.....I’m curious - how does a repair shop destroy a transmission when doing a/c work?
Disclaimer: Other than not having the r134 Machine; I could have done all this work myself but I do not have the time anymore.
Long story:
Took it in to same shop 1 yr ago for AC not cold. They vacumed the system, recharged w/dye and said very small refridgerant leak at top left side of condensor. Didn't have more $,$$$ at the time so paid for recharge, AC worked great and finished out the summer. August 1st, 2019, AC stays warm at idle and around town, but ICE COLD on freeway. Take to same shop and tell them exactly that. Also note that electronic clutch fan qyickly cycles on-off-on-off at idle at 103° outside with AC running. AC Compressor NOT short cycling. They call a few hours later and say condensor still leaking refridgerant. I Authorize swap, they call back several hours later and say I need $170 water system pressure check and hydrocarbon test, they suspect blown head gaskets due to low water in reserve tank(it had been at that low level for over a year with no changes and no overheating when towing). At this point I'm pissed and start calling shops for 2nd opinion and see if they will accept my truck in pieces. Also call a pro mech friend and they confirm upsell tactic. So local Ford Dealer Service Mgr says to not authorize any additional work, let them put it back together and get it to ANY other reputable shop. I drive to my shop and confront the "service mgr" she can't answer technical questions, so she calls for 2 techs to gang up on me to pressure me to auth $170 test. After arguing with the 25 yr old with tattoos on his face and pennys in his ear lobes the owner shows up. Owner agrees with me, we identify calcium & little slow drips running down the seam where plastic end meets metal on the radiator. No chocolate milk oil or water, just dirty water. I said if the heads are blown, it's not effecting the truck, I'll drive it till it blows.(Already got 200k miles). I auth radiator swap since it's right there, 1 hr extra labor charge for radiator, great. Next morning they call say all done, AC blowing at 52°, I get pissed cause it's 10am and only 75° outside, AC NOT FIXED. Go to pickup truck and confront Service Mgr and owner together. Owner tries to give me the 30° less then ambient temp line, I say, but it was only 75° that morning. So finally he admits that they mis diagnosed the problem. It was the Power steering fluid leaking from the condensor, which I suspected based on 10+ youtube videos. So, $1,300 later AC STILL NOT FIXED. Owner offers a free full diagnosis next week on AC himself. Shake hands, take off & tell myself "never going back there".
Friday of Labor day weekend(same day picked up truck):
Loaded up the family headed about 10 miles up the freeway to run arrands. On way home on freeway at about 4pm truck looses power and starts reving up high and shift in & out of gears. Wrench symbol pops up in LCD display, can't get ahead of a semi now, have to pull over. Stop on side of freeway, turn truck off, back on, wrench gone. Put in gear, start to roll, seems all good, hit the gas when traffic clears and revs up to 3,000 and lerches forward like I was a ****** stick driver. Wrench and check engine light come on. Wife says, "those f-ing a-hole F-ed with our truck!". I want to agree, but Maybe something else failed, maybe a PCM plug not in all the way, etc? Truck is moving about 20mph so I slowly limp her the 2 miles to the house on back roads to avoid stopping instead of waiting for a tow on the friday afternoon on labor day weekend. Wife is 8 months preg and starting to have labor pains she is so stressed about it(separate story). Get into the driveway, step out on the running board & almost fall on my ass. Transmission oil EVERYWHERE. All over the truck, dripping from the door when I opened it, dripping from the rear bumper, dripping down the front grill & bumper. all over the sides and back of the truck from the windows down. Get kids in the house; remove the radiator covering, find upper Transmission hose off the radiator and spring clam about 3 inches down the hose. Never moved the clamp back into place at the shop. Call AAA and file a damage claim. Shop tows truck back and "cleans" it with pressure washer (no soap) and fills trans. Drive it the next day and it takes off from stop signs in 2nd or 3rd gears. Call AAA claim agent, says it's all covered and repairs will be under the policy warranty. They towed it to a AAA direct network shop on Friday, I go in today to talk to the mech with the details so they can ***** and build a quote for repairs, will also mention my wife LOVES this truck and we don't want it totaled out. Where you going to find an EL King Ranch 4x4 with CA smog? Body shop said probably needs a full repaint due to ATF hydrolic oil on it for a week in the sun. UGH!!!
My mech friend came over and noticed the power steering fluid smelled funny, yep, dark & cloudy and smells like standard power steering fluid. Fired truck up, did lock to lock turns power steering pump whining like crazy. A-holes put wrong fluid in, now it's mixed and already damaging the pump. Also noted ALL the push mounts in the wiring harness were either freshly cut out or broken off leaving the large loom hanging by its own weight at the front fuse box. UGH!!!
