I am certifiably insane

When I test drove my '04 a couple weeks ago I knew I was getting into a bit of a mess. Like any used car, it had its quirks. But I did tell the dealer I wasn't closing the deal until the check engine light was sorted. I had just thrown away $1,700 on my previous car (screw Honda) fixing an emissions problem so it would pass inspection and I wasn't about to buy another problem.

So the dealer replaced three oxygen sensors and cleared the code. I signed the paperwork, gave them the keys to my car (screw Honda), and drove my new Ram home. Here, you have to drive something like 25 miles after a repair before you can get it inspected. My wife and I were on the way back to the dealer the next day so he could handle the inspection when the check engine light came on again. So no inspection.

Got to drive my Ram for a few days before a short day at work let me get to the dealer in time for his mechanic to check it out. Same code as before. Dealer gave me a loaner and told me he'd get it handled. That was five days ago.

He has found the problem, a bad wire. I should have my Ram back today. But I've definitely been on edge the past two weeks because I bought a car without a current inspection.

P.S. Screw Honda

Love my Honda, an not having emissions

ST-8 said:

Love my Honda

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You may be certifiable as well.

Not Insane
Just a Texan

Welcome to the club for the insane...

...and nice RAM.

what was the code ??? what wire did they fix to solve the said check engine light??

You must of grabbed one of the very few Honda duds. Lol
They may well be the best cars on the road.

must be a 420 code for them to replace 02 censors.

Marley said:

You must of grabbed one of the very few Honda duds. Lol
They may well be the best cars on the road.

must be a 420 code for them to replace 02 censors.

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my son has a 2006 honda accord i found for him. he uses the damn thing like a truck, does the basic maintenance and it runs and rides like a top. i generally agree honda makes a great car. on the other hand, i had a 1988 honda accord i was told was lady driven and looked new when i bought it in 1996. turned out to be a monday or a friday car. unreliable piece of junk that got to the point where i was paying 350 a month in repairs on it so i traded it for a 350 per month payment on a brand new 1998 f150 that was one of the best vehicles i ever owned.

svtnos said:

what was the code ??? what wire did they fix to solve the said check engine light??

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I don't remember the code. First time they replaced three of the sensors. Got the exact same code the next day. I have no idea what the details are.

Between purchase price and repair bills I ******* over $8,000 in an '03 CR-V. And still needed $1,400 in AC repair when I traded it. Not a fan.

SouthernGorilla said:

You may be certifiable as well.

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Yea I was certifiably crazy that I drove my truck back n forth to work all these years an wasted so much on gas. An I don’t even got one of the gas sippin ones but 26mpg +/- on 87 is a big relief on the wallet compared to 11mpg on 93 LOL

ST-8 said:

Yea I was certifiably crazy that I drove my truck back n forth to work all these years an wasted so much on gas.

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That was exactly why I didn't fix the transmission in my F-150 when it blew. Instead of spending $1,900 on the transmission I've spent about $18,000 on cars to replace it. I wish I was still paying for gas in that old beast.

And the plot thickens. Feel free to laugh at the way my life works. It's just bizarre how complicated simple things get.

It was 8/2 when I actually did the paperwork and took possession of my Ram. 8/3 is when the CEL came back on and things got interesting. I took the truck back to the dealer on 8/7 and it is still there with no word on when it will be done.

What makes it so bizarre is that the delay has nothing to do with the truck and everything to do with the universe. The dealer has two "mechanics", one on days, one on nights. The day guess is a UTI student, not even a bonafide mechanic. So his diagnostic skills are somewhat limited. And he goes home at 3. The night guy is apparently the "special" type. He calls to tell them he's coming in, then doesn't show. He acts like he's doing them a favor just by showing up rather than actually caring about the fact he's dealing with other people's rides. He's also so dense that he went to Dallas on evening to get a part for one of the trucks then acted surprised the next day when they asked why he hadn't put the part on; "I just went to get it, didn't know you wanted it installed".

So after a week of dealing with Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum, they sent my truck to another shop along with a couple others. But even the professional shop is apparently touched in the head. Like I said, my truck went with a couple others. They even sent parts for one of the other trucks in the bed of my truck. The shop pulled the parts *out of my truck* and then told my dealer that they didn't know who's truck it was or why it was there, so they haven't touched it. How did they think the parts for the other truck got in the bed of mine if they didn't come from the same place?

Of course, my dealer is pissed about the whole situation. He doesn't understand why such a simple issue has taken more than two weeks to sort out or how people can be so inept. Supposedly, the shop has two techs working on my rig now. So it shouldn't be more than a month before it's ready.

FYI, the problem now seems that the ECM isn't reading the O2 sensors. Apparently they have cleared the code and driven it and had the code come back after only 30 miles or so. I don't know if that means a reflash or a new black box. But I do know it means I'm not picking up my truck this weekend... again.

SouthernGorilla said:

But even the professional shop is apparently touched in the head.

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LOL...one of my favorite sayings....

10 Break said:

LOL...one of my favorite sayings....

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And apparently true in this case. They supposedly had two techs working on my truck Friday. Still no progress report.

I just got word that my Ram is fixed, inspected, and ready for me to officially pick up again! I'll swing by after work tomorrow.

Only 26 days after signing the papers.


Then I get to let y'all be a bad influence on me and tell me about the "critical repairs" I need to make to my truck so I can tell my wife I have experts telling me I need to do it.

SouthernGorilla said:

I just got word that my Ram is fixed, inspected, and ready for me to officially pick up again! I'll swing by after work tomorrow.

Only 26 days after signing the papers.


Then I get to let y'all be a bad influence on me and tell me about the "critical repairs" I need to make to my truck so I can tell my wife I have experts telling me I need to do it.

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1st stop is at the tool store. Then we’ll coach you through all your repairs


The Blue Mule

McBroom said:

1st stop is at the tool store. Then we’ll coach you through all your repairs


The Blue Mule

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Already got duct tape, bailing wire, and a Crescent wrench.

Turns out they had to replace the ECM and reflash the new one. Here's hoping it stays working.

The funny part of the story;

The dealer sent a guy to the shop to pick up the truck. All the guy knew was "pick up the truck", so that's what he did. When he got back to the dealer the sales guy saw the CEL was on and asked WTF. The guy said it was on when he picked it up. The CEL was the ENTIRE reason the thing was in the shop. So the shop sent a tech to the dealer to clear the light. Yeah, some special needs folks there.

SouthernGorilla said:

Already got duct tape, bailing wire, and a Crescent wrench.

Turns out they had to replace the ECM and reflash the new one. Here's hoping it stays working.

The funny part of the story;

The dealer sent a guy to the shop to pick up the truck. All the guy knew was "pick up the truck", so that's what he did. When he got back to the dealer the sales guy saw the CEL was on and asked WTF. The guy said it was on when he picked it up. The CEL was the ENTIRE reason the thing was in the shop. So the shop sent a tech to the dealer to clear the light. Yeah, some special needs folks there.

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I’d be damned if they ever touched my truck again.


The Blue Mule

McBroom said:

I’d be damned if they ever touched my truck again.


The Blue Mule

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They won't. A big part of why I bought this truck is because it's stupid enough for me to work on. And if I run across an issue I can't fix I have a shop I trust.