Dealership left black electrical tape on check engine light!

[mamasan]

Wisconsin----Yep, it's true. I admit it. I bought a used car from a dealership and didn't realize there was a piece of black electrical tape cleverly covering the check engine light.
When I discovered it I felt like such a fool. And yes, the check engine light was on...and yes, I had to pay big bucks for the repair. I was out of the state where I bought the car so I had to get it repaired out of state. When I approached the service manager for compensation on the repair his reply was "well, since you didn't bring it to us we aren't going to reimburse you for the cost. Why should we? You took it to someone else!! The nerve.
Also, the car was sold to me with broken strut springs which the dealership did end up replacing for free because I, the single irate female demanded that they do something or else....but as far as the check engine light...well...the slicker than snot service manager said that his service guy shouldn't have over looked that but hey...it was after the fact...so basically screw me!
The electrical system was also backfeeding causing the engine to go on when I pushed the rear defrost button...nice huh? The service guy at the dealership told me it was because my ignition switch was faulty...which it was but didn't have a darn thing to do with the rear defrost. I can't believe this dealership. When they fixed the ignition switch (which they didn't and I had to call them back) the service manager said "did we fix it? yes..is it perfect? no.
There are other things wrong with this little car...too numerous to mention but it just blows me away that a dealership can get away with this kind of stuff! I'm finding out that I'm not the only person who has been seriously "had" by this dealership.
So, my thoughts on this are...what about disclosure laws?
Nowhere on the sticker did it say....broken strut springs, broken airconditioner, electrical tape over check engine light that is on, electrical system back feeding if you push rear defrost switch, bad brakes, rusted sway bar links, bad rotors, worn out brake pads.
Nope, the car dealer said it was a "good little car" and when I noticed a little knocking noise he changed the subject and turned on the radio (which stopped working last week along with the clock, the dome light...hopefully just a fuse but with this hunk of junk ya never know!) He said the knocking noise was due to the fact it is a wagon and doesn't have a trunk so things are louder.

Any ideas of what I might be able to do? Maybe an expose' on Oprah! The owner of the dealership WILL NOT return my phone calls.

 

[TCB4U2B2B]

Truth Of The Matter

Hello mamasan

Very well detailed posting. And some light humor too...

The fact of the matter is you bought a car.

You may not get any further repairs or compensation with this shady dealership but some satisfaction may be available.

File a complaints with the state auto dealers licensing agency, BBB and auto dealers association and any other agency that excepts complaints of this type.

By doing so, your helping to build a file against dealers who pray on unsuspecting and unknowledgeable customers.

In the future, have your own private auto mechanic checkout any and every use vehicle you intend to purchase. Should the selling party refuse to allow you to...quickly leave that sales agency and never return.

 

[guest]

electrical tape

turn them in to the attorney general office. and expose them for what they really are? you see it everyday dealerships taking customers for a ride for the money. what ever happen to customer saisfaction or customers first.