Manager Forum

Towed in, for no start. Found to have no ignition spark. Replaced distributor (twice ) still no spark.

Checked grounds and fuses, all okay. As Mark was checking things, found when the handheld scanner was plugged in, car would start and run fine. Unplug scanner, car dies.

Also, no communication withe Modis. AND, car has key immobilizer, light on dash will not come on unless handheld scanner is plugged in.

Any specific grounds he may have missed?

Thanks!

It sounds like the scanner is completing the main relay circuit. Also check for a bad ignition switch, this is extremely common in these. You may find by turning the key slowly the system may activated then crash. Look at where the switch plugs into the harness and see if it's melted at a contact. I've seen this as well enough to mention it.

Found it, quoting Mark, "ground wire from diagnostic connector, to the engine block." I asked him if there was anything odd or different about it, because it took a while to find, but he said, very simply (not unlike himself) - "no."

Glad you found the issue. You may need to be a bit creative with the labor description to justify the time spent. I know I've had some beauties to explain and since it's a simple broken wire or plug it couldn't be that much, right? Had a few where improper installs have caused wiring problems. Trying to charge 3 or 4 hours of labor by stating "shoving my head under dash and repairing hack job by radio installer" doesn't cut it. I'll say something along the lines of "Finally duplicated customers issue and traced all accessories attached to that particular circuit. Found issue to surround radio install. Remove radio, secure harness back to original condition. Properly install radio using correct connectors, remove all excess wire and secure harness back to original placement. Test and program radio. Issue is resolved.

HA!

I wrote a nice little short story (non-fiction, of course) but the real funny part was deciding how much to charge for the labor. I said to Mark, "hands behind your back, and on the count of three, we'll both throw out what we think is fair." We both threw out four fingers, so 4.0 it was. AND, it was fair.

Couple years ago, we had a guy with a different kind of electrical problem (scientist, at the Harvard Primate Center) and he was shocked that it took us 1.8 to figure out why he kept blowing fuses to the brake lights. He literally said to me, "you just hooked it up to the computer and it told you exactly where the problem was."

I love that computer. The one that you plug in and it tells you exactly what is wrong. I still can't figure out who sells it, but the customers have all heard about it.