New cars engine seizes up after dealership service.

Blackjack_Davy

I'd be happy with that offer myself, just now on TV i was watching where National Tyres had left the sump plug out after a service and are basically refusing to accept liability!

bigbulldog

smjxm09 wrote: »

The dealership is only partly responsible for the seized engine. If I was the dealer I would only offer 50% of the cost as you must have ignored the engine oil warning light. Did it not occur to you that you should have pulled over and switched the engine off? :eek:

Utter rubbish as the damage would of been already done.

[Deleted User]

Blackjack_Davy wrote: »

I'd be happy with that offer myself, just now on TV i was watching where National Tyres had left the sump plug out after a service and are basically refusing to accept liability!

They did pay out in the end £1500 for a£1000 car.

Gloomendoom

Swampyrn wrote: »

Thanks for the advice. Thats the other annoying thing, they never even stamped the service book even though they said they had after the service!! I asked them about the V5 document and they are going to take care of getting this changed at their cost.

Unless some new charges have been introduced, changing the engine details on the V5 shouldn't cost anything... except maybe a stamp.

gkerr4

bigbulldog wrote: »

Utter rubbish as the damage would of been already done.

he has a valid point - a modern engine will run quite some time with no oil in the sump - it's still in the bearing surfaces, just not being refreshed. Performance bikes ran an old ZX6r motorbike without oil, on the (16,000rpm) rev limiter for 12 minutes last year - it overheated, but when cooled, filled with oil again, it started first time. clearly there would be engine wear and i wouldn't want that bike (it was scrapped) - but you see what i am saying. that oil light would have been on for quite some time, even at motorway speeds you'd be able to stop without causing any real damage. If the oil pressure warning light comes on (and i cannot think of a car which doesn't have an oil pressure light!) - something bad has happened and you need to stop, quickly.

anyway - the OPs point - i think the garage are being pretty fair to be honest - a new engine and as said, it almost certainly will be a new off-the-line engine from the manufacturer. it'll be perfect when you get it back, albeit needing run-in again.

SLITHER99

You say that; I had a brand new Laguna II in my possession from my company about 2-3 days after they came out. On the way to my off-site client, the engine management light came on. As Renault were just across the road, I threw it in to them who said they'd sort it no problem while I went off to my visit.

Came back that afternoon and they just mentioned something about an oil sensor and needing a top up. All good. My 1/2 drive to get out of town was uneventful. I was driving down the A1(M). About 20 minutes into this stretch of my journey, pelting along around 70mph (give or take, ahem), the total time between the oil light coming on, the warning ping and the oil flying up the windscreen was less than 2-3 seconds.

It was a rather wet-seat moment whilst I wrestled the car off to the hard shoulder.

Conversely, many years before, after a car accident my Mom insisted on driving onwards in her Fiesta (about 1 year old from new). Despite me pleading with her to pull over and stop right there given the presence of the oil light and the smoke bellowing out the back of the car, she argued, insisted it would be best to carry on to the next services to call the police (the other driver didn't stop). In fairness, that little 1.25 engine kept going for a good minute of 50-60mph driving, until the inevitable clacking death finally culminated in the steaming sight at the side of the road.

So really, there's no telling how long one particular engine should last with no oil. I find it's always better for you if you don't find out.

Also, in both cars, both replacement engines were reconditioned engines, not brand new! It's not in the dealership's vocabulary to supply a new engine - although the Fiesta was an insurance job but even then it wasn't possible to voluntarily pay for a new engine. Despite that, the Fiesta kept going perfectly fine for ten years after this incident.

Muscle750

What make and model of car was it? Plus I'm glad I wasn't behind you in the dark in the wet and had to stop abit quick otherwise your car could well of being scrap as well as mine and what would the insurance companies and the plug loose garage make of that few years back Kwik sh@t put two tyres on my car within a few miles a loud knocking was coming more and more evident transpires both front wheels were about to part company needless to say concerns were raised with the so called manager