So where do I begin this story? I guess the best way is to explain the original problem. Well the speedometer/odometer stopped working about 4 days ago. Well I didn't have the time to fix it myself so I took it to my local Honda dealer for that problem and a cluster light problem which will be explained later. I dropped it off Monday and they called me about it on Tuesday saying the VSS was bad. A few hours later they called me back to tell me that it wasn't the VSS but the speedometer head that was bad. So rather than spend almost $200 on a new speedometer head I went to the local salvage yard and picked up an instument cluster for my 94 Accord for $75. Now I did this for two reasons: as before I didn't want to spend $200 on a new speedo. Secondly, the left side of the lights on the cluster were dim and I figured it would just be easier to replace the whole thing for less money. So I did that. The mechanic changed it out and I asked them if they checked all the gauges and lights to make sure they were working. He said that everything was. So I went home and later that night I went out when it was dark and sure enough, the left side of the cluster was dim (which I think is an electrical problem) and some of the climate control buttons no longer light up. The C.C. lights were just fine prior to my going to the honda dealer.

So today I am back here, actually typing this from the Honda dealer. Now I drive into the service area and the same lady by the name of "Lou" helps me (if you can call it that). She get's the mechanic over to show him what I'm talking about at which time I inform them both of the climate control lights. After discussing it with the mechanic he said he would pull it and look it over. I was fine with that. Back when I came the first time I specifically asked them to check out the light problem. They assumed because all the lights were on that they were fine, which they were not. I then again, after they "fixed" it asked them if everything worked and they said yes.

So now "Lou" tells me that this was exactly why they don't use salvage parts. She goes on to say if the climate control problem is related to the salvage cluster that I will have to pay for it. Well I know for a fact it isn't related to the cluster or has anything to do with it. Furthermore, since they never looked into the dim light problem with any kind of thouroughness it's not my problem that they have to do it again. Had they done what I asked the first time and paid attention to detail I wouldn't be here dealing with this or writing this article right now. I explain to her that the instrument cluster has nothing to do with the other problem, because well it doesn't. She seemed intent on making me pay for the labor for the mechanic to take it all apart and check it again. Then she proceeds to tell me that they are trying to do the best job they can and use quality (new) parts as opposed to those from the salvage yard. So I start talking to her and she walks off back to her desk! So that pissed me off but I didn't say anything. So then she gives me a pen to sign the authorization to do the work. As I'm reading over the fine print, she takes the pen right out of my hand, without even asking for it. Now I don't know about you guys, but that pissed me off like you wouldn't believe. I mean what kind of customer service is that??? Talk about rude. Hell that's beyond rude. So needless to say I will be speaking to the service manager and then directly to Honda. This bitch decided to mess with the wrong person and she's going to regret it.

Sorry, I know this isn't entirely technical but I need to vent. But on a more technical note, I figure that because the instrument cluster is dim (the left side) on the old cluster and the salvage cluster I'm betting it's some kind of voltage problem? Any thoughts? Thanks for reading my rant, if you did.


Modified by sj993 at 3:16 PM 1/14/2005


Modified by sj993 at 3:18 PM 1/14/2005

 

Man, I'm with you! PRESS on them. Report this to Honda customer service (HQ). Do not let them treat you like this!

 

Unfortunately a lot of Honda dealers out side of California hire pretty much any joe shmoe that has had expierience at PEPBOYS. Even California did it for many years. So that means you're not always dealing with the most knowledgeable people at those dealerships.

 

Man she is lucky you didn't tear into her. I would definately go to the manager and report her.

 

you need to write a letter describing her attitude to the service manager. make sure you make a cc: to the general manager and honda.. make sure you write the cc on the letter to the service manager as well so that he/she see's where else it's going to.

 

Yeah, I'm gonna do that. Well I did end up talking to the service manager and he agreed with everything I had to say so in the end I wasn't charged for anything though I still have to go back there one more time because there is a part they had to order.

About an hour after I left I got a call from Lou (the service advisor) apologizing for her rude behavior and attitude. Regardless though, after that experience I'm still going to be writing a letter to them.

 

I've always had HORRIBLE customer service at Honda. I dont get it. They ignore me because i'm under 20 but whenever i'm there i spend like a hundred bucks or more...and I always have a real issue, its not like I come in and say 'omfg the door is clicking'. It's more like 'i'm here for my 25k maintenance let er rip here's the money'.


Thats the thing that drives me nuts. Out of the 2 years i've had my car, I've only been treated nicely and promptly by ONE person there, so I always go to him for help. But if my parents take the car in, everyone jumps at them and is all friendly and polite and apologetic about problems...

It's ridiculous.

Take this to the top!

 

Sounds to me like you may just have a bad GND. All of the gauge cluster lights are in series so I can't quite understand why some lights would be dim while others lights are OK. If you install a new cluster and still have the same problems than I would suspect that the wiring external to the cluster is the problem.
The problem with service reps is they are not mechanics and the problem with mechanics is they are generally not good at troubleshooting electrical problems.
I am an Electrical Tech and know what I speak of. Wiring problems are quite easy if you have the experience.
Service people assume the average person knows **** so they try to hose you for wasted time when they can't figure things out. Kind of like paying paying them to learn and train on your car I suppose.
I will not allow any mechanic to troubleshoot electrical problems on my car. No friggin way. They talk like troubleshooting electrical problems is some sort of mystical art form best left to their ZEN mechanics. ********.
The reason people become mechanics is because they like cars and neandethral macho **** not because they have good electrical skills.
I had the same sort of problem with my car once. I had an old prelude that was giving me intermiitent wiring faults. My car would just stop and everything electrical was completely dead. No lights no starter no nothing. It would happen on occasion but after a few minutes power would come back on and my car was fine. Well one day my car stopped and would not restart at all. I figured I simply had a bad connection somewhere that had annealed and would not conduct current all.
I was on the side of the road far from home and had to get to work so I got a tow truck and hauled the car to a dealer. I told them what I thought the problem was but I don't think they even heard me speak. They seemed to completely ignore me. Anyways I got a lift and went to work and left them to figure it out. I got a call later in the day and the service rep told me I had a bad alternator. I asked how a bad alternator would make my car stop dead without any warning but they said that this was the mechanic's diagnosis. They also told me that the car started for them fine with another alternator they had in the shop. So naive stupid me gave them the go ahead to install a new alternator.
Later that day I went to pick up my car and it was still in the shop. The work was finished but they just hadn't taken the car out of the shop. So I said fine I will take the car out the garage and check the car before I pay for anything. They said fine go ahead. I got in the car and I didn't even make it out the garage bay before it died again. No lights no starter no nothing. So now I'm pissed. These guys wanted 3 hrs for "diagnosis" labor and a new alternator and the problem still wasn't fixed.
So I ask the mechanic if he checked the wiring and any gnd points and he said no because he wasn't instructed to do so by the service rep. Wasn't instucted to do so- some troubleshooter huh? So I ask him how he came to the conclusion that my alternator was frigged and he said "because I am a mechanic". What a stupid *** attitide. All day at work I thought about this problem before they called me. I had my car on a hoist once before that and I remembered seeing a large wire running from the motor to the firewall. I remembered it because it was designed to flex with the motor - something that I do on moving machinery all the time. Any wire that is constantly being stretched on and tugged at will eventually break. I thought this was a main power lead to all the fuses and maybe there was a problem with it but I forgot about this wire after they called and told me the problem was fixed.
So now we push the car back to the work bay and I demanded that they hoist the car up so I could have a look at the large wire running from the motor to the firewall. Guess what? The firggin wire only had a few a strands left on it and was corroded and annealed like crazy. The wire would heat up and open circuit and kill all lthe power to my main fuse box - the result, no lights no starter no nothing.
So the mechanic is now trying to backtrack and 2 step and please me so he says he will fix the problem "for free". Lucky me. So I remember I have some cable and connectors and **** in my trunk and I fix the problem myself right there on the hoist.
So now I go to leave but the service rep says I have to pay for the new alternator and the 3 hrs labour. I say put my old alternator back in and maybe I will pay you for 1hr of labour. He says he doesn't have the alternator because they turned it in for a "core". So now I'm really pissed because I didn't get any credit for a core and they wanted to charge me full price for the alternator. ********.
So I'm standing there while the service rep and the mechanic quietly argue off to the side. It seemed like the rep was hagglin with the mechanic to lower the labor on my car. The mechanic still wanted to be paid for bad work. *******.
So you know what I did? I simply got in my car and drove off. ******** were trying to rip me off so I ripped them off first.
When I got home I had a message on the phone from the dealer that they were going to take legal action against me. I phoned him and told him I had phoned Honda Canada and the Better Buisness Bureau and reported them - which I hadn't of course. Never heard from that dealer again. No legal action.
It's dirty world out there full of no mind service reps and underskilled mechanics.

 

Great story. Way to stick it to the dealer!

 

Yeah, that is exactly how I felt. It's like I was just some kid and what I had to say wasn't important. I mean, I told them what the problem was three different times and finally I had to point it out to them before they could understand what I was talking about. I told her straight that I knew far more about my own car than she does or the mechanic for that matter but I don't have the time to do it myself or I would. I guess because I seemed like a "kid" to her I didn't matter, and she could be as rude to me as she pleased. Well, a little shortsighted on her part if she thought she could get away with it. Despite the apology I got from her, and the free service I am still taking this to the top. I have never been disrespected at a Honda dealer the way I was at this one. I did have an issue with a Nissan service advisor about a year ago and had to go to the top for that as well.

About the dim light, it turned out the bulb was burnt out so they had to replace that. Funny thing was he goes and get's a new bulb and socket which was $7 and tries to charge me for it. Well I still had my old cluster sitting in the floorboard and he could have just taken it out of that because it has at least one good light and socket. But no, charge the customer for everything and anything. Guess they thought I was too stupid to know any different. Too bad for them.

It's almost as if customer service has no real meaning anymore.

 

Glad to hear it worked out for you. Don't take any **** from anyone! And don't pay a thing until you are completely satisfied.
Oh yes, always carry a spare key. That way if the delaler's rep says they won't give you the keys until you pay you can still leave with your car.

skiier

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by skiier &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> Oh yes, always carry a spare key. That way if the delaler's rep says they won't give you the keys until you pay you can still leave with your car.

skiier</TD></TR></TABLE>

haha... that's funny.

 

Heh.. good advice.

I went back today since they finally got the light bulbs for the climate control in and it was done free of charge. I get over there and that lady was like are you still mad about it? She was asking me like I was some kind of kid or something...I just nodded my head not saying anything and walked over to the other guy I was dealing with. I'm sure she's concerned I will take it beyond her manager to Honda Customer relations which I will be doing. It's a shame that some people don't think twice before doing something or opening their mouth.