Mis-diagnosis at repair shop

[CigarGuy]

I brought my wifes Explorer into a local shop (about a dozen shops locally) to check out a "check engine light and engine missing". They pull an error code and do what ever testing they do and determine the Electric Control module is bad. Cost about $1500.00 to replace and re-program. Told them not to do it, I'm going to "shop the Explorer" to maybe sell it. Brought it to the Ford dealer, they pull a couple codes and determine the coil connector wasn't seated properly. They fixed it, retested system and passed....$119.00. Should I be happy (I am), mad, because it could have cost me-bigtime? Also, should I call them and let them know of the screw up and/or ask for my money back, or just be happy?

[Jeremy airjer W]

At the very least I would bring the invoice from ford that should have some sort of explanation as to what they found and what they did to the previous shop and at least ask ask for some compensation on the diagnostic time. Cant hurt, right.

If you walk in with a "you guys are idiots" mentality you probably wont get far. If you plead your case with the understanding that vehicles are complicated and the tech may have been mislead with the results of his testing and a second opinion, which was the correct solution, did solve the issue at a significantly lesser cost and just be respectful while doing it than the worst they can say is no (then its gloves off, take no prisoners!) .

The second part of this is the tech needs to know that they where wrong. Any good tech knows that they can not be right 100% of the time. If I did not correctly diagnose a problem I want to make it right and I want to know what the correct diagnosis was. It makes good techs better!

[Scott K]

What Jer said!