I bought one of the first h3s in kansas city. It never idled quit right and i also noticed that it always smelled like antifreeze. Everytime I took it in they for a oil change they said that they did a pressure check on the coolant system and also there were no codes on the computer. I always said the head is know to have issues, and valve problems and that the smell of antifreeze is not right. Finally at 42000 miles the check engine light came on. I took it to the dealer and low and behold a valve was stuck/ ie bad head. They replaced it and this time they finally found that the radiator had a slow leak. I dont understand what has happened to mechanics using their nose and watching a tac to see issues.. it is like if there isnt a code in a computer all is ok when they admitted to smelling antifreeze and also admitted that the idle was very ruff.. I was right for 3 years and they just now figured it out.. lol.. sad..

 

I was just thinking this the other day!!

I'm so sick of "mechanics" who ONLY use the scan tool!! If it says NOTHING WRONG, then there is NOTHING WRONG!!![:@]

I miss the days when a mechanic would actually LISTEN/SMELL/WHATEVER to your vehicle and THEN use their "KNOWLEDGE" to fix a problem!!!

 

That's a cryin' shame. Sorry to hear about it. [:@]

But. . . have you gotten it back yet? How doess it drive now?

. . . and welcome to the Forum!

 

Sorry about your quality problems, I hope HUMMER reads these posts!

As for the "Technicians", notice I didn't say "Mechanics", a good wrench is a dying breed. They're so tuned into their scan tools that they can't see the forest for the trees. I remember my Dad using a long screwdriver, one end to his ear and the other on an offending part, using it like a stethascope. Of course I'm barking at the back door of 50 so that was a long time ago but the art of "Mechanics intuition" should never die. Sure these engines are as complex as the Space Shuttle but a leaky radiator or coolant in your oil should be able to be smelled out by a good wrench at the first visit. There's some things that are still low tech on cars and Technicians need to realize that.

 

It runs better than the first day I drove it off the lot. and no more antifreeze smell. Now I can go back to restoring my old 70 bronco.. for that i am doing my own work and using good old fashion mechanic techniques.. lol.. thanks for the reply

 

They just needed to do the sniff scan. Throws a code up the nose and says......antifreeze.

 

I used to restore old Corvettes and I didn't think it was easy but most people could figure out how to take everything apart and put it back together. Now I look under the hood of a new car or truck and am glad I can afford to drop it off at the shop. I do definitely agree that common sense and actually paying attention to what the vehicle is telling you ( not the computer ) has gone by the wayside. The last time I took my Cherokee in before I got rid of it ( and I am not bashing Jeep here, only the techs ) it had a fuel problems and the A/C had quit working. The weaselship had it most of the week and told me it was all fixed and to come get it. I got one of my employees to run me down to the place to drop me off. I told him to go on but he stayed to make sure everything was alright. As the driver was bringing the car up for me it was coughing and sputtering. It died and the guy literally coasted up to curb, got out, took the paper floor mat out, pulled the yellow number cone off the roof and started to walk away. Jim said the look on my face was priceless. After I cooled down and the service writer got me written back up he said the mechanic couldn't understand it because according to their diagnostic machine nothing was wrong with the Jeep. The idiot didn't even take it for a test drive to see if it was fixed. I have had a lot of laughs about it in the last few years but that was not a funny moment at the time.

 

That sounds like 75% of my service visits unfortunately.

 

Sorry to hear that it took that long to diagnose.

The motorcycle industry can be even worse; that's why I do most of the work on my bike myself - no one cares about your vehicle and your safety as much as you do. Problem is that cars are so computerized these days it scares me to tinker with them as much.

Glad to hear it turned out OK, finally.

 

And don't get me started since there is no code for a leaking sunroof, it took me 4 times going back to the delaer with a wet carpet and they still say they can't find the problem.