Robs Auto Repair

Review: My 1999 Ford Expedition 5.4L truck had an intermittent miss. [redacted] pulled the code as an intermittent ignition coil. This was the second one that went bad in two years, so I bought all 8 coils and spark plugs. I met [redacted] at [redacted], and brought the truck to [redacted] for a tune up and to replace the coils which were on top of each spark plug. He was going to clean the throttle body and replace the pcv valve too. He confirmed the intermittent miss code, and replaced the plugs and coils. I then received a call from him that the engine had developed a miss due to a compression problem, and that he thought it was due to a previous repair. He speculated that there was something stuck under the valve. He worked on the truck further and drove it some trying to get the piece of debris, or whatever it was, to clear out our get unstuck from under the valve. It did not clear up. He declined to work further on the truck, and I paid him for his work, although he discounted it to me. I had my doubts about what he was claiming, but gave him the benefit of the doubt until I had it taken apart to find out for sure. What I found when I pulled the cylinder head off was a disaster. He had dropped a bolt down into the cylinder when he had the spark plug out, and it beat the head and the piston to a pulp. I need a motor rebuild, or a good used motor installed. I told him what I found, and asked him to stand behind the mistake and put a good used motor in the truck. He said no. He claims that he did not drop the bolt in the motor. The truck ran perfectly except for an occasional electrical misfire when I brought it to him. Now, it has a bent valve with the bolt still stuck between it and the head, and the head and the piston are destroyed by the bolt that was bouncing around in the cylinder. I have pictures. I would like $2,500 to cover the cost of the used motor I have already bought, and to install it.Desired Settlement: $2,500 to cover the cost of a used motor and installation.

Business

Response:

In response to your complaint ID# [redacted] submitted by [redacted]. I met Mr. [redacted] at [redacted] Auto Parts and we began talking about his 1999 Ford Expedition(5.4L Triton Engine). He stated that he had a problem with the engine running ruff, with the check engine light on, so he had ordered online, 8 new ignition coils and spark plugs. Although he is a mechanic he didn't want to preform the work himself, so we exchanged phone numbers. Approximately a week or two later the vehicle showed up with an note attached stating to call him. I return hi s call and he informed me of where the key and the parts were located. I pulled the car in and noticed a miss in the engine and the check engine light on. I attached my Snap On Solus ultra scan tool and first pull the trouble codes. There were four hard fault codes, the codes are as follows, P0171 = Fuel system lean bank one, P0174 = fuel system lean bank 2, P0300 = random cylinder misfire detected, P0303 = cylinder 3 misfire detected. I cleared the codes, performed cylinder contribution test and this showed that number 3 cylinder failed. I replaced all 8 ignition coils and spark plugs per Mr. [redacted]'s request. During this process I found that number three cylinder spark plug threads had been coated with what appeared to be some sot of epoxy or hardener and also noticed mismatched plug and coil on bank number one. The engine was still misfiring on cylinder # 3. Went ahead and diagnosed the problem and found low compression on cylinder # 3. Then I called Mr. [redacted] and explain to him that this is a common problem with this particular engine due to the spark plug blow out which had apparently happened on spark plug #3, which would explain the epoxy on the original # 3 plug. This problem has been acknowledge by Ford Motor Company in technical]l service bulletin 07-21-2 which states that some 4.6l 2v<5.4l 2v,& 6.8l 2v engine and aluminum heads may experience a spark plug port with stripped or missing threads. Someone had apparently tried to epoxy spark plug into plug port damaging bank 1 cylinder head & combustion chamber. Ford has also issued another service bulletin 07-15-2 for Ford authorized spark plug port repair using Ford LOCK-N-STITCH aluminum inserts which had not been used. Mr. [redacted] refused any other repairs & drove his vehicle away. Mr. [redacted]s vehicle came in with obvious pre existing condition which is proved by the trouble codes that were present before any work was done by me & the attempt that had been made to epoxy the old spark plug back into head. Approx. 3-4 weeks later I received a text message from Mr. [redacted] telling me I had dropped something into his engine & that is what has caused the compression problem & that he was on his way to pick up $850.00 for a new engine. I obviously declined his request and once again explained to him what had been done to his engine before I ever met him and that I have no idea what had been done to it since it left my shop. his vehicle came in with a misfire on cylinder #3 and left with a misfire on cylinder #3. Thank you in advance!! [redacted]

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

I received Rob’s explanation and dispute several parts of it. We did indeed meet at [redacted]. The check engine light was on, and I knew why. There was an intermittent miss, caused by a coil breaking down. There are 8 individual coils on this engine. They are a known to give problems from time to time, and I had one go bad last year. I replaced just that one and the spark plug in that cylinder last year, and had intended to complete the rest of the tune up, but had not done that yet. When I had another one go bad, and it was verified by [redacted] when they pulled the code which showed and INTERMITTANT miss on cylinder 3, I ordered all 8 coils new, and also all 8 spark plugs so as to fix things so the issue would not reoccur one cylinder at a time. I had intended to do the job myself. I was a professional mechanic for 20 years, but a bad back and desire to change careers lead me to my current job, and away from working on vehicles on a daily basis. [redacted] and I talked, at [redacted], and he asked that I bring the waste oil I was dropping off at [redacted] over to his shop, because they pay him for it. So I did. We got talking, and he offered to do the tune up. He sounded like he knew what he was doing, had a reasonable garage and indicated he had been in the business a long time. I agreed, and said that I would get the coils and plugs that I had already bought, and drop the truck off as soon as I could arrange a ride back home. This is where his story becomes fabrication. There was NOT a compression problem on cylinder 3 when I brought the truck to him. The truck ran perfectly except for the occasional times when the coil would break down causing a miss. There is NO indication or evidence of spark plug thread repair. There IS a BOLT (or what’s left of the bolt) stuck between the valve and the cylinder head. It is the exact size of the bolt that holds the coils down. So… He dropped a coil bolt into the cylinder while the spark plug was out, and started the motor, which destroyed my motor. My truck had an intermittent electrical misfire in cylinder 3 when I brought it to him, and a blown motor caused by him dropping a bolt into the cylinder, and destroying the cylinder head and piston. My truck was brought to him with a stubbed toe, and left with a broken leg!

Business

Response:

In regards to [redacted]`s dispute, I do not know much more say other than his vehicle came in to the shop with a misfire on cylinder #3 and left with a misfire on cylinder #3.This is the reason for check engine light staying on with code P0303=misfire cylinder #3. If the engine has an intermittent misfire such as [redacted] claims the p.c.m. will set only code p0300=random cylinder misfire, this is proof from the vehicles very own powertrain control module that it had an active misfiring cylinder # 3 and [redacted] admits in his dispute to attempting on 2 different occasions to trying to repair issues to cylinder #3 misfiring by replacing ignition coil and spark plug. Evidently he is not aware that a misfire code does not mean a faulty ignition coil and or spark plug but just a misfiring cylinder whether caused by the primary ignition system, the secondary ignition system, fuel system, or mechanical failure which is obvious in this case and was a preexisting mechanical failure causing low compression on cylinder #3 hence 3 failed attempts to correct said misfire by replacing coil and spark plug.vehicle came in with a misfire on cylinder #3 and left with a misfire on cylinder #3. Mr. [redacted] sent me pics of a destroyed engine claiming I dropped a coil mounting bolt into his engine which caused the catastrophic failure< yet he drove his vehicle from my shop to where ever and I heard nothing from him for approx. 3-4 weeks later> I have know idea what was done to the vehicle after it left and should not be held responsible.thank you very much for your time and patience. Sincerely: [redacted]

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

Total nonsense. total fabrication of facts.

I am almost done repairing my truck, which was my first priority as I need my truck for business. I have had to borrow a truck on several occasions. I have physical challenges, rental properties that are transitioning tenants right now, and a full time job that has slowed the process of repair, but I am almost done.

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I will be taking him to court. I will present my case to the judge, with pictures of the damage and testimony of a machine shop and myself. I was a certified Master Mechanic for 20 years before back problems prompted me to change careers. I am well aware of the code that my truck had, and what that meant. I am not some fool who will believe his totally fabricated story to try to deny his responsibility in the engine damage.

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I will be filing the case as soon as I can this week and fully expect the judge to find in my favor and enter a judgment against him for the repairs.

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This would have been so much easier if he had just accepted responsibility for his mistake. Mistakes happen. Stand behind them like a business that operates with integrity, and there would have been no big problem.

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Thank you for your attention in this matter.