For the love of God, does anyone here know anything about cars???

[Fleshdancer]

Ugh. I hate taking my car to the mechanic. Every time I take it in for one thing, I'm told I need to spend hundreds of dollars on something completely unrelated.

Anyway, the turn signals on my piece of crap GMC Jimmy died suddenly and I just assumed I blew a fuse or something. Nope. Not that simple. I'm told that the motor that controls it is dead and it needs to be replaced. With parts and labor they want to charge me over $400. For any car people out there, is this right or should I take my car somewhere else??

Some belt is also loose and to replace it and do the turn signals, they want to charge me a little over $800.

[tk2kewl]

1. Umm.... turn signals dont have motors.

[Fleshdancer]

5. Well they said I need a new part for the signals

I'm reading about turn signals on www.howstuffworks.com but I still don't understand what could cost that much. :shrug:

so yeah, I'm ignorant about cars obviously.

[tk2kewl]

8. there isn't anything related to turn signals that should cost that much

[punpirate]

13. Switch could be fairly expensive...

... if it's recent and incorporates other functions. Don't know for sure about this one, but prices have been climbing on such recent models.

[tk2kewl]

15. but the turn signal isnt controlled in that same switch... its switch is

at the other end of the lever inside the steering column and is pretty tough to break

[Fleshdancer]

18. I don't know if it's relevant or not, but it's a '96. n/t

[tk2kewl]

20. I have a 94 S-10 which is pretty much the same truck

It sounds to me like these guys are trying to rip you off.

[Fleshdancer]

23. Thank you so much. I was thinking the same thing but

it's hard to know for sure. This is why I want to buy some books or take a class...something, anything to learn more about cars.

[punpirate]

32. Not on this particular vehicle...

... I just checked the parts listings, and there are only two versions--one with cruise, one without. The turn signal switch, therefore, is part of the whole assembly.

And, since the discount price for the one w/o cruise is $170, and $198 for the one w/cruise, my guess is that the dealer price would be around $250-280. That could account for most of the $400 estimate to repair.

Cheers.

[Fleshdancer]

35. okay. I have cruise.

damn.

Thanks for checking by the way.

[punpirate]

37. Check my other post on...

... how to proceed.

Cheers.

[Spider Jerusalem]

33. The relay switch shouldn't be THAT expensive.

But the standard labour rate is $60/hr., which for removing the steering column shroud and so on might be in line with the "official" estimate (there's a book that gives estimated labour times for specific repairs, and pretty much every repair shop is going to go by it in quoting the cost, regardless of how long it actually takes to do it).

[LiberalVoice]

2. The only belt that would up the price that much...

is your timing belt. Do you remember what belt they specified?

[Fleshdancer]

7. whatever deals with the alternator

They hit me with the price first so the shock made me blank for a sec when he told me the name of the belt.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

12. that's the fan belt which might also go around the motor clutch to the AC

but it still should not cost this much.

[Fleshdancer]

16. does that also go around the power steering?

because I had to get THAT belt replaced less than 6 months ago.

edit: grammer

[CottonBear]

3. Go to the Car Talk website and look at the recommended mechanics.

The listeners can list good, honest and reliable mechanics that live in their town. Give it a try! Good luck!

[RC]

4. First check the fuse, then check the flasher.

Do they come on when you move the lever? If so, it is the flasher or a burned out bulb. If not, it is a fuse.

[Fleshdancer]

14. umm...I don't know, here's the history:

One day I'm driving, using my signals, all is good. I stop to drop my husband off somewhere and when I drive away, I turn my blinker on and the stick stayed in place, but no light, no click click sound, no nothing.

Life was crazy busy for a couple of weeks and I couldn't find the time to take the car in to get looked at, but one morning when I'm driving my daughter to school, the signals started barely working again although the light was faint. I get to my daughter's school, turn off the engine, take her to class, and when I start the car back up, the signals didn't work again. This is why I just assumed it was a fuse. :shrug:

[rwork]

6. Does the turn signal

show any kind of lights on your dash? If so that is good, you might just need the blinker plug in unit located on or close to the fuse panel under your dash. I have never heard of or seen a motor for turn signals.My mechanic just changed a belt on my wives car for $30.00

[Fleshdancer]

17. nope. no light. :( n/t

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

9. Unless you need a new timing belt (which I don't think the Jimmy has)

800$ sounds VERY steep. You might also want to ask if they are using GM parts or aftermarket parts for the signal relay.

A timing belt or chain for a Jimmy should only be about 300-350 parts and labor

[punpirate]

10. Could you supply the model and year...

... the reason I ask is that there was a recent recall of GM trucks and SUVs for turn signal problems. Just want to check and see if yours was covered under that recall.

Cheers.

[Fleshdancer]

21. I love you. It's a 1996 GMC Jimmy V6 2 wheel drive.

I didn't even think about checking the recall notices.

[punpirate]

28. The latest one is for...

... 2003-4 GMC Envoys. Don't see any for your model and year related to turn signals.

Now, if you would, explain what's happening with the turn signals. Do they not work at all? If the fuse is okay, it could be a faulty flasher module, a bad switch, corroded wiring. Depending upon what the problem is, and how long to diagnose it would determine the actual cost.

If I find anything more about common turn signal failures on this vehicle, I'll let you know.

Cheers.

[Fleshdancer]

31. Certainly, here's the deal...

One minute I'm driving and everything is working just fine, the next thing I know, I try to use my left blinker and nothing happens. No light, no annoying turn signal clicking noise, nothing. I then try the right one and nothing there either. The turn signal stick will still stay in place and then move back to its original position after I turn, but that's it.

About two weeks later, I'm driving and suddenly my turn signals work again (the light comes on the dash, I can hear the clicks) but it's very faint. The next time I used my car, they stopped working again and haven't worked since.

According to the mechanic, I need everything replaced. :shrug: After reading your post and the posts of others in this thread though, what the mechanic told me doesn't make sense because when I was bitching about the price, he said "yeah, I can't believe what GMC is charging for that part". Singular. Does it come in one piece?

[punpirate]

36. There are two major parts in the system...

... besides the lights and their associated wiring--the turn signal switch, which is part of the combo switch (which controls highbeam/lowbeam, windshield washer and wiper and turn signals, and cruise on, if you have it).

The other major part is the turn signal flasher.

But, I'd be suspicious if he said you need "everything replaced." One of those parts is bad. The switch is the much more expensive item (~$250). The flasher is quite cheap (under $10). Because of your description of the symptoms (particularly the weak-sounding clicking from the flasher), I would have the flasher replaced first. Almost any auto electric shop can do that for you at minimal labor cost. You won't be out much money to give that a try.

If it then turns that the flasher doesn't help, you can be reasonably certain it's the switch, and an auto electric shop can also give you a second estimate compared to the dealer. They will install exactly the same part as the dealer would--when I look around, I see people selling an AC Delco part--ACDELCO P/N D6229A w/o cruise control, ACDELCO P/N D826A with cruise control.

Hope that helps. Cheers.

On edit, I should add that some flashers will not work with a bulb on one side burned out--there's not enough load to make the flasher work. If you had a bulb burned out on each side, that could make you think the whole flasher system wasn't working.

[Fleshdancer]

38. Thank you so much. one clarification though if you don't mind....

Replacing the flasher first makes sense. If a new flasher system wouldn't work with a dead bulb, should I go ahead and get the bulbs replaced too and then if it still doesn't work, go ahead with the new switch?

[punpirate]

39. If you take it to an auto electric shop...

... you can ask them to check the bulbs first, then replace the flasher if the bulbs are okay.

I don't have a wiring diagram for that vehicle available, but you might be able to check the bulbs by turning on the hazard flasher switch and then looking at all the bulbs yourself. The hazard flashing system runs off of a different flasher module than the turn signals, but may use the same bulbs.

Cheers.

[wideopen]

11. Find a new mechanic

They are definitely trying to screw you, as stated above, turn signals don't have motors and even if they did it wouldn't cost $400.

[usedtobesick]

19. thye are trying to screw you. Call the BBB

and go on line to the cartalk.com website and find a repitable mechanic in your area.

[Kali]

22. Sorry I absolutely cannot resist

Left arm out the window - up for right turn, straight out for left and down for stop.:evilgrin:


Seriously, you need to find out a little more about vehicles - go to car talk like folks said, get a couple books including a Haynes or Chilton manual for your vehicle, and maybe a Cars for Dummies type with good basics. Not especially to work on things yourself (unless you are inclined - it can save huge $$$) but so that you are an informed consumer and won't be as likely to be ripped off by crooks like the guys you are dealing with!

[Fleshdancer]

24. smartass!

:P

Seriously though, I agree about needing to know more about vehicles. This is ridiculous.

[Floogeldy]

25. Pep Boys has never tried to rip me off.

Just my experience. :)

[Fleshdancer]

26. Now there's irony for you...take a wild guess where I took my car today?

Yep.

[Floogeldy]

27. OH MY GOD!

Amazing.

When I take my car to Pep Boys, they usually DO check out the car and say, "You should replace this, or that, bla bla bla." And, they are usually correct (e.g., fan belt worn out, motor mounts are bad). BUT I tell them "No. Just fix what I brought it in for."

I would get a second opinion, in your case. :)

[Fleshdancer]

29. My flags went up when they wanted to automatically charge me

$82 for diagnostics before checking whether the fuse was out or not first. I told them to check the fuse and if it was something more serious then call me first before running the diagnostics. However, when he printed out the paperwork for me to sign it listed diagnostics anyway. I asked him about it and he said they would just take it off if it wasn't needed. Then he apparently went to lunch and didn't notify the mechanic to call me. Now that I think about it, I wonder if they even checked the fuse.

When I picked-up my car, the guy dealing with the paperwork told me that all I had to pay was the $82 and I told him I no and explained the situation. He didn't argue or get upset and I left without giving them anything.

I'm glad that the people working at your Pep Boys are more ethical. This sucks.

[Floogeldy]

34. Good job!

Hopefully, you will find a better deal. :)

[Kali]

30. I might say the same

if they applied the $80 diagnostic fee to the work charges. Or actually fixed what they were supposed to. 2 repairs done there - one was ok (except for that $80) the other was basically $600 for new wiper blades after all was said and done.