sailor
Merry Whatever ..R.I.P. dadkins
Premium
join:2003-10-21
Long Island
| Chrysler recalls 369,000 vehicles for problems
Automaker Chrysler LLC said on Friday it is recalling almost 369,000 vehicles for problems with brake systems and door latches and locks.
Chrysler, which was taken private by Cerberus Capital Management in a $7.4-billion deal last month, said it is recalling 296,550 sport utility vehicles for the brake-related problem.
The vehicles affected include Jeep Grand Cherokee and Jeep Commander SUVs for the 2006 and 2007 model years and the 2007 Jeep Wrangler and Dodge Nitro.
Chrysler said a glitch in an electronic control unit could cause a delay in braking when the vehicles are driving uphill. The automaker has had about 20 reports of such problems, said spokesman Max Gates.
"It's a very rare occurrence," Gates said. "But we have had reports of drivers experiencing problems when they take their foot off the accelerator."
When drivers in one of the affected vehicles stop accelerating up a hill, that can trigger a momentary loss of braking power for a second or two, Gates said.
The automaker said it was aware of one accident that could have been caused by the problem.
Owners of the SUVs affected by the recall will be notified this month and repair work will be done at no charge, Chrysler said.
The automaker, which ranks as the fourth-largest in U.S. sales, also said it is recalling about 72,333 2008 Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Avenger sedans because of a potential problem with a cable connected to the front door latches in the vehicles.
»news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070914/us_···ecall_dc |
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CylonRed
Premium,MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County | And Honda also has a recall just announced as well. |
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3SGTE
ST215W
Premium,MVM
join:2000-11-23
there
clubs:
| reply to sailor
There is a submit news link at the top of the forum.
Random "Brand X" recall threads rarely go anywhere good. People like to use the threads to brand bash. I am not saying that sailor did in this case, just that the potential exists.
This is a technical forum, not an automotive politics forum.
I would love to know how the "glitch in an electronic control unit" (from the news article) causes this. That technical discussion would be great.
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Overheard: "I could careless matter of Fact"
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TheHarvester
Premium
join:2006-08-25
Dana Point, CA
| said by 3SGTE  :There is a submit news link at the top of the forum. I would love to know how the "glitch in an electronic control unit" (from the news article) causes this. That technical discussion would be great. Computers are running just about everything in the cars these days.
An ABS glitch which the computer thinks the wheels are locked up and bypasses pressure for the first split second? I do not know the details of the problem and we may never know the real cause of the problem but it's a possibility.
Personally I feel the world is getting too Dependant on computers to handle menial tasks involved in driving. Why do we need a computer to turn on/off the interior lights of a vehicle, turn on the wiper blades, honk the horn or lock/unlock the doors. Example: We had a Caravan come in because the interior lights did not work. Customer needed to replace the computer for nearly $500.00 jut to get the lights to work. That to me is bullshit. A $500.00 computer doing what $10.00 worth of mechanical switches can do (which the vehicle already has). |
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Mentat
The zeitgeist sucks
Premium
join:2001-02-25
Sugar Land, TX
| said by TheHarvester : Customer needed to replace the computer for nearly $500.00 jut to get the lights to work. This seems like all the answer needed to me.
Why sell a $10 part when you can sell a $500 one?
Why charge half a hour labor when you can charge four?
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Learn, laugh, love, live.
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3SGTE
ST215W
Premium,MVM
join:2000-11-23
there
clubs:
| reply to sailor
Mentat's post is a classic example of rubbish that I don't need to see.
I don't need a conspiracy theory.
If someone wants to ask why a computer is used in a certain application, and I am familiar with it, I am happy to explain.
If I am choking on tinfoil from someones hat, then I am not interested in explaining.
TheHarvester's post is an example of an honest technician that empathizes with the customer about the cost of repair. He doesn't want to see the customer have to pay that much for the repair.
Please leave the conspiracy rubbish at the door.
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Overheard: "I could careless matter of Fact"
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Mentat
The zeitgeist sucks
Premium
join:2001-02-25
Sugar Land, TX
| No rubbish in my post. This is the thought process of most dealerships and shops.
I believe that as a dealership employee and parts salesman I have a good idea of what is going on while the customer sits in the waiting room nibbling on a bag of pretzels. |
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TheHarvester
Premium
join:2006-08-25
Dana Point, CA
| reply to Mentat
said by Mentat :said by TheHarvester : Customer needed to replace the computer for nearly $500.00 jut to get the lights to work. This seems like all the answer needed to me. Why sell a $10 part when you can sell a $500 one? Why charge half a hour labor when you can charge four? No! they do it for the BLING factor. OH look honey the lights dim slowly when you close the door, The wipers speed up when the car speeds up, I push the button once and the drivers door un-locks push it again and all the doors un-lock. the head lights automatically turn on when it starts to get dark and shut off by all by themselves when you turn the vehicle off. Until a computer glitch and you wake up to a dead battery or have to drive in the rain without wipers or god forbid you have to un-lock the car with the key. A $150.00 key at that plus computer re-programing costs when the transmitter go bad or you just want another spare. |
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Mentat
The zeitgeist sucks
Premium
join:2001-02-25
Sugar Land, TX | The 'baffle them with bullshit' tactic works well also, of course.
The bottom line is that its more profitable to sell them this way, if some want to think it is some sort of wacky conspiracy, you're a daisy if you do. |
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TheHarvester
Premium
join:2006-08-25
Dana Point, CA
| reply to Mentat
said by Mentat :No rubbish in my post. This is the thought process of most dealerships and shops. Maybe so but the dealerships and most shops did not design and build the vehicles.
I believe that as a dealership employee and parts salesman I have a good idea of what is going on while the customer sits in the waiting room nibbling on a bag of pretzels.
So I take it you condone ripping off customers due to the fact that you still work there and the thieves are paying you. You would not have said what you did if crap like that was not going on where you work. I am paid well and make good money doing what I do without ripping off customers. There is NO REASON FOR IT if you are good at what you do and can keep customers coming back again and again year after year. I have customers that have been with us for up to 10 years or more. We do no advertising with the exception of the name and number in the local phone book and a company that sends out a one time welcome letter with a free oil change to new people that move into the area. I average 50-70 flag hours a week and have a very easy time falling asleep at night and have no problem walking into a store in the area where I work without the fear of running into a customer.
I worked at a shop for a few years until they hired a, lets say less then ethical service manager. I lasted a couple months then found a new job because I feel all mechanics have gotten a bad name because of a few thieves and I was and never will contribute to that stigma that has been placed on us.
Stigma: (from wikipedia)
Social stigma: A severe social disapproval of personal characteristics or beliefs that are against cultural norms.
»en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_stigma |
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Mentat
The zeitgeist sucks
Premium
join:2001-02-25
Sugar Land, TX
| I am not on the shop or retail counter, I do wholesale. I have clients throughout the nation that call me to do business with me. I didn't get a shot at making the bigger bucks by giving discounts to every Tom, Dick and Harry that walked in the retail counter when I was struggling to make a name for myself.
As you said, I didn't engineer the shitty ass design nor do I force people to buy my product. All of this argument is superfluous because when you get down to brass tacks, it is all about the profit; for the manufacturer, the dealer, the parts man, and the installer.
Also, quote:
So I take it you condone ripping off customers due to the fact that you still work there and the thieves are paying you. You would not have said what you did if crap like that was not going on where you work.
I do what I have to do to put food on my table. Someone is going to get fucked in any situation dealing with automobiles, I just do everything I can to not be that guy.
Standing on principle is a great thing and all, but you can't eat honesty. |
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TheHarvester
Premium
join:2006-08-25
Dana Point, CA
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quote:
Standing on principle is a great thing and all, but you can't eat honesty.
Even with honesty I can still eat very well. I live in a nice place in a nice part of town in a nice part of the state and have money for the toys I want. I am all for putting food on the table but just because Joe blow down the street sticks it to anyone and everyone they can does not mean everyone should or needs to. Nor am I saying you should give every Joe Blow a discount. Even our 10 year customers get charged full pop for the work 99% of the time. I may do a little something here and there but business is business and freebies don't pay the bills but I feel the bills do not need to be paid with dirty money either. I'm not going to bust you balls over this or bad mouth you or anything like that and if you do what you say as far as not being the guy that screws the customers that cool. Most parts guys (at least around here) are not separated between wholesale and retail, we deal with the same ones the techs deal with. |
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3SGTE
ST215W
Premium,MVM
join:2000-11-23
there
clubs:
| reply to Mentat
I took offense to the insinuation that I want to sell unnecessarily expensive parts and charge unnecessary amounts of labor.
It was written as a fait-accompli. It isn't.
I stand firmly on the side of TheHarvester in this, and as a dealer tech I managed many a lower cost repair where a more expensive assembly would have been an option.
I will repeat myself. This is a technical forum. I want to hear about how stuff works. If I can provide technical feedback, I will.
I also will not condone that crap.
Will I replace the $800.00 charcoal canister assy, or the $50.00 vacuum switching valve?
No question here for me. I will not hide the expensive option, but I will not ram it down their throats to make a parts sale.
As TheHarvester said, that is not how you earn a long term customer.
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Mentat
The zeitgeist sucks
Premium
join:2001-02-25
Sugar Land, TX
| reply to TheHarvester
You can bust my balls if you like, it doesn't make much of a difference. I nor anyone else I work with goes out of their way to fuck someone over. Sure you can hit home runs here and there, but by and large the customer gets an OK deal. Its a lot easier for a tech or service writer to fuck a customer than a parts man.
I have sold 3.5 million dollars worth of parts YTD to a combination of body and mechanical shops along with dealer-to-dealer business. Our wholesale is the lifeblood of fixed operations, and we work in a huge, competitive market that spans from Brownsville, TX to Oklahoma City, OK to Albuquerque and to Jackson, MS. When all you have to deal with is the guy in your shop, its real easy.
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Learn, laugh, love, live.
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Mentat
The zeitgeist sucks
Premium
join:2001-02-25
Sugar Land, TX
| reply to 3SGTE
said by 3SGTE :I took offense to the insinuation that I want to sell unnecessarily expensive parts and charge unnecessary amounts of labor. It was written as a fait-accompli. It isn't. I stand firmly on the side of TheHarvester in this, and as a dealer tech I managed many a lower cost repair where a more expensive assembly would have been an option. I will repeat myself. This is a technical forum. I want to hear about how stuff works. If I can provide technical feedback, I will. I also will not condone that crap. Will I replace the $800.00 charcoal canister assy, or the $50.00 vacuum switching valve? No question here for me. I will not hide the expensive option, but I will not ram it down their throats to make a parts sale. As TheHarvester said, that is not how you earn a long term customer. Sounds like you need to chill out, for one.
I never said 'all' techs, shops or dealers were that way; I said most.
Secondly, who the fuck are you to condone my post? Hey Mods it and move on or put me on ignore, but please, spare me the sanctimonious crap. I'm not sure how long you've been slinging wrenches for, but tell me you've never fucked a customer and I'll show you some nice beachfront property.
You say you won't ram it down their throats for a parts sale, but will you charge them 1.5 hours of labor to do something that takes you 15 minutes in actuality?
Please.
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Learn, laugh, love, live.
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