Howdy folks. I’m hoping someone here can help me. I own a Nissan Pathfinder 2003. About a month ago, my engine light came on. I took it to PepBoys (down in Miami, FL) and they said the light related to the throttle body. They claimed they would send it out to a dealer to have the chip flashed, etc.
Two weeks later, I moved to Raleigh, NC and about a week later, the engine light came on again. I took it to a PepBoys here, and lo and behold, they said it was the throttle body again, the RPM was too high, and that it would need to be reflashed. They weren’t happy about doing the service (since another PepBoys had done the work originally, but they finally caved in and took the car).
It took them about a week to fix the car, and when I went to pick up the car, the check engine light came on AGAIN! I went inside the PepBoys and they now claimed it was the “swirl valve.” They checked the car, said nothing was wrong, and turned off the light.
A week later, the check engine light has come on again. I went back to the PepBoys and they’ve said its the swirl valve again. However, they are unwilling to cover the costs because they claim the swirl valve has nothing to do with the throttle body work done.
Here are my questions:
1) Are they inter-related at all?
2) If they are not, anyone have any experience making PepBoys cover the costs, since this new light came on while the car was under their care?
I look forward to your responses.
Do not ever go to Pepboys for service!
If you don’t know what trouble codes were found when they scanned the OBD2 system, then I suggest that you go to Auto Zone, Advance Auto, O’Reilly, or another parts retailer that does this free-of-charge. Then, come back to this thread to post the trouble code(s) for further guidance.
My only other comment at this point is…Pep Boys?
In case you are not aware of it, the better mechanics do NOT work at places like Pep Boys, Midas, Meineke, Monro, Sears, AAMCO, or the other chain auto repair operations. Even if you were not previously aware of this reality, the fact that it took them a week to “fix” the car should have been a pretty good clue regarding their competence and experience.
After you get some specific advice from us after posting the trouble code(s), I strongly suggest that you cut your losses and take the car to a competent independent mechanic. After it is repaired for real by a competent mechanic, you might try taking the repair invoice to Pep Boys to show to their service manager (assuming that there is someone there with that title, and that he actually speaks English). You may be able to get a refund from Pep Boys at that point, but I doubt that you will.
Consider this episode to be an educational experience regarding why you should not go to chain auto repair operations.
Forget Pep Boys. Either find a decent mechanic or go to the dealer. The dealer is more $$$ but they have the equipment to properly diagnose the problem. If the dealer charges are outrageous that’s why you have an independant shop look at it too.
The swirl valve and the swirl valve control solenoid are positioned at the front of the engine. They have nothing to do with the throttle body.
Tester
(see below)
The two codes that have come up are P1130 and P0507. The first code that came up is the P0507, and after that was supposedly fixed, P1130 came up.
In response to the PepBoys outcry, I took it to PepBoys because we knew we were moving out of town and wanted to make sure we could have the work covered if something went wrong. I did not realize PepBoys does not provide good service. I apologize for my ignorance.
I don’t mind taking it to another repair shop, but I would first like to ascertain whether these two issues are interrelated at all so I have something to say to PepBoys if and when I take it to another service shop (I want to make sure they pay for it if something went wrong).
I was looking online, and some folks suggest this: http://forums.nicoclub.com/zerothread/339097. Any experience with that issue? Should I ask a mechanic to try that tactic first?