Quote:
Originally Posted by pindoc1
I love this car! Bought it 14 months ago from a dealer. Got horrid gas mileage (15MPG) and they said nothing wrong with it so I sucked it up. Ran great until I took it to an independent German shop for a brake job and when they went to start it the battery was dead so they replaced it. Since I got it back there was a fresh diesel smell that lingered long after being turned off and I could even smell it in the garage in the AM. It also started really rough, and idled rough until it warmed up. I took it back to the shop and they replaced all the fuel lines, hoses, actuator, etc., and $1800. later I no longer have the smells but it runs rough, smokes and NOW the BAS/ACR light comes on. The shop says their computer won't even read it now. Does anybody have any ideas? I am very frustrated becasue I love this car!
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Sounds like you are getting bad advice from both the selling dealer and your mechanic. If the car was getting 15 MPG and the dealer you bought it from said there was nothing wrong with it then you should have asked them why the EPA says the car ought to get about twice that.
As for your present troubles, again, your mechanic is probably part of the problem. OK, just about anybody with a wrench can do a brake job on one of these but when it comes to being under the hood you really need some experience or they will be learning as you pay them to and it sounds like that's what's happened. The parts they replaced don't cost more than about $100 or so therefore the balance of the $1800 was to get them up to speed, and apparently they still aren't. You can either go back to them, insist they fix it right (on their nickle would be my position) or find another shop who knows what they are doing. These are finicky cars but when they are right, they are fine and stay that way. Most of the problems on them are caused by ham-handed so-called mechanics who don't know what they are doing...and they can do lots more harm than good.
As others have said, the BAS/ASR light fault is most likely caused by the brake light switch, although it can also be caused by the tech not resetting the steering position sensor after battery replacement. Try turning the wheel from lock to lock and back again and see if next time you start it up the light stays out. If that doesn't fix it then it is probably the brake light switch after all.
One other symptom of the brake light switch being the culprit is if the cruise control or brake lights themselves don't work. If either of those is faulty then it is the brake light switch. If they charge you more than $50 parts and labor to replace that switch you know they are thieves because the part itself costs about $20 and takes 15 minutes to replace.
As for the running issues, it is hard to diagnose without seeing it. I would say that unless your check engine light is on (does it go on when you start the car at least?) then you probably still have a leak somewhere and most likely the delivery valve seals are bad would be my guess.