa Ana, California who have done some work for me in the past. These guys are famous and deservedly so; good to work with and straight shooters. In any case they traced down the faults and said they were in the cold start air recirulating pump. Since this was obviously a warranty issue they wisely made the decision to button it up and recommended I take it to the dealer to be rectified and DIDN'T CHARGE ME. They volunteered to be a telephone resource for the dealer. They recommended I go to a dealer I shall call "B". I have also worked with them in the past, they are about plus five minutes difference in the drive which (among other reasons) is why I went to "A" in the first place.
"B" was such a difference! I explained the code over the phone made sure I referenced Andial And they had the warranty slip made up when I arrived, a rental car arranged and listened attentively to my comments. They did not call Andial (I suspect there is some pride involved here, who can blame them). But the fault was sourced; a leaking vacuum connection which led to a little physical work to fix and I was back in my car (washed) that afternoon.
A little note here; this is the second vacuum induced fault that has shown up in my car. The first was very soon after I bought it, about the time the original equipment Bosch Diverter Valves started making like the woodwind section at the philharmonic.
Why the long story (and I apologize for the verbosity) is that I want to make sure others know that there is a difference between dealers and to do your research before making the hard decisions. Also, don't be afraid to get other opinions and certainly don't be afraid to appeal to the internet for further information.
I hope this helps someone some day.......
My first recourse was with a local dealer I shall call "A". They looked at my Europipe Exhaust and the different Turbo's and said; "it's the exhaust system triggering the fault code, you have to change it back to stock". I told them that there was a vast body of experience that indicated this did not happen or was very rare to the point of being unreported. They wouldn't budge from this position. I asked them for the fault codes which I posted on some forums and the response back from those who knew them was: "not an exhaust or O2 sensor problem".
I next went to Andial in Santa Ana, California who have done some work for me in the past. These guys are famous and deservedly so; good to work with and straight shooters. In any case they traced down the faults and said they were in the cold start air recirulating pump. Since this was obviously a warranty issue they wisely made the decision to button it up and recommended I take it to the dealer to be rectified and DIDN'T CHARGE ME. They volunteered to be a telephone resource for the dealer. They recommended I go to a dealer I shall call "B". I have also worked with them in the past, they are about plus five minutes difference in the drive which (among other reasons) is why I went to "A" in the first place.
"B" was such a difference! I explained the code over the phone made sure I referenced Andial And they had the warranty slip made up when I arrived, a rental car arranged and listened attentively to my comments. They did not call Andial (I suspect there is some pride involved here, who can blame them). But the fault was sourced; a leaking vacuum connection which led to a little physical work to fix and I was back in my car (washed) that afternoon.
A little note here; this is the second vacuum induced fault that has shown up in my car. The first was very soon after I bought it, about the time the original equipment Bosch Diverter Valves started making like the woodwind section at the philharmonic.
Why the long story (and I apologize for the verbosity) is that I want to make sure others know that there is a difference between dealers and to do your research before making the hard decisions. Also, don't be afraid to get other opinions and certainly don't be afraid to appeal to the internet for further information.
I hope this helps someone some day.......
#3
11-05-2003, 01:01 PM
Garey, I too experienced night/day differences between two dealers.
Dealer A: Held my car for two weeks, could not fix the problem, blamed it on me, demanded $800 labor. I called PCNA and filed two complaints and got my car back.
Dealer B: Found the problem, replaced the part under warranty, returned the car to me within 2 days.
Dealer A: Held my car for two weeks, could not fix the problem, blamed it on me, demanded $800 labor. I called PCNA and filed two complaints and got my car back.
Dealer B: Found the problem, replaced the part under warranty, returned the car to me within 2 days.
#4
11-05-2003, 01:45 PM
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Huntington Beach, California
Age: 76
Posts: 401
Rep Power: 37
#5
11-05-2003, 03:49 PM
Garey - would you mind Private Messaging me the names of A & B? I am located nearby in your area and I need some warranty work done on my car, and was deciding if I should take it to the people I bought the car from (Newport Porsche), or if there was another dealer around here who were better. Thanks.
#7
11-06-2003, 04:14 AM
I've heard of other owners with similar experiences with Pacific Porsche in Torrance they have the same policy as dealer A. If your car is modified in any way that is remotely connected to the problems you will be SOL. Strange how the policies vary from dealer to dealer. The owners then sent the car to another dealership and they had taken care of the problems, and the tech mentioned that the mods were not the cause of the problems and check engine lights.
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#8
11-06-2003, 07:27 AM
Garey,
I am truly sorry I missed the question. Not sure what cloud my head was in. I could have pointed you in the direction of the error and more than likely you could have repaired the line. There are only a few issues with the secondary air system, and to date none of them have gone bad, so that leaves other components in the system. It checks within the first 5 minutes of running and flips the code.
At any rate my apologizes for missing this one and dealing with the crap from the dealer.
I am truly sorry I missed the question. Not sure what cloud my head was in. I could have pointed you in the direction of the error and more than likely you could have repaired the line. There are only a few issues with the secondary air system, and to date none of them have gone bad, so that leaves other components in the system. It checks within the first 5 minutes of running and flips the code.
At any rate my apologizes for missing this one and dealing with the crap from the dealer.
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