More of my car saga

[Adam Payrot]

Those of you at Hooters last night know the story, but I'll put it out there for the rest of you guys...


Yesterday I took my car in to the dealership to get the comp. wash and have them check out the tranny (I have documented grinding, just trying to add to it until they decide to fix it). Of course, they didn't find anything when the tech drove it, so they brought it in the shop to check the fluid for metal shavings.

For whatever reason, they also hooked the computer up to see if they could pull any codes. They found one alright, a pretty big one: over-rev on 06-12-06 at 3:1x.

Now, I point you here and then here.

That's June 1st for my wreck, and June 28th when the car was returned to me. The dealer's body shop had the car, and over-revved the car while it was there.

As if the over-rev is bad enough, the entire engine/drive-train warranty is now voided with that over-rev code in the ECU. The RSX permanently burns that code into a special sector of memory where it can't be erased. I have no idea if the body shop tried to erase it (the CEL most likely came on w/ an over-rev), but now it's a little more clear as to why my radio was reset when I got the car back.

I've got to see how my options play out with this, but the body shop is

[POS Racing]

One Over-rev voids the warranty!?!?

[Treibenschnell]

Lay into 'em and don't let 'em off the hook!

[sammm]

One Over-rev voids the warranty!?!?

That's worse than a Mitsu!

[Adam Payrot]

Fuel cut is at 8300ish, the engine can safely go to 8600 (the ECU replacements put the fuel cut there)... Anything over ~9300 pretty much guarantees your valves to contact the pistons, unless you are very lucky. Not very many people get to drive their RSX's after an over-rev.

[Dave04]

Maybe a silly question, but at what point does the ECU record the over rev? Is it higher than the fuel cutoff? I mean, hitting the rev limiter once and your warranty is screwed seems a bit off to me...

[Treibenschnell]

Moved over to OTM Tech & Chat...

[Adam Payrot]

Maybe a silly question, but at what point does the ECU record the over rev? Is it higher than the fuel cutoff? I mean, hitting the rev limiter once and your warranty is screwed seems a bit off to me...

It records anything over the fuel cut.

[Adam Payrot]

Moved over to OTM Tech & Chat...

??? It's more visible in Bull and I'd like any opinions on what actions I should take...

[Treibenschnell]

??? It's more visible in Bull and I'd like any opinions on what actions I should take...

Perhaps... but it's about your OTM.

Tell ya what, for you, I'll move it back.

[POS Racing]

So what has the dealer said so far, they going to fix it or buy it???

[Adam Payrot]

Perhaps... but it's about your OTM.

Tell ya what, for you, I'll move it back.

The check's in the mail

[Adam Payrot]

So what has the dealer said so far, they going to fix it or buy it???

Waiting for them to call me. I haven't been able to get my service adviser on the phone today. At least they gave me a TSX to drive around in while things get sorted out.

[Treibenschnell]

Sounds like someone in the shop will be losing their gig...

[altiain]

Two things:

First, it's pretty typical to disco the battery during any major repair work. I'd be a little more suspect if I got my car back from the body shop and my radio presets still worked.

Second, would you mind publishing the repair shop's name? I'd prefer to avoid taking my car to anywhere that encourages that kind of abuse.

Regarding the ECU record - I'd ask the dealership for a printout of the ECU code, and a statment in writing to the effect that this code causes your warranty to be voided. Then I'd call up the owner/general manager of whatever body shop you used, and schedule an opportunity to come in and sit down with him to discuss this. Decide what you think is fair compensation for this, and then stick to your guns - if the ECU does indeed record a time/date stamp of the overrev and you've got documentation to prove that the car was in the body shop's posession during this time, I'd suggest that you've got a pretty solid case against them.

While you have every right to be angry, don't look at this as an opportunity to profit from the body shop's abuse. In other words, don't expect them to buy you a new car, 'cause it won't happen. I'd get the dealership to give me a worst-case estimate on R & R for the valve damage associated with an overrev, and then go in asking for 80-100% of this figure.

If they balk, sue 'em. Small claims court limit in Tarrant County is $5k.

[POS Racing]

Is this code deal going to stay with this car as part of it's "Permanent Record"???

As if the over-rev is bad enough, the entire engine/drive-train warranty is now voided with that over-rev code in the ECU. The RSX permanently burns that code into a special sector of memory where it can't be erased. I have no idea if the body shop tried to erase it (the CEL most likely came on w/ an over-rev), but now it's a little more clear as to why my radio was reset when I got the car back.

So no more warranty on the car.....

[Miatamoto]

Iain, it was the dealerships bodyshop.

[Adam Payrot]

Yes, I have the print-out, I asked for a copy as soon as he showed me the original. I also have dated pictures, the paperwork from the body shop, and also the statement for the rental car that State Farm paid for me to use while my car was in the shop (I had to turn it in the day that I picked up my car).

The other problem I have with an engine replacement is that it is most likely going to be put in as "good will". Once you have a good will done at Acura, they pretty much look down at you. A lot of the members of CRSX have had legit warranty claims, only to have the dealership write it off as good will and tell them they are SOL next time.

That code will never be cleared out of the original ECU. I could replace the ECU, but otherwise, that code is going to be in the ECU forever.


Oh and it was the North Arlington Vandergriff Collision Center. The service director told me that the South Arlington shop is the one I should have gone to.

[Adam Payrot]

Is this code deal going to stay with this car as part of it's "Permanent Record"???

It is now on record with Acura as well, since they pulled the code, they entered it into the vehicle history...

So no more warranty on the car.....

Exactly... It's a snowball effect too, even though the engine was over-revved, that caused the transmission internals to spin faster, etc etc. At least that's how they tend to justify it.

[POS Racing]

Oh and it was the North Arlington Vandergriff Collision Center. The service director told me that the South Arlington shop is the one I should have gone to.

Oh well fine time to mention that little tidbit!