How to handle situation with mechanic without being an SC? Jadedcarguy?

[Saydrah]

Ok, so, I have an issue I need to handle without being an SC, but in such a way that I get what I need done, done.

I took my car to Grease Monkey for an oil change and a new air filter yesterday, because I'm showing it to a potential buyer today and wanted it to be running and looking as well as possible.

Then I took the car home, took it to the car wash and gave it a good thorough cleaning inside and out, took it to Olive Garden for dinner, and took it home. All was well.

Until this morning after sitting all night, the car started roughly and ran roughly in first, reverse, and while idling. The CEL came on and then turned back off. After 20 miles on the highway driving gently, it was ok idling and in first and reverse when I got to work.

I suspect the air filter was installed incorrectly, OR they somehow loosened or broke a spark plug or something while working on the car.

What should I do here? My lunch is in about 1 1/2 hours, and I can make it back to the Grease Monkey (knock on wood) and ask them to recheck their work. How do I make clear that I need the error corrected, and if it's their mechanic's work that caused the problem they WILL be paying any needed repairs as I am completely willing to file in small claims court if necessary, but without being an SC? Hopefully I can just explain the problem and that I suspect something was done incorrectly and they'll just fix it-- but if they say not their problem, or if they say it wasn't their mechanic's fault but my mechanic who I would then take it to next week says it is?

[draftermatt]

Probably too late to help you, but I'd call them 1st.

Tell them what you had done yesterday, and what it's doing since.

You shouldn't threaten them with "you'll pay for this if it's your fault" because 1. Most good shops will anyway and 2. If you start down that road it makes them less likely to help you quickly.

Good luck.

[It shouldn't]

In my experience (not an official mechanic, just fix my own vehicles if it's simple enough) it sounds like you might have gotten some water, from the thorough washing, in some electrical ignition parts (electronic ignition module, spark plugs or wires) The car ran rough till it dried out some. See if the problem presents itself when you start it again now.

I would call them too and explain the problem. If the CEL came on they could hook it to their scanner and see what it says. Even though the light went back out, the car CPU will remember why it came on.

Hope this helps

[Argabarga]

Ditto, my car's throttle sensor is a bit old and worn, but still works (and is expensive to replace, so I don't want to) and every time it rains, or the car sits for a few days, the latent moisture in the air is enough to foul it so it runs very rough for the first 10 minutes or so till it warms up and dries off.

See if the problem persists, there's no harm in waiting a day or so, the more information you can give the mechanic on the circumstances of when the car misbehaves and how it misbehaves, the faster they'll be able to find the problem.

[Saydrah]

Update: Yay, they fixed it, and they didn't give me any trouble about it either! I've had issues with Grease Monkey before, but I think I'll be going to this location from now on. The guy who did the air filter didn't replace the breather, which was so badly in need of replacing that they couldn't even tell if it was a square or a triangular one at first. They said that, combined with the sensor adjusting to a new air filter and getting more air than it's used to after sitting and cooling down all night, probably explains the whole issue.