Accident repair

becky4131

Hi,

Just after some advice really. My car has been in for service and MOT today at main VW dealership (car is a vw beetle) and failed the MOT, it failed because the back brake pads were worn too low (expected this so that was fine) but also because the indicator bulbs were white instead of yellow??

They also noticed that the oil pipe has split therefore fumes are entering my car instead of out the exhaust, this was an advisory and they quoted 110 pound to repair. I had the brake pads replaced and the bulbs changed but had to leave the pipe because i cannot afford it at the moment.

Now the query i have is that 2 months ago i was invovled in a collision (i went into the back of another vehicle) and the accident repair company (through my insurance) repaired my car, i only received the car back 3 weeks ago!
Surely they should have noticed the split oil pipe and replaced it? Also the white bulbs would have been what they used in my indicators so i have had to pay to put their mistakes right.
I have already paid a 450 pound excess so the fact i have to fork out again for work i feel should have been done by them.

Do you think i should complain to my insurance company?

kwaks

Most certainly. If they fitted the wrong bulbs which led to a MOT failure then they have given you the car back in an unroadworthy condition.

becky4131

Yes thats what i think too.

Im more concerned that they didn't notice the oil pipe and i have been breathing in emmisions for the last few weeks, surely this should have been repaired too?

KillerWatt

becky4131 wrote: »

Also the white bulbs would have been what they used in my indicators so i have had to pay to put their mistakes right.

Unless you have a non standard lens/diffuser fitted, all indicator lamps (bulbs) are clear by default.

If you do have clear diffusers/lens fitted as standard, then it would be impossible to fit a standard (clear) lamp due to the offset pins.

becky4131

KillerWatt wrote: »

Unless you have a non standard lens/diffuser fitted, all indicator lamps (bulbs) are clear by default.

If you do have clear diffusers/lens fitted as standard, then it would be impossible to fit a standard (clear) lamp due to the offset pins.

I am completely clueless about cars so not sure what my car is like, the vw guy just said that the lights were flashing white instead of yellow so he had to replace the bulbs.

KillerWatt

becky4131 wrote: »

I am completely clueless about cars so not sure what my car is like, the vw guy just said that the lights were flashing white instead of yellow so he had to replace the bulbs.

You don't say what age the Beetle is, but if it is one of the new ones that has clear diffusers as standard then the only way to get an orange light (for the indicators) is to fit a lamp that is dyed orange to start with - and those type of indicator lamps have offset pins so it would be impossible to fit the wrong type of lamp.

becky4131

Yeh it is a new beetle (well 2004), i don't understand what the vw guy meant then? my indicators have been working fine.

KillerWatt

becky4131 wrote: »

Yeh it is a new beetle (well 2004), i don't understand what the vw guy meant then? my indicators have been working fine.

They may work fine, but they also have to be the right colour.

My guess is the dye on the lamp (bulb) itself has faded to a point where the tester considered them to not be "orange" enough.
It's no big deal though, replacement lamps are less than a £1 each and won't occupy more than 5 minutes of your time to replace them.

becky4131

I've had them replaced, the vw guy did it to get it through MOT. I guess it isn't the repair companies fault about the bulbs then.

Strider590

becky4131 wrote: »

They also noticed that the oil pipe has split therefore fumes are entering my car instead of out the exhaust, this was an advisory and they quoted 110 pound to repair.

Firstly, your car is not leaking oil.... (in case you might be worried)
The pipe he refers to is a crankcase breather pipe which feeds oil vapour into the engine to be burn't up with the fuel, the worst it can do is leave oil residue all over the engine bay (but at least it stops rust).

A car is not allowed to vent this oil vapour into the atmosphere (older cars get away with it). However I would like to know what he was doing under the bonnet...... Checking the engine bay is NOT part of an MOT.

£110 to replace a rubber/plastic hose seems like a bit of a !!!! take.
From the pictures I find on the web it looks like a very simple item to replace. Plus if it's cracked and it's plastic, you could glue it...... It's not even a safety critical part!

atrixblue.-MFR-.

Strider590 wrote: »

Firstly, your car is not leaking oil.... (in case you might be worried)
The pipe he refers to is a crankcase breather pipe which feeds oil vapour into the engine to be burn't up with the fuel, the worst it can do is leave oil residue all over the engine bay (but at least it stops rust).

A car is not allowed to vent this oil vapour into the atmosphere (older cars get away with it). However I would like to know what he was doing under the bonnet...... Checking the engine bay is NOT part of an MOT.

£110 to replace a rubber/plastic hose seems like a bit of a !!!! take.
From the pictures I find on the web it looks like a very simple item to replace. Plus if it's cracked and it's plastic, you could glue it...... It's not even a safety critical part!

probably spotted it when he replaced the bulbs. 110 quid for this pipe and fitting i would want it made of gold. go into vw parts and ask how much the pipe costs itself, no more than 15-20 quid id say. and at least all of about 5 mins to fit it. when you rear ended the other vehicle was both you headlamps and indicators smashed? if so these would of been replaced with new bulbs by your insurers repairers. id query it with your insurer as they would have a list of part replacements. and if they were tell them they failed mot and see what they say