Dangerous car

UglyJoe

My second cousin, once removed has apparently had his car serviced & MOT'd every year by a local garage. It was last serviced & MOT'd by them November 11, 2011. This year he took the car to be MOT'd by a local council who failed the car because of excessive corrosion and exhaust emission issues.

How can i take the previous garage to task as obviously a proper service & MOT could not have been previously performed.

Slowhand

It is entirely possible the car was fine 11 months ago. You cannot possibly prove the car should have failed nearly a year ago.

CAB_National_Representative

UglyJoe wrote: »

My second cousin, once removed has apparently had his car serviced & MOT'd every year by a local garage. It was last serviced & MOT'd by them November 11, 2011. This year he took the car to be MOT'd by a local council who failed the car because of excessive corrosion and exhaust emission issues.

How can i take the previous garage to task as obviously a proper service & MOT could not have been previously performed.

Hi Joe - as this is a post about services that your cousin has had, we'd recommend that they either call our Consumer Helpline (08454 04 05 05, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) or contact their local bureau for advice on what options they have. It would be a good idea to have any documentation to hand when they call (or visit), as the details are likely to be needed so as to give advice.

arcon5

Perhaps the corrosion only become apparent within the last year. You don't know and cannot prove the garage has done anything wrong.

Don't spend too much time on this one

Guardsman

The rust was probably there last year the only difference is 12 month ago it was at a acceptable level.
Failing the emission test happens for several reasons ranging from a lack of servicing to faulty sensors.
A warm engine helps and people with high mileage cars (Taxis) often use a fuel additive that allegedly cleans the carburetors, fuel injectors, intake valves etc.

peachyprice

This has got to be a wind-up surely?

Because a car passed an MOT 11 months ago, it should still be in the same condition now? Working on that theory annual MOT's are not necessary if cars are not expected to deteriorate over that amount of time.

An MOT is a summary of the condition of a car ON THE DAY of the MOT, it is not a guarantee for the next 12 months.

arcon5

Also, how does this make the car dangerous?

System

The emissions test is just use a machine to take the reading. Why would the previous garage fake this? Most garages would love a car to fail its MOT as it means more money for them!

UglyJoe

Guardsman wrote: »

Failing the emission test happens for several reasons ranging from a lack of servicing to faulty sensors.

Yes that was my thought also, hence why I think the previous garage should be brought to task over this.
Thanks for confirming.

UglyJoe

arcon5 wrote: »

Also, how does this make the car dangerous?

Well I'm no mechanic, but I suspect it could cause lack of control if the suspension mounts were to give way during cornering, or perhaps the whole car structure is weakened by the corrosion and is a death trap in the event of an accident?

Either way the car has failed the MOT and indications are that it is so bad it would not be economical, some suggest even possible, to repair.

peachyprice

UglyJoe wrote: »

Well I'm no mechanic, but I suspect it could cause lack of control if the suspension mounts were to give way during cornering, or perhaps the whole car structure is weakened by the corrosion and is a death trap in the event of an accident?

Either way the car has failed the MOT and indications are that it is so bad it would not be economical, some suggest even possible, to repair.

Because the car has now deteriorated to this condition it does not mean it was like that 11 months ago. Once rust sets in it takes hold very quickly.