Q: Problems after thermostat, digital cluster & cooling pump replacements

asked by on July 25, 2016

My car had the thermostat, cooling pump, and digital cluster replaced. The dealership told me, on that same day, that the new cluster was defective due to the fuel gauge wouldn’t function properly. They replaced it a few days later. Then the cluster was replaced ‘again’ when the speedometer needle was stuck and stayed below the zero mark. After picking up my car I had driven less than a mile and the digital cluster faded to a blank screen. Immediately I went back to the shop and was told they would have to order another cluster and would call me, which they did a few days later. Now… the digital cluster won't make any warning sounds. When manually pressing on the button to test it, it shows a service visit was coming up and had the symbol to check the oil level and water pump. I was told by the tech that this is normal thing to see. That statement contradicts the car manual. I read where an authorized dealer in another state replaced the thermostat and cooling pump for a problem like this. I went back to the dealer explaining the no-alarm failure in the cluster and… Now the car has a slight jerk forward when I press the brake pedal. Strangely, the report reads: “ car ran rough, the panel lights were flashing and the car sat for a long period of time.” It also said that the transmission needed replacement and the cluster was fine. The tech told me that the car was in good shape, no alarm except for the transmission and it wasn't bad. But after getting home, the paperwork/inspection report showed that every component needed further attention. I phoned and the service advisor agreed that the technician must have made a mistake. What is your advice to get my car working properly?

Spark Plugs Replacement $113.11 - $716.47 Get a Quote
Battery Replacement $247.05 - $377.49 Get a Quote
Alternator Replacement $166.62 - $1297.14 Get a Quote
Fuel Pump Replacement $145.32 - $1299.70 Get a Quote
Car idle is rough Inspection $94.99 - $114.99 Get a Quote

It appears you may have a few different issues going on. It seems unlikely that more than one cluster would fail. The most likely cause is a shorted wiring or open circuit causing the clusters to fail. If the car is running roughly, there are a few potential causes, such as the spark plugs, battery, alternator, vacuum leak, or fuel pump. You may want to take this back in to have it looked at by the dealer. If you would like an independent mechanic to give this look, a certified professional from YourMechanic can come to your home or office to diagnose why your vehicle is running rough.

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