AUTO SERVICE Q AND A

I have a question stemming from something that happened to me last week.

By the end of winter, the ABS and traction control light on my van (a 2002 Chevy Venture) came on. I decided to bring it to a garage to have it checked and fixed.

The guy at the garage said that according to his diagnosis, I needed to change the front left hub, to which I agreed. When I drove it back home, the light came on again not far from the garage.

I took it back and the guy said it might be the wiring that connects the hub because when he was pulling the wire, something came off.

He said he would fix it by putting tape on it to secure it so that the next time it comes on again, I will know that the wire needs to be changed.

Last week I took it to a Chevy dealer. They found out that the garage installed the hub incorrectly and that it needs to be replaced again.

In my invoice from the dealership, they wrote: "Replaced left front hub/sensor and wire harness damaged by incorrect installation."

What can I do in this situation? Can I get my money back?

If you have kept the old parts to take back to the garage, then the proper thing for them to do is return the money spent by you on the installation of the left front hub.

The front hub is a vital part of the driving control and safety of this vehicle. I think the mere fact that you were not involved in an accident caused by the improperly installed parts, that the garage that installed the parts incorrectly would breathe a sigh of relief.

Had an accident occurred, this potentially could have been a very expensive lawsuit against the garage.

Enclosed are the bills for the replacement of two tires that I purchased last month. At about that time, I had been experiencing a vibration in the car around 100 km/h. I went back to the garage four times and they balanced the tires each time, telling me that the tires were just breaking in.

It did not stop the vibration.

I then went to another garage who said that the left rear axle was bent. That is the same axle on which three studs were replaced. The used axle was replaced at a cost of $125.

The garage that replaced the studs will not pay for the cost of the used axle. Can you help me recoup my costs?

I spoke to the garage that replaced your axle and yes, it was slightly bent. But the vibration was coming from a worn out axle bearing and not from the axle itself.

They also told me that the replacing the wheel studs had nothing to do with the worn condition of the axle bearing.

The garage that installed your tires agree that they should have spotted the worn out axle bearing and because they did not, they want to offer 50 per cent off the cost to replace it which is more than a fair offer.

Do you have a query for Dennis O'Sullivan?

Send your questions by email to:

dennis.osullivan@cogeco.ca, or by mail at

Box 10019, Winona, ON, L8E 5R1.