Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Car back from dealer. Problem not fixed

Took my car to the dealer to get fixed. It has idling problems where it will almost die, then rev back up. This happens on startup and sometimes when I come to a stop while driving. I also had a CEL and hence the dealer visit. I got the car back today, they replaced the MAF sensor, cleaned the EGR tubes and did a carbon flush. $625 later, I got it back but the idling problem is still present!!! Any thoughts on how to handle it with the dealer and what the problem might be (seems the techs don't know)

Thanks

I might suspect the IAC valve or a leak in one of the hoses coming into the accordian hose. Does the car run reasonably smooth except for idle? If it misses or stutters at 2-3K also, check the plugs and wires. Might as well change the fuel filter while you're at it....

At least you were charged less than the estimate of $650.
Hard to argue with dealer on MAF replacement if the computer had a fault code on it, you should of course get the old one to keep as a souvenier as well as the computer printout (I am assuming it gives a hard copy).
I personally thought the cleaning crap was just that.
I can't suggest an approach since I don't know your past dealings with the dealer but I would certainly take it back, complain and tell them to fix it. I am presuming you and the dealer were able to witness the symptoms and that they are repeatable.

It's me, the original one that posted this message under a different name. So I take the car back because the problem is still not fixed. The dealer cannot get the car to duplicate the problem when they drive it. I think that is Murphy's Law of something like that. I will keep you posted.

10 to 1 it's the IAC (Idle Air Control motor). My car did the EXACT same thing. What that is, is a little needle (pintle) that moves by an electric motor through a pinhole that allows air into the system. This pinhole becomes becomes clogged with gunk and blocks the path for the air coming in.

For some reason, the dealer always skips this in place of the MAF and everything else. The MAF makes a better buck. The IAC is just a matter of removing two screws (thoe bottom being a beitch), and shooting some Valvoline Throttle Body cleaner in there and cleaning off the pintle.

On my 95SE 2.5 Duratec, the IAC is located just front of the firewall, drivers side middle. It's right around where the other air-intake ito the manifold is (the other being your main intake).

Me again. I got the car back from the dealer again, this time the idling problem is fixed. It seems that when I had the recall work done on the catalytic converter, a tube was loose, causing my idling fluctuations. So I've had the car since Thursday and I was out driving today and guess what. The CEL comes on again. I thought the dealer fixed this with the MAF sensor??? Anyway, I called the dealer and told them about it and they obviously didn't fix my CEL. I told them I want it hooked back up to the computer and to find out what is wrong!!! And at no charge. This is getting to be a pain in te A$$. It is going back in on Monday morning. Since I paid over $500 on the work and the problem is not fixed, if I get any friction from them, I will put a lien on their business for the amount I paid and get my credit card company involved!!! I will let you all know how it turns out.

I think I should add that I cleared the computer memory when I first got the CEL this morning, thinking that the old CEL code was still in memory. I disconnected the neg battery cable and pulled fuses 4 & 11 under the hood. The CEL came on again even after I did this.