I have a 1995 V6 Intrepid that I just recently got back from the shop because I was having probs with the starter. The car would start just fine for a few months, then it wouldn't start at all, I'd just hear a click, and this would go on for a few weeks. Then, it would go back to being fine again for a few months. The shop said it started fine when they got it there, but then said they did need to replace the starter b/c of a bad solenoid. I had read that this was common with Intrepids.

Now that I have the car back, I'm now hearing a grinding/dragging noise coming from the area close to the alternator, more towards the enguine...or as my BF describes it, the first aluminum panel near the spark plugs on the battery side of the car. It happens when I'm in park with the car running and when I accelerate. When I reach a good speed and just coast, it goes away, but even the slightest acceleration causes the noise. It almost sounds like a metal piece is dragging against something, like a piece is loose and making contact with something else. Anyone have an idea what this might be? And do I have reason to suspect that the shop might be responsible for it?

 

I really dont know what to tell you, i would check everything to make sure it is tight and go from there.

 

Well, i would check around the starter 1st, to see if they removed anything to get to it. If everything looks ok there, I would check the starter itself and see if it is seated properly...it *could* be that the starter is not disengaging from the flywheel properly, and is grinding against the flywheel or the housing. If you pull the starter and the teeth on the gears are all chewed up, then I would really think that it is installed wrong...

 

Maybe the mechanic's tightened a belt too tight or not tight enough. Check their work and the surrounding area for anything then I would take it back to them and have them track their steps...the person that did the work, not the guy at the counter. Hopefully, you didn't find anything, but if you did, make sure you point it out to them. Their work should be guaranteed.
I hate to hear the infamous "we didn't work on that" or "we didn't touch that"....but they did need to take it off, move it, loosen it...whatever. Look at the part that they worked on, it's surrounding parts and pieces. Sorry, I'm paranoid of mechanics because it always seems that you come in for one thing and it turns into a whole lot of other things...coincidence, perhaps, I just know coincidences don't happen to me when I work on my own cars...
My brother-in-law is a mechanic and he says there are some idiots out there and he can be one of them at times (he said that about himself). Know your car and know who you take it to.

Man....I am paranoid

 

Ha ha! Thanks for the advice. Although I don't know really what I'm looking for, I checked all around in that area and didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Oddly, the next morning after snooping around and on my way to work, the noise mysteriously stopped. I didn't hear anything, no thump or bump or something to indicate something went flying off. Just stopped.

I'm really paranoid, too. I don't trust most mechanics and like you, I've had a few too many "coincidences". On my old Nissan, I took it in for an oil change and SURPRISE, it just happened to need a new alternator, even though I noticed nothing unusual with the way it was running. Bastards. I haven't been able to find anyone trustworthy yet, here in Houston. But my parents have a mechanic where they live that they trust and now I trust 100%. Bad news is I can't really drive the car the 5-6 hour trip from Houston to DFW area for car repairs!

 

Aaah, those days of driving in the DFW area....mmm, the memories....which I can gladly forget now, because it sucked, since I always got caught during some sort of rush hour traffic! Lol.
As for the noise going away...I would keep an eye on things, because it could be a case of "out of sight, out of mind" or in this case, out of earshot, out of mind.
Or...it could have been a bolt or washer that they dropped (hopefully replaced too) and it finally made its way out of a crevice...:dunno:
Definitely keep an eye open, have your BF try and move stuff around by hand, check belt tension, look for any premature wearing on belts, fresh "scarring" on metal, and so on.