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On 12/14/2007, I posted a problem about a new starter that would turn over, but there was no spark. The discussion in the thread that followed covered the AMM, and the various sensors. The dealership claimed it was the AMM. They even put it on the invoice. I retrieved it from the dealership without replacing the AMM, and then I had it towed to an independent garage that did solve the problem. It turns out it was the starter motor itself. It was causing interference with the car's computer, disrupting the ignition timing. The independent garage put another starter motor in (a different brand of course), and that solved the problem.
The dealership, in the Keene, NH area, couldn't fix the problem:
* used trial and error diagnostic methods only
* recommended replacing a component unrelated to the problem
* wouldn't always listen to the customer
* wouldn't perform research
* installed components downstream of the ignition failure which suggests a lack of understanding of the basic functionality of a car's design
* did apparently try to control costs
* when confronted by a complaint through CPA, they "stretched the truth" excessively
* as a customer, I felt I had more knowledge of the car and the problem than their "master technician"
Friends of mine have also complained about the service at this dealership.
If you have a difficult problem with your car, this is not the place to take it.
The starter motor was remanufactured at BBB Industries in Ontario, California, and was sold under the name Orange County Alternators (OCA).
I approached OCA for some compensation beyond the price of the starter (which the local garage refunded, not OCA), and OCA not only would not provide compensation, but even denied that their product would cause interference with the car's computer. I did get them to perform testing on the actual unit, but only performed a standard bench test, which apparently would not reveal the interference with the computer.
Beware of OCA products...
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