Disastrous service!

About one month ago, I noticed the brake and battery lights on in my 97
Nissan Sentra (83Kmile). I brought my car to a Nissan dealer service
center. I also ordered a 3K mile oil change with 100 points coutesy
check. After the check,they replaced the alternator and the left outer
CV boot.

Right after that, my car started leaking oil, and there was an oil
burning smell in the car. I went back to the dealer several times. They
first insited that there was no leaking till last week, they
acknowledged that the " Oil pan gasket leaking" and " Front crank
seal seeping", but asked me to pay 500$ to fix.

But that was not the worst yet! Last weekend, 3 weeks after the
service, I could not start the engine. I could hear the cranking.
Today, I had car towed to the dealer. They told me to replace the
starter, which will cost 400$.


My questions: (1)Was the initial diagnosis correct? i.e. was the
symptom (the brake and battery light on ) really caused by the
alternator problem?
(2) was the oil leaking incurred by service (oil change, alternater
replacement)?
(3) is the starter problem related to the replacement of alternator?

The dealer denied all of these. What should I do on this issue?

My auto knowledge is almost zero. I would appreciate it very much if
you could me any help.

Conan

On 17 Oct 2006 21:26:57 -0700, "Qianli Zhuang"
> wrote:

>About one month ago, I noticed the brake and battery lights on in my 97
>Nissan Sentra (83Kmile). I brought my car to a Nissan dealer service
>center. I also ordered a 3K mile oil change with 100 points coutesy
>check. After the check,they replaced the alternator and the left outer
>CV boot.
>
>Right after that, my car started leaking oil, and there was an oil
>burning smell in the car. I went back to the dealer several times. They
>first insited that there was no leaking till last week, they
>acknowledged that the " Oil pan gasket leaking" and " Front crank
>seal seeping", but asked me to pay 500$ to fix.
>
>But that was not the worst yet! Last weekend, 3 weeks after the
>service, I could not start the engine. I could hear the cranking.
>Today, I had car towed to the dealer. They told me to replace the
>starter, which will cost 400$.
>
>
>My questions: (1)Was the initial diagnosis correct? i.e. was the
>symptom (the brake and battery light on ) really caused by the
>alternator problem?

It usually is. I see no reason to think otherwise.

>(2) was the oil leaking incurred by service (oil change, alternater
>replacement)?

I can't see how.

>(3) is the starter problem related to the replacement of alternator?

I can't see how.

>The dealer denied all of these. What should I do on this issue?

Find an independent shop THAT SPECIALIZES IN JAPANESE CARS and has
good references. Get a second opinion. They will probably confirm
the dealership's appraisal. They may be able to give you a better
price on the repairs.

Don
www.donsautomotive.com

>My auto knowledge is almost zero. I would appreciate it very much if
>you could me any help.
>
>Conan
>

On 17 Oct 2006 21:26:57 -0700, "Qianli Zhuang"
> wrote:

>My questions: (1)Was the initial diagnosis correct? i.e. was the
>symptom (the brake and battery light on ) really caused by the
>alternator problem?
Yes

>(2) was the oil leaking incurred by service (oil change, alternater
>replacement)?
No

>(3) is the starter problem related to the replacement of alternator?
No

>
>The dealer denied all of these. What should I do on this issue?
Pay the nice man to fix your car. Start asking your friends and
neighbors for the name of a good independent mechanic. Paying dealer
prices for ordinary repairs like a starter or alternator doesn't make
sense.

Steve B.

"Qianli Zhuang" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> About one month ago, I noticed the brake and battery lights on in my 97
> Nissan Sentra (83Kmile). I brought my car to a Nissan dealer service
> center. I also ordered a 3K mile oil change with 100 points coutesy
> check. After the check,they replaced the alternator and the left outer
> CV boot.
>
> Right after that, my car started leaking oil, and there was an oil
> burning smell in the car. I went back to the dealer several times. They
> first insited that there was no leaking till last week, they
> acknowledged that the " Oil pan gasket leaking" and " Front crank
> seal seeping", but asked me to pay 500$ to fix.
>
> But that was not the worst yet! Last weekend, 3 weeks after the
> service, I could not start the engine. I could hear the cranking.
> Today, I had car towed to the dealer. They told me to replace the
> starter, which will cost 400$.
>
>
> My questions: (1)Was the initial diagnosis correct? i.e. was the
> symptom (the brake and battery light on ) really caused by the
> alternator problem?
> (2) was the oil leaking incurred by service (oil change, alternater
> replacement)?
> (3) is the starter problem related to the replacement of alternator?
>
> The dealer denied all of these. What should I do on this issue?
>
> My auto knowledge is almost zero. I would appreciate it very much if
> you could me any help.
>
> Conan
>

"Qianli Zhuang" > wrote in
>
> My auto knowledge is almost zero. I would appreciate it very much if
> you could me any help.
>
> Conan

Nope, your auto knowledge is less than zero.. Stick around and you can
learn.

Find a competent independent mechanic and forget the crabbing dealerships,
bubba.

You are easy prey.

They may not have done anything wrong, but they have not made it easy on
you.

Good thing you didn't send your wife the real dishonest ones would have
taken all your money and maybe even sold you a new car. Start by learning
how to change your oil the right way and take a short class. Or find someone
in your neighborhood with a nice looking old car and ask him if you bring
him a 12 pack of his favorite beer will he teach you how to change the oil
and filter the right way in your car. You do not drink until job is
finished.
Greyhound

"hls" > wrote in message
t...
>
> "Qianli Zhuang" > wrote in
>>
>> My auto knowledge is almost zero. I would appreciate it very much if
>> you could me any help.
>>
>> Conan
>
> Nope, your auto knowledge is less than zero.. Stick around and you can
> learn.
>
> Find a competent independent mechanic and forget the crabbing dealerships,
> bubba.
>
> You are easy prey.
>
> They may not have done anything wrong, but they have not made it easy on
> you.
>
>
>

Thanks everyone! I went to the dealer to pick up my car yesterday. I
had no problem starting the engine, without doing any 'repair'. I
droped by at a road site garage. The tec. there did a very quick check
and ascertaned that the starter works perfectly! It seems that the
fxxking dealer was still tryin to takce advantage to blackmail me.

conan wrote:
> Thanks everyone! I went to the dealer to pick up my car yesterday. I
> had no problem starting the engine, without doing any 'repair'. I
> droped by at a road site garage. The tec. there did a very quick check
> and ascertaned that the starter works perfectly! It seems that the
> fxxking dealer was still tryin to takce advantage to blackmail me.

You might have a bad ground or solenoid. Both problems could be
intermittent and could be strongly influenced by whether or not the car
was warmed up.

I had a starter on a Volkswagen Fox that would not engage if the engine
was warm. If it was being stubborn I just had to wait or roll-start
it, but usually a few stomps on the floorboards was enough vibration to
get it to crank. My guess was that the solenoid was just sticky enough
to hold but release once I gave it a few smacks, but I never bothered
to really try to fix it.

Matthew

Qianli Zhuang wrote:

> My auto knowledge is almost zero.

www.popularmechanics.com has several introductory articles.

See if you can find any of these books at a local library, all from the
same publisher:

How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive 19 Ed: A Manual of Step-by-Step
Procedures for the Compleat Idiot

How to keep your Volkswagen alive : or, Poor Richard's Rabbit book
:being a manual of step-by-step procedures for the complete idiot :
Rabbit, U.S. Golf & Scirocco, the complexities thereof

How to Keep Your Toyota Alive
How to Keep Your Subaru Alive
How to Keep Your Honda Alive

Even if you don't own any of the cars covered, these books can help
understand basic operation and maintenance.

On 19 Oct 2006 08:34:36 -0700, "conan" > wrote:

>Thanks everyone! I went to the dealer to pick up my car yesterday. I
>had no problem starting the engine, without doing any 'repair'. I
>droped by at a road site garage. The tec. there did a very quick check
>and ascertaned that the starter works perfectly! It seems that the
>fxxking dealer was still tryin to takce advantage to blackmail me.

Actually this is a very common failure mode for a starter. The
contacts in the solenoid wear and cause an intermittent start. A
mechanical person could replace them but I don't see you doing that
and a dealer is only going to replace the starter. You should get the
issue fixed or be prepared to call another tow truck soon.

Cars don't generally magically repair themselves. If it didn't start
once and you didn't fix it then it is going to leave you stranded
again.

Steve B.