2021-05-22 - 7:32 a.m.

I was happy that my mechanic armed me with information and went back to my local Kia Dealer to push to have them look at my car and take care of the warranty repair as the car
1. Showed a Knock Sensor Detector Code and
2. Was sluggish and stuck at 60MHP, evidencing being in "Limp Mode" ( to protect one's engine and signal one to get car looked at before destroying the engine).

So I drop the car off, and they call me a couple days later and tell me:

The only code we see is the Catalytic Converter. ( I knew that was legit a need. My mechanic saw that AND the KSDS engine code)

I told him my mechanic saw the KSDS code as well.
He asked if the mechanic perhaps cleared the code.

I ask if they drove the car.
The service rep said- YeS no issues.
"It did't stall? Or feel a shaking at all?"
I ask please take for a ride on the highway and be sure try to go over 60MPH as that is when the car triggers into that mode.
He tell me "If you car goes into Limp Mode it can only drive 15 to 20 MPH"

I said, That is not my experience, nor based on my research what Kia says the car will act like and others report- they said it goes to about 60 mph but then can not accelerate more.

He says he will drive it again,

Then he calls back hours later to tell me they never saw another code, just the CAT CONVERTER.

LIAR

However. I pick up my car, and they are like "No charge" as if that is a some gift ( for a warranty repair that truth be told I think they actually addressed to some extent/somehow.

As I waited for my car they guy in front of me was told he owed $57.50.

He said he brought it in for warranty repair, there should be no charge. The girl was reading the ticket. .. and literally read the line item " Warranty.. 57.50 I guess for labor"
A supervisor came over and said
:Oh no charge for that work as was warranty and covered.

The supevisor corrected the bill, cleared his account at zero and he got his car.

I was thinking "Damn he got a deal. they tried to only take advantage and overcharge for $57.50 when I got a $99 Diagnostic Check engine bill I was stuck paying in order to pick up my car."

But of course since the found the Catalytic converter needed repair- that makes it a legit service call and charge for diagnostic. right?

Ridiculous

I didn't even say any thing or argue the point

I paid that $99 two weeks ago...

But I get my car, back....

and this is the the thing.
When I called my mechanic to ask the question the dealer posed ,
"Did you clear the codes?"

He said- as I fully expected "NO"
and then I asked "So do you think the dealer is going to continue to play dumb but possibly FIX the car? but just keep mum as they don't want people to really KNOW
I mean when I left it the kept if for three days..."

He said "Possibly. But I have heard this from so many ... just bring it to Winchester or Warrenton Kia. They have to fix the car- but I think you just have to go to another dealer."
I said I had thought of that to begin with, but its so much easier to bring it to the close one with a bus 15 min from home. He reminded me that they will give me a rental while they check it out. OH RIGHT!! There's that...

And it turned out the ticket from the first service visit DID have the line item for the Warranty Electronic System upgrade of that KSDS on it. I didn't see the line item and recognize it but it WAS There! I was mistaken in thinking they never upgraded the software and did the warranty repair of that as the service dude I spoke to both when I dropped off the car last time ( initially) and when picked up acted like I was speaking a foreign language and kept ignoring my questions and never TOLD me they did it. in fact he told me otherwise and said they ran the diagnostic test to identify why the check engine light on and I need a the CAT.
I asked if the did the repair I asked for- and brought the car in for and that dude kept acting clueless

It was amazing talking to a gaslighting liar that tells you what they WANT the reality to be and ignores everything someone else says..
IT was so annoying and weird.
So when I brought the car back IN I told the Service Manager the experience and I asked for this repair and it was not done and he showed me on the first ticket where it WAS done. But when I inquired upon pick up last time they acted dumb! he showed me where it was on the paperwork and where it showed then they ran the test of engine ( The test I asked for and then when I asked about it upon pick up last time they were silent about! acting like did not understand me...}
So upon drop off he shows me the paperwork showing they RAN that last time, and see no issue but would do it again- on this second drop off to check as my car was still presenting with the SAME driving issue.

So I was patient and polite and thank them for checking it out again and listen as they guy tells me the sluggish performance is due to the CAT that I should replace soon. I thank him and said just needed to be sure there was not a bigger problem before I drop a couple thousand into fixing that!

And then I pick up the car and drive off and

AS I TOTALLY EXPECTED , the car drives better.

No stalling, no performance issue LIKE BEFORE.
Yes the engine light is perpetually on now (not even blinking) however when I hit the highway it is like a relief that my car can accellerate and hits 65 then 70 without issue.

Without hitting the Limp Mode

So I KNOW the dealer did SOMETHING to address that issue.

I am going to look under my hood this AM just to look. (not that there will be anything to SEE as I didn't' look at it BEFORE I dropped it off).
But the mileage is same......so sure same engine. But sure they did SOME adjustment, Something?

In any case, just in case there is some issue... my honest mechanics are so trustworthy and have more than enough business that they give me sound advise: don't be too quick to have US do work and get an after market CAT-
as you don't want to void any warranty - so be sure to get that engine issue fixed and look to see if the other recall is on your car
The fuel injection recall that was a problem that CAUSES excessive heat that burn the CAT and hurt the engine.
There was a fuel injection warranty recall and THAT particular warranty stated that if that problem CAUSED a bad CAT they are to replace the CAT too!

Its just PIA to manage...
But I think the next step is actually to schedule an appointment at ANOTHER Kia Service Center.

The thing is, when the dealers do warranty repair they DO get reimbursed. Maybe its like a Dr. taking a rate from an Insurance company- not as much as if they get a customer to pay.

And if you get 8 out of 10 poor fools who are just not bright enough, or too damn tired to argue with you and just don't have energy cause the last bus already left for home and they dont want to be stranded..... etc... whatever the reason...
who cave and pay the damn so called cost of labor repair

FOR what is supposed to be a free warranty repair... well that modus operandi of service reps that lie and gaslight and are full of crap might make more money in the SHORT Term
The playing dumb OR
The "Oh I am sorry I just made a mistake" of the gal at the counter ( which was cause she was reading the ticket that someone else wrote up and I think she was just reading it to make sense of it. Not her lie... she was just actually reading it and it sounded dumb as she read it and then she realized it...
OH yeah warranty ... but that office manager jumped in to fix it then as it was obvious).

I was wearing a Tshirt from the Assisted Living place I work at. Turns out the gal at the counter has a grandmother who works there who is the loveliest lady! She asked if I know her. Her grandmother happens to have just had knee surgery.

I wish I had asked her for her address to send a card to. I hope the workplace did something for her...
I am only there part time. If I worked this weekend I would be sure to get some cards made for her from residents and have them sent. But I am not there this weekend...

In other news , I only go to work once every few weeks in my professional job. Lo and behold this week was the on week and a coworker ( one of the only few of us in office) just happened to have a family come down with Covid this week, tested positive just a couple days after we were in office.
Not too concerned as I am fully vaccinated, and wore my mask, and we go in but we text or IM or call over office cubicle walls!! LOL Not much social interaction in our in office bonding which is hilarious in a way to me.

I do love my boss gets us lunch sometimes and we sit distanced but are a little social but it was a good thing that was not done this week.

They are really nice people that I work with and I am very grateful for that.

I will however, just to be sure, get a rapid test from the Assisted Living place before working there again. Just to be sure!
One of my household did NOT yet get a vaccine so have to be careful for his sake.

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