My 2005 Hyundai Sonota (used - bought from dealer in winter) starts hard – there is a TSB that says a software upgrade corrects hard summer starting.
Dealer charged $100 to install the upgrade.
Didn’t work – dealer says their tech guide says that might be fuel pump sensor ($200) or fuel pump ($400).
Questions: is $100 for software correct?
What’s up with the “might be” scenario on the diagnosis? Can’t a service technician tell what is wrong?
Also, can simple mortals find these “official” repair missives? I can find the one about the summer starting, but no thread for “parts” problems.
Thanks
Shouldn’t this be covered by the factory warranty?
I suggest you find the warranty documentation and read it carefully. My daughter recently bought a used '05 Hyundai and most of the warranty coverage is still in effect.
I’d like to know why it wasn’t covered under warranty as well.
How many miles are on the car?
First, TSBs do not always fall under a warrantable repair. However, often a dealership will do the work as goodwill to keep the customer happy.
The process for flashing the new program takes time and uses a tool they had to purchase. They expect to be compensated for those expenses. It doesn’t take much of either today to run up a $100 charge. It’s not uncommon for tuners to have to visit the dealership for a CASE relearn after a hardware modification that affects the engine management. These can run $150 and it takes about 1/2hr to do. But without the tool, you’re stuck.
Troubleshooting is an art and a skill. Not everyone is equal. Even so, problems are often manifested as a simple problem but the interactions of the systems in the modern vehicle are complex. It is not always a situation where is the problem is X you replace Y. A good mechanic will do the right balance of diagnostics to try and narrow down the problem and parts exchange to find the root cause.
“First, TSBs do not always fall under a warrantable repair. However, often a dealership will do the work as goodwill to keep the customer happy.”
If the car is under warranty then this statement is wrong. The customer has a problem with the car and if there is a TSB covering the problem then it has to be done under warranty and at no charge.
Of course if the car is out of warranty then there would be a charge to perform the TSB. I will agree that $100 is not out of line to perform the TSB in this case.
I would ask for my $100 to be refunded and take car to a dealer who knows how to properly diagnosi; the ECU should tell them exactly what needs to be done or replaced. Could be an O2 sensor.
the ECU should tell them exactly what needs to be done or replaced.
No disrespect but you can’t have done much troubleshooting using DTCs if you say that. It is rare that the DTC points directly at the root cause. What it does do is point you to the appropriate diagnostic routine in the repair manual. Follow the diagnostic tree and you can find the root cause but there are some problems that are very difficult to diagnose even with both sets of information.
All my vehicles have graduated warranties from the manufacturer. For example, for the first 3/36 period, it’s bumper to bumper. For the 5/50 period, it’s drivetrain only. If you go in with a driveability issue in the 5/50 period or beyond, they are not obligated to perform a TSB procedure under the remaining warranty.
OK… So I will make my point a little clearer for you so you can understand it. If the car is still under the 3/36 bumper to bumper warranty there should not be a charge for the TSB repair.
Geez… what do think I meant by “still under warranty”?