My Repair Log

 Issue #1---My car failed to start yesterday for the third time this winter, though yesterday was Springtime. The first time was a bitter cold day. I called Roadside Assistance, and the rep checked the battery, but thought that there might have been a freeze in the gas tank. He added HEET, charged the battery, and all was well until the next time, a few months later, when Joe T. charged the battery, with no problems until yesterday. I called Roadside Assistance and the rep arrived within an hour. He charged the battery and advised that I leave the car running for 30 minutes. I told him the "history" and he recommended that I take the car to a mechanic for the check of battery, alternator and starter. 

     So without turning the car off, I drove it to the closest mechanic, where Kyle offered to help if I wanted to wait a few minutes. He brought the car inside the garage to check it. He said the battery, which is less than 2 years old, tests at 90+ percent. He said one of the terminals was loose, and that could cause failure to start. I know that the R.A. reps checked the connections; I saw them with a wrench while looking under the hood. But I want to believe that was the problem.

Issue #2---For the last few weeks, there have been television audio problems, similar to those of 2 years ago. Channel 6 audio is unintelligible, with bursts of sound and uneven levels of volume, combined with what I can only describe as loud static. And on Channel 13, the language automatically switches to Spanish and Spectrum ads are silent, mute.  On some programming, a voice narrates the action, commenting what a character is doing while the show goes on.  I waited until this week to call Spectrum, hoping the issues would correct themselves. the first rep I spoke to disabled the Spanish feature, but it returned the next day. I called again the next day and they said there was an outage, and to wait for an automated call saying the service was restored. I had no outage but they said outage means various levels of service disturbances. I waited until after I received the call and called back as instructed since my issues had not resolved. The tech arrived today. He checked every aspect possible, even carrying a ladder to check the installation at the roof, and going downstairs to check the signal. He found no issues "on their side."  So he suspected the box might be defective and so replaced it with a "new"one. As I was told before, all their replacement boxes are refurbished. So all seems well, so far. The only thing is he has been working for Spectrum for 19 years and had never encountered the issue of narration, even saying that their boxes are not programmed to do that. I wish the narrative had occurred while he was here so he could be disabused of the notion that today's customer may be hearing voices. I gave him a 5 rating anyway.