Insurance Repair causes more Damage. Help!

wingnut1_2

HELP!

My car has been in for a small bodywork repair after a minor incident last sunday (see post about car park accident). The insurance approved body repair place took the car this morning and returned it to me this afternooon with the repair done. Wow! Fantastic stuff. But............

As the car had very little diesel left in it for the drop off and delivery journey the body repairers put some fuel in. PETROL!!

They have admitted their mistake after I couldn't get the car to start and have taken the car back for repair.

My issue is that they have driven approx 40 miles with petrol in it and I do not believe a simple drain and re-fuel will fix it nor does it guarantee that there isn't any lasting damage to the engine. I have told my insurance company that I will not take the car back until it has been drained, fuel filter replaced, new fuel pump and new injectors PLUS a written letter or something admitting what has happened and that if any damage is found in the next 3 years that can be traced back to this incident then they are liable. The garage are not playing ball though and are insisting that they have fixed the problem (they somehow managed this within 1 hour of me noticing the problem).

What are my rights? Can I refuse to take the car back? Any advice? What are my insurance company able to do?

I am really upset about this


Thanks.

rs65

Nightmare!

Have a read of the link below and then take advice from Ford to start with I think. The garage will have to rectify any damage they have done but I think I would get Ford to advise on what needs to be done. The garage may already have done what is needed but I would double check.

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/fuels-and-environment/misfuelling.html

huckster

Not sure doing limited mileage in a diesel car with petrol in the tank would cause any damage. There would still have been diesel in tbe system.

Would suggest that you seek advice from the AA/RAC if you are a member and/or add a post to a motoring forum. My non expert view thinks that you are going a tad over the top. When I last read about this, I think I read that petrol in a diesel car would do no harm for a limited miles. Adding diesel to a petrol car would be more of a problem.

ukmike

Adding diesel to a petrol car would be more of a problem.

Wrong,that wouldn't do any damage to the engine at all,just needs draining out & re filling with petrol.

crazyguy

You are pushing it asking for a 3 year guarantee on the engine from this incident, if the car is running now and not causing any problems what is the issue, you cannot force them to work that you think needs doing surely it is a case of in working order ?

wingnut1_2

Thanks for the replies. My issue is that I have already spoken to Ford and they say that a simple drain and filter change and re-fuel may well appear to fix the problem in the short term but as it was driven for quite some distance their could be lasting damage - likely to be the pump and injectors. Therefore I think I am well within my rights to expect the repair done as Ford would do. The car is only 2.5 years old and this also invalidates the warranty.

So, I get the car back tomorrow, it works fine. Saturday my wife is driving to Dorset and it rough runs then stops. Who would I approach then without the written statement of liability or some such? A guarantee on the work they have done is irrelevant as the question is not what they do but how much they do to fix the problem. All a bit of a nightmare as someone quite rightly said earlier!

crazyguy

Get a quote from fords then to do it right and speak to your insurance about getting the garage who messed up to foot the bill,

huckster

ukmike wrote: »

Wrong,that wouldn't do any damage to the engine at all,just needs draining out & re filling with petrol.

This is from the AA
Diesel in Petrol

Do not turn on the ignition or start the car
This is less common because the standard diesel nozzle is bigger than the filler neck on modern petrol cars – you have to be pretty determined and patient to misfuel with diesel.
If the car is still under warranty check with the franchised dealer regarding their advice and the correct remedial action.
Generally a small amount of incorrect fuel should not damage the engine as long as you have not started the car top up fully with petrol.

• If you've added more than 5 litres of diesel – Get the tank drained and don't run the engine.
• If you've added less than 5 litres of diesel – the tank can be topped up with petrol and the car run normally unless the manufacturer has advised otherwise

Petrol in Diesel

Do not turn on the ignition or start the car
If the car's still under warranty check with the franchised dealer regarding their advice and correct remedial action – running with even a small amount of petrol in the tank might invalidate the warranty. Some manufacturers advise that you should get seals and filters renewed even if the engine has not been run.
Generally a small amount of incorrect fuel should not damage the engine as long as you have not started the car and top up fully with diesel.

• If you've added more than 5 litres of petrol – Drain the tank and refill with diesel
• If you've added less than 5 litres of petrol – Top up with diesel and run normally unless the manufacturer has advised otherwise

Potential damage

Diesel fuel pumps operate on very fine tolerances and are lubricated by the diesel fuel itself.
Petrol in diesel acts as a solvent – it reduces lubrication and can cause damage to the pump through metal to metal contact.
Some fuel system seals can be affected by the compounds in petrol too.
The further the contaminated petrol goes in the system the more expensive the repair – it can be cheaper in more extreme cases to fit a new engine.
The newer common rail (or HDi) diesel engines are particularly vulnerable – if fuel contaminated by pump wear debris gets as far as the common rail system you may have to replace the low and high-pressure fuel pumps, injectors, fuel rail, line filters and the fuel tank too.
Many systems use a low-pressure electric pump in the tank or sender unit and this begins to work as soon as the ignition is switched on, circulating the contaminated fuel through the pump and rail – so it's important not to turn the ignition on.