Where do I start? Where DO I start? Several weeks ago, my wife informed me that the instrument cluster on her car was acting up. Being a retired Electrical Engineer, with 40 years experience (pre retirement), and owning schematic drawings for the electrical circuits of each vehicle I own, I set out to trace the root of the problem. The tachometer, speedometer, temp gage, fuel gage, heater were all reading dead, yet the car ran great; you simply had no indication of how fast you were driving or how far you could go.
After several hours of searching over every circuit, I found the only commonality to be the Body Control Module (BCM). I went on-line and asked several mechanical forums if anyone had experienced the same or similar problems. To a man, each problem like the one on my wifes car turned out to be the BCM: the same unit I had concluded was bad.
I used the Internet to locate used/rebuilt BCMs for my wifes vehicle. I came across Automotive Electronic Solutions (AES) who, per their web site, have over 110 years experience in repairing vehicle control modules. Under BCM they had a number to call, as there are so many different BCMs as to warrant a call instead of listing them.
I called the number and was connected to a Dr. Brad. Who turned out to be partsologist Bradley Knapp. Brad told me that if I could overnight the defective part, AES could repair it with a 2 day turn-around time. He also explained that if the part was not defective, AES would send it back and only charge me the Bench Testing fee. I paid the $183.00 charge, printed a $24.00 Overnight label from the USPS web page and ran the part to the Post Office. It was mailed on 11/01/11
The repaired part arrived back to me on 11/07/11: so much for the 2 day turn-around. I installed it that afternoon and it failed the next day, as my wife was driving to work. AES had sent it back to me with the same problems it had when I sent it to them for repair. I sincerely believe they never repaired it: just held it for 2 days and returned it. I called DR Brad to tell him the problem and he was mot in. I called later, got his voice mail and left a message. He did not return my call. I called the next day and was transferred to DR Brads phone, only to have to leave another message. I called later that day and was told DR Brad does not report to work until 11:00. I finally reached DR Brad, 2 days after the unit failed, and was told to take the car to a mechanic and have the mechanic call AES and work with an AES technician to diagnose the problem.
On 11/10 I gave AES the name and number of my mechanic, then called said mechanic and told him that he should receive a call from a technician at AES with instructions on some test to be run with the BCM installed in the vehicle. I drove to my mechanics shop on Friday, 11/11, and was told that AES had not called until after 1700 on 11/10. The shop was closed. My mechanic called AES and, after playing phone tag finally received instructions on what test he was to run. He ran them, recorded the error codes and called AES with said codes. Each code pointed to the BCM as the failing unit on my wifes vehicle. When the codes were reported to the AES technician, my mechanic was told the codes would be investigated and AES would call him back. I waited five (5) hours and no call-back was received. I left the garage. Monday morning, 11/14, I took the vehicle to the local Chrysler dealership and paid $108.57 to have the electronic circuits on my wifes vehicle tested. The diagnostic tests showed that the BCM had failed, yet again! I called AES and told DR Brad the news. I was put on hold and told to take the vehicle back to the garage and have my mechanic run the test per the AES technicians instructions. On Wednesday, 11/16, I drove back to my mechanic, where the test were run for a FORTH (4th) time! This time, when the BCM failed, I was told that AES could do nothing else with the defective BCM and that I would have to buy a re-built one from them: for another $130.00!!! I agreed and was told if they had one in stock, it would be sent to me the next day. If they did not have one, Brad told me he would call me and tell me.By Friday, 11/18, I had not received the part and I tried to contact DR Brad. He was not in. I called DR Brad on Monday, 11/21, and was told they did not have a re-built BCM in stock and had to order one. He had no idea as to when it would arrive.
It is now 22 days since I shipped the defective BCM to AES for repair and my wifes vehicle is still in the drive way un-repaired!!! And, i have received no refund or rebuilt part.
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