I guess I need to sue my mechanic - I need some general advice - any lawyers would be appreciated.

[episodic]

This will be just a bare 'just the facts' kind of intro.

1999 Ford Taurus.

Needed Rack and Pinion and Power Steering pump replaced.


Took it in. Paid good money to get it replaced.

Got it back. Steering wheel was off (had to hold it to the right to keep it straight). Also my tach is no longer functioning.

Took it back. They said they did not do the tach - but they'd look at it. I told them yes they did. They said they'd fix the wheel.

Got it back. Wheel is still off (albeit not as bad), and it is evident they messed with the tach. The reason why is it is stuck ALL the way up. It actually hit the inside of itself and is stuck like you are constantly redlining it. I'll get a pic later. It was not like that at first and functioned.

The mechanic is blowing me off - said it wasn't their doing.


I've never thought about court before - but this pisses me off.

Big question running through my mind. How do I prove that it was working fine prior to taking it in. How to I prove the steering wheel was straight and true?

God this pisses me off.

 

[scorpmatt]

generally it is your word versus theirs, not much of a lawyer myself, but I think there are some laws out there that you can look at, anyone remember what they are?

 

[episodic]

Could I not bring in the wife and family to attest to the fact it worked fine before sending it to them?

 

[episodic]

Btw when I say sue, I mean in small claims court of course.

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: episodic
Could I not bring in the wife and family to attest to the fact it worked fine before sending it to them?

What would that prove? It's not like your wife and families word is somehow better than your own, and it seems pretty obvious that they wouldn't side with the shop over thier husband/father.

Maybe if you brought in another mechanic from a different shop who said it was working and wasn't out to make aprofit if the case went one way or another, then that might hold some credibility.

 

[BriGy86]

steal the mechanics car, then bring it to a chop shop and leave the parts all around town

 

[episodic]

Originally posted by: notfred

Originally posted by: episodic
Could I not bring in the wife and family to attest to the fact it worked fine before sending it to them?

What would that prove? It's not like your wife and families word is somehow better than your own, and it seems pretty obvious that they wouldn't side with the shop over thier husband/father.

Maybe if you brought in another mechanic from a different shop who said it was working and wasn't out to make aprofit if the case went one way or another, then that might hold some credibility.

I don't have anyone outside the family that can attest to the fact. I only bought the car 3 months ago.

C'mon this farking sucks! What the crap does a person have to do - do a comprehensive inventory of the car's functional and non-functional parts before someone works on it and get it notarized?

The SOB broke stuff on my car. WTF can I do about it? Normally I don't curse but I'm seeing red over this.

I mean if that were the case, if a doctor made you sick he could just say that you were already sick. All sorts of bull.

 

[Viperoni]

The steering wheel is off because the car needs an alignment. Sounds like that wasn't done.

The tach... sounds like a wire got disconnected at first, but the only thing I could think of that would cause it to go all wacky would be a bad voltage regulator (rheostat?) for the tach.

 

[episodic]

Originally posted by: Viperoni
The steering wheel is off because the car needs an alignment. Sounds like that wasn't done.

The tach... sounds like a wire got disconnected at first, but the only thing I could think of that would cause it to go all wacky would be a bad voltage regulator (rheostat?) for the tach.

I don't know alot about cars. I know how to tell what part is broke, and how to change my oil and filter and battery. It worked when I left it with him. Did nothing when I took it back to him (was just at the bottom like 0 rpms) - now after he 'looked' at it again - it is stuck all they way at red line. It even stays there when you turn the car off.

The car was perfectly aligned before I brought it in. He should return it to it's prior state.

 

[meltdown75]

aw dude that blows. nothing worse than a shady mechanic. well, best of luck. small claims court usually doubles the amount of BS you went through in the first place.

 

[episodic]

Originally posted by: meltdown75
aw dude that blows. nothing worse than a shady mechanic. well, best of luck. small claims court usually doubles the amount of BS you went through in the first place.

What sucks is this guy came highly recommended to me. He is a long time mechanic in this town - and most ppl seem to say 'he is a good guy' - which even blows more.

 

[Wingznut]

<-- Ex-ASE Master Tech of 10+ years.


The steering wheel being off isn't a huge deal. It's not uncommon at all after a rack and pinion replacement. A four wheel alignment will take care of that. And actually, it's such a simple adjustment, a mechanic wouldn't even need to put it on an alignment rack. All that being said, they should've noticed it on the test drive and corrected it before delivering it to you.

The tachometer is a bit more tricky. I don't recall the gauge functionality with your specific make/model, but most likely the tach runs off the Body Control Unit.
The ECU (Engine Control Unit) gets an RPM reading from a cam sensor, and then feeds it to the BCU. The BCU then feeds the info to the gauge cluster/tachometer.
It's obvious that the cam sensor/ECU is working properly, as you would have a serious problem with the ECU trying to control the RPM (and the Service Engine Soon light on.)
If that's the case, I can't imagine anything they did to break it with the work they did.

Pretty much the only recourse you have is to get it diagnosed elsewhere with a detailed account of what was required to fix it and if the previous repair could've caused it. Then you'd have to present that (along with a convincing argument) to the mechanic in question and court, if it comes to that.

 

[NuroMancer]

Yup dude, ur screwed.
Your word against his, you *might* get a judgement if he's dumb and screws something up in court but I'd say your chances arn't high.
Your families word is viewed no better then his, it won't get you anywhere really.
The mechanic will just tote a bunch of majorly satisfied customers and convince the judge that he's a good guy and your car was broken prior. I would take it to another shop and have them look at it, if they can see something that was done that would prove that he messed it up then you have a case, otherwise, just let your feet do your talking. Pick a different mechanic.

 

[villageidiot111]

Well, if you bought the car three months ago, at least you can prove that all these problems weren't there three months ago.

 

[episodic]

Originally posted by: Wingznut
<-- Ex-ASE Master Tech of 10+ years.


The steering wheel being off isn't a huge deal. It's not uncommon at all after a rack and pinion replacement. A four wheel alignment will take care of that. And actually, it's such a simple adjustment, a mechanic wouldn't even need to put it on an alignment rack. All that being said, they should've noticed it on the test drive and corrected it before delivering it to you.

The tachometer is a bit more tricky. I don't recall the gauge functionality with your specific make/model, but most likely the tach runs off the Body Control Unit.
The ECU (Engine Control Unit) gets an RPM reading from a cam sensor, and then feeds it to the BCU. The BCU then feeds the info to the gauge cluster/tachometer.
It's obvious that the cam sensor/ECU is working properly, as you would have a serious problem with the ECU trying to control the RPM (and the Service Engine Soon light on.)
If that's the case, I can't imagine anything they did to break it with the work they did.

Pretty much the only recourse you have is to get it diagnosed elsewhere with a detailed account of what was required to fix it and if the previous repair could've caused it. Then you'd have to present that (along with a convincing argument) to the mechanic in question and court, if it comes to that.

I'm not sure. However, as I said, when I took it back - it wasn't doing anything (the tach). After they 'looked' at it - it is stuck all the way at red line. So obviously they had an idea what it was they did, and can't fix it.

 

[Wingznut]

Originally posted by: episodicI'm not sure. However, as I said, when I took it back - it wasn't doing anything (the tach). After they 'looked' at it - it is stuck all the way at red line. So obviously they had an idea what it was they did, and can't fix it.

Well, just because it changed symptoms, isn't a "for sure" indicator that they messed with it. When gauges (or any related components) go bad, they peg either max or min.

I have repaired such things before where one day it's pegged high, then next moment it's pegged low.


I'm not saying for sure that they didn't break it... But I am saying to keep an open mind that they didn't. If I recall correctly (and it has been five years since I was a mechanic), there's just nothing around the steering system that has anything to do with the tachometer that wouldn't cause other more serious symptoms.

Unfortunately, the only way you are going to know for sure, is to get another mechanic to troubleshoot it. Of course, that's not going to be free.


I realize how much it sucks to be at the mercy of the auto mechanic. That's actually one of the many reasons I got out of the industry.

 

[zixxer]

that car has an electric tach.. i don't quite see how changing the power steering pump and/or rack and pin would break any of that.



it's ford. More than likely it just stopped working at the wrong time.

 

[Quixfire]

Originally posted by: armatron
that car has an electric tach.. i don't quite see how changing the power steering pump and/or rack and pin would break any of that.



it's ford. More than likely it just stopped working at the wrong time.

If the mechanic cheated the job by dropping the subframe he could have stretched some of the wires causing the tach to stop functioning.

 

[Zim Hosein]

/me waits for Wduaqnug's expert opinion! :evil:

 

[zixxer]

Originally posted by: Quixfire

Originally posted by: armatron
that car has an electric tach.. i don't quite see how changing the power steering pump and/or rack and pin would break any of that.



it's ford. More than likely it just stopped working at the wrong time.

If the mechanic cheated the job by dropping the subframe he could have stretched some of the wires causing the tach to stop functioning.

i didn't consider that....



u rock

 

[Wingznut]

Originally posted by: armatron

Originally posted by: Quixfire

Originally posted by: armatron
that car has an electric tach.. i don't quite see how changing the power steering pump and/or rack and pin would break any of that.

it's ford. More than likely it just stopped working at the wrong time.

If the mechanic cheated the job by dropping the subframe he could have stretched some of the wires causing the tach to stop functioning.

i didn't consider that....

u rock

About the only wires that could've come disconnected that would affect the tach are from the camshaft sensor. If there was a problem with that circuit, the tachometer would be the least of his concerns.

Btw, dropping part of the frame (usually the crossmember, to replace a steering rack) isn't "cheating the job". It's usually the best way.

 

[IBuyUFO]

I don't have anyone outside the family that can attest to the fact. I only bought the car 3 months ago.

How about talk to the person who you bought the car from?

 

[isekii]

Take it to Judge Judy

 

[cjgallen]

I'm glad I can fix that stuff myself.

 

[RbSX]

Originally posted by: episodic

Originally posted by: notfred

Originally posted by: episodic
Could I not bring in the wife and family to attest to the fact it worked fine before sending it to them?

What would that prove? It's not like your wife and families word is somehow better than your own, and it seems pretty obvious that they wouldn't side with the shop over thier husband/father.

Maybe if you brought in another mechanic from a different shop who said it was working and wasn't out to make aprofit if the case went one way or another, then that might hold some credibility.

I don't have anyone outside the family that can attest to the fact. I only bought the car 3 months ago.

C'mon this farking sucks! What the crap does a person have to do - do a comprehensive inventory of the car's functional and non-functional parts before someone works on it and get it notarized?

The SOB broke stuff on my car. WTF can I do about it? Normally I don't curse but I'm seeing red over this.

I mean if that were the case, if a doctor made you sick he could just say that you were already sick. All sorts of bull.

Yes actually you need to have someone with an unbiased perspective, was there a passenger that had seen it working that was non family? the last owner of the car?