Instrument Panel Probs--- long

Alrighty guys-- gonna try and make a loooong story short.

I have a '97 sunfire SE, 2.4L. Took it to a shop over a month ago for the fuel pump, and then was told it needed a new crankshaft positioning sensor and a new instrument panel cluster. After finally getting the instrument panel cluster sent off for repair and returned to the shop, it was installed, and the car started right up, ran and drove beautifully, then allowed to idle for about 30 minutes, no problems. They then turned the car off, and connected it to the diagnostic tool/ scanner just to make sure there were no other codes being thrown and everything was communicating properly. And again, the IPC blew, and I now need another.
While discussing this matter with the tech working on my car, who insists there must be a short somewhere in my vehicle to cause this, I mentioned the fuse for my cigarette lighter being blown (I think short, I think of fuses). He says that's where his scanner draws its power (I already knew this-- figured they had just replaced my fuse), and that he had 'jumped' the scanner-- a little trick of the trade?
Car went in with a fuel pump problem, but of course they connected the scanner up to look for other problems to begin with-- 'jumping' it at that time as well, after which I was told I needed a new IPC. Got my IPC rebuilt, installed, all was GREAT, until scan tool was 'jumped' and used to check everything was alright, after which car would not start, and it was determined that the IPC was once again blown.

So give me your thoughts and opinions on this---- is it possible he is causiing my IPC to blow, causing a short, by jumping the power to the scan tool, and is this the likely cause of it blowing in the first place??? Remember, it went in with just a fuel pump problem, and an intermittant CPS-- its the big expensive IPC I am concerned with! Even rebuilt, costing me about $400. How does one 'jump' the power to the scan tool? And lastly-- if there is a short, why did the car immediately start, drive, and idle right up until they turned it off and hooked up the scan tool--- wouldn't the short have reared its head by then?? Thanks for any advice or opinions... I feel I know they are to blame and are incompetent idiots, but want some confirmation :)

are you a good looking girl??? cuz it seems to me they like fucking you , if it blew while they were working on your car, no matter if they're just scanning codes, or if they're working on the car, if its in their possesion and shit fucks up, thats their responsibility, they shouldnt charge your for that, and if you take them to court for all this, you will win, but they KNOW you will never do that so they will continue to fuck you, just get your vehicle out of there and take it somewhere else


what was wrong with your car in the first place that caused you to even take it there?? was it not starting? did it die and leave you stranded?? i know they fixed the fuel pump, but what specific problem did you have to cause you to take it there?

The car had been running great, drove it 6 blocks up the street one morning, and it would not start back up-- rotate, but not start. I realized I wasn't hearing the fuel pump prime, and checked fuses and relays first. I know 'enough' about cars to figure it was the fuel pump. It was a Sunday (no place open really), and the following day was the first day of school for my kid, I need it fixed ASAP to get to and from school and work, etc... So when I called them, they were very nice, polite, etc. Can't say they haven't been polite thru all of this-- just dragging their sorry asses and fucking up my shit. Its my absolute belief that when they tried to connect the scanner to my car to make sure it was nothing other than the fuel pump, and 'jumped' the scanner, they blew my IPC. Makes me wish I'd just hadthe damn thing towed to my house and dropped the tank myself to replace the fuel pump-- had never done it before, thought paying someone else would be worth the hassle. Learned my lesson.

Can't afford to take it elsewhere at this point, as they are agreeing to pay for the 2nd IPC-- a cost I would have to incur if I took it elsewhere (in addition to another towing fee). And of course, they will never admit they fried it in the first place, and not sure how I can prove it, short of allowing them to replace the IPC this time, and refuse to allow them to connect the scanner unless they agree that if it blows once more, they provide me with a rental in the meanwhile, and that I don't pay squat for any of the costs accrued with the IPC to begin with. They've now had it in their possession for over a month. As for the remark about being good looking....lol...well, if ya like 'em big, maybe. I'm 5'10 and about 230lbs...they actually should think twice about fucking with me.