I'm losing count of all the times I've had mechanics botch a job or screw something up, or plain try to screw me over-- and I don't even use them that often. I live by the rule that unless I can't afford the equipment to do the job (alignment, tire stuff, etc.) or someone else is paying the bill, I do all car repairs and maintenance myself. This latest discovery is a prime example why.
In October, I had the transmission replaced on my '15 Sedona. Without going into too much detail, it left me stranded while on vacation 1500 miles away and the dealership we bought it from (had just bought it over the summer) paid to have the transmission replaced. I trust dealership techs over some random corner auto shop, so I had the van brought to the Kia dealer to have the work done. Evidently that was a mistake!
For the last month or two I've been noticing a clunk/clicking type sound when shifting into drive or reverse, basically anytime you change vehicle direction. Noise wasn't loud or too concerning so I let it ride until the next time I'm under there changing the oil or something. Today I got that chance and had the wife shift gears while I was underneath trying to pinpoint the noise. It wasn't hard to find, immediately I notice that the powertrain mount bracket where it attaches to the transmission (other end connects to subframe) is rocking back and forth; the bolts that hold the bracket down (@ transmission) aren't securing it. I go down there to tighten them and right away I can tell they're the wrong bolts. Automotive fasteners are almost universally the flanged type, these are standard hex bolts (think the proper name is hex cap screw). So I go to remove them so I can get the correct bolt, and surprise!-- every thread in the transmission case comes out with the bolt.
Somehow these idiots used a 10mm x 1.5 thread bolt instead of the correct 1.25mm thread pitch. I don't know how you could mix that up, they had to have known it was the wrong bolt when they were installing it. What happened to the original bolts? Who does this to a new transmission or a vehicle with 30k on it?
Picture shows the three incorrect bolts, next to one that has the correct thread pitch. When I first pulled the bolts out you couldn't even tell they were threaded because the aluminum shavings filled the threads completely. I've since cleaned the aluminum shavings off them. I don't think bringing the vehicle back to them is an option (work was done at the Kia dealer in Montpelier, Vermont), so it looks like I'm going to have to tap for a bigger bolt, or hope there's extra threads at the top where I can use a longer bolt. How would you guys approach this, and is it worthwhile to contact the dealer? Not sure they could provide any kind of recourse.
In October, I had the transmission replaced on my '15 Sedona. Without going into too much detail, it left me stranded while on vacation 1500 miles away and the dealership we bought it from (had just bought it over the summer) paid to have the transmission replaced. I trust dealership techs over some random corner auto shop, so I had the van brought to the Kia dealer to have the work done. Evidently that was a mistake!
For the last month or two I've been noticing a clunk/clicking type sound when shifting into drive or reverse, basically anytime you change vehicle direction. Noise wasn't loud or too concerning so I let it ride until the next time I'm under there changing the oil or something. Today I got that chance and had the wife shift gears while I was underneath trying to pinpoint the noise. It wasn't hard to find, immediately I notice that the powertrain mount bracket where it attaches to the transmission (other end connects to subframe) is rocking back and forth; the bolts that hold the bracket down (@ transmission) aren't securing it. I go down there to tighten them and right away I can tell they're the wrong bolts. Automotive fasteners are almost universally the flanged type, these are standard hex bolts (think the proper name is hex cap screw). So I go to remove them so I can get the correct bolt, and surprise!-- every thread in the transmission case comes out with the bolt.
Somehow these idiots used a 10mm x 1.5 thread bolt instead of the correct 1.25mm thread pitch. I don't know how you could mix that up, they had to have known it was the wrong bolt when they were installing it. What happened to the original bolts? Who does this to a new transmission or a vehicle with 30k on it?
Picture shows the three incorrect bolts, next to one that has the correct thread pitch. When I first pulled the bolts out you couldn't even tell they were threaded because the aluminum shavings filled the threads completely. I've since cleaned the aluminum shavings off them. I don't think bringing the vehicle back to them is an option (work was done at the Kia dealer in Montpelier, Vermont), so it looks like I'm going to have to tap for a bigger bolt, or hope there's extra threads at the top where I can use a longer bolt. How would you guys approach this, and is it worthwhile to contact the dealer? Not sure they could provide any kind of recourse.
