[justmack]

For the past few months, I have heard a loud rattling noise coming from under my car. It makes this noise whenever I drive around town. It also makes this noise when I rev it while in park between 1,500-3,000 rpms. I did a google search and determined the ceramic piece inside of my catalytic converter was broken. I made an appointment at the Ford dealer and dropped my car off. The next day, I got a phone call from the service manager and he said the technician could not get my car to make the rattling noise. I was thinking B.S. so I had my dad drive me back to the Ford dealer. My dad, the technician, the service manager, and myself all got in my car, and as soon as we drove off, the loud rattling appeared. The technician said the baffles in the catalytic converter were broken. The service manager ordered a new catalytic converter, and said it would be installed the following week. I dropped my car off the following week to get the new catalytic converter installed. A few hours after dropping my car off, they said my car was ready. I picked it up, drove it around town, and the rattling noise was back! I immediately pulled over at the nearest gas station and looked under my car. The catalytic converter was very dirty and a little rusty, which made me think it was the same old catalytic converter. I went back to the dealer and told them my car was still rattling, and they didn't believe me. I had the service manager come outside, and he started my car up and started revving it really hard up to 4,000 in neutral, and then he put it in drive at started revving it to 2,500! I know this is bad to do, and I told him to stop! Within a few moments, I started to smell a terrible smell. I had a feeling it was my transmission, but he said it was the new catalytic converter. After he abused my car, he said it was a loose heat shield making the noise. He set up another appointment for this upcoming Wednesday to fix the heat shield. What do you all think? Are they lying about replacing the catalytic converter? Do they abuse our cars like this when we are not there? What should I do?

 

[thsncc1701]

I think you have been had. A friend of ours had a Honda and she took it to the dealer to have the Alternator replaced. She took it in to the dealer. They gave her a 1 day rental and told her to be back in 2 hours. She came back in 3 and paid for everything. She is driving home on the freeway and there is a loud thud. The bearings had seized in the alternator and it broke the belt. She towed it back to the dealer. They opened the hood. It was the same alternator she was replacing because its bearings were bad. The technician said in his opinion there was nothing wrong with the alternator and the noise was coming from elsewherere. The replaced the alternator for her. At least the refunded her for parts and 1/2 of the labor.

 

[mikehawk]

Yeah, most mechanics beat the crap out of the customer cars, sad but true. If there was rust and grime after one day, then it's most likely the same old cat. I had the same buzzing/rattling noise from a cracked heat shield, and I fixed it by bending the heat shield back so the two parts don't touch anymore.

 

[silverknight]

what u should do when u have to get a part replaced at a shop. and u know its that part. draw on it with a marker so if u get it back u know its yours, make sure its something only u can duplicate and if u have a digi cam take a pic. that way u know ur not gettin messed with. and yes, the shop people love to mess around in people's cars. and they like to tell u other stuff is broken along with the one part.

 

[Utahtaurus]

The fine people on this Forum saved me 600 bucks by advising me to get second opinions. 884 vs 195 for a single cat installed. It doesn't hurt to ask, get a rich mechanic, poor one and some hack. Average their answers, get on the Net and find the stupid part, present to to them, install with the best answer given.

Mechanics are human, call them on the carpet when they pull some funny stuff. Independent shops are worth checking out, a part is a part.

 

[Glenn62]

I'm not sure where you are located, but I do remember taking my Ford E150 Conversion Van into a Ford dealer in SouthWestern Ontario... what a blasted nightmare. Anyway, to get to the point of your message without my rambling... I can only comment on what my Chrysler did as I haven't had my Sable for a year yet. I know when my Caravelle made the racket, I went underneath the old beast and removed the darn thing. It's nothing something I would recommend, but it didn't hurt the old beast and it was quite after that. In fact, the original catalyic (sp) convertor is still on the ole beast, and it's a 1988...
Start asking other Ford owners in your area of what shops they take their car to that they trust.... always evaluate and investigate. Until then, I wouldn't take the car back to the place you just had it at... after that type of abuse, I wouldn't let them within 1/2 mile of my car.
Check with your local Better Business Bureau as well...

 

[spragers]

You took your car to a dealership for a repair :blink:

Before I knew any better, the local Ford shop charged me over $700 to replace my exhaust system. They also suggested that my independant mechanic look for a "head gasket leak" if my idling problem persisted (it turned out to be some botched wiring from whoever last repaied the TPSs connector on my SHO.)

In a word, yes, you've been had.

 

[justmack]

I'm covered under the Federal Emissions Warranty so nothing is coming out of my pocket, that is why I think they are cheaping out of the problem.

 

[Glenn62]

If there is another Ford dealer nearby, why not try them and see what they have say... not to mention how they act.