In the middle of a road trip i pulled off at an exit and noticed the smell of burning hair coming through the vents. I also noticed a funny noise but didnt think it was anything serious because it went away as soon as i started driving. So i continued to drive it another 350 miles. the next time i started my car after the trip i had no power steering. My dad looked under the hood and pulled out the serpentine belt that was snapped in half. I took it to the dealer to be serviced. When i picked it up from the dealer after it had been serviced for a new AC compressor, serpentine belt and something with the power steering i drove it 5 minutes to a car wash and shut it off inside the wash. Then it started up fine and i drove out. As i was pulling out of the driveway of the car wash though it died and all my dash lights came on. i tried to restart it and it turns over but doesnt start. Then i tried to jump it and that failed too. Could this be the dealers fault? And if so should the dealer give me some sort of compensation for the inconvenience besides a free rental car IF the problem is related to what they just worked on?

try cranking it and stepping on the gas pedal at the same time. see if that helps. also check to see if the fuel pump is working. with the key in the second position, when the lights come on, do you hear the fuel pump? if not, you might need a new fuel relay. under your fuses, remove the screws and look for the pinkish relay, number 103. goodl luck and keep us posted.

Whoa, whoa, whoa there!

First of all establish just what the problem is with your vehicle before you even start to think about chasing the dealer for compensation and a free rental vehicle because, let's face it, you continued to drive the vehicle after (1) smelling burning hair, (2) hearing a funny noise (probably the serpentine belt giving up the ghost) and it was your dad who found the reason your power steering wasn't functioning - the said shredded serpentine belt.

I suspect that driving the car for so long without a serpentine belt to spin the alternator may have damaged the alternator because all the warning lamps lighting up at once is one symptom of a faulty alternator. However, it may not be a faulty alternator but I'd have it checked out just to be certain.

Then, and only then, if you can directly prove the problems you're experiencing were caused by the actions of the dealer then, by all means, have a go at the dealer for some sort of compensation.

+1 on that response.

I would think the dealer must've checked the alternator's health as well, while doing the stuff. But maybe he didnt. But Volgrr has a point.

You need to ascertain what actually went wrong. If you scare the dealer even before they start checking, chances are, they wont find "anything that they have to pay for". Get the drift?

:)