The Saga Continues....
Okay, so we got a new(er) vehicle on Thursday the 16th.
During the test drive, I noted that the backlighting for the council display was flickering. It was hard to read the gauges. I mentioned it to the salesman, and he said that it had an auto-light adjust. Since it was evening when we test-drove the vehicle, and I was going through areas of bright sunlight and heavy shadow, I accepted that.
We took the car home. Full dark. Still flickering.
Called the next day, set up and appointment to drop it off on Monday night. We did so.
Got a call on Tuesday. They had replaced the alternator. WTF does that have to do with the display flickering? Doesn’t it just supply power and keep the battery charged? Okay, whatever.
Can’t go in to pick the SUV up on Tuesday, because Service closes at 5:30 and I don’t get home until a little after that. So we go in Wednesday to pick it up.
We ask about the alternator. Apparently, it supplies power to everything when the car is on, and when it starts to go, things will flicker, fade, and eventually stop working. Hey, learn something new everyday. Granted, when my alternator went, the battery just stopped charging and eventually went dead (along with my car). But, this is a much newer vehicle than that, all computerized and stuff, so I can accept that. After all, according to their equipment, the alternator’s output was down 12 volts or something like that.
Drive to the store Wednesday night. Still flickering. I draw Joe’s attention to it, he says he doesn’t see anything flickering except the turn signal, “which is supposed to”. (What, I don’t know that, and am making it up? ;D )
Anyway, just to piss me off, the vehicle doesn’t do it again for that trip. I begin to think that Joe’s right and I imagined it. I don’t usually hallucinate, but okay, whatever.
Don’t use the headlights Thursday. No problems.
Used the headlights today. AH-HAH! There! I saw it! All the way to work, the occasional flickering, until I got tired of it and shut off the headlights about halfway there. There was enough sun that I didn’t really need them at that point (I just like them for the first half of the trip, as it is along a tree-shaded road).
Called Service today and made another appointment for next Saturday the 2nd. The tech I talked to said that the dimmer switch (I forget the technical name he called it - something ‘-stat’) will cause the display to flicker unless it’s turned all the way up. (Huh? Okay, whatever.) But he put it down as a possible electrical problem.
I am very glad this is all under warranty. So is the guy who sold it to us, although he doesn't know it. Ask Joe and Joe about me when I get ripped off.
Will Service fix it this time? Or will they keep replacing random parts until the warranty runs out?
Stay tuned....
During the test drive, I noted that the backlighting for the council display was flickering. It was hard to read the gauges. I mentioned it to the salesman, and he said that it had an auto-light adjust. Since it was evening when we test-drove the vehicle, and I was going through areas of bright sunlight and heavy shadow, I accepted that.
We took the car home. Full dark. Still flickering.
Called the next day, set up and appointment to drop it off on Monday night. We did so.
Got a call on Tuesday. They had replaced the alternator. WTF does that have to do with the display flickering? Doesn’t it just supply power and keep the battery charged? Okay, whatever.
Can’t go in to pick the SUV up on Tuesday, because Service closes at 5:30 and I don’t get home until a little after that. So we go in Wednesday to pick it up.
We ask about the alternator. Apparently, it supplies power to everything when the car is on, and when it starts to go, things will flicker, fade, and eventually stop working. Hey, learn something new everyday. Granted, when my alternator went, the battery just stopped charging and eventually went dead (along with my car). But, this is a much newer vehicle than that, all computerized and stuff, so I can accept that. After all, according to their equipment, the alternator’s output was down 12 volts or something like that.
Drive to the store Wednesday night. Still flickering. I draw Joe’s attention to it, he says he doesn’t see anything flickering except the turn signal, “which is supposed to”. (What, I don’t know that, and am making it up? ;D )
Anyway, just to piss me off, the vehicle doesn’t do it again for that trip. I begin to think that Joe’s right and I imagined it. I don’t usually hallucinate, but okay, whatever.
Don’t use the headlights Thursday. No problems.
Used the headlights today. AH-HAH! There! I saw it! All the way to work, the occasional flickering, until I got tired of it and shut off the headlights about halfway there. There was enough sun that I didn’t really need them at that point (I just like them for the first half of the trip, as it is along a tree-shaded road).
Called Service today and made another appointment for next Saturday the 2nd. The tech I talked to said that the dimmer switch (I forget the technical name he called it - something ‘-stat’) will cause the display to flicker unless it’s turned all the way up. (Huh? Okay, whatever.) But he put it down as a possible electrical problem.
I am very glad this is all under warranty. So is the guy who sold it to us, although he doesn't know it. Ask Joe and Joe about me when I get ripped off.
Will Service fix it this time? Or will they keep replacing random parts until the warranty runs out?
Stay tuned....