Any Comeback due to Failed Garage Repair?

pennypincher3562

Hi

I got a front crankshaft oil seal replaced about 6 weeks ago by a local garage. I got 'bad vibes' from the garage at the time - it took them days to repair it, and they didn't even bother to call me as soon it was fixed.

Anyway, 6 weeks later, was out in the car after driving hundreds of miles. The oil warning light comes on, and the car looks like it has quite a serious leak. I was lucky that I managed to get oil from a local Tesco, but I was heading towards a very remote location, and could have ended up being stuck in the middle of nowhere.

At this stage, I'm making presumptions that the repair was possibly not done properly. Is there anyway I can prove it, or should I just forget it, get it fixed and move on. It cost me over 200 quid.

Thanks
PennyPincher3562

forgotmyname

Is it leaking from the seal they replaced though?

How often do you check your oil to run out? You should check it at least once a week and daily if you have or have had an oil leak.

pennypincher3562

Hi Forgotmyname

At this stage I don't know if it is indeed the seal that they replaced is causing the leak. I can't verify that myself, and will need to get an independent mechanic to verify if the replacement seal is leaking.


Im just wondering if it would be worthwhile trying to prove the repair was faulty, or just getting it fixed and forgetting about it.




Cheers
Pennypincher3562

forgotmyname

Depends on the issue. I would take it back and say its still leaking.

Have you used them before and are they reliable? It maybe leaking from elsewhere. Or it could be a faulty seal.

I would take it back 1st and see what they say. If they fob you off or tell you its something totally different then get it inspected before they do the work.

pennypincher3562

Hi Forgoymyname

I've never used the garage before, so really don't know if there are reliable. I'm planning to take the car to another garage that I often use, and hopefully they will have a quick look at it for me. If it is indeed the oil seal, I will take the car back to the 'problem garage', and ask them to fix it under the 'labour guarantee' which I'm presuming they have.

Cheers
PennyPincher3562

arcon5

This whole thread is massively presumptuous! You've not even ad it looked at, yet looking for advice as to whether you should try prove it's their repair- wth? Get the car looked at before creating problems.

macman

Do you actually know which oil seal they changed?

pennypincher3562

Hi Macman

It was the front crankshaft oil seal. The leak is coming from approximately the front right.

As for Arcon5's comments. There is indeed an element of presumption here, but I'm concerned that if I took the car back to the same garage who did the repair, they would deny that the current leak is connected to them. I was hoping to get some advice on the best way forward.

I have been in a similar situation before, where one garage claimed my last car had a critical steering fault that would cost £450 to repair. When I took it to another garage, this critical fault mysteriously disappeared, and the car lasted another 7 years.

Cheers
PennyPincher3562

arcon5

Even if it was from the same place the garage would have the right to remedy it. You couldnt just have it repaired and present them with a bill. Even an independent report cost could be deemed unreasonable without giving them an opportunity first, thus mitigating your losses.

This is of course assuming it's the part or workmanship at fault and not another faulty component causing it.

I'm betting that first garage you refer to is kwikfit or similar

colino

If it is a crankshaft oil seal they can only leak if its a faulty seal, its been mis-installed, or the journal/housing are marked and damaging the seal. Definitely no point, on a second hand car, just changing the seal without establishing why it leaked.

pennypincher3562

Thanks Colino, I've arranged for another garage I trust to take a quick look at it free of charge.

In response to Arcon5, at the moment I'm just gathering information. The garage that did the original repair wasn't a Kwikfit type. Though the garage that is doing the 'free check' is a national chain - they have never let me down in the past, after using them for years.

Anyway, off to garage soon, and hopefully will find out what's going on.

Cheers
PennyPincher3562