HELP! Weird driveability problem

[Lil bastard]

I cannot believe you're having problems to the extent you've described and are still driving the car !!

I presume you know the definition of a person who keeps trying something, each time expecting a different result?

These motors have been known to implode with little provocation and to keep driving one that is signalling to you all is not right ain't the brightest tactic.

You can pull out the 'ol Mechanic's Dartboard and throw hundreds here or hundreds there in hopes of serendipitously curing the issue.

Or, you can take the logical approach and get it to a qualified person with the proper diagnostic tools and actually find out what's gone wrong and target your $ to the proper fix.

Everything posted here is speculation to one degree or another, and advice is cheap - it's not our car! Someone may have suggested what could turn out to be the proper fix, but until you either buy and install all these parts, or get it properly diagnosed, it's all just guesswork!

Talk to the Service Advisor, ask him how much it would be to pull the codes and records and inform him not to proceed until you have given him the OK. Have him put the service charge on the service order beforehand and sign it, retain a copy. That will protect you from all your fears about a dealer.