QuestionQUESTION: Hello,
I just got my 1992 Cadillac Fleetwood 4.9lt base engine an oil change. But now the red oil light stays on when the car is completely off. However, the light is off when I am driving. The oil light is eset and I've pulled the fuse number 16 but that did nothing. I put the fuse back. I think the mechanic did something because he was trying to pull some crap the same day but I caught it before I would have lost money. Please help me. Thank you.
ANSWER: Hi,
I am wondering if he some how grounded the oil sending unit light under the hood some how. Without me looking at this, I am left relying on your description of the mechanic's potential demeanor. It is a possibility this was intentional, but it could have been accidental as well. I don't know right off hand where the sending unit for the oil light is, but it may be near the filter. If you follow the wire, you will probably find it pinched and grounded. I will see if I can find the location of the unit for you.
Here you go----http://www.bing.com/search?q=cadillac%204.9%20oil%20sending%20unit%20location&pc
There are photos and videos for you.
It is also possible the unit just failed too, coincidentally while he was working on the car. I have had this happen.
Let me know what you find.
http://www.autotheftexpert.com
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thank you for the fantastic answer. I do believe he did something. My cars never had that issue till he came along. Who knows eh.But, When he hooked up the new battery he didnt put the complete set of cables on the positive terminal. Thus, the car was not turning over. He said it was a bad starter. I was prepared with the 200 dollars to replace it right then and there and said ok. He went off to look for the part. Then I noticed he didnt plug in one of the cables to the terminal. And viola when he did. She started perfectly. Come one, 30 + years in the biz and he truly forgot or didnt think the car needed both? Shadey mechanics.. I know my car like the back of my hand. Fixed most of her issues myself. Ill let you know if I see it pinched or not. Who knows if this oil light was on purpose or not, we will find out soon. Going to see it right now. Also putting in some air in the tires. Talk to you soon.
AnswerHi,
Far be it for me to accuse because over the last 30+ years I have been on both sides of all sides of the issues. There are however a select few that will take advantage of their customers. You know it, I know it.
For years in Milwaukee we dealt with the issues many with one so-called competitor. They used what we called the elevator or bait and switch.
They would get the customer in for ridiculously cheap costs and low and behold, to put the car back together their prices were insane! They had the customer over the barrel.
They had a horrible rep, but didn't matter because they were always extremely busy getting new customers.
It would annoy us because we were up front with no surprises and we had a great rep. We wee a sounding board by all the people they ripped off, however that did not pay our bills.
Their slogan "Don't be a victim." We were a victim every time we had to work on anything they had anything to do with. It's hard to find a good shop. I am fortunate, but I need to go 25 miles one way to get to them.
Had a situation with a bad power steering pump in my Suburban. The place changed it. It was noisy from the beginning. The idiots a GM decided to use the crappy hydro boost for the power brake assist. They used these in the 70's and 80's with the diesels because diesels do not produce vacuum. Yet on a gas engine the GM engineers for whatever reason, decided to bless me with this junk.
What this means is that the brake assist is dependent on the power steering. You don't just get a hard pedal with failure, but spongy and no brakes! Try pulling a 5,000 pound trailer and finding out, not only do you not have power steering, but no brakes either!
more than it was in my possession for three months. They test drove for hundreds of miles. Very frustrating for them and for me, but since I have been in the business so long, I understood and was calm.
Then they went through the third pump and second power steering box. A new hydro boost. Originally they estimated $600 and change for the pump, hoses etc.
I know they did everything possible to help me. Finally, the 4th pump from GM. Another steering box. Keep in mind, these guys were not getting paid here and they could have washed their hands of it. Worse yet, a google search of brake and steering problems on a 1999 suburban was an epidemic since new and people had been killed because of this!
I got it back at no charge a couple of months ago and the issues seem to be gone. The point is that I have been going to this garage for about 2 years now and they do the service on all of our cars and an International site does little to assist a local business, but for what it is worth, it's Hoover's Automotive in Commerce, Texas who had the same high standards towards their customers as we did. It didn't matter what it took to fix the burb right. They did not care. Great people!
Hopefully for your next service, you can find a place like this. You might pay a little more, but look at the end result. Our family of cars will go nowhere else!
There are trustworthy shops out there. It's just finding them that is all the work.
http://www.autotheftexpert.com
I kept having intermittent brake and steering issues. This thing was in their shop
