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Dealer says fuse block is bad. How do I know they're right?
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jessesgirl64
New User
Nov 7, 2010, 4:07 PM
Post #1 of 6
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Dealer says fuse block is bad. How do I know they're right?
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Here's what happened to my 2003 Mazda6 v6 with 137k miles.
Drove on highway about 40 min, stopped to get something on way to work. Car won't start. Turned key and nothing, no clicking, can't hear fuel pump come on, nothing. Plenty of gas, lights and radio work. Tow truck came. I thought it was the starter, so he tried to bang on starter while I turned key. No luck, so towed it to the dealer.
They wanted to replace the transaxle range sensor because they say it's bad and is telling the computer it's in gear all the time and that's why it won't start. Okay, many hundreds of dollars later, picked up the car, drove home, didn't go anywhere else that night.
Next day, drove again about 40 min on highway. About 1 1/2 hours later, needed to go to another work location, car won't start. Same exact thing, no sound, nothing. So, called dealership to get it towed back over there.
Dealer calls and says it's the power control module. Just going to charge me for the part and no labor. Okay, order the part. They call me back later that day and say they need keys to reprogram. Okay, we'll bring them by tomorrow. Called back again late in the day, good news. They've done some more diagnostic and discovered it is actually the fuse block. It's supposedly defective, overheating and melting two of the fuses, one to the fuel pump and one somewhere else, he can't remember where and the technician is already gone.
The reason they says it's good news is that they want to just put it back together, show me how to change the two fuses, sell me a box and whenever this happens, I change the fuse. And, they won't charge me anything more for the diagnostic they've done.
They swear the transaxle range sensor actually was bad and needed to be replaced. I think they have no idea what they are doing. They were a Pontiac dealership for many years and had to switch to Mazda about a year ago.
I have two questions:
Is the fuse block actually the problem? Kind of makes sense because it's happening after I've been on the highway for a while, but I don't know a lot about cars much less electrical.
Was the transaxle range sensor actually bad? If not, how do I prove to them it wasn't bad so I can get my money back?
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re-tired
Veteran
/ Moderator
Nov 7, 2010, 8:19 PM
Post #2 of 6
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Re: Dealer says fuse block is bad. How do I know they're right?
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What they are saying is plausable . The range sensor tells the ecm AKA computer weather or not the car is in neutral or park and is ok to start. They are known to ocassionally fail. When it started they and you had no reason to doubt the diagnosis. When more problems became known , a fuse socket failure , not so common ,it was hard to say if it was related or not. In my opinion , they were fair in not charging additional labor.They took the time to explain the fuse problem and how to deal with it. So IMO you got a fair shake
LIFE'S SHORT GO FISH
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jessesgirl64
New User
Nov 7, 2010, 11:09 PM
Post #3 of 6
(1691 views)
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Re: Dealer says fuse block is bad. How do I know they're right?
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Thanks for the opinion. I think we've decided to get let them put it back together, get it home and limp along until I can find a different vehicle. Let me ask you, how long do you think a fuse will last me? My husband also thinks we may be able to bypass the fuse box altogether and put a fuse underneath the fuse block. Any idea if that will work? Thanks again.
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re-tired
Veteran
/ Moderator
Nov 8, 2010, 8:51 AM
Post #4 of 6
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Re: Dealer says fuse block is bad. How do I know they're right?
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What you are wanting to do is a common repair . I have seen some that have been done like that for years
LIFE'S SHORT GO FISH
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comnavguy
User
Nov 22, 2010, 5:18 AM
Post #5 of 6
(1650 views)
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Re: Dealer says fuse block is bad. How do I know they're right?
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I'd be looking for another mechanic. The range sensor would not stop the fuel pump from coming on. If you don't have the old part, you are most likely SOL (shucks, outta luck)
And fuse block?
I'd be looking for another mechanic.
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re-tired
Veteran
/ Moderator
Nov 22, 2010, 9:02 AM
Post #6 of 6
(1646 views)
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Re: Dealer says fuse block is bad. How do I know they're right?
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comnavguy you sem to make it a habit of digging up old post's and adding gibberish that is unfounded.
LIFE'S SHORT GO FISH
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