I'm going to be accused of overusing this section...

[muppet]

my frigging minivan was absolutely dead this morning. I had to bring it into my VW dealer for a recall last week, and this morning it's dead as a doornail. They replaced the ignition switch and apparently goofed on the wiring or something because the battery was so dead that the ignition wouldn't even click. :ymad:

The car was locked in park, too, and once I put the key in the ignition it locked in place and WOULD NOT COME BACK OUT.

And Sarah has an appointment 3 hours away in Boston tomorrow afternoon. They said they'll try to get a loaner/rental car for me. It had better materialize or we're in trouble. She was fit in on short notice for a sick call with a new doctor because our regular doctor went on sabbatical, and I'm flipping out about that, too.

AUGH.

My wife called out today so that I can use her car to get around but she can't call out tomorrow, too. To rent a car you've gotta have $200 on a credit card and we haven't got it.

Here's hoping the dealer comes through. I had enough to worry about this week.

:mad2::mad2::mad2:

::deep breath:: OK sorry.

 

[muppet]

Just got a call from the dealer. They say they've checked out the whole van and there's absolutely nothing wrong with it. I must be imagining that the battery was cold and dead this morning and that the ignition wouldn't even click let alone turn over the engine.

If I get stranded in Boston tomorrow, they can pay to flatbed the thing back home.

 

[Jessica]

Geez... I'd say that's rediculous. They probably don't want to admit fault. Glad that they were able to fix the "no problem" problem. Better make sure it starts, shuts off, and starts again before you drive it off the lot! lol

 

[tiloah]

Do you have one of those newfangled VW keys? Did you give the mechanics your spare? This is what happened to me. If you drop the key the car can decide it doesn't recognize it and won't start.

 

[muppet]

I have the Routan key which is a little different than the standard VW key. I gave them both keys when they changed the ignition and got two new keys back. The battery was stone dead. Not even the LED cab lights would come on.

They haven't been able to replicate in 3 hours what took a week to fail before so they're convinced it's fine, or so they're telling me.

What they DIDN'T do is take apart the dashboard and inspect the job they did on the new ignition cylinder/switch because it takes 6 hours and if that turns out not to be the problem (or maybe even if it is, because it would be their fault), VW won't pay them for the labor.

$600 worth of labor is worth more than my kids' safety, I guess.

 

[tiloah]

You gave them your two keys and got two new keys back when they changed it, but what about the second time you went in *after* getting the new keys?

Just tryin' to clarify.

 

[muppet]

No, only gave them one that time, but they didn't make any changes to the ignition, they didn't even look at it. I guess I'm not following what you're trying to tell me, I'm sorry!

 

[muppet]

OH now I see.

I will try both keys when I pick it up.

 

[tiloah]

OH now I see.

I will try both keys when I pick it up.

Hopefully one of the new keys was a dud, that's an easy fix!

Sorry you're having to deal with the aggravation though.

Hope your stress is reduced a bit. Sounds like a high blood pressure day!

 

[muppet]

I went to pick up the van and made a bit of a scene (without raising my voice and I think I was very nice about it.) I told the woman at the counter that I know VW won't pay to take the dash apart and double check the new ignition (and to see if anything else was disturbed in the 6 hour dash tear-down) but it still seems like the right thing to do. I explained that I'm taking my sick daughter to Boston today and I don't want to get stranded up there with her (OK maybe I was playing the sympathy card a little.)

The head service manager eventually overheard me and came over and offered to leave the van in a bay all night with a meter (amp clamp?) on the battery line to see if more current than expected was drawn overnight. I'm going to call them in a bit and see what the results of that were.

Since my wife had already dropped me off to get the van and left for home to avert an impatient explosion from the two year old, the service manager even drove me home (in his brand new Eos, sweet) and offered to pick me up again in the morning.

Can't really complain about the service now, I suppose.

 

[Jessica]

At least they help out more when you complain. I think you were in your place. Now if it can happen in time for the Boston trip...

 

[SarahAnne]

These days you always have to go to the manager. Employees are afraid of getting in trouble more than they are helping a customer out. Managers have a little more freedom in what they can do for you. Hope it gets taken care of in time for the trip, wishing Sarah good luck!!

 

[muppet]

Well, we made it to Boston and back unscathed. I'm sort of ambivalent about the new GI. I'm going to write a post about it later in General once I get my thoughts together and recover from van lag.

Thanks for the sympathy and advice. ;-)