Mechanic advice wanted please.

Carcon

Long story short....my car totally died on me (03 Polo), had to call out recovery which revealed that my engine bay cover was loose and a wire had became disconnected hence it not starting.

My question is, what could have caused that to happen?

It had it's MOT a month ago, however my mechanic said he never went near the engine cover and is saying it has nothing to do with him.

I'm going to check it myself tomorrow and see if it's broken or anything but i'm wondering if it could have happened on it's own or my mechanic is just not wanting to accept responsibility.

Thanks for any advice!

onejontwo

If the tester went by the rule book, the mot test is an inspection only and no dismantling of the vehicle is necessary so based on that it seems unlikely he is to blame. Also as it's a 10 year old car, wear and tear and things coming loose can happen any time.

trollopscarletwoman

Can't say about this particular case but in my own experience its amazing how many new problems present themselves when you put your car in the the garage.

Niowrtt

Vibration is enough to explain misc items coming loose. This is why the really important nuts and bolts (like holding the wheel hubs on) are locked in place by various methods.

I've had a couple of non-starts due to loose or even broken wires (bloody 306s...)

1886

Just an idea but instead of asking people on a forum who are'nt qualified, you could go to your local garage. Internet forums are just full of hear say, most of it useless tosh

Richard53

I don't know if the Polo is the same, but the engine cover on my car is a large plastic moulding held in place with plastic clips. I can easily imagine it vibrating loose over time. As said above, it is hardly a vital component, so the minimum is spent on making it secure. However, if it vibrates loose and chafes a wire, causing the car to stop working, you could argue that it was a vital component after all.

As onejontwo says, there was no need for the mechanic to disturb it, so it's probably just 'one of those things'.

Richard53

1886 wrote: »

Just an idea but instead of asking people on a forum who are'nt qualified, you could go to your local garage. Internet forums are just full of hear say, most of it useless tosh

Plenty of people on here with mechanical knowledge and knowledge of the car trade. TBH, I am sometimes amazed at the breadth and depth of knowledge on this forum. Of course, there is also hearsay and useless tosh, and the key is to indentify which is which - as it is with any internet forum.

For a specific answer to a specific problem, I would agree that a garage would be the place to go. For a general enquiry seeking opinions and experiences, this forum is pretty good IMO.

colino

If it was just in for an MOT, he wouldn't have had the need, the desire, or the time to be poking around the engine cover. Just a symptom of middle-age on your car.

Stooby2

Have a look on some VW Polo forums - might be a common thing. For example I own an old 1996 Discovery, on which it's common for the wire that runs the speedo to fall off its connection on the back of the alternator, simply through vibration. I've redone it several times now, but unless I were to solder it on, it'll fall off again eventually.

westwood68

One reason why the engine cover always comes off and stays off on any car I buy. Saves time when there is work to do under the bonnet as well

fred7777

Carcon wrote: »

My question is, what could have caused that to happen?

Engine Vibration could have damaged the cover and caused it to come loose. On both my present car and my previous car the cosmetic covers on top of the engine blocks worked loose when plastic supports broke.