I own a 1991 Chrysler Imperial and recently had the starter, relay and battery replaced. When I took the car home it had two new problems it had never had before: battery drain and the dashboard cluster lights are all off. Did they do something bad to my car while they were working on it?
Ask and see what transpires.
You have a very old car with likely frail wiring. The parts replaced do not seem to correlate with your problems of dash. The relay may be defective/sticking and causing the batter drain.
The dash is stretch to blame on them.
Good luck.
They may have installed the starter wrong or used the wrong or rebuilt starter…these can wreck havoc on your electrical system. This is the one item that DOES correlate to your dash. If there is something amiss with the starter or its wiring you will def have issues like you described.
Def tell them what you are seeing and bring it back…they caused this. OR I should say the starter can be causing this
Thank you - I need all the info I can get.
Thank you. I already have talked to them re ongoing problem. They are refusing to work on it! They also made a notation on their invoice that says the NEW battery has “No Warranty.” Guess my only option is filing complaint with BAR. Thank again.
I agree with Honda Blackbird. They screwed up on installation.
Don’t give up to their B.S.
I know these new problems didn’t just suddenly appear. They did something but I’m just a “dumb woman” who knows nothing re cars.When they finally replaced the battery they told me the old one was defective when it was put on the car. Since it was their battery, they had to replace it for free. At that point they figured they had spent enough time on my car so they sent me home with problems. I’m extremely upset at the way I was treated. Thanks again.
First, find a reputable mechanic to inspect the car and repair it. Make sure he evaluates the car as-is and as repaired by the first mechanic. Have him document what the issue turns out to be, how it was repaired and how it may or may not relate to the symptoms and previous repair. This information is needed so that you may choose to sue the previous mechanics in small claims court.
I find it very, very strange that any battery comes with no warranty. To me that is unacceptable – there are way too many battery vendors who warranty their batteries, and one of those vendors should have been used.
A common problem with those cars is the glove box light switch, it is easily bent resulting in a light the stays on and drains the battery. Look at the glove box without opening it and see if there is light visable through the cracks.
The starter wiring on that car is very simple and it is unlikely it was installed incorrectly. But there are other ways to cause damage, jump starting the car with the cables reversed, connecting the battery backwards, ect.
Does your car have analog gauges or a digital cluster? Those early digital clusters weren’t very reliable and it is posible it gave up when the battery was reconnected.
Check the instrument cluster dimmer (rotate the headlight switch) to be sure it isn’t just turned down all the way. Next have someone check the fuses.
I love all the help I’m getting. I will check the glove box.
Battery was never jumped.
Dash is digital and I’ve already checked the dimmer and fuses. I find it really odd that a new battery has no warranty and that this shop did some creative writing on their last invoice so it appears that both problems were solved when they turned the car over to me. Thanks!!Wish I had money and time for an attorney or small claims. All I can do is complain to Bar, AAA, BBB, Angie’s List, etc.
My thought too was check to make sure the dimmer on the headlight switch hadn’t been turned all the way down.
Thanks. I just realized I gave the impression the battery was replaced the same time as the starter. It wasn’t. Starter was replaced 3/31. The dash lights went out 4/9-4/10 and the new battery was not installed until 4/13. I’m at my wit’s end here. Thanks, thanks.
I’m simply amazed how people can come on here and say with any definity that the mechanic messed up her car. It’s a twenty year old Imperial! I saw lots of these turds when they were less than ten years old that needed the cluster repaired. I really doubt they did anything wrong, but I guess whatever makes the boat float. Have any of you ever worked on an Imperial? The cluster’s guaranteed to fail, it’s just a matter of when. If I were the owner of this car I would dump it before it becomes a real money pit!
The point could also be made about events leading up to the starter, relay, and battery replacement.
Does this mean the car was suffering electrical problems and if so what, was it towed to the shop, etc, etc.
Based on the multiple repairs maybe this car has multiple problems and considering it’s a 20 year old Chrysler it’s entirely possible.
I see no indication what so ever that the mechanic “messed up”. I do need it explained a bit better how it is possible to mess up the cluster lighting only with an incorrect starter install (but correct enough that it still starts the car). Just a lot more needed before I come down on the mechanic, these guys deserve an even hand also.
If the cluster failed while you had the vehicle I don’t think you should fault the shop. Driving with a weak battery can lead to trouble but even that may not be the cause of the cluster failure. Old age is the best presumption.
I’m guessing they are tired of your old car buning up batteries due to the draw and that is why they stated “No Warranty”. Did they warn you in the past that the draw must be corrected?