From o2 sensor to engine replacement in 10 days?

Thank you, I saw both of those videos and the guy in the first one just makes me shake my head every time I see it.

 

Checked the car today and wasn't surprised when it showed 2 purple battery bars. I had hooked up torque pro, which I bought last week to have a way to test while driving that didn't include bringing my laptop, and I added PIDs (though which ones are most helpful, I don't know).
Surprisingly, the check engine and other warning lights were absent. Not surprising, P3190 and P0137 appeared. When I started the engine, it began to charge the battery, which I expected as I've narrowed this problem to when the gas pedal is engaged, but I was surprised when it charged until the battery was green. The voltage on the HV blocks was adequate, and the rest I was unsure about. I decided to take it for a drive, and I took random screenshots along the way. Not sure if these things are in the right range and if they're supposed to fluxuate so much. The HV battery fan was consistently 0.0 (scary). The battery seemed to charge and discharge as it should while driving, but accelerating didn't eat up the battery power. It did get down to 3 bars while I was climbing a steep hill, but never hit purple. I drove about 10 miles, all local driving (highest speed 40mph), and the check engine light did not come back on.

 

I went back out a few hours later to see if I yielded the same results. Nope. The car took a moment to start, when the engine finally kicked on, it shook pretty hard, and then PROBLEM flashed right before the check engine light, master warning light, and the hybrid system warning light were on. The engine has shut itself off, but came on about 10 or 15 seconds later. The temperature dropped quite a bit over the course of those 3 hours, it was about 25F (if that) and now it's 17F.

Ran techstream - same codes.

 

Yes, I will ensure to get the proper equipment before ever getting under a vehicle. I planned on obtaining a good pair of gloves for this.

I did not attempt to change the sensor myself this weekend. The more I look into the removal and replacement of the inverter, the more I think it's better left in the hands of an experienced individual. I'm handy, fur sure, and I'm sure that I can handle a multitude of jobs, but I'm not confident that this is where I should start. I didn't realize how much was involved in that piece until I looked into it further. Also, it was about 20 degrees here, and I don't have a garage so being outside long enough to change this part was not in the cards anyhow.

The Vice President of Guest Experience at the dealership contacted me about the complaint I filed with corporate. I ran through everything that happened in regard to the 3 services, since my car was brought in 3 separate times, and she said that she'd have to speak to everyone involved with the work done on my car and that it would take a day or 2 (this was Thursday), then she would get back to me on how to proceed. I'm not certain that it will go anywhere, but at least someone got back to me. She didn't agree or disagree with anything I said (as it's her job), but I think she's smart enough to know that you don't drive a vehicle with a dead engine very far. Between the driving my mechanic friend did the day he looked at it, my drive home, and both test drives, I've put about 90 miles on it.

I'm still greatly concerned about letting anyone there touch it, due to all of the happenings in the last month. But perhaps @JC91006 has the right idea in that I should request one of the higher technicians to take a look at it. Of course, they may decide that they won't look at it at all. I suppose I'll know soon enough.

 

I didn't make an attempt to repair the car. I'm not sure if she's the right person either, but she's the one who called me. So she's the one I spoke to. They know I got a second opinion on it, and I think that they're likely to say that he touched it and it's not their fault. If nothing else, the complaint is filed. I'm sure if they can find a way out of it, they'll take it.

In the meantime, I have my other half's vehicle for the week. So there's a small window of time to figure out where to go from here.

 

I don't expect much of anything, I haven't heard back and if I don't by the time they close today, then I'll call in the morning when the kids aren't home. I'm not sure I want them to touch it considering, but I can't help but wonder what would happen if my suspicions are confirmed via the other dealership. I have the sensor, it would be comparable to the cost of a 30 mile tow, and I'd have my car back without the risk of electrocution. I know I'll be walking into horrible customer service, which will be less than fun, but I'd describe this entire ordeal as less than fun.

Smoothing this over would be their best bet as covering it up will be a daunting task. They claim that a diagnostic wasn't run when I brought them the first sensor, but the invoice shows that they cleared codes P0031 (oxygen a/f sensor heater control circuit low) and P2237 (a generic code o2 sensor bank1 sensor 1). Which means that the downstream sensor would have thrown a code then, had I actually needed it. My second invoice for the downstream sensor and catalytic converter shows no codes cleared, implying that they didn't run the diagnostic that I paid for (I want to see proof that they ran it). Why didn't they know the day before when they ran the software to clear the codes? How did they know what was supposed to be fixed without running one? Why didn't they test drive the car on either occasion? And is this how you missed all the oil sludge in my destroyed engine? Does oil sludge disappear when a vehicle sits for 6 days? How far can you drive with a dead engine? According to my odometer, at least 92 miles. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

UPDATE: We opted to bring it to the other dealership because the cost was similar and insert everything mentioned above.

Yesterday, they noted that the sensors were reading all over the place and requested to keep it over night to continue the diagnostic and figure out why. They did not change the upstream sensor, despite my request to change it no matter what. I authorized another hour of diagnostic as I wanted documentation of what resolved this issue a.k.a what the heck went wrong.

Today they told me that the engine needed to be replaced. Said all of their tech tells them where to look and everything is pointing to a sludge filled engine. I heard the tech in the background nothing that I had missed several oil changes and that's likely why. To which I replied, despite it being another party, that my oil changes are done privately and that going by the last sticker on the windshield will always be inaccurate (I did tell them that before they took it in). They said that the only way to confirm was to remove the intake manifold and look. Noted that if they did find sludge that they'd call me down to see it for myself. Also mentioned, as noted by another on this thread, that I can spend a lot of money chasing down the problem and never find it.

The first dealership called me back to tell me that they weren't changing the diagnosis (astonishing). I asked if they opened the intake manifold to confirm and the answer was no. They said that they confirmed by carbon on the pistons and could see the valves touching the top of the pistons combined with low engine power codes. This is the first I've heard anything like this. They also told me it came in with no oil and that's likely what started it, but we know that there was oil as I checked before I went in, and I'm sure some of you recall the concern about the slight overfill. Said that they'd still be willing to give me the engine replacement for $2,300* but it was up to me, and also wanted to note that I had the option of getting a new one (of course).

I called the 2nd dealership back and left a message. I want to know how much oil was in the car (how fast is it burning) and if they checked the pistons and valves.

The cost of checking the manifold would be about $130 and the cost of replacing the sensor will be about $165. This of course, is in addition to the cost of the 5hr diagnostic (I did not approve 5 hrs ).

I'm waiting to hear back from my step-dad (mechanic) and my friend (also mechanic), but those here know this car better than either of them. So, now what?

*Not going back there

 

I'm unfamiliar with that, but did read that I can do it with techstream. Not sure what I'm supposed to be looking for and also read about a leakdown test?

 

I found this:

 

Yes, I've put a lot of $$ into this replacing parts that had aged out, for lack of a better term. This is not an easy decision and it will be a lot of work regardless how we decide (I have a custom stereo/DVD player w/ screens in the head rests that I'll have to pull out and reinstall the factory one). The 2nd dealership knew about the 1st dealerships findings, which makes me a bit suspect (independently owned by different parties). I have no idea how changing sensors and a cat turned into such a nightmare. A surprise bon voyage from my engine?

If I had infinite funds, I wouldn't be driving a 10yr old car! I'm not going to spend thousands on this car, I can get a newer model for that kind of money. I know that dealership 1 lied about a number of things, and dealership 2 (murder world) has been unsavory, to say the least, in the past.

If the decision leads to checking the manifold and discovering an accurate diagnosis, there's no way I'm dropping $2,300 on an engine. I already know to obtain the engine myself* and find an independent mechanic to do the transplant. But the concern about how well the previous owner took care of the engine remains present. Even then, the total cost would meet/exceed the value of the car.
*Myself = my step-dad

And all the other potential repairs listed remain a concern.

 

I'll have to check, but what results would I be looking for?

If I decided to open up the manifold and find a sludgeless entity? Then what?

Also, this guy (dealership 2) said that this is a very common problem with this car. This doesn't line up with what I've learned. I've seen where people have replaced the engine, but nothing noting sludge as the reason why.