Any Mechanics Out There?

[charvel750]

Friends, I just took my 1999 Altima GXE to Jiffy Lube in Jacksonville, FL for an oil change. They told me the "Serpentine Belt" was worn and should be replaced ($69). I said go for it. They replaced the belt. BUT THEN...they couldn't start my car. It was dead in the shop, they claim the starter just happened to die. I believe something happened when they replaced the belt, like they shorted something or God only knows. To the mechanics out here in JCF world, is it possible when replacing serpentine belts (which control the alternator) to accidentally damage the starter or the ignition? In other words, is there any relationship between a car starting and its serpentine belt? The car is stranded there while I debate towing it out or giving these guys some lip. Please advise...

[Burn]

I'll tell you one thing, If Jiffy lube told me to replace a belt, I'd tell them to lick a fat sack. There is no way of ruining a starter by replacing the serpentine belt. Starter is under the car by the tranny. serpentine belt is (obviously) running the pulleys on the front of the motor. Total negligence. Thats what I would call that. They must have done something awful to trash a starter though, Tow it to your dealer, have them do everything and charge it to Jiffy lube. My mother got roped into a tire rotation at one, They broke a damn lug off and didn't even tell her! She found it later and had the dealer replace it, and they charged the oil change place.

[Burn]

Personally, I would take a good look at your car, and start to do some stuff yourself, because you are as certified as they are to work at Jiffy lube.

[Spivonious]

Oil change places are always trying to add on useless things. I agree with Burn. With that said, did you try to start the car? I wouldn't put it past them to just lie to your face about the starter dying. Why not? They already got $69 out of you, why not a few hundred more?

If it is indeed broken, Jiffy Lube is responsible since it worked before they worked on it and didn't after they "fixed" it.

[charvel750]

I appreciate the info. They're claiming the starter died and it would have happened regardless if they were working on it or not. I just find that very hard to believe. Oh, I failed to mention, that during the time they were working on the belt, they had cell phoned a friend of theirs who came in and began tinkering around under the hood. They claim he was a certified mechanic. But he wasn't wearing a Jiffy Lube uniform or anything. When I questioned them about who the hell was he under my hood, they got angry and began acting like they were doing me a favor by bringing him in. I bet he was trying to fix their screw up. I think I have a case here against them...

[Burn]

They brought a guy in that didn't work there, and they allowed him to touch your car? Damn right, you have a brilliant case against them. Seriously, pull it outa there, take it to the dealer, explain everything.

[charvel750]

They brought a guy in that didn't work there, and they allowed him to touch your car? Damn right, you have a brilliant case against them. Seriously, pull it outa there, take it to the dealer, explain everything.

That is correct, he did not work there. According to them, he was a certified mechanic from "Tires Plus." What really pisses me off is that they never came to me in the waiting room to say that the car wasn't starting. They instead brought in this friend and began screwing around with it. Only because I was impatient and looked out into the shop did I see all of this. When I confronted them they acted like they were doing me the favor, yet I find that hard to believe.

[Burn]

Well, if he was a "Certified" mechanic, chances are he isn't going to be working at tires plus either. Write down everything you know, just in case, get some names, speak with some managers, I would also be at Tires Plus asking the manager why his employee was at Jiffy lube dicking with my car, and try to find that guy as well.

[Cleveland Metal]

They probably did something dumb. They aren't exactly the top mechanics around.

The rear of the starter on that car is close to the drive belt area. They could easily have mangled some wires prying around for drive belts.

Some models of that car have a theft warning setup that will disable the starter as well. If yours has that, look there to see if they may have somehow acticated it. Look for the light on the dash being lit of course. They could still have damaged it somehow and it may not show.

Alldata shows there are a BUNCH of relays (including theft system, clutch interlock etc) around the passenger side near the belts area so that means wiring that they could have pried on and dislocated.

Although I do have to say... Seems we get cars in and do something to them, suddenly something else takes a dump and we never even got near it! haha... Weird...

We'll do a transmission and a rear window quits working and they're like "what did you do? you're the last person to work on it!" Well, we sure didn't tough anything to do with the rear window haha... Such irony.

[charvelguy]

Starters typically have a heavy gauge copper cable going to terminal on the solenoid and a ground. I'm tryin to think what they could've hooked up wrong that would fry the solenoid. I would find out if the solenoid still works.

Sepentine belt typically drives from the crank pulley to drive your water pump, cam(s), alternator, AC etc. Definitely can be relative to your alternator, which is relative to your electrical and your starter. Certainly, given the fact that your starter presumably has not given you any trouble beforehand and has just now decided to quit working sounds fishy. I agree your suspect is justified about their reaction and the non-uniform guy.

As soon as you said 'iffy Lube', I know my GF has had plenty of BS experiences with them that she won't go back. I love it when she catches them in couple lies.

Do your other electrical accessories work ok? is there any burnt electrical smell, like plastic has melted? Any signs of heat burning the wires?

Does the starter solenoid click when you turn the key?
Do you have AAA or rental coverage on your insurance?

These are just 'suggestions'
I'd get everything I could in writing. You could take it someplace else you trust and get another opinion. Call their national headquarters.

Ahh well, I see Cleve has answered.. good advice.
On the other hand, its not like they aren't trying to remedy a problem, but it sounds as though they are having a troubleshooting process going on they aren't familiar with. Either way, if you get them to work on it or a more trusted service place, your going to be out a vehicle for at least a day.

Bench testing the starter itself wouldn't be that difficult for them or someone else to do to see if it still worked.

[shreddermon]

Never let Jiffy Lube, Valvoline, et al touch anything other than the damn oil change & filter. Maybe the wiper blades. Most of those outfits are staffed with half-trained @ssclowns and/or con artists. They are always hitting you up with "recommended" extras that you don't need. And, even if you did, that's not the place to have it done at, anyway.

[Cleveland Metal]

By the way, get it outta there and to a reputable mechanic. They'll just dig themselves deeper... I have those places calling all the time.

Usually cuz they did a trans flush on a fried trans and then it quits moving when it gets nice slippery fluid on the glazed clutches.

But, they're usually youngins there that are just dangerous with tools.. My buddy manages one and THEY stripped the freaking oil drain on a truck I had. I'm like you dumbasses... ugh..

[charvelguy]

Pneumatic problematic fun when there are tickets backed up and deadines to meet. I had new tires put on at Sams club, stripped a lug nut and the stud. They never said a word but it would have been obvious to me at least it was going on crooked.

[FusionFarmer]

they probably had a buddy who needed a starter and they swapped your good one for a dead one, look for any signs that the starter has been changed

[rjohnstone]

The minute THEY let a person other than and employee touch the car, they became liable for any and ALL problems under the hood.
Back in my youth I worked at a oil change shop... not a major franchise like iffy lube, just a local place, nobody touched the cars except employees.
Our insurance company would have had a fit if we let someone other than an employee fix a problem for us in OUR shop.

The serpentine belts can be a bitch to replace on transverse mounted engines, and they probably didn't have the first clue at how to properly replace the belt. A pro can do it in under 10 minutes. Less than 5 minutes on a rear wheel drive car.
All you have to do is release the pressure from the tension idler and the belt comes right off.
The asshats probably started pulling your alternator or power steering unit off to release the tension. Lord know what else they disconnected in the process.
Tell them to leave it the fuck alone and have it towed to a dealership or a shop you trust.
Inform the manager of the Jiffy Lube that THEY will be paying for the towing and all the repair costs. It's not open for debate... they fucked it up... they have to pay to have it fixed to YOUR satisfaction.