Should I file a complaint with the dealer? (Long)

[pitviper]

I know I have an 01, but after lurking here for a while I wanted the input of some you in the Terminator forum.

Here's the story. I took my car in for my tranny. Third gear was grinding on everyshift. They end up rebuilding it. Okay cool. I pick it up on Tuesday and there's a horrible sound from my front coil-over passenger side. At least I think it is. It clunks real bad. It was too late to go back so I continue to work. After work I drive back and it's worse. It would happen on speed bumps and such. Well at one point I go over a little dip and a huge clunk is heard. Everything is fine after that. Whew, maybe the coil-overs were unseated.

I still drive back to the dealer and I tell them what happend. I left it again for the night just to double check that they hadn't done anything. Well I pick it up last night and now the battery is completely dead and there was a real loud squeak from the rear coil-over. They even showed me, there are like look it squeaks. It didn't squeak before. I said what are guys doing to my car. so they were nice enough to jump start my car and I drive to my friends house to park it while I get a battery. The squeaking went away as soon as I left. As soon as I turned off the car off the battery didn't have enough juice to make a single light in the car come on or operate the window. Also the front end clunk was back. I jacked it up at home and I popped the coilver back in place, but now the front shock is thrased because the spring was rubbing on the shock. I'm taking it to the shop that installed it to look it over to see if there is any damage.

I know my suspension warranty is gone, but regardless I think I should get my car back the same way I brought it in, besides the work I'm having them do is not suspension related. WTF! I'm guessing they were driving the piss out of it or hit a dip and screwed something up. I just don't know if I should put in a complaint, because maybe next time they will be worse to my car. I know I have no rights in this situation since it's an aftermarket suspension, but it really sucks being screwed in the ass like this. Let alone I had to buy a new battery last night. My batttery worked great before. Do I have any options here or just forget the whole thing?

Thanks for listening. By the way I have MM coil-overs and they never made a peep before. Also it feels weird shifting into third, but I'm going to give it some time. Maybe it needs to work itself out.

 

[CobraBob]

I feel your pain but you're not going to get far on this one. They're going to insist they did nothing and that you mods were squeaking when it was brought in. I can't see anyway how anything the dealer did could cause the coil-over to suddenly start squeaking. Unless they abused the heck out of it on the road. Doubtful, but possible. I would say let the dealer know you're not happy because it was fine before they got it. Then make a note never to return. You might also send a letter to the dealer owner. It probably won't go far but at least you'll get it off your back. Good luck!

 

[pitviper]

Yeah, I'm not even sure what I would want them to do. I know it's my word against theirs and I wouldn't want them to work on my coil-overs anyway. I just felt abused and taken advantage of somehow.

I made the mistake of taking it back to them the second time because then the rear was squeaking and we pushed down on the trunk and you could totally hear it. It did go away as soon as I left the place. Also the second time taking it back cost me a new battery. Maybe it was just all a brutal coincedence. I'm over the battery, but I'm still bummed about the coil over. I just hope there is no damage. I've heard stories of coil-overs squeaking and making noise and I felt fortunate that mine didn't do that. I've jacked up the car plenty of times and it's always settled down nicely afterwards. Maybe since it was in the air the whole time the suspension settled too much. :shrug:

Thanks.

 

[CobraBob]

How long ago did you install the coil-overs?

 

[pitviper]

It was sometime back in March or April. Why?

 

[CobraBob]

I was just wondering if they were recently installed which could account for them suddenly squeaking. Weird!

 

[FireRed04Vert]

I agree with CobraBob. No chance of help from the dealer unless you have difinitive proof someone damaged the vehicle. I'm more apt to believe having it in the air with all fours dangling had more to do with it than anything else. One thing you might try is calling the manufacturer of the coilovers and see if they have had any other issues like this. But don't expect them to admit to anything that would go againt them!

Battery was probably coincidence...unless they left something on for a long period of time. Did they disconnect the battery cable? Is it not charging correctly? Did they let the motor sag when they removed the tranny and pinch a wire? Lot of things to check here....

 

[CobraBob]

That a good idea as far as calling the manufacturer. It wouldn't be a bad idea to find out if dangling the wheels like that could cause some type of hardware shifting that might produce a squeaking. ??