we recently purchased this vehicle 2nd hand. bought from a dealer. the car was running great no issues, however 90 percent of the time when i got out of the car i would get a slight shock. also my 3rd brake lights are out. yeaterday i took it to get the oil changed and today i am having issues starting the car. all fluids are full. i just dont know anything about mechanics. can someone help out and please tell me what to say to the dealer on monday.
To simply tell us that you are, “having issues starting the car” does not provide enough information to be able to hazard a guess as to the source of the problem. So, in the absence of any actual details, you are going to have to deal with the people who can examine the car first-hand.
From afar, I would recommend that you give the guys at the dealership some pertinent details (i.e.–there is no noise when I turn the key, or it cranks but does not start, or it starts and then stalls, or it starts fine when the engine is cold, but doesn’t start after the engine is warm–or the reverse situation–or…whatever is actually happening/not happening when you attempt to start the engine), and also tell them that you want the center brake light repaired.
As to the static shock, that is more than likely the result of the tires. Some brands/models of tires are worse than others when it comes to static shock, and the only solution is to attach a “shock strap” to discharge the static electricity from the chassis to the ground, or to simply keep one hand on a metal part (door handle, perhaps) as you slide off of the seat, in order to discharge the static electricity.
I agree with @VDCdriver about the tires
Several times, when I’ve had new tires installed, I would get zapped when exiting the vehicle
Every single time
This stopped after the tires had some miles on them
If those tires look fairly new, you’ll have to live with it for awhile
Unless you have a warranty from the dealer, I’d suggest taking it to a reputable independently owned and operated shop. It’ll more than likely save you money, and there’s nothing mysterious about the xB. Any competant mechanic should be able to repair it. Unless, of course, you simply feel more comfortable going to the dealer.
It’ll need to be looked at, but I’ll bet that’s the original battery and the starting problem may be as simple as a weak battery. Perhaps tired spark plugs. I seriously doubt of it’s anything serious.
Static charge is sometimes a result of synthetic seat fabrics. A seat cover of a different material than the “engineered” fabric Scion used might just stop the static buildup. It’s worth a try.