Garage ruined engine when car took in for MOT

sartois

davidwood123 wrote: »

Owner at fault. Stop shifting the blame

Well, just as I submitted my last post the garage phoned up and said that they may well be covered and are pursuing this route to solve the problem, although did caveat this with the fact they have to do a bunch of form filling and await the insurance companies approval before doing any work. Whilst he isn't actually going as far as admitting fault he is looking to resolve this without passing on a huge bill to my friend.

Chrysalis

interesting, thanks for the update bud.

BeenThroughItAll

sartois wrote: »

Yes wasn't sure if there was anything they would be able to do but some insurance provides legal cover, was thinking more along those lines than claiming for damage.

The garage owner texted me yesterday saying he hasn't heard back from his insurance (which as a business owner he should have some sort of cover) but said he would call today.

I've read all the comments on here and notice that a some suggest it's the owners fault due to negligence but I would say the following in her defence:

1. The oil warning light came on 2 weeks ago. She hardly uses her car and booked it into the garage for MOT and service. The only journey in between light coming on and the MOT was to take the car to the garage.

2. She informed the garage the light was on and asked them to service it. If her MOT wasn't also due within a month then she would have just had this work done.

I am really not sure what else she could have done, and whilst 3 years is a long time not to be serviced we are talking about a car that has done 3000 miles in that time, along with advise given to her previously (from a garage) that there was no point in changing the oil at her last MOT.
T
I'll wait and see what the garage says. He said he would have some news today, but didn't specify on whether it was good or bad.

Maybe check the oil, at least once every three years. Or maybe monthly. Or weekly, as she would probably have been told during the process of learning to drive.

Aylesbury_Duck

BeenThroughItAll wrote: »

Maybe check the oil, at least once every three years. Or maybe monthly. Or weekly, as she would probably have been told during the process of learning to drive.

Absolutely.

OP, it seems that your friend has been fortunate the garage is willing to address their part in the situation. It's important that she heeds the advice on here and begins to take greater care and responsibility for the maintenance and checks of her car. At a trivial level, her negligence is affecting her car's performance, economy and longevity. Financially, she runs the risk of serious repair bills or penalties for things like illegal tyres, lights not working, etc. At a more serious level, she could be putting herself and others in danger. She can't just abdicate responsibility for her vehicle and always expect someone else to pick up the bill.

movilogo

The only journey in between light coming on and the MOT was to take the car to the garage.

It is lunacy to drive the car with oil warning light on! The owner should have topped up engine oil as soon as light came. In general, if that light comes on it is often too late.

AdrianC

movilogo wrote: »

The owner should have topped up engine oil as soon as light came.

The pressure light didn't come on because the level was low.

almillar

1. The oil warning light came on 2 weeks ago

A big red light on the dashboard. Red lights generally mean stop. An engine potentially not having oil means stop, not run it for 2 WEEKS and hope for the best. Is THIS the garage's fault?

I am really not sure what else she could have done,

Check the dipstick, and put oil into the car up to the correct level. Get a taxi to Halfords if necessary to buy oil.
If you think the above is a mechanic's job, demonstrating at least some of the above knowledge is part of the current driving test. If she didn't know it, she would fail her test. Her engine could have seized on the motorway on the way to the garage - causing her to slow suddenly (with no brake lights) and probably lose control.

But the garage isn't 100% blameless:

2. She informed the garage the light was on and asked them to service it

They shouldn't have run the engine at all without checking the oil level first.

rich13348

almillar wrote: »

A big red light on the dashboard. Red lights generally mean stop. An engine potentially not having oil means stop, not run it for 2 WEEKS and hope for the best. Is THIS the garage's fault?



Check the dipstick, and put oil into the car up to the correct level. Get a taxi to Halfords if necessary to buy oil.
If you think the above is a mechanic's job, demonstrating at least some of the above knowledge is part of the current driving test. If she didn't know it, she would fail her test. Her engine could have seized on the motorway on the way to the garage - causing her to slow suddenly (with no brake lights) and probably lose control.

But the garage isn't 100% blameless:


They shouldn't have run the engine at all without checking the oil level first.

Apparently the did check the oil level and then when the subsequently drained the oil there was almost twice as much as there should have been. This has been suggested on here that this is excess diesel from failed dpf regens. This has caused the oil to become less viscous and caused low oil pressure.

System

sartois wrote: »

I've read all the comments on here and notice that a some suggest it's the owners fault due to negligence but I would say the following in her defence:

1. The oil warning light came on 2 weeks ago. She hardly uses her car and booked it into the garage for MOT and service. The only journey in between light coming on and the MOT was to take the car to the garage.

RED WARNING LIGHT MEANS STOP no matter what it is. As in instantly. As in don't drive home and then drive to a garage. Every single owners manual will say that. She shafted the car driving it home and terminally killed it driving to the garage. She should have had it recovered on the spot when the light came on and towed to a garage.

I am really not sure what else she could have done, and whilst 3 years is a long time not to be serviced we are talking about a car that has done 3000 miles in that time, along with advise given to her previously (from a garage) that there was no point in changing the oil at her last MOT.

Not driven a car with a red light on the dashboard. Serviced her car in accordance with the manufacturer's guidelines which are based both on mileage AND TIME because when a car spends a long time not being used it does them no good and neither do short journeys.

She is entirely and wholly responsible for the death of that engine. If it hadn't failed at the MOT it would've died shortly after.

Iceweasel

Tarambor wrote: »

RED WARNING LIGHT MEANS STOP no matter what it is. As in instantly. As in don't drive home and then drive to a garage. Every single owners manual will say that. She shafted the car driving it home and terminally killed it driving to the garage. She should have had it recovered on the spot when the light came on and towed to a garage.



Not driven a car with a red light on the dashboard. Serviced her car in accordance with the manufacturer's guidelines which are based both on mileage AND TIME because when a car spends a long time not being used it does them no good and neither do short journeys.

She is entirely and wholly responsible for the death of that engine. If it hadn't failed at the MOT it would've died shortly after.

Harsh but true.