Off to the dealer...

J

johnaec

Registered
I've finally had to cry "Uncle" and dropped my Mark VIII off at the L/M dealer for diagnosis. After believeing I had my fast idle when hot issue resolved, it's back with a vengeance.

To review, when over about 75 degrees out, (but not when cooler), the idle will gradually go up to 2000 rpm when putting it in Park after driving. If I shut it off then restart it, about half the time the idle will be normal, but after driving it again, it slowly, ('takes about 5 seconds to gradually move from 650 to 2000 rpm), goes back to 2000 rpm at idle.

I thought I'd narrowed it down to a flakey Throttle Position Sensor, because the problem seemed to disappear after I replaced this over a month ago. But soon after, CEL P0122, indicating a flakey TPS, started appearing. I've replaced it twice now, (first was a cheapo, second a Motorcraft), but the light started coming back again. While on vacation two weeks ago, the fast idle also returned.

So far, I've replaced the IAC, IAT, ECT, MAF, TPS, and PCV - all to no avail. Diagnostics says that if P0122 still lights after replacing the TPS, that it's likely a bad PCM - it's conceivable to me this could be the source of the idle problem also, but the fact that it doesn't happen in cooler air causes me to wonder... If the dealer still has problems finding the source, I guess a new PCM is next...

John
http://mark8.org/users/johnaec/Mark_VIII_s.jpg
'97 Mark VIII LSC
'96 T-Bird 4.6L
 
RE: Off to the dealer...

good luck with the car. That sounds like a very annoying problem you got there. But the symptoms are just like my 93 cougar when its TPS failed. The car would just start reving until it hit 2k rpms.
 
RE: Off to the dealer...

Sorry to hear that, John. Did you try a 2nd (more expensive) TPS?

Scott
 
RE: Off to the dealer...

>> Did you try a 2nd (more expensive) TPS?

Yep. 'Had Max drop-ship a Motorcraft one to CO - no CEL for 3 days after that, then back again. It now comes back on within 5 minutes of clearing it.

'Took the car to Hansel L/M in Santa Rosa. 'Had a long talk with the L/M service manager - he seemed confident they'd find the problem - I sure hope so...

John
http://mark8.org/users/johnaec/Mark_VIII_s.jpg
'97 Mark VIII LSC
'96 T-Bird 4.6L
 
RE: Off to the dealer...

Sheesh...dropped the car off Wednesday afternoon with the impression they were going to get right on it. 'Call them Friday PM - they say they hope to have some info Monday or Tuesday. I did let them know I need it by next Friday for the Saturday Santa Cruz run...

John
http://mark8.org/users/johnaec/Mark_VIII_s.jpg
'97 Mark VIII LSC
'96 T-Bird 4.6L
 
RE: Off to the dealer...

Uh Oh....allready no Maplecrest. If they KNEW that they were not gonna get on it until Monday......why did they take it from you yesterday? "Sunshine" treatment?? Minus 1 so far. A 2PM telephone call on Monday on your part would be an excellent idea! ;)
 
RE: Off to the dealer...

I'd give anything to have a Maplecrest out here. "Lincoln" is always a secondary car at the dealers here, and though I got a card from the guy that says "L/M" service manager, he probably has the same card that says "Ford", "Kia", and whatever else they sell. I'm just counting on having enough good karma saved up to cover this...and hope the dealer is as competent as they led me to believe...

I did only authorize $200, (two hours), for diagnostics, and prior approval is required before they can replace any parts. (The local Ford dealer adds 20% across the board to list prices for parts, and I'm definitely not going to let this place pull that one!)

John
http://mark8.org/users/johnaec/Mark_VIII_s.jpg
'97 Mark VIII LSC
'96 T-Bird 4.6L
 
RE: Off to the dealer...

20% OVER MSRLP on parts? John, that's gouging! MSRLP is fair and under MSRLP is "a deal" ~ but never OVER, at least not on readily replaceable parts!! Don't go there. Be sure to call Monday, after lunch. The squeeky door gets the oil comes into play here. Be nice, be let them know that YOU have not forgotten, so that THEY will not forget! :)
 
RE: Off to the dealer...

I e-mailed the Maplecrest service depart over a week ago with a question about a service, and I still have not heard back from them. So I went some place else.
 
RE: Off to the dealer...

Steve, their e-mail has been changed. Use the telephone. I don't know the new e-mail. I think that they are getting ready to begin to close the Union store & move the whole she-bang up to Summit store. Their web site is down as well. All new cars say on the windows
SOLD TO: Maplecrest L-M / Summit / N.J.
Looks like the move may be underway ~ Smells like it.
 
RE: Off to the dealer...

Well, to late now, I guess they did not get the e-mail. One store is better anyway, they are to close together. Does the other laction have more room?
 
RE: Off to the dealer...

I asked about that 20% markup over at www.flatratetech.com and the service managers there said it is basically up to the dealer to charge what they want. I've checked the percentages at the local dealer, and it's always exactly 20%, (to the cent), over the MSRLP that is stated at FordPartsNetwork or from Max at FiveStar. Then you add the discounts from Max or Torrie, and it costs me less than 60% of local prices to order them instead. And F/L/M wonders why customers abhor taking their cars in for service at the dealers...

John
http://mark8.org/users/johnaec/Mark_VIII_s.jpg
'97 Mark VIII LSC
'96 T-Bird 4.6L
 
RE: Off to the dealer...

Sandy,

Every car dealer in Cali is like that. Always. They lie, over charge and cheat.

20% over is a bargin. The on in Petaluma charges like 30. The on in Fairfield charges 50!

Hope they get your car sorted, John!

Scott
 
RE: Off to the dealer...

Steve, the showroom in Summit is much smaller. The service department is a seperate building on the same lot, and is gigantic ! Think Football field ! The storage area for new & used cars is smaller. Rt 280 to Livingston exit, then south onto South Livingston Ave to Short Hills Mall and around back of mall to River Rd Summit.
 
RE: Off to the dealer...

Hi John

Some of those dealers give us all a bad name and then they wonder why the customer goes elsewhere.
I get back to work tomorrow and can overnite any thing you need. Give me a call and let me know early enough to get it sent out or I can drop ship from ford as a last resort.

Good Luck
Max
 
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