There are way too many people out there like this. Makes for great stories though.
My favorite happened when i was working as a tech at a Chrysler dealership. This is long but worth it IMO.
An old Dodge Dakota comes in. Say "check engine light on" on the work order. I get in and the CEL isn't on. I pull it in and pop the hood. Oh the horror. This thing looks like it never had any maintenence done at all.
- Oil looked like tar
- Trans fluid looked like 20k engine oil
- Electrodes completely burned down on factory plugs
- Plug wires burned up in quite a few spots and sheathing dried, cracking, & coming off.
- Dist. cap & rotor in horrible shape
- coolant looked like liquid rust
- front pads about to start grinding and the rotors warped all to he ll.
I check the ECU with a scanner and it tells me that the key has been cycled several thouosand times since the CEL was on last. Very odd.
So, I write the truck up for everything it needs. Also put a diff service on there because I was positive it needed it without even looking, along with a fuel filter. They didn't like the amount that it came to but after I got them in the bay and showed everything to them they said to do it.
So, everything gets replaced along with diff service, tranny & coolant flush & new thermostat & rad cap. Also, reset the ECU.
I take it out for a test drive and it runs great, trans shift fine, engine is nice and smooth. Brakes work great with new pads & rotors.
They come pick up the truck and I see them leave the lot.
NOW the good stuff.
About 5 minutes after they drive off I hear tires screeching and see this Dakota come flying into the service drive and lock up the brakes. The old laady gets out screaming like a crazy person that we ripped her off. Rips my service advisor a new one, and of course I get called up to the drive.
She says that as soon as they got to the stoplight the CEL came back on. I check the ECU with the scanner again and iut tells me that the key has been cycled 6 times since I reset the ECU and the CEL hasn't tripped.
I get in with her driving and her husband stuffed in the extra cab. We pull out and get to the stop light and she yells " there's the light right there, you ripped us off" then a lot of colorful language is heard, but I just sit and say "yes maam, yes maam"
Once she calms down, as nicely as I can say it, I say "Maam, that's the windsheild washer fluid light"...........................................
Her husbands head almost explodes as he tries to keep in the laughter.
We went back to the shop and I filled it up for her. Then cycled the key several times and explained exactly whatevery light on the dash was and what it meant. She apologized, and I had a return customer. I was the only person to touch that truck up until I left that dealer.