Shady shady shady

[Garfy]

After reading your post, I’d never take my car to any dealership in CA

I don't blame you. Seems CA is where a lot of stuff happens. I believe Sears in CA is why the company stopped doing repair work other than tires, oil changes and batteries around 1993-94.

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[Garfy]

When i had a scat pack charger i dropped my car off at a dealership to have it worked on. My wife and i were out and about and i happened to see my car drive by me. Turned around and followed it for a while to see if anything odd happened. Afterall if it was a test drive thats logical with the work i was having done inder warranty and didnt want to come across as that crazy person Nope. Jack ass went to lunch, and got rather spirited on the freeway to the point i couldnt keep up anymore. To any who are unaware on the dodges in the performance guage section top speed is recorded. Asshat took my car up to 137mph. Needless to say i had a very unfriendly conversation with the shop manager.

I hope they fired the guy who drove your car.

 

[Vlad Soare]

Refresh my memory... do you lose radio presets when you disconnect the battery in this car?

No, you don't. Nor do you lose any other Sync settings, like bluetooth devices, favourite destinations and the like.
You do lose the trip computer statistics though. Those will reveal if the battery was disconnected.

 

[Cobra Jet]

If you look on most work orders there is a mileage in and a mileage out.

What you are neglecting and overlooking is all of the fine print on any document you signed at the Service Center that allows the Dealership and/or it's Techs to perform whatever is necessary to diagnose the vehicle AND the need to drive it. There is no mileage stipulation they can or can't drive during their diagnosis or to confirm repairs are acceptable. Also in that fine print, I believe there is some wording that states they can't be held liable for anything left in your vehicle or the vehicle itself while it's on their lot.

With all this talk of the camera not recording - have you even gone back to the dealership to ask the questions you ask here? I mean, if you're that concerned, just saying it may be best to go tackle them for the answers.

Have you also tested yourself totally disconnecting the camera - OR even turning it off? As others said, if doing any type of work that warrants electrical components or battery resets - how do you know that they didn't just turn it off and forget to turn it back on - does it take images of the passenger compartment too?

I get it, you have questions to the "why", but I don't think you're going to get those answers.

Maybe set up 3 additional cams, with backup power in the event they are unplugged, hide them about in the interior and have them WiFi transmitted to your phone so you can talk back like a Ring camera system...

 

[Deleted member 35644]

If you look on most work orders there is a mileage in and a mileage out.

What you are neglecting and overlooking is all of the fine print on any document you signed at the Service Center that allows the Dealership and/or it's Techs to perform whatever is necessary to diagnose the vehicle AND the need to drive it. There is no mileage stipulation they can or can't drive during their diagnosis or to confirm repairs are acceptable. Also in that fine print, I believe there is some wording that states they can't be held liable for anything left in your vehicle or the vehicle itself while it's on their lot.

With all this talk of the camera not recording - have you even gone back to the dealership to ask the questions you ask here? I mean, if you're that concerned, just saying it may be best to go tackle them for the answers.

Have you also tested yourself totally disconnecting the camera - OR even turning it off? As others said, if doing any type of work that warrants electrical components or battery resets - how do you know that they didn't just turn it off and forget to turn it back on - does it take images of the passenger compartment too?

I get it, you have questions to the "why", but I don't think you're going to get those answers.

Maybe set up 3 additional cams, with backup power in the event they are unplugged, hide them about in the interior and have them WiFi transmitted to your phone so you can talk back like a Ring camera system...

The 2nd to last video file on the camera is of the car idling inside the shop, and the tech walking around the car and getting in. That's where the footage ends.

The last video file is of me cranking the car and driving it home. The footage of the car leaving the shop and making its 3.7 miles trip to the parking spot is missing. Either he turned it off, or pulled the plug. There's no way to tell which, because the camera fires up when the ignition is cycled, even if you turn it off with the power button. The camera fired up when I hit the Start button to leave.

I've already said.....I really don't care that it was driven. I know they do that....I used to work in the Parts & Service Departments of a dealership. I drove customer cars all the time, as did the techs. The drive is not my issue, especially since it was only 3.7 miles. My issues is why the subterfuge? What is it that you don't want your customer to see that prompted you to disable my camera during that specific time?

To address Vlad Soare's comment about the trip computer data (thanks, Vlad, for clarifying)....it is all still in place, indicating the battery was not disconnected for this procedure.

You're correct....I will never get that answer, which is why I haven't wasted time asking. The service writer likely isn't even aware that this is a practice, and won't be speaking for the technician.

Just a PSA about having work down at North Central...you won't be getting all the info about your car's visit if you're hoping to rely on your camera.

 

[noGreta!]

OP's concern and trust issues are very understandable.

You can spend all day defending dealer techs and all their nasty ilk but the truth remains the majority of them are unscrupulous, uncaring and sometimes vindictive - very much like the 20 year old neck-tattoo punk that test drove my new GT by going sideways leaving the dealership's parking lot.

 

[smokescreens]

I find it ironic that , most people think , that us techs beat the crap out of there cars . Why would I, as a tech do that ? First off , my personal car , will smoke the shit out of most the stuff I work on . Second , I rely on repeat customers to pay my bills . When camera is installed , I will wave at it as I open the hood . Sorry to vent , just sick of hearing that techs are ass wipes , and customers who think they have the Holly grail of cars .

I most certainly dont feel i have anything special but its special to me at least. Good techs are out there, that has got to be. Sadly i have not found one in my area so i try to do everything myself. Im fine paying a ludicrous price on a repair if the job gets done right and i dont have to come back.

My charger had electrical issues after it was only 3 months old. The dealer could replicate the issue and pull codes but could not figure it out. So i was told oh well by 2 separate dealers and FCA customer care.
Last time i took my wifes car to a shop was for a rear upstream o2 sensor on her dodge journey. I could feel the silly thing let alone see it to change it. After the shop did the repair she told me the car was shaking horribly. Took it back to the shop and they said the motor mout was ripped. I went to look at it and the rip was the cleanest black rubber i ever seen. Obviously recently torn, they jacked the motor to get access to the o2 sensor and tore it then held the car hostage until i paid for a new one and labor to insall it. 3 days later the power steering started to scream. Checked the fluid and bu some magic process sand found its way into the system and it destroyed the power steering system.

Those are the techs i find in my area. Dealer or otherwise. If i could get a tech like you i would be a happy man.

 

[1958cyclist]

Wow, I guess I'd heard stories, but I figured the inverse would have been true. Guess I should count my blessings. I have several repair sources that I've built relationships with, so much so that they'll all allow me in the repair area while many repairs are being done. One shop for regular maintenance, one for performance add-on's and the third was difficult to find...an alignment shop that really understands the relationship geometry of how one adjustment affects another. Whew!

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