So I bought a car from a used dealership and when I purchased it they told me that they put on new catalytic converter. So driving it home and the check engine light comes on I call the dealership and they said to take it to the garage they suggested. The garage said that the catalytic converter didn’t take or was a bad one so the dealership paid to get a new one. I go pick up the car and the next day the check engine light came on again and it would start flashing and I couldn’t go over 40 mph. So I called the garage took it back they said it read some mis fires a turbo mis fire and that they had to replace the cat again. The dealership paid for that too. The garage called me and said that the car was done but when they took it for a test drive it would make a noise and vibrate Bec the cat was rubbing up against the axel. Bec of the way the cat was welded. They also said that we have to get the manufacturer cat from Ford and tells me that the dealership was not taking care of this anymore. So I go and pick it up and it makes the noise and vibrates like they said I go on the highway everything goes ok try going up a hill and would not go over 20 mph and check engine light flashing again. Call garage they tell me that I have to call the dealership it’s their problem but the dealership says that it’s the garage responsibility to fix it. The dealership had been buying the parts and the garage putting them on. So I have no idea what to do and who is responsible for this. Is it us the dealership or the garage? Please help
You are now getting into a legal issue. Responsibility depends on the original paperwork. I suspect this vehicle was sold with some sort of limited 30 day warranty.
My guess is that you are now responsible for any repairs.
As far as the vehicle:
Determining why the catalytic converter failed is the first step.
You can have the codes read by an auto parts store such as Autozone and post the code numbers here. But it seems you will not be doing the repairs yourself. Find a good independent shop, not a chain like Pep Boys, pay for a proper diagnosis. Likely $150-200. Again guessing vehicle has more problems than the catalytic converter.
Too late now, but for future reference, when buying a used vehicle, have it checked by a mechanic of your choice prior to purchasing.
how long ago did you purchase this vehicle? And what kind of dealership did you purchase from? What kind of used car warranty, if any, did it come with?
March 5th and it was a used dealership and the bank we went through had a warranty with it and then I have car shield.
You need to read those policies to see what is actually covered and who to contact for repair. Most after market warranties require approval before any work is done .
The misfire problem must be repaired before replacing the catalytic converter. Take the vehicle to a Ford dealer and show them your warranty information before the estimate is written.
A Ford Explorer Sport? How old is this car?
It is a 2014
An 8 year old car was probably sold as-is with no warranty. I doubt the CarShield warranty will be any help as any aftermarket coverage usually only begins 30 to 90 days after purchase.
As far as I’m concerned, any shop that would tell a customer that “maybe a new converter didn’t take” has no diagnostic capability.
Whatever is causing your flashing check engine light and lack of power needs to be addressed first and is likely causing your catalytic converter to fail. As to who’s responsible, it’s your car and ultimately you are responsible. But you clearly need to find a better shop to work on and fix your car. Ask your friends, neighbors, co-workers for the name of a good mechanic.
I second asemaster’s comment about the “cat didn’t take” bs.
Just for hoots, you might have someone look at the converter and make sure that it has actually been replaced and that the claimed repairs are more than just lip service.
Just wondering, but if the engine appears to run evenly during the poor performance I might be curious about having a clogged converter (yes, I know…) , failing turbocharger, or worst case scenario; a failing engine.
If it were me I would want to know what mechanical condition the engine is in and it sounds like both that dealer and the shop are inept. As for legalities, you may find that the fine print in warranties has a lot of wiggle room.