My engine light came on the first time when the car had only 15,178 miles. It was bucking and just wouldn’t go. At that time the service department replaced the cam sensor and the code was 0340. The car ran great for a while and now at 18,269 miles the engine light came on again. This time the service department replaced both the cam and crank sensor. They told me the crank sensor was shorting out the cam sensor. The code was PO344. They also convined me that I needed an air and fuel induction service which I don’t really think was necessary. The car ran great for two days and the engine light came on again. No code was given, but the service department cleaned the connection at the PCM and the cam sensor. Car ran good until last evening when the engine light came on again and the car starting bucking. I plan on taking the car back to the service department Monday morning. Does anyone have any advice on what could be going on with this car? I would appreciate any help. Thanks!
Are you paying for their incompetence? If you are, you should be bearing down on the dealership owner. Forget about the middlemen.
The car was under the original warranty first time so no charge. I’m now under the extended warranty and did have to pay a deductible as well as for the fuel and air induction service. I wasn’t charged anything the last time and do intend to tell them I have no intention of paying anything further and will deal with no one other than the Service Manager.
On a vehicle this new, a fuel and induction cleaning is NOT needed, and constitutes a wallet vacuuming.
Problems found under the warranty, and unresolved after the warranty expires, are still covered by that warranty. You need to keep the repair orders, and other writings, from the repairer. When a repair order is made out, you need to clearly and completely, explain on that order the problems the car has. The service person/repairer needs to have their signature on that document after you have completed it. You will probably have to insist on this; but, if you don’t get some kind of written proof that you complained about a specific condition, that will let the repairer have an out, “The problem wasn’t there during warranty!”, they will say, if you don’t have some kind of documented proof that it was.
Just a quick update. My car is still at the service department and they have told me that the PCM is bad and have ordered one. Does anyone know what the code is for a bad PCM? At least I know it is covered under the warranty. I did ask about the wiring harness and they have said all the wires are good. They estimated that the car would be done at the end of the week so I’m hoping that they are correct and I’ll have no problems.
It sounds to me like they’re just throwing parts at it and yanking your chain. The PCM (or engine computer) is probably one of the most reliable parts on the car and they fail very infrequently these days. I couldn’t even speculate as to what the actual problem is, but if they’re willing to replace the PCM as a warranty item and not charge you, let them. There are some ‘internal’ codes that can be set when a PCM is bad, but the absence of them doesn’t necessarily mean that it isn’t. That said, I still think the PCM is about the least likely culprit. This is a practically new vehicle. I wouldn’t pay them another dime until it’s fixed. And I hope they’re providing you with a loaner or rental.
Yup, I agree that they’re making guesses at this point and just throwing random parts in the hopes of fixing whatever’s wrong. Minimal real diagnosis is being performed here.