What are my rights?

Pawl99

About a year ago my car started having problems with the Engine Management light coming on. My car was still well within the warranty period and the local dealership replaced the 02 sensor. Since that time the same light and same fault code has happened many times. I have had 3 or 4 02 sensors, software updates and a new evac valve. The warranty ran out in September of this year and the same fault has reoccurred, just 5 or 6 weeks since the last 02 sensor was replaced. The dealership is looking into it more now and have suggested that it may be a more expensive part that is the problem but at the moment they are not sure. What are the chances of the manufacturer covering the cost for this, even though the warranty has expired it has been an ongoing problem since the car was just over 2 years old? Any advice or experience of this would be very helpful. Thanks

IamNotAllowedToUseMyName

Pawl99 wrote: »

About a year ago my car started having problems with the Engine Management light coming on. My car was still well within the warranty period and the local dealership replaced the 02 sensor. Since that time the same light and same fault code has happened many times. I have had 3 or 4 02 sensors, software updates and a new evac valve. The warranty ran out in September of this year and the same fault has reoccurred, just 5 or 6 weeks since the last 02 sensor was replaced. The dealership is looking into it more now and have suggested that it may be a more expensive part that is the problem but at the moment they are not sure. What are the chances of the manufacturer covering the cost for this, even though the warranty has expired it has been an ongoing problem since the car was just over 2 years old? Any advice or experience of this would be very helpful. Thanks

I'd say that you still should be covered. Make a complaint direct to the manufacturer about the dealer's failure to repair. Dealer should be reporting to manufacturer for further advice rather than guessing if they've failed to fix it.

Pawl99

Thanks Ian, the dealership are in contact with the manufacturer now and are conducting tests, however, I am worried they are going to try and pass the cost on to me even though they've had ample time during the warranty period to get it sorted.

caprikid1

What vehicle is it ? Age Model etc. How frequent is this occurring ?


I had a Landrover Defender with a Snorkel (Landrover) on it and this would regularly through a MAF Sensor error causing the engine warning light to come on.


Due to the snorkel certain conditions would throw the airflow out of range and even changing the sensor it would happen from time to time. In the end a £100 code reader went into the glove box and when an engine warning light came on if it was the MAF sensor we just reset it. A quick google of the issue highlighted other people with the same taking the same approach.


I guess the question is , if reset does it go away ? Is it a certain scenario throwing the error or is it a genuine fault that once happens cannot be reset ?

Pawl99

It's a 64 plate Ford Fiesta Titanium. There hasn't really been any pattern to the fault occurring but the longest time between faults was about 3 months and the shortest time was the amount of time it took me to leave the dealership forecourt. When it's been reset the light does goes away but always comes back on eventually. I generally use the car for local journeys and it's not driven everyday. The last time it occurred I had just driven home and unloaded the shopping. When I got back in to put the car away the light came on.

EdGasketTheSecond

Is it a P0420 (cat-efficiency) code?

Pawl99

I believe it's P0141

System

The problem could actually be a fault in the wiring harness, possibly some wire insulation has got chafed through and occasionally shorts to ground or there is a dodgy connector somewhere in the harness but sadly electrical fault finding seems to be a lost skill so they just keep changing the sensor as the computer is telling them that is what is wrong.