I took my 1996 Toyota Tacoma to Fairwood Auto Repair and stated that it had a leaky catalytic converter gasket and I believed that it was setting off the check engine light. I returned the following day after he diagnosed the problem and was told that the catalytic converter was crumbling and pieces were falling out and it needed a new aft O2 sensor. The total repair cost would be $750.00.
The catalytic converter was less than 1 year old and was under warranty by the purchase place so I decided to take it back for exchange. Upon my removal of the old catalytic converter I noticed that is was in perfect shape inside. I replaced the gasket and reset the check engine light. The truck is repaired for a whopping three dollars and 1 hour of my time.
I confronted the owner of Fairwood Auto who happened to be the initial person I contacted for the repair. I explained to him what he had said to me and what my discoveries were. I also asked for the $100 back that I paid for the faulty diagnosis. He refused to refund the money and he said that he just "hit" the catalytic converter and heard a rattle. This is of course a different story than pieces falling out.
Well I guess it is just his word against mine but if you misdiagnose a problem or in this case bend the truth about what is wrong I think you need to be held accountable.
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