Faulty Vehicle Advice

NiceCuppaTea4Me

I purchased a car a about 2.5 years ago. When purchased it has 2500 miles on the clock and was as good as brand new. The following February an engine management light came on. I called out the RAC who tell me its just a sensor but take it to the dealer anyway. Being brand new the car was under warranty so i took it to the dealer who replaced a sensor.

All is good for another year. In the following February ( almost to the day) the same engine management light comes on so i call out the RAC again who find exactly the same fault provide the same report but this time re-seat the cable connected to the sensor. The EML goes out and i continue on my way. A week passes and the light comes back on. I call the RAC who come out and find the same fault with the same sensor. A cable re-seat does the trick again. So about fortnight later the light comes back on so i just ignore it this time and try to contact the dealer who has gone out of business. No Dice! I have now made a complaint under consumer credit act against santander who are refusing to play ball. Since then the EML has gone out on the car and it appears to be temperature related. I have also written to the financial ombudsman who have to wait 8 weeks before they can step in.

The car also failed its first MOT with excessive play in the track rods (whatever that means) but i managed to get this sorted under warranty.

Santander are basically telling me i have to prove that there was a fault at time of purchase by supplying an engineers report before they will take the matter any further as i have had it more than six months.

Is this right? In my complaint i stated that the car was not of adequate quality and durability. As far as im concerned the reports of the faults (which they have had copies of all documentation for including RAC reports and warranty claim, failed MOT etc) should be more than enough to demonstrate that a 3 year old car isnt very durable.

Im running very close to the breadline atm with having to find a new lower paying job etc and cant really afford to get a mechanic to write a report for something so glaringly obvious! Does anyone have any similar stories that may give me hope?

Does anyone think i have a chance with the ombudsman? Or should i just try to get rid of the car which i now have a few k equity in and cut my losses?

colino

Yeah, those were terrible for acting up miles out of warranty. Perhaps you could sue Santander for not maintaining it for you?

NiceCuppaTea4Me

colino wrote: »

Yeah, those were terrible for acting up miles out of warranty. Perhaps you could sue Santander for not maintaining it for you?

The vehicle is fully maintained as per the manufacturers instructions having had services performed by manufacturer garages only. Performed at the specified service intervals. Sorry you dont think a brand new car should last more than 3 years without falling apart. Perhaps you could be a little less sarcastic with your next comment?

TradePro

NiceCuppaTea4Me wrote: »

Does anyone have any similar stories that may give me hope?

Yes, I had exactly the same happen to my 2.5 year old ????? ????????

Bit difficult to help when, as is usual around here, we don't know what kind of car it is...

Johnmcl7

Which sensor is it that was causing the issue and has a garage checked the sensor after the RAC looked at it?

John

facade

The cheapest option is to keep tweaking the wire when the light comes on.
Next cheapest is to spend £20 on a fault code reader off eBay, read what code has come up and reset the MIL every time yourself.

If it is a Vauxhall, and we are talking about the Crank sensor, these fail every couple of years anyway, I had 3 on my old Vectra.

It could be the wiring to the sensor, or a corroded connector, which ought to be a fairly easy garage fix.

To get anywhere with the finance company in court you are going to have to prove that the fault was there when you bought the car for which you need an engineers report. I seriously doubt that it will help, sensors fail all the time..........

waamo

Santander are basically telling me i have to prove that there was a fault at time of purchase by supplying an engineers report before they will take the matter any further as i have had it more than six months.

Is this right?

Yes that is right.

forgotmyname

They all do that sir its the year.

Its a design feature to confuse Baron Greenback's henchmen.

James Bond's cars also have the same feature.

keith1950

All is good for another year. In the following February ( almost to the day) the same engine management light comes on so i call out the RAC again who find exactly the same fault provide the same report but this time re-seat the cable connected to the sensor. The EML goes out and i continue on my way. A week passes and the light comes back on. I call the RAC who come out and find the same fault with the same sensor. A cable re-seat does the trick again. So about fortnight later the light comes back on so i just ignore it this time and try to contact the dealer who has gone out of business

So you haven't had the sensor replaced again ? That would probably sort your problem for another year or so .

Where you have a part fitted under warranty it doesn't extend your original warranty , your warranty still expires at it's original expiry date.

Write to the manufacturer and see if the will do anything as a goodwill gesture, as it stands , by chasing Santander you are p****** in the wind.

Apples2

NiceCuppaTea4Me wrote: »

I
Im running very close to the breadline atm with having to find a new lower paying job etc and ?

Isn't that the real reason?. You've overstretched like so many do but now realised cars are machines. As such, they go wrong. That new car feeling didn't last that long and the whole decision was a poor one.
Why haven't you replaced the little sensor or at least attempted to see what to do?

I honestly can't see how anyone will be on side for rejecting a car as not fit for purpose after almost 3 years, especially due to a cheap little sensor.

worried_jim

That model is notorious for playing up- most blow up at the road side within three years.