Can I return it?

[coffeyj]

What is the name of your state? Tennessee

I went to a car lot and saw a 1996 Monte Carlo. I was told by the dealer that the engine only had 71k miles on it and the Engine and Transmission were in perfect running shape. I noticed the Check Engine Light,Anti-Lock Brake Light,Air-Bag light,and low level coolent lightt all on. I inquired about them and he told me that he would get the lights off,he said they were on because he had just put the new motor in. He told me not to worry and when I bought the car he would pull it out back and get me all fixed up and then I could go to Emissions,I also had my Father with me.

I bought the car and I pulled it around back,he said he couldnt get the light off because a pice was missing. He said come back in 2 days and he would have the part.
I dropped my car off 2 days later and picked it up after work on the same day,he hadnt done anything too it. He told me he would have to try and find the part as it was hard to get so drop it off the next day.
I dropped it off again and left it with him overnight. When I went to pick up the car all the lights were still on except the Check Engine Light BUT it came right back on before it had even warmed up.

He said he would take care of it.
Well,after several more times of dropping it off and nothing being done he finally tells me it is the PowerControl Module(Brain) and it needs to be replaced. He suddenly said he had to leave but he would be back,I havent been able to talk to him or even see him since,he is always gone.(obviously dodgeing me)

I had another mechanic check it out and he said the PCM was fine that it was a Bad Transmission(Code P1870) along with a P0171 code.

In the beginning I tried to test drive it but it was on empty and it was very cold out,I didnt want to risk trying to drive it and it run out of gas,besides the fact if I put $10 into every car I test drove it would cost me a fortune. But he was always telling me how he was going to get the lights out and get me all fixed up and passing Emissions before I bought the car and even after.

Some may say that I am stuck with it but I had a witness that he promised to get the car in great running shape even after I bought it. BTW,I had bought a car from the Car Lot Owners Dad many years before and had great success with him,I figured it would be passed down.
With the Anti Lock brake and Air bag light on the car isnt safe to drive,I would never had bought it if he would have said he wasnt going to fix it.

I am going to try one more time to get ahold of him and if I cant I am taking him to court.
Any thoughts or opinions to help or hurt me would certainly help from yall.
Thank You in advance.

[coffeyj]

I also want to add that nothing was stated on The Buyers Guide about a defective Transmission or any other problems. It is my understanding that any major flaws have to be listed.

[David Jonathan]

the only thing that will hold up in court is what's written down.

If you purchased the car "as is" that's what you got. A car that may have problems, but it's "As Is" and when paying for the car, you agree to those terms.

As for the car itself. go to a different mechanic, if all he did was relay what the two engine trouble codes were, and nothing else - there are NO extra procedures to look at the different systems in an OBD-II vehicle.

ABS light is probably from a bad wheel speed sensor the mechainc should've told ya what it was when you paid him to scan your car for trouble codes - there are no extra procedures for looking at different systems on the OBD-II cars, it's a matter of pressing the right buttons on the scan tool.

the Air Bag light could be ANYTHING in the system - no guesses as to what it is, I can't see the car - but again, the mechainc should've told ya what it was when you paid him to scan your car for trouble codes - there are no extra procedures for looking at different systems on the OBD-II cars, it's a matter of pressing the right buttons on the scan tool.

the Check Engine light would be from the Trouble Codes you listed - that's P1870 - transmission componant slipping - this is caused by one of two things, either A) a bad torque converter lockup solenoid (about a $400 fix) or B) the torque converter itself (HIGHLY unlikely) the 4T60-E and 4T65-E (even the 3T40L) transmissions have this problem all the time, for some reason GM never addressed this issue of the solenoid failing, so it continues to be a problem - the only thing they changed is so when the solenoid fails, rather than leaving it in lockup, it doesn't go into lockup at all.

and from P0171 - system too lean - bank one (the bank of cylinders closest to the firewall on your car) Without knowing which engine is in there it's tough to say what it is, but I'd bet 10 to 1 it's one of four things, a) intake mainfold gasket leak b) bad ignition coil (highly unlikely) c) bad injector (also highly unlikely) or d) bad fuel pressure regulator (also highly unlikely) GM is famous for their terrible gasket design - almost every 3100, and 3400 on the road has had that intake gasket replaced, if that goes too long, it'll need headgaskets as well.

The low coolant light is one of two things - either A) the sensor is sticking, or B) it's low on coolant. take a small screwdriver, and gently tap on the reservoir next to the sensor.

Best of luck to ya!
--Dave.

without scanning the vehicle's trouble codes, there is no way to tell the transmission was faulting.

[Blue Meanie]

Tenn. Lemon Laws


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