Friday, August 5, 2005

Cluster F....... oh that is so true!!!

Update on the car.  I cannot believe this either!!  Just to bring you back to speed, I took my car back on Tuesday as they said it was ok to drive and it would be 2-3 days for the part to get in.  It had to be specially ordered for my car.  


Everything was fine, except the battery light was still on.  I drove a bit on Tuesday to do some errands.  Wednesday, back and forth to work.  Thursday to work.  I leave work and start the car, no battery light.  Went to the nearby hospital to pick up my sister from work to take her home.  Still no battery light.  Smooth sailing........ oh that is a joke of all jokes!  


Driving along on the main route to get on the thruway, no issues until my anti lock break light clicks on.  Ok, no big deal, they said the cluster might cause these lights to go on and off.  Off it goes, on comes my air bag light.  Then my radio starts sounding funky, like it's really not coming in faint and static.  I turn it off.  All my gages and needles on my dash go off.  How 'bout that I am going 0 miles per hour and on empty.  I turn off the air and tell my sister, we'll just open windows and I'm not getting on the thruway.  I go to open her window and it whines at me, moving very slowly.  I get it open about 2 inches.  My window was already open about that far, but the back windows, nothing. I hit my blinker to get in the left lane so I can make a turn to go home the back way. No blinker.  Oh shit, this is not good!  Get in the left lane, make my left turn.  I get stuck at a red light.  Light turns green, I stall.  Turn my key, tick tick tick, Damn it all!  Sure as hell sounded like my battery was dead.  What did they tell me Tuesday?  Oh yeah, that's right.  'Your battery is fine, your alternator is fine.'  


My sister has never driven in her life.  I have absolutely no power, no flashers, NOTHING.  I can't decide if she should try and steer with no power and I push, or vice versa.  It's rush hour traffic and I am in the midst of the Thursday night outdoor concert additional traffic.  Shit!  Well, that isn't exactly what I said, but I will keep it clean.  All of sudden my oil light comes on, then off.  Then my door ajar light, on and off.  Hmmm a little power.  I turn the key and I start right up.  I put it in drive and go maybe a block and a half before I thump and quiver.  I have a light show going on my dashboard, my car is sputtering and I know I'm about to die,  I pull over and park.  I am freaking at this point.  I am not in the best part of town, I have no power.  It's a 100 freakin degrees in my car and here come two big 'ole guys.  Looking like hoodlums with their pants barely above their thighs, wife beater tanks, gold chains, tattoos, do rags on their heads cussing up a storm and bopping down the street towards us.  Of course they walked right by, but it wasn't the most comfortable situation.   


I call the dealer, arrange for a tow.  Now mind you this is 2 days after they said it was fine to drive.  I was pissed.  Sweat is pouring down my back, my sister is about panting.  I tell her to open her door.  We needed more air then the little crack in the windows was supplying.  Now here come some teenagers, swinging some type of rope.  Laughing and staring.  After they pass the car they turn and look back.  I'm thinking oh damn here we go.  Tow truck where are you?????  


At this point at least my flashers came on. I didn't want to try and open windows further as it was looking pretty threatening out and I didn't want them stuck open and have the sky open up.  I finally see the flashers coming down the street.  We're saved!  LOL But I'm still waiting for my father to get there so we can get home.  Mr. Tow Driver hooked up my car and politely said 'Don't worry, I won't leave the two of you standing on the corner looking like prostitutes.'  I wanted to hug him!  Found out his name was Lenny and he was great!  Waited until my dad got there before he left and took my car straight to the dealers.  


Now, it's well past 24 hours since the dealer had my car.  I called about 3:30 and they still hadn't even looked at it.  They had appointments you know.  Hell with that, my car was in there Tuesday and you said it was ok, had that not happened I wouldn't be in this situation. 


'Sorry ma'am.' 


Oh, I wanted to lay in to him, but thought better.  They still have my car and they have all the control!  So I ask the guy, 'tell me this, do you have the cluster in?'   


Well, he hesitated and then replied with, 'no ma'am that will take 2 weeks at least.'


I bit my tongue, literally!  Said thank you and hung up.  I have to say I've never been so disappointed and pissed!  It's now after 8 and I have still not heard back from them. I called maybe at 6 and he told me they had in the shop and he would call me when he had answers.  I have one car, the one they have.  I need to know the situation so I can evaluate what I have to do.  No car for two weeks?  Oh that is so not acceptable! Yet, here I sit with no control and no idea.  Friday night and waiting to hear something, anything.  Well, not anything.  What I'd like to hear is 'ma'am we found this is what caused things to go, it is covered under the warranty and it also caused your cluster go short out so everything is covered.'  


Yet, I feel like this is the guy at the service counter................................


                                           

No comments: