Car has fault but dealer says nothing wrong - what next??

dave11thnun

I run my own independent driving school and have a 1.5 year old car that has recently been playing up, struggling and sometimes cutting out all together when coming up to junctions. I took it to the main dealer as it is under warranty, and they couldn't find the fault - funny as the fault happens when you're approaching junctions/lights etc.. and I've not seen many diagnostics machines sitting around by the roadside! So the dealer have told me they "can't replicate the fault" so therefore there is nothing they can do. Well since then it has happened again, so I called and was told I "could bring it down and just hope it faults while (they) have it, if it doesn't they (I)'ll just have to have it back." Useful! However I was told it would have more chance if I could leave it with them for a few days - and not work! I had to hire a dual controlled car the other week (as I had two pupils going for driving tests, and it would be completely unfair to expect them to drive a car that could stall at the next junction) at £40 per day, but I can't afford to keep doing that! This is why I bought a new car - so it would be under warranty and therefore be fixed when it goes wrong! What can I do other than trade it in and get a new car! All advice GREATLY appreciated.

hewhoisnotintheknow

dave11thnun wrote: »

I run my own independent driving school and have a 1.5 year old car that has recently been playing up, struggling and sometimes cutting out all together when coming up to junctions. I took it to the main dealer as it is under warranty, and they couldn't find the fault - funny as the fault happens when you're approaching junctions/lights etc.. and I've not seen many diagnostics machines sitting around by the roadside! So the dealer have told me they "can't replicate the fault" so therefore there is nothing they can do. Well since then it has happened again, so I called and was told I "could bring it down and just hope it faults while (they) have it, if it doesn't they (I)'ll just have to have it back." Useful! However I was told it would have more chance if I could leave it with them for a few days - and not work! I had to hire a dual controlled car the other week (as I had two pupils going for driving tests, and it would be completely unfair to expect them to drive a car that could stall at the next junction) at £40 per day, but I can't afford to keep doing that! This is why I bought a new car - so it would be under warranty and therefore be fixed when it goes wrong! What can I do other than trade it in and get a new car! All advice GREATLY appreciated.

if they cant reproduce it what do you expect them to do?

I suggest you take them for a drive in it

what car is it, my new golf was doing this a lot, in the end i had to rev it at 2000k to stop it stalling all the time

Hintza

Replicate the fault when you are with them. Arrange a morning to arrive first thing before the day starts.

steveo3002

its fair enough if they cant make it happen when the have the car...think yourself lucky there not making up faults and charging you

maybe try another dealer ? ask if you can take the forman for a drive with the machine plugged in ...its only a small handheld jobbie

a decent keen dealer should have some ideas why that should happen anyway

Hintza

Well you had better take it somewhere else where they have brains, eyes and ears. But wht happens if they too can find nothing wrong?

You need to work with them and not against them and if you get angry they will be less likely to do their best.

Problems like thes can be infuriating and hard to get to the bottom of. What do other driving instructors do when they are without a car?

terryya

With hindsight, I think my driving instructors car might have had the same problem as when I was driving it it always seemed to cut out and stall when driving away from junctions, traffic lights etc.;)

TangledMemories_2

regardless of the diagnostic machine not showing anything...they should be doing basic tests to see what may be causing it ie/ checking oil pressure, fuel pressure...checking the plugs etc.
It's basic mechanics

overlander

I think you need to cut the dealer some slack, i know how frustrating it can be but it should get worse and therfore easier to trace. Mainly these problems are not mechanical but electrical which is a nightmare to find if intermittent. When you say it cuts out, how do you start it again, do you need to leave it for a set time etc.

austin

dave11thnun wrote: »

I run my own independent driving school and have a 1.5 year old car that has recently been playing up, struggling and sometimes cutting out all together when coming up to junctions. I took it to the main dealer as it is under warranty, and they couldn't find the fault - funny as the fault happens when you're approaching junctions/lights etc.. and I've not seen many diagnostics machines sitting around by the roadside! So the dealer have told me they "can't replicate the fault" so therefore there is nothing they can do. Well since then it has happened again, so I called and was told I "could bring it down and just hope it faults while (they) have it, if it doesn't they (I)'ll just have to have it back." Useful! However I was told it would have more chance if I could leave it with them for a few days - and not work! I had to hire a dual controlled car the other week (as I had two pupils going for driving tests, and it would be completely unfair to expect them to drive a car that could stall at the next junction) at £40 per day, but I can't afford to keep doing that! This is why I bought a new car - so it would be under warranty and therefore be fixed when it goes wrong! What can I do other than trade it in and get a new car! All advice GREATLY appreciated.

could be either the ICV (idle control valve), crank sensor, or the throttle body. what car is it? if the crank sensor is faulty / dirty then it could cause the car to struggle or cut out. it should be cheap to replace so might be a good place to start. it should be located on the gear box bell housing. take it off and give it a good clean.

hewhoisnotintheknow

austin wrote: »

could be either the ICV (idle control valve), crank sensor, or the throttle body. what car is it? if the crank sensor is faulty / dirty then it could cause the car to struggle or cut out. it should be cheap to replace so might be a good place to start. it should be located on the gear box bell housing. take it off and give it a good clean.

i would agree, you would probably start by replacing the likely culprit first

austin

dave11thnun wrote: »

Terryya - I did think this was the case initially - felt very bad for accusing the pupil until it happened to myself driving home afterwards!!

Tangled, Austin & Hewhois - Well this is what I was thinking, it's obviously something sensor like that is not controlling the engine properly, but unless the God-like machine says there is a fault with these sensors etc... they won't lift a finger! What can I do other than give them my car for a week and hope the fault occurs? This will cost me a week off work or £40 a day car hire!

With regards to taking it somewhere other than a main dealer - what is the point of having a new car under warranty?

Feel like it's a lose-lose situation and I'm going to have to shell out one way or the other!

if it is the crank sensor, then that would explain why it didnt show up on a diagnostic. they often dont show up on diagnostics.