Get an alignment... end up with a blown headgasket...

[Funky Phil]

Just curious if you bright fellows could point me in the right direction.

 

I dropped my car off to get new tires. When they finished they pulled the car off the lift and parked it outside.

A little while after sitting the car began to roll. Into the street it went were it struck another car.

I received a call from the shop and hurried in to find my car totaled. I forgot to tell the tech I disabled (cut) the right e-brake cable because it had froze up on that side, but there was a chock on the passenger floor board which he should have used!

 

Who is to blame?

The mech because he should have pushed the car after parking it to see if it would roll, or notice it wasnt very hard to pull the handle up?

Me for not properly fixing my car?

The driver my car struck?

The drivers child for needing to be belted in which caused a departure delay leading to the car being there at just the right time?

 

I blame the baby and want a new car.

[lionbull]

Well I work with professionals and expect the same. If somebody brought a car for me to paint and I messed something up, like cracked some bondo from previous undisclosed damage, especially if it was a panel I had no business touching, I would fix it.

That makes sense BUT I fail to see how that compares to the actions that ultimately caused issues with your car.

Shall we break down what you said?

 

"If somebody brought a car for me to paint and I messed something up, like cracked some bondo from previous undisclosed damage"

 

This implies that there was something previously wrong with the car(fans were on a switch) Are you in fact implying that?

This is where you have to be careful of your answer.

 

"especially if it was a panel I had no business touching, I would fix it"

 

what did he do out of the ordinary that caused the issue with your car?

 

any conquest or any other car will idle all day long with no issues on a lift.

 

If there was something imperative that the technician needed to know in order to perform his duty competently then whose responsibility is it to make this known? It's the owner's is it not?

 

Have you heard the saying "help me help you"?

Edited December 25, 2013 by lionbull

[jeph_tsi]

I think where this gave me the need to 'vent' was from being in a similar situation but on the other side... one of my first mechanic jobs was as a tech at a Tuffy here in cincinnati, someone had brought her prelude (i think) in for a simple tune up and oil change so just as usual I pulled it into a bay, set the e-brake, and got to work. When I got the job done I got in the car to pull it out, released the e-brake and pulled it around front. Unfortunately the e-brake had been rigged and when I used it something broke causing it to drag and make a bunch of noise. The owner raised a huge stink, she couldn't believe I would use the e-brake because I was on level ground in the parking lot and in the bay, and to make things worse the car was an automatic. Unfortunately I had the habbit of using an e-brake, even on level ground, and especially with this car having a hand brake just like my conquest. When we pulled it in to check out what was making the racket we found pieces missing for the drum hardware and zip ties holding it together which broke when I pulled the e-brake. Now unfortunately we were in a bad situation where we couldn't release the car as it wasn't roadworthy, and to re rig it back would have been illegal so we couldn't release it that way either. The owner was beyond mad, and making a scene in front of customers calling us crooks and much worse. So we ended up replacing the rear brakes properly to avoid any further crap from this customer, that day I was the 'retard' (as you put it) who ruined her brakes!

 

Now no one is perfect, and I've messed up too, but sometimes you've got to take some credit for such mistakes, again nobodys perfect. Sorry if I sound like a 'hater' but I was just expressing my opinion in the matter and didn't mean to be insulting. It doesn't make me happy that your in this situation, and certainly not happy to see another conquest with a blown hg! And as I said earlier I really do hope this works out for you, and luckily it did, I really hate seeing so many sq's meeting their demise due to stupid mistakes like these (stupid mistakes as in this situation, not you pickles!)! Now hopefully there is a lesson learned here and you either fix the fan switch, wire them constant, or at least leave them on if there is a chance that ANYONE other than you has the keys, or at least inform people of this situation wether it seems necessary or not.

 

And Hateful, I don't know that I've been too hateful but I do have an opinion. It seems maybe the mods may have cleaned up one of your post, or maybe you did (thankfully), because there was an absolutely hateful response in this thread earlier that is no longer visible.

 

So in short I'm sorry, I never should have responded to this thread, I didn't understand that this was just venting and you wanted no input. Merry Christmas dude, I'm glad this worked out for you... seriously.

[mistapickles]

LOL, y'all are blind like some Obama supporters... REAL mechanics said there is no reason to idle a car while you are checking something that doesn't have to do with idle... I just came in here as a fluke to see this and wow, are you all this virulent because you have no family to be with right now? I'm available for hugs if you need one.

[speedyquest]

Oh arnt you an amazing human being. And don't you just hate "accidentally" navigating to web pages? Its a huge problem now days.

[mistapickles]

Yeah, when you have a modern phone it opens on the last page you were looking at when you browse... You can have a hug too Speedyquest, just don't look at me in the eyes, that would make it weird, I don't want to feel uncomfortable making you feel better...

[BC_99]

Just curious if you bright fellows could point me in the right direction.

 

I dropped my car off to get new tires. When they finished they pulled the car off the lift and parked it outside.

A little while after sitting the car began to roll. Into the street it went were it struck another car.

I received a call from the shop and hurried in to find my car totaled. I forgot to tell the tech I disabled (cut) the right e-brake cable because it had froze up on that side, but there was a chock on the passenger floor board which he should have used!

 

Who is to blame?

The mech because he should have pushed the car after parking it to see if it would roll, or notice it wasnt very hard to pull the handle up?

Me for not properly fixing my car?

The driver my car struck?

The drivers child for needing to be belted in which caused a departure delay leading to the car being there at just the right time?

 

I blame the baby and want a new car.

 

Not even remotely the same thing. It isn't negligent to park a car in a parking lot, it is however, incredibly stupid to run one for any length of time on a lift.

 

BC_99

[Shelby]

but having to push start your car is not ,> shakes head ,unless Pickles is one hell of a big dude

this means he has to ask peoples help where ever he goes all the time , you ever think maybe this mechanic that left the car running was trying to charge up the battery , how was he supposed to know that the alt was not working or the batt was no good or maybehe just didn't want to have to push some lazy guys car

 

and what was this TERRIABLY long time the car idled ,,10 min 15 min,, it was not hours for sure

[TainterRacing]

I think the reason that some are saying its not all the shops fault is.... If they were to bring their car it would have been fine if that had happen idling for some time. Now your very much right as well tho it should not need to be running at all. Lets just leave this all alone now....... Merry Christmas!!! Edited December 26, 2013 by TainterRacing

[hippynerd]

Thanks for the entertaining read. I especially liked how you continue to dig yourself deep and deeper, keep up the good work, its quite entertaining.

 

Two things seem quite clear, There was more than one factor that contributed to the damage, and all the factors were not the fault of any single person, so all the blame can not be attributed to a single individual. The good news is that it was just a head gasket, and not something serious. The second thing that seems clear is that there is no good reason to leave a car running while its on a lift, and doing that for an extended period of time, is at the very least unnecessarily dangerous and borderline reckless.

 

When I was a teenager, i worked at a gas station. we had two mechanics, and I witnessed both mechanics make this mistake. One guy was working on the car while the car was on the lift, with the engine running when the block cracked, dumping mixed coolant and engine oil on his head. He was the smart one, the other mechanic was the dumb one, and he managed to get a car on the lift with the engine running and the wheels turning (in drive), while on the lift.

 

There is no good reason to believe that they would leave your car running on the lift anymore than there is a good reason that they should understand that your car has a defect that needs human interaction. How can you cast blame, when both sides have valid excuses.

[jszucs]

but having to push start your car is not ,> shakes head ,unless Pickles is one hell of a big dude

this means he has to ask peoples help where ever he goes all the time , you ever think maybe this mechanic that left the car running was trying to charge up the battery , how was he supposed to know that the alt was not working or the batt was no good or maybehe just didn't want to have to push some lazy guys car

 

and what was this TERRIABLY long time the car idled ,,10 min 15 min,, it was not hours for sure

 

IDK I don't consider myself big 6'2" 215 but my quest push starts really easy as long as it's not a dead cold start from a day + sitting. My Harley gave me trouble and you just got smart about where you parked it. Always found a hill to my advantage. Granted that is tuff in FL.

[BC_99]

but having to push start your car is not ,> shakes head ,unless Pickles is one hell of a big dude

this means he has to ask peoples help where ever he goes all the time , you ever think maybe this mechanic that left the car running was trying to charge up the battery , how was he supposed to know that the alt was not working or the batt was no good or maybehe just didn't want to have to push some lazy guys car

 

and what was this TERRIABLY long time the car idled ,,10 min 15 min,, it was not hours for sure

 

Read the thread man. Pickles never said that he asked the Tech, or anyone, to push his car anywhere. You are making assumptions, Again. You keep insinuating that the Tech was trying to charge the battery. When did you talk to the Tech and get this information. Or is that another assumption? While you had him on the phone, did you ask him why he endangered himself and everyone he works with, to charge a battery by running a car on a lift, instead of just hooking up a battery charger? Im pretty sure every shop I have ever been to has a battery charger. Did you ask him why he didn't check the battery for a dead cell, or maybe just a worn out battery, and try to sell one? And while we are at it, what voltage output had the alternator dropped to, to be deemed inoperable, by the 2 of you? It doesn't matter how long the car was running on the lift. That isn't the point of the entire thread. However, it was obviously long enough to cause the car to overheat and the HG to fail. Lets try to make it simple for you, if I can. The point is: Under no circumstance, should any car, EVER be left to run on a lift, for ANY AMOUNT of time. PERIOD!!!!

It is negligent, and therefore the only direct action that caused this whole mess for Pickles. If the Tech had followed simple, logical, common sense rules for working with or around a lift on a vehicle that doesn't belong to him, there would never have been this problem. I know you could say, that if pickles car was wired properly it wouldn't have been a problem either, but that point is moot. It was a secondary mistake. Even if his car were bone stock 24k miles mint condition, The tech was still in the wrong for leaving it running on a lift while he looked at the suspension.

 

BC_99

[Burton]

Sorry to hear about your car, but I'm glad to see they're going to cover you....

 

 

It does make the tech sound lazy, but at the same time I see why he did it. Probably paid by the job, so if he has to spend 10 minutes looking around for the booster box from the last tech who used it, he's not getting paid during that time. Lazy or not, I've seen many places leave cars running that had charging issues. I've even seen a car left running while being painted because the janky body shop didn't have a good booster box LOL

 

 

Live and learn... I bet after this you'll never drop off a car for repairs when it has charging issues and won't start, unless that's the reason for the repair.

[mistapickles]

Sorry to hear about your car, but I'm glad to see they're going to cover you....

 

 

It does make the tech sound lazy, but at the same time I see why he did it. Probably paid by the job, so if he has to spend 10 minutes looking around for the booster box from the last tech who used it, he's not getting paid during that time. Lazy or not, I've seen many places leave cars running that had charging issues. I've even seen a car left running while being painted because the janky body shop didn't have a good booster box LOL

 

 

Live and learn... I bet after this you'll never drop off a car for repairs when it has charging issues and won't start, unless that's the reason for the repair.

yeah, I learned I need to invest in a lift and alignment machine, this forum gets like Real Housewives of Atlanta or New Jersey when people have an opinion and feel like expressing it(haters)...

 

On a more positive note, the shop is going to pay me to do my own head gasket. I told them I didn't trust them to put air in my tires and the manager said he'd pay my the flag hours for my job on top of parts and machine work... I guess karma really gives hater something to sulk about...

[mistapickles]

Lookie here Lookie here. 780 hp daily driver with the fans on switches... Part of his start up process, turn on fans, then turn on car.

http://i383.photobucket.com/albums/oo278/mistapickles/F760ED59-D6ED-44DB-B2F2-54CBB1ACA935_zpswxziftda.jpg

http://i383.photobucket.com/albums/oo278/mistapickles/80B19518-1D46-46CB-BBF1-308EACC00A93_zpswlu0ilgh.jpg

http://i383.photobucket.com/albums/oo278/mistapickles/77E66A8E-30F1-478B-A5E7-011077D5BF7E_zpsvnouoais.jpg

Literally I'm done with this thread...

[BC_99]

Weird, you mean to tell me a responsible car owner can actually turn their fans on and off at will and it works??? No way. Im glad they are doing the right thing for you.

 

BC_99

Edited December 26, 2013 by BC_99

[Dad]

You mean Pickles could have turned his fans on in case the tech had to run the car??? wow. go figure, he drives in a construction zone, hits bumps, blames the contractor- I'm sure he was the only car that went there at 2:30 pm. Then has the front end checked and the shop is gonna pay for his head gasket job. Lucky sob is all i can say. Sure can manipulate the peeps.

[Dad]

I'm sure that the owner of that 700 hp car needs to tell someone the procedure on starting the car.. Did you tell the tech that drove it into the shop to turn the fans on?? I'm sure you didn't. This whole deal stinks. You refuse to accept not 1% of the blame.

[BC_99]

The car shouldn't have running on the lift, the rest is irrelevant.

 

BC_99

[Dad]

But it was running, for whatever reason, It's interesting his battery goes bad,, well that will cost him $$$ so just push start it, fans need temp switch, just put a switch on it... then as soon as someone else will pay it's instantly in a shop. Why didn't he turn the fans on,, I know alignment shops also take them for test drive, how about the shop chime in, maybe it was on the lift just a few minutes? what if the tech took it for a ride and the fans weren't on??? come on BC. look at the whole picture. Pickles is responsible for this also. Edited December 27, 2013 by Dad

[BC_99]

Im not saying Pickles is blameless, Sure he could have put a note or sign in his car pointing out the fact that it has fans on a switch and otherwise is in danger of overheating, however He shouldn't have needed to. The tech was irresponsible in his actions, regardless of the condition of the car and its components.

 

I've looked at it time and again. It was running on the lift long enough to boil over and blow the HG. It shouldn't be running on the lift at all, period. Battery issues, fan switches, and every other irrelevant issue be damned. It shouldn't have been running on the lift, because it is dangerous to the tech and everyone else in the shop, not to mention the customer's vehicle, which is secondary to the safety of the people I just mentioned. That was stupid and dangerous and there is no justifiable reason to endanger those people. Period. That is the simplest element to this whole mess that I see. Therefore, had the Tech been a responsible person, Pickles car wouldn't be boiled over with a blown gasket and a whatever other damage may have been sustained by this ignorant fool's actions. Im sure his boss has chewed off enough of his tail over this to make sure that this sort of thing will never happen again with this particular tech. And rightly so. I say he is lucky because it could have been much worse. Iimagine if Pickles had posted about some ignorant fool that left his car running on the lift and it fell off on someone's child? You guys like to play the whole "what if" game, so there is a "what if" that should put it in the perspective Im viewing it from. What if this cost some innocent child or another employee of that shop their life? Would you still think the freaking fans being on switches is what matters here? I have looked at it from every angle. Maybe you should...

 

BC_99

[mistapickles]

I'm sure that the owner of that 700 hp car needs to tell someone the procedure on starting the car.. Did you tell the tech that drove it into the shop to turn the fans on?? I'm sure you didn't. This whole deal stinks. You refuse to accept not 1% of the blame.

actually no, came in said the brakes feel funny and the headlights don't work. I figured it out when I hit a couple of switches to the left under the dash... I'm a professional and this isn't my car so.... My first thought is not to leave it on a lift while it's running so I can check his brakes.

You're divorced huh Dad? Or on your way? I can't imagine it must be like at your house. It's my fault a construction company didn't put up signs in a construction zone, it's my fault because at 3:00 in the afternoon I had one headlight on my car They could have taken my car ton a test drive to check but if they did that them it wouldn't have overheated in the first place because my hood vents work excellently. And any non-shade tree mechanic I ask scratches their head on why to idle a car to check the suspension, fans or no fans. I could probably have the manager of the shop come on here and explain how he fired the guy for being lazy and breaking OSHA laws but I mature he'd see this as Real Housewives of Atlanta with you starring as Nene Leakes.... Oh the draaamaaaahhhh. Get a life.

[mistapickles]

Oh and how's it going after you fixed your own truck when the tech at that shop you took it to dropped it off a lift? It must have sucked fixing it yourself because techs are blameless in your eyes...

[Dad]

actually no, came in said the brakes feel funny and the headlights don't work. I figured it out when I hit a couple of switches to the left under the dash... I'm a professional and this isn't my car so.... My first thought is not to leave it on a lift while it's running so I can check his brakes.

You're divorced huh Dad? Or on your way? I can't imagine it must be like at your house. It's my fault a construction company didn't put up signs in a construction zone, it's my fault because at 3:00 in the afternoon I had one headlight on my car They could have taken my car ton a test drive to check but if they did that them it wouldn't have overheated in the first place because my hood vents work excellently. And any non-shade tree mechanic I ask scratches their head on why to idle a car to check the suspension, fans or no fans. I could probably have the manager of the shop come on here and explain how he fired the guy for being lazy and breaking OSHA laws but I mature he'd see this as Real Housewives of Atlanta with you starring as Nene Leakes.... Oh the draaamaaaahhhh. Get a life.

 

Not worth a response, but your true colors are now showing. You don't deserve to own a Quest. A professional would not have his car so rigged like you do.

 

Dad

Edited December 27, 2013 by Dad

[mistapickles]

 

 

Not worth a response, but your true colors are now showing. You don't deserve to own a Quest. A professional would not have his car so rigged like you do.

 

Dad

i think your true colors are showing, I've moved past any sort of logic with and have resorted to joking. You on the other hand are pretty serious... Makes me wonder if you'd be this vehement if somebody had a problem with any of the work you do at your shop.