The GHOST is BACK! (Chevy Cobalt Crank No Start)

Deja Vu?
This 2006 Chevy Cobalt is back at the shop for a no-start problem.
We looked at it more than a year ago for a no-crank, no-comm problem before.
• No crank? it's a Ghost...
Different symptoms this time, but could it be the same cause?
Enjoy!
Ivan

[@chillybrit2334]

As a customer I wouldn't be annoyed to receive an invoice after a year and 25K miles. However, if the tech says no charge and explains they may not have quite got it right the last time (exposed copper for e.g.) for 'reasons' as in this case, then I would happily take the no charge AND be sure to refer more work their way. Actually for a mobile tech that comes to my home, I would try to insist on making some, even partial, payment to cover fuel / travel if not the time. No-one is perfect and honesty deserves to be rewarded.

[@robertbest9667]

As a customer I would have paid. If you said "no charge" I think at least paying for your trip would be fair.

[@gregwhite5058]

Geez, when I first read this I thought you meant paying for his trip to Florida. Man, that would be MORE than fair. Now I see, you meant just his trip out to where the car was located. Yeah, that makes sense now.

[@WatchWesWork]

I don't know how your customers are, but for me, if I check the tires and 5 years later the engine blows up, they think it's my fault...

[@tbas1972]

It's the, well you worked on it last line lol

[@tbas1972]

@@felixgato4392 that's why I only fix my stuff lol

[@Charles_Mulberry_7977]

So it ran fine for 25,000 miles. Crappy vehicle quality, corrosion and poor design becomes your fault? Working in the heat and cold sucks. Having customers who have no idea what you go through sucks. Thanks to my father I didn't go into auto repair. I will only fix my own cars. Now I get to work on aerospace electronics in the AC.

[@tomvleeuwen]

I always wonder if they really think it is our fault, or if they know it's unrelated but are just trying to get a free repair...

[@izzo4160]

I did an alignment one time on this ladies car. She called back after getting home and said her stereo was not working and it must have been something I did.

[@loz11968]

Grease it up to prevent corrosion. Some shops have different warranty maybe parts but not labour A car in California where corrosion isn’t much of an issue may well be different to a shop where the whole car rots out in a few years... As a customer after 12 months and 25000 miles I would certainly expect to pay something..... and if I wasn’t charged I would certainly give them something for their biscuit fund It’s certainly good practice to look after your customers and that customer will always come back.....so today you have just invested in the future of your business But not all shops are like you who stand by their work Im sure some shops would tell the customer it was a different issue and bill them Great video as always

[@richardmitchell7836]

A year tuff call..but I would have done the same NC. Word of mouth is gold! And I would sleep better and everyone is 😊 awesome video per usual Ivan

[@somerandomguy3868]

Over a year and 25k miles all bets are off, however if you remember the repair being less than ideal, than eat this one

[@CubasAutomotive]

Yeah, me.... I would take care of this on me. I couldn't in good conscience charge for something I did and just didn't hold up. Something like electrical should hold up for quite a few years, IMO. You did the right thing Ivan. I like how you handled this. 😊

[@SmittySmithsonite]

Hey Cuba! Long time, no see! Hope everything's good out your way. 👍🍻

[@CubasAutomotive]

@@SmittySmithsonite yes sir! Getting ready to interview EricO, on a Hispanic Livestream panel with 3 or 4 others... super excited! All is well here!! Stupid busy.. as more than likely, you are too. Lol. It's always a pleasure to cross paths with you! Cheers & hugs my friend! 😊🤗🤗🍺🍺🍺

[@SmittySmithsonite]

@@CubasAutomotive - Ahh, sweeeeeet! Glad to hear that! Yeah, been crazy over here - more than ever! That's good, since it looks like I'll be buying another computer soon. Amazing I can never get more than 5 years out of any of them, Microsoft, or Apple - I can't win! Anyway, cheers and hugs back at ya, Cuba! 🤗🍺

[@bryanlatimer-davies1222]

As Ivan admitted not doing a perfect job first time, then it is a no charge for sure

[@MotownVideo]

I have never regretted doing the right thing. Fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow EVERY night! Best advice my Dad ever gave me!

[@Cowboy_Ash]

God bless your dad.

[@adammoore284]

Ivan in this day and age it is becoming increasingly difficult to get a talented tradesperson to show up and work for you period. I think what you did was honorable by not charging, but you need to realize that an incompetent shop would have tried to soak the customer for a computer, or coils (parts cannon at the customers expense). You took a risk by repairing the harness that was a failure in quality, design, and/or elements the vehicle was used in. It bit you in the ass this time, but the customer got a year out of that efficient repair. I wouldn't feel guilty charging for this repair again with the caveat that you relocate the ground or do some improvement to the design to prevent future problems. At least enough to cover your expenses to show up and materials required. You are a good man.

[@sumduma55]

When you solder wires,if one end is fixed to something, you need to secure the other end from movement until about an inch beyond the solder joint. The solder creates a hard point and the flex on that point acts like a crimp or kink and it will break the wires over time. Its basically a slow motion version of someone flexing wires to cause them to break. If you cannot secure the wires past the solder joint, use some suguru, hot glue, or something similar to create a relief to allow the flexing further away and spread out from the hard point.

[@richrodriguez6543]

Count me in the 'no solder to repair' camp for the reasons you stated!

[@elbuggo]

@@richrodriguez6543 Me 2!

[@robertheim352]

Good point; proper soldering creates a reliable connection but the wire strain and wire flex must be managed! I like to use two layers of self sealing heat shrink.

[@JamesAllen300]

Seeing as the same issue came back, I would have looked to move the eyelets to another position higher up!! Yes it means extending the wires with a heat shrink joint, but if it means the problem won't happen again then that's the route I would take.

[@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics]

Good solution!

[@charlesmiller5078]

Bet this is a ongoing problem with every car of the same year and model, has to be. Did you check your alerts like Eric does.

[@RumfordSledhead]

@@charlesmiller5078 I have an 05 Chevy Cobalt with 175K and no issues like this

[@Bruel111]

My thoughts exactly, I was waiting for him to do it!

[@Airman..]

Just crimp it or solder it properly, seal it with the right stuff 3m adhesive lined heat shrink tube and ship it

[@hpelisr]

Yes Ivan, I would look at that AC/Line dripping condensation on those wires and connection's. I have seen that before, The water running down the wires into the socket. It's good you found the problem.

[@justin-davis]

I would have gladly paid as a customer. It's been a year and you came and fixed the car, bottom line.

[@arbez.nation]

I would of just let it go but I bet most shops would of found a way to charge the customer anyway. I will never be a rich man, but I sleep good.

[@on-site4094]

Your honesty and integrity speaks for itself 👍

[@mikeholt3545]

Amen brother better to be poor and honest than rich and deceitful.

[@joemilton7552]

Most shops would have replaced the fuel pump.

[@gregory891]

I've owned a shop. Regardless of what local law might say, it's still an item you fixed and within a year is still (more or less) within a warrantable period. It wouldn't be unreasonable to cover the repair as warranty but ask for a contribution for your travel to his home. Consider the alternative, if you were on vacation or coming home in a day or so, of his expense to have the car towed / flatbed to your or a repair shop. Your travel time / expense is clearly less and a reasonable request.

[@erniedeguzman9720]

Hey Ivan! I think not charging for it this time is genuinely honest and noble. I remember a friend from church, I replaced (for free) his PS Fluid reservoire on a 2006 Dodge Caravan about 5 years ago as it was clogged and would just spill whem the engine runs. Last year he told me he had a PS Steerring Rack replaced with a reman by some mechanic. Last month he told me he lost Power Steering and became hard to steer. He took it back to the mechanic who replaced the PS Rack and he found out that the return hose to the PS reservoire got dislodged. Then I got blamed for it. 😔. I will refuse to touch his van again.

[@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics]

5 years! Wow some customers have no common sense lol

[@daveyio87]

Most of the places I've worked at would charge again and make some story up. Personally I would own up to it even if it was a year later, bad crimp on wires that were corroded. After i fixed it i would defiantly coat in something to try and protect the connection from doing it again. This year I had a good example of one, I had a saturn vue with no highspeed. wires previously fixed by fuel tank had corroded splices, i spliced and fixed several wires. was fine, 3 months later it came back doing the same thing. Quick diagnostic check lead me to believe the issue was in the same spot, cut open harness i had taped up nicely and found one of the splices that i didn't replace was corroded, i missed it the first time. I fixed it inspected the wires closely and all splices and taped harness back up. Technically it wasn't a wire i repaired that came back but its something i should have noticed while i was in there. Owned it, fixed it and moved on, and still ended up with a good week that week.

[@johndutton4860]

this is what set you and south main auto above the rest ivan most shops would charge for diagnostics and the fix again keep up the great work and you handled this situation like a true gentleman who stands behind his work 100 percent that is a very rare thing to find these days sad to say

[@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics]

Thank you for the kind words! I believe honesty and integrity will go a long way :)

[@armandolios4561]

As a costumer, I would think that the repair was permanent so...But, after all your time is valuable and after a year I think it would be fair a 50/50 on this one.

[@coryspence6839]

I would expect my shop to recommend a new serpentine belt and cooling system flush. And a new ECU.

[@CubasAutomotive]

😂😂😂😂

[@rmr5740]

. . . and a fuel pump.

[@leedress2187]

And tires

[@gaad7938]

And new coils & injectors.

[@segintendorocks]

Don't forget a complete suspension rebuild 🤣🤣🤣.

[@steveo6631]

You're a good man, Ivan... Hard to find these days... I can tell you would do the same thing even if the camera wasn't running... If I was the customer, I would have to pay you at least an hour labor or I wouldn't be able to sleep at night...

[@DIYDaveOK]

I think you did right by your customer. You want his business, not just his money. Lots of businesses don't understand the difference.

[@tomlewis3658]

As a customer, I would have expected to pay for this. It's more than a year, and the car is old, and this car is driven in a climate with snow & road salt. If the original repair was able to use a new wire harness, if that was even possible, then maybe I would not have liked to pay.

[@billburkart9087]

I agree. All bets are off in the rustbelt

[@VashthStampeede]

If a customer expects to pay, then finds out they don't have to. They'll bring you repeat business and maybe some of their friend's business too.

[@mikeoneill7360]

Mom and Dad taught you the right way.... You did the right thing, nice diagnosis as well.....

[@timramich]

I know soldering feels like the right thing to do, because it takes some time and feels strong, but it has no place on a flexible and vibratory application. Crimps are the way to go, even though it feels too cheap.

[@SawmillerSmith]

Most shops would charge again. Most shops would of throw a lot of parts on the bill also. Bill would be like $1,000.

[@crisprtalk6963]

You maybe right and if so that is really a sad statement to the integrity of people. That is preying on people.

[@SawmillerSmith]

@@crisprtalk6963 you can compare it to like getting an operation.

[@danielcarter5579]

That is for a fact there I've NEVER had sympathy at any shops, they usually come up with some other crap and oh this is totally different problem, and guess what you cant argue a damn thing because, who is the professional? Professionals shouldnt take a skill and then rip people off but that's what happens because we dont know better. That's why we watch you Ivan

[@robertheim352]

Your integrity is A+. I owned a 2000 Ford Windstar that went to the shop for repairs over 11 times (non maintenance). I believe that 4 of those were returns because of service mistakes. Here's how I explained it to their service manager: If one service requires 10 critical steps and you get 9 of those right I will still need to come back to the shop, but in education a 90% grade was considered very good. Lucky for me these were warranty repairs, but needless to say all the mechanics knew my name. I wasn't happy and they were tired of seeing the vehicle...

[@thomasdemarco617]

You need to charge for the job, The character of the ground is a failure esp location. The wire corrosion can travel many inches inside the insulation. I would cut the wires back as far as possible, resolder and shrink tube the connection with 3 /4 feet of wire left and relocate that ground to a more friendly environment out of the weather, perhaps even inside the car in a kick panel area. The ground issues I would bet is very common in certain salt winter states

[@daveshymske4392]

As a shop owner and it was a good loyal customer I would have fixed it at no charge. . That ground is and has been a GM issue anyways. Plus it makes you look like the hero and not the Rip off repair guy that our industry gets the this bad rap for. You did the right thing by fixing it and you probably will have a grateful customer who will tell how great and honest you are . Crap happens and you can't test drive the car for a year to verify the repair . Great Job 👍

[@ChrisMichaelsChicago]

Excellent plan of procedure. I would like to point out that when using solder, Any remaining flux is highly corrosive. Nobody thinks to flush flux off of wires. My problem was Squirrel chew at a ground ring (4wires) on the back of the motor! LOL

[@WisdomInExperience]

You are a lifesaver, I just got a 2006 chevy cobalt and it was working fine. I went to replace the master cylinder and while doing that I had to shift the fusebox and due to that movement that earthing wire broke off and it would crank but wont start. So your video exactly showed me step by step process and nailed the culprit. Thanks a ton. I sent you a small gift token for your video to your papal!! Great Video!!

[@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics]

Thank you I appreciate it! 🙏🙂

[@FreshStart215]

What was the problem

[@WisdomInExperience]

@@FreshStart215 Car wont start. Since earthing wire broke off.

[@wdhewson]

The old mechanic's adage when troubleshooting, "What did you "fix" last". Meaning that your repairs were incorrectly executed. However, a year's service on an older car ain't bad. Bill him but modestly.

[@michaelmiller5618]

The cool thing is that you did not blame something or someone else for the issue and you methodically traced out the bad wiring yours or not.

[@fixitman8028]

You did the right thing. You now have a customer for life and they will recommend you to family and friends

[@rickb8808]

Had a guy come in with a check engine light on and engine running rough. Diagnosed it as a #3 coil. He said he was ordering 4 new coils and plugs off Amazon and changing them himself. Get a call he snapped #3 spark plug off trying to get it out. He got it out somehow and wanted to tell me I misdiagnosed the problem. It was the plug. He was sending the new coils back. Calls the next day and says engine light on and car is running rough. Nice guy I am I tell him to bring it over. #2 cylinder misfire. Pull the coil and it has a #3 on it as I mark my coils with white paint pen. Pull other coils and show him numbers on them. Next I move that coil to #1 and yep, #1 misfire. Tell him to re-order his new coils, or at least one. He decided I should now fix it. Not knowing how he handled the #3 plug breakage I declined. With my luck part of it could have gone in the cylinder and I'd get blamed for any issues.

[@feeneysmechanical6215]

I had a customer bring his 2006 Chevy Malibu with that same eco tech engine. Complained of a cylinder#3 misfire. He wanted me to check the plugs, coil pack, injectors. Okay I changed all of them. He told me he diagnosed himself just didn't have time to do it. So I kept getting a misfire #3 came up on my scan tool. So I asked him what work has been done on this. He tells me oh another shop did the head and head gasket. I said ok. I checked relative compression that was good. So I said I will clear the codes bring it back if it happens again. Two days later he calls and tells me he has no heat coming from the vents. I go to his house and confirm. Hooked my scan up and the coolant isn't up to temperature. I told him it's a bad thermostat. Lol he tells me oh I pulled that out a while ago. I said there's your problem. So I put a new thermostat in it Purge the coolant system after refill. Bam. The misfire is gone and we have great heat coming from the vents. He paid me and said next time I will pay someone to fix it. This is behind my skill set he said. Lol. Driving for months with no thermostat. I come to find out he told the shop who did the head gasket job. Leave the thermostat out.

[@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics]

@@feeneysmechanical6215 WOW just have to laugh at the "logic" of some people xD

[@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics]

I have little sympathy for people who try to save a few pennies, make a mess, then try to blame it on someone else haha

[@halleffect1]

perfect customer to decline

[@gaad7938]

Feeney's Mechanical Years ago, before auto computers, when cars had carbitrators, points & condenser, you could get away with running with no t'stat - especially in Fl (where I am).

[@paulsz6194]

There is either an inherent design flaw or it’s due to a lack of adequate preventative maitenance . If this was to happen to every cobalt, then you would say it’s comes down to a design flaw, as the manufacturer did not do enough to protect the earthing eyelet from corrosion. Also if you live in a part of the world where it snows & salt is used to dissolve snow, then it’s also up to the owner to take extra care on maintaining the grounding points on the car.

[@avasonsyn]

got to love the honesty and the humbleness. No ego here guys! Great work!

[@Frank-pv1hp]

Not to bust your balls Ivan, but as you pointed out at the end, a proper repair on wiring will almost never fail. You did the right thing, I've come to expect nothing less. Our shop would have covered that at no cost to the customer. We also pay any tow bill involved it is our screw up. Customers will usually happily forgive and keep coming back if you take ownership of your mistakes

[@douglasjones3799]

I think that a no charge is way more valuable because this customer is going to appreciate your honesty and integrity and they are going to recommend you to others in need of a skilled technician. You can't buy that for any price.

[@ntamichael9343]

Some of my clients are like that, you fixed one in their car, they accuse you of another thing not near related to what you initially fixed, but I always try to explain to them how cars are function, car functions are like humans, you could have headache today, and have waist pain next week, do you blame your doctor for having waist pain after treating you for headache? So are this cars, they have components once it begins to develop fault and one thing is fixed there is tendency for another thing to come up, but as a mechanic just do your job professionally and make sure you do a proper diagnosis, and if you observe any part going bad in the car apart from customer complaints, just call the customer attention to it, for record purposes. Great job out their, am looking forward to work with any good mechanic company or garage in the US, Canada or Australia, am a good mechanic here in Africa. You guys are wonderful I watch a lots of repairs videos on KZbin.❤❤❤❤

[@victorarevalo108]

As a customer and after a year I would pay for both diag and repair. Not your fault and I’m sure vibration could be root cause. I would be happier though with maybe 15-20% discount. After watching I was about to guess something intermittent in the ECM/PCM 🤷🏽‍♂️. Great video👍🏽👍🏽

[@billstreber5194]

I did it similar repair on my own vehicle same scenario but this time after I had fixed it I covered it with that liquid tape all the way around

[@roeaaron974]

This guy gets it.

[@richardcranium5839]

25k and one year any warranty is shot. i personally would bill full but then discount up to 50% depending on the customers attitude. corrosion is beyond your control. one thing i have found though that works good is the red spray high tack gasket adhesive seals the tightened connection really good.

[@brianw8963]

I would be happy with that one Ivan. I put a Promar 350 in one of my best customers 97 GMC a year and a half ago, He brought it back Jan this year with 5G miles with a knock. I found it had 2 bad wrist pins and the pistons were scorched on those pistons. Promar replaced the engine N/C but would not pay any labor. They scrubbed the pistons when they pressed the pins in, IMHO, but I was happy they replaced the engine. I ate the labor! No more engine jobs for Winslow's Garage!

[@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics]

Ah that sucks. Customer should have a word with the engine rebuilders, and make sure you get paid for your quality work one way or another!

[@TexasEngineer]

As a customer, I like doing business with the small shop and I expect to pay them a fair price so they stay in business when I need them. On the other hand I love a lifetime warranty. Back in the early 70’s, Ford came out with a repair warranty that you only paid once for a repair. I had a 71 Pinto and it was in their shop so many times for the same bad part, Ford finally gave up on their lifetime warranty and never made that mistake again. In your case I agree with you not charging because it turns a negative situation into a positive advertisement for your business.

[@wyattoneable]

That was indeed a fun diagnosis. That's a tough call. As a customer with some mechanical knowledge I'd pay for the repair. If it was a month later, then yes. The shop should consider it a comeback.

[@nickv4073]

Look at it as an investment. That customer will be back for other repairs and recommend you to others. Guaranteed. . You earned his trust. Wish you lived near me.

[@sweetwilliam49]

You didn’t really do the repair for free. You earned a ton of respect and good will! After all word of mouth advertising is the best advertising you can get. You will get many referrals off of a satisfied customer. I can hear this customer bragging on you to friends and family. All the KZbin comments on how they wished they had a honest mechanic like you. Lastly my third rule of life, you can’t go wrong helping people, in any way.

[@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics]

Great comment :)

[@juice775]

As a customer I would pay for the diagnosis. I would be stoked for a free fix. Your a good soul Ivan.

[@leighurquhart3867]

Ivan, you "saved the customer" and that has always been my motto, rather than all the negative feelings on both sides, that can result from a situation like this. Hopefully after 25,000 severe miles the customer would come forward with some payment, that would be reasonable. Never the less, keep up the videos of you can, they are terrific.

[@stealthg35infiniti94]

Most shops will charge again after 30 days...When you make wiring repairs under the hood you have to be meticulous about soldering quality and insulating your work waterproof either by liquid tape or quality heat shrink...Then encapsulating the lug connection in dielectric grease to slow further corrosion...I have learned this lesson the hard way....

[@fluffyblue4006]

I watched the previous ghost vid again. That Jim guy seems to be a nice honest mechanic. Gotta love that big screen at his diag tool. So... you failed to do a proper job last time, so now you should eat it. You did the right thing. Jim will value it and will probably have more business for you, in the future.

[@iduimovic]

Well all depends Ivan. If you are honest and good person and wanted to keep a good reputation you do what you did. But... if the condition of the area is salty and there is a lot of corrosion on the road, it is expected for every surface to corrode. So in this case it pass over a year of use, the car was driven on winter with road coated with salt and it corroded the connection and the cable just broke it is not your fault. That will fall under normal wear and tear and the manufacture does with their product. Some shop will charge for the diagnostic and maybe do the repair for free, other will charge for everything because it has been over a year and others be more customer service incline and do the repair for free.

[@arthurfricchione8119]

Ivan it is what it is. You did the right thing. Stay well Artie ❤️

[@davidraezer5937]

I only solder larger wires after crimping. 10ga-24ga wires get crimped and I only use heat shrink with hot melt glue so the crimp is sealed from elements. Also since that area failed again I might have done a crimp with a singe larger wire and relocate the ground point to eliminate any strain issues.

[@999thenewman]

Ivan had to eat this repair. Silicone paste will protect wires against corrosion.

[@VashthStampeede]

No longer a fan of silicone dielectric grease. I'm in a dry climate, but everything I've used it on, after a couple of years has turned green. Most silicone RTVs cure with acetic acid, so not good for wire connections. Liquid Electrical Tape paste would be my choice for sealing connections and connectors.

[@999thenewman]

@@VashthStampeede I was referring to 3M Silicone Paste used for servicing brakes.

[@VashthStampeede]

@@999thenewman I see. Thanks for the clarification. Good idea and tip.

[@jasonswan5413]

@@VashthStampeede 65

[@mtspace5100]

i would def. be spraying wires and ground stud with some Fluid Film, white lithium, or Muscle Grease. Anything to slow down the corrosion. Living in the salt belt, I go around my vehicles at least once a year with some spray grease on ground studs and electrical connectors as a preventative measure. Everything is a greasy mess, but I don't have electrical problems. As far as not charging for this repair... ivan, you're a better man than I am. "Rust never sleeps." -Neil Young

[@johnminor2496]

Ivan, as a customer I would say you are giving excellent customer service. You probably have a very loyal customer base.

[@johnhnetkovsky8917]

Very good Ivan,integrity has no ego.

[@HighTideTrio]

Ivan I would tell you to meet me half way on the diag, and say free re-repair, but here’s gas $ and a cold beverage if you like that kind of thing. So glad you are honest! Rock on dude!

[@ohboy2118]

If you hadn't of admitted you had rushed the previous fix and had issues soldering as a customer I would have paid you. 12mths and 25k is far enough along to remove your responsibility. Because you admitted it ( and more credit to you) I would have maybe have suggested splitting the bill because again 12mths on is a reasonable time. That way I sleep at night. I admire you for your honesty and you get to keep my business. If on the other hand you had insisted I pay the bill (which I would have done given the time and distance) and then I had found out your solder job was crap then it would have been the last time you got to repair anything of mine. I treat people how I would like to be treated. Tell the truth, be fair and the world is a happier place. Nice fix!

[@85rx7se]

Most shops would charge saying it is a new problem. But since it is at the same connector location, I would say fix it for free. You keep a customer that way. As to how to fix it, they make top quality crimp terminals, that are designed to be weatherproof and also have heat shrink on them in order to keep water and such out. They are not much more expensive than normal terminals.

[@jdtractorman7445]

Back in the day our shop had a 1 year, 12,000 mile warranty after any repair. Had it been slightly over with either they may have honored the warranty especially if it was a come back. You did the right thing here I think by not charging him. I have to wonder if a ring terminal with the adhesive inside of it would have worked good on this repair and crimping all three of those wire ends in it. Then heat until the adhesive comes out sealing it air/water tight.

[@spaceinvadertoo]

You mentioned that when you fixed that same problem terminal a year ago with the customers solder and it did not seem to be flowing or melting correctly, but the joint looked good, tested and ran well after the "hurried" repair. Sounds like you created what is known in the electronics industry as a "cold solder joint" which has not flowed adequately to completely enclose the joint (but only partly). This leaves the cold solder joint vulnerable to the subsequent entry of corrosive materials, like dirty water, etc. The cold solder joint then begins to corrode rapidly in the parts that are not protected by a good mechanical joint with good solder flow and eventually corrodes through the few good contacts that exist in the cold solder joint. The joint failure is not your fault, but more importantly it is not the customers fault either. So you made the correct decision to not charge the customer for "come back" work, though it had been a year. Now you know there is an old homily that applies to this kind of scenario: "Sin in haste, repent at leisure." This kind of outcome happens to everyone who has ever wielded a soldering station more than once. Congratulate yourself and move on.

[@ricknoyb1613]

Just hit a quarter million miles with my 2006. Mechanically, I'm impressed, the engine anyway, in that I travel constantly for work and the car has been seriously abused maintenence-wise. However, electronically the car is a disaster. Having the same dead start issues, it will start if I spend up to 20 minutes moving the shifter back and forth. I was going to tear into the shifter and replace the neutral switch, but with the multiple electronic issues a bad grounding issues is the better probability. The dome light blows fuses, door locks lock and unlock if any small amount of moisture gets into the controls (leaving the windows cracked a quarter inch in a light rain), no mirror controls, corrosion issues with the rear blinkers, no decent engine ground for jumpstarting from that stupid underhood power post (usually have to unload my overstuffed trunk and go directly to the battery posts), the heater blower went out...fan motor was fine but is built into the dash where it has to be mechanically cut out of the dash...issue turned out to be the control module but none off the junkyard replacements would ever match with mine so I now have a push button switch in my dash where it's either off or on full speed, the vehicle after four years of ownership decided to activate the anti-theft alarm feature, called the previous owner to ask how to turn the alarm off and he goes "the car has an alarm?", so despite many KZbin searches I drive around with the horn fuse pulled.

[@feeneysmechanical6215]

Hey Ivan, don't beat yourself up over it happens. Great job finding the issue. It happens in the semi truck world as well. The company I 🔧 for part time sent a truck to a shop while I was on vacation. Complaint was stalling, won't run sometimes, can't restart. I was gone over a week on vacation. I come back from vacation and I find on my work bench. A computer and a brand new wiring harness for a 2001 Mack truck. Ok so the parts get sent to the shop. Four days later almost two weeks we get the truck back. I go to use it later that night. Some problem. So I get it in the shop. Check charging voltage 12.2. noticed the alternator isn't charging. Put a alternator on it. Alternator is now 14.2 but at the batteries I only had 12.2. I voltage drop the ground side with the verus pro and the long scope leads. Found a 2 voltage drop. I found no ground Cable from the engine block to the batteries. I build a new ground Cable. Attached it and I started the truck and it's all set. My boss comes down in the shop and asks what's wrong with this now. We just got it back here's he invoice from the other shop. I said it only needed a ground Cable. Simple voltage drop testing would've proved that at the other shop. He was pissed about it because the money spent. Keep your chin up and keep rolling. Because there is alot of guy's out there that would've gotten their butt's kicked on this Cobalt.

[@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics]

Wow that's a great story! I have a good voltage drop case study coming up soon :)

[@jamesbruno5896]

Nice job Ivan, hopefully this repair will last longer than a year!

[@BoB4jjjjs]

The problem is salt, hope you sprayed it with something to stop moisture ingression this time or it will happen again. The way to keep your customers is not to charge for the same fault, it had done 25,000 since and that is quite a bit, however, you did say by your own admission that you didn't make a good job of soldering (Yes there is an "L" in soldering) last time, so I think you did the right thing. I would have sprayed the wires this time though. I had a field wire on an alternator keep coming off every few days and I got the impression it was just under rated for the load, the wires were black as if under a lot of load. So I ran a wire up and away from and water with a heavier wire, they connected it to the original and sprayed them with our something similar to WD40 but a bit better. I had no more problems, the thicker wore, but most important was the wire at the alternator that kept corroding at the connector was also sprayed and didn't corrode again. It was still running 15 years later and I asked if it had been any bother and it had been no problem at all. Strange these things when wiring and water mix, especially salt water from the roads in winter. I was surprised it had lasted all those years without any problems. It was a Ford, not that that had anything to do with it, it was also a Lucas Alternator (Thankfully) which was a bit easier to deal with.

[@davidjackson6278]

Ivan you are true professional word of mouth is extremely powerful and keep up the good work.

[@wallyhobbs2973]

This helped me fix a car that I'm going to flip I went straight to what this it fixed my car the same exact problem was wrong with mine thanks a lot good job

[@BoostedMoose517]

Me personally I agree. I would have ate the time and repair also.... BUTTT on the other hand my boss not so sure on how he would be. Anyways great video!

[@richard1835]

You did the right thing by not charging the customer. The ground repair should have lasted more than a year. And there is not a mechanic out here that has not had a comeback whether it was there fault or not. Remember,"We only get one mistake a Year" .

[@jeffreymurdock8366]

Hell im under 5 minutes into the video and you just cranked the car and commented that it cranks funny. Hell yes it does. Im betting its either a blown head gasket or a valve issue like timing being off for the valves just a hair. Im leaning towards the head gasket because I have had a really bad head gasket come in that sounded like that. Topped the coolant and went to try to start the car and talk about shooting water a good 6 feet in the air. When i took the head off it I found a nearly 1/16" gap between the head and the block between cylinders. Damn that thing must have gotten hot to do that.

[@HUBBABUBBADOOPYDOOP]

The first time- Add small length of extra wires to all involved, no tension. Crimped & soldered, spray of terminal protector or blob of plain grease on area, or swipe of liquid electrical tape. Never happen again. A 1 year warranty on repairs is about average, depending on what/where is repaired. "Lifetime" warranty can haunt you- personally- I wouldn't use a Shop that said that; I'd think it's a braggart, or a sales gimmick. Nobody's that good. Nobody. "Limited lifetime" isn't much better- always a catch. Like a car battery- "prorated" warranty BS, sure, it deteriorates with age, like anything else. In 1989- my $28,000 Buick had a 3/30 warranty, as did most cars. Korea came out with 10/100 and set the whole market scrambling to match, remember that? I'd go with "1 year/10K miles" for stuff. Think about it- Vow, in the Eyes of God- "forsaking all others, in sickness and health" then you get sick and she beds your brother. Guarantees are a sales gimmick.

[@stanley917]

Solder flow up the wire stiffens it and make it more susceptible to vibration. A good sealed crimp connection would be less susceptible.

[@jeffberg8015]

I respect your not wanting to charge the customer, but as a customer I would not expect it to be free. It was fixed a year ago, and on older cars corrosion is a constant process.

[@georgebonney90]

Id definitely fix it for free but i kno some that would charge if they fell they could get away with it without any headaches,thx Ivan👍

[@brummiesteve590]

Its over 12 months Charge em. Also. Solder in a fracture material for vibration. Copper wire flexes. Thats why manufacturers only crimp to bare wire and rubber sleeve. Ex Lucas Electronics touch solderer.

[@zx8401ztv]

What a shame it died again :-(, you are however a honorable man ivan. If it actually corroded i would staturate the eyelet to wire junction with oil, less chance of water getting in. If it happens a 3rd time, run away before madness happens :)

[@jeffjankiewicz5100]

I could not in good conscience charge for this. I would extend the wires and find somewhere higher in the engine compartment to complete the ground. Happy customer is future customer. Word of mouth can either make you or break you. Stay safe, God Bless.

[@kenk3102]

...when you do something like this Ivan, you gain the customer's loyalty and trust 100%.....I would have done the same thing :)

[@johnmckamy6398]

Your an honest man .

[@ianwhatley3864]

As a customer i would expect 12 months warranty on your original repair, unless otherwise told. On the good side I would not hesitate using your services again ( from the UK )

[@greystone83]

Yep EE here Double-wall Heat Shrink there are taping techniques but shrinkwrap works not cheap ...Look for Double-wall Heat Shrink as solder areas are easily corroded and need protection.

[@halfabucknhra]

My shop warranty is 1 year. If the repair was made more than one year ago then it would be a chargeable repair. If when checking that eyelet I found that I did a crappy job the first time then I would consider eating the repair, but the diagnosis charge would still be charged as it was more than a year. My warranty policy is clearly posted in my shop and is in plain English with no fine print so there are no questions as to the policy. When dealing with wiring problems, if it is a repeat problem, the second time around I would personally try everything I could to eliminate the possibility of it happening again, whether it be fluid film, another anti corrosive agent or possibly moving the ground as it may just be in a spot where salt can get to it easily and corrode it. Many variables, and would be a case by case basis, but in the end warranty is one year.

[@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics]

Great policy, I like it.

[@lambodp]

If I was the customer, I'd expect to pay for the diagnostics. It was a year later and a ton of miles, so I wouldn't expect to not pay for the repair. You're a good man Ivan for not charging your customers for the come back. It keeps your customers around this way when you help them out.

[@johnwaby4321]

That's how it goes some times . It's good customer relationship. Then they will come back to you again if they are treated good.

[@tomsawyer4776]

Use your can of liquid electrical tape from the eyelet up to about 2 inches on the wire. Glob it on thick. No more comeback. Also, a spray waterproofing is available (like varnish) that is often used in off road vehicles that go in the mud pits on a competitive basis. If you can't find that, a can of polyurethane spray varnish should work.

[@thomasandrews9355]

Hey there viewers...welcome back to the...wait wrong channel. Subbed. Great troubleshooting! I remember your references to Eric in the original video and enjoyed that one too!

[@georgeswindolljr1980]

Fantastic video, great job Ivan!!!!!

[@gd2329j]

Oxidation is a big problem as is multiple wires in one crimp . Soldering will not stop the corrosion in the wire & movement of the loom should be minimized . The best thing you can do is cut out 5 or 6 inches & add a pigtail ( bigger capacity wire ) . Twist all wires together then solder , sleeve the joint & make good the loom . Crimp the end as needed & when refitting add a bit of dielectric grease . Note Copper & aluminium don't play nicely . Aluminium oxide is a good insulator !

[@allisonday5873]

Question is, how long is repair warrantied for. Industry standard is one year. It is not covered for life of repair??

[@chillybrit2334]

Define the "life" expectancy of a given repair.

[@dakotataylor7909]

Here in Ontario it's 90 days and it's considered a new problem parts manufacturing issues are generally covered for 1 year or service life of part

[@chillybrit2334]

@@dakotataylor7909 Thanks for the reply. It makes sense to warranty the repair work separate to the parts. Let the parts stand on the manufacturers terms and our own work on our terms subject to a regulated minimum. That does present a murky grey area when dealing with customers and setting their expectations though if the two do not align. Say a "lifetime" warrantied reman alternator craps out after 14 months, you warranty 6 months on your work. You sourced the reman unit as part of getting the job done. A lot of customers will be back expecting the thing replaced for no charge at all - as they conveniently only remember the "lifetime" warranty not the 6 month one. I would much rather all parts suppliers just dropped "lifetime" altogether. It's meaningless. Lifetime warranty on a shock absorber for example - meaningless. Unless it spews its oil within a few months the supplier will just declare it fair wear and tear, end of its life. Put a hard number of months on it and everybody knows where they stand. I've even seen brake pads sold with big text on the box "lifetime warranty!!". Wut? :D It's all games.

[@dakotataylor7909]

@@chillybrit2334 I agree, it's something we're seeing changing on a regular basis here, whether it be time or mileage warranty is getting a lot clearer, brake pads for example that used to be lifetime may now be 2 years/ 20,000 miles, and usually still only cover parts, we always make sure to explain to customers whether or not the part comes with a warranty covering labour cost.

[@JohnRodriguesPhotographer]

There has to be limits on returns. This speaking as a consumer and as a person that used to side work on computers, plus many years ago (40+) cars and tube tv's. What I would suggest is making the connection more water resistant. I would use a heavy coat of liquid tape. A grease will splash of over time in my opinion. I do not completely discount the use of a grease. Just not my first choice.

[@northernpatriot9078]

ah yes the ol bypass ground trick seen you diag and fix plenty with that little move, nice master ivan !!!!

[@sixpacksandsrts9122]

Rare honest man. Mechanics around me woulda charged again

[@jimmyjimjims7483]

In a Chevy of that era it's common for the key to get stuck in the ignition when the battery dies/goes weak. On a 2013 Cruze I even saw it throw an immobilizer code for a dead battery, there's a hole you can stick a screwdriver in and just release the key under the ignition barrel

[@teddybearsnor5334]

hi there, I like what you do , it gives me knowledge on thing s of the same nature, but ,in Australia we dont sodder things to gether ,we actually solder them . keep up the good work.

[@RussellBooth1977]

Sometimes you do have to charge the customer for a minor associated fault which wasn't directly related to the fault that was originally repaired & professionally. It's just like I seemed to have trouble with fuel sender units as my own backyard mechanic with $300 AUD worth of fuel pump sender units as well as the cheaper $75 AUD eBay items,the in tank fuel pressure regulators kept failing in E10 unleaded fuel as the fuel trims would max out to 25% on both engine banks as the fuel pressure would end up at 50 PSI instead of the nominal 58 PSI,this caused a P0171 & a P0174 code to be stored as well as a check engine symbol. I fitted a $13 AUD Chinese copy of the PR217 fuel pressure regulator & I set it to the upper limit of 61 PSI & it's been fine with no codes stored since early this year, it's held up in the E10 unleaded fuel !

[@bbkmm1]

It depends on the warranty terms, as well as quality of the work performed. It sounds like this was a questionable repair. You did the right thing by not charging. This kind of things will give you a solid reputation and make you more $ in the long term.

[@randy1ization]

A back up secondary ground to a different . higher ground point may be an option or even directly to the battery negative. as far as how to charge thats a tough one,.., not charging him makes him and everyone he speaks to a customer for life.. endless, steady, quality customers is real security, and piece of mind,.