Advice on engine malfunction

phil192

Hi there,

I'm looking for some advice on whether to complain about a recent experience I had with Ford servicing. I don't know much about cars, particularly about the mechanics, but I feel like I spent a lot of money to solve what in the end seemed to be relatively simple. Let me explain...

At the beginning of December the dreaded 'Engine Malfunction' light appeared on the dashboard of my Ford SMax (60 plate). Oh no this is going to be expensive I thought!!! Anyway, I swiftly booked it into the local Ford dealership, and on 7th December it was worked on. They ran some diagnostics, and said I had a low battery voltage, so replaced the battery - £330.

I drove home, and the light stayed off. Phew. The following day the engine malfunction appeared again! Nooo! So I called Ford again and booked it in again. On 14th December in it went again.... this time I wasnt charged for the diagnostics, but they said that the diagnostics was showing a fault with the 'air flow mass sensor'. They replaced this part and the light went off - £279. Ouch but at least the issue was fixed... (or so I thought)

I had literally driven 100m out of the dealership and the light went back on NOOOOOOOO!!!! I can't believe this, £600 down and apparently the issue is not solved. I called them first thing the next day and booked it in again.

On 21st December it went back in for a third time, and this time I was told the turbo hose from cooler to inlet manifold had a hole in it.

Ok so a hole sounds bad, I get it. That was probably the issue. Without knowing much about cars that sounds like it needed fixing! When I complained to the dealership, they said the other work was needed too, and probably the new 'air flow mass sensor' meant that more air was being sent, which blew a hole in the manifold. Does that sound feasible?

I'm very happy to pay for what is required, but my theory is that the air flow mass sensor was showing an error because of the manifold hole, and they replaced the wrong part without doing proper root cause analysis. I tried to argue this on the day, and was offered the labour for free on this work. I kept saying, I dont want this for free because it sounds like it needed doing, I wanted the air flow mass sensor refunded, but they wouldnt acknowledge this. I even asked them to put my old air flow mass sensor back on as I was so confident it wasnt the issue, but they said they would still charge me because it was now a used part! Oh and they had thrown out my old one anyway.

So, long story short, should I be making a fuss about this? I'm not someone who usually complains but I feel like i'm down because of negligence on Ford's part.

Many thanks for your thoughts

Phil

flashg67

So difficult to prove now, but I'd go with your theory that the hole caused the air flow sensor to read incorrectly. Sorry but have no suggestions as to how you can go about proving or remedying this. Is it part of a large dealer group with a head office to raise this with?

Struggling to relate this to the battery voltage though, so maybe the battery was faulty anyway

System

The turbo intercooler to inlet manifold pipe splitting is a common issue. The line you've been spun about the mass airflow sensor being faulty and sending more air which blew a hole in the pipe is a load of horse manure. The MAF is usually located next in line in the intake after the air filter and measures the temperature and density of the air being drawn into the engine so the ECU knows how much fuel to put into the engine. It cannot send more air, it is nothing other than a thin bit of wire which is heated up, gets cooled by the air flowing over it which alters its resistance and and its resistance measured by the ECU.

I would absolutely kick up one hell of a fuss over this. I'd also want some compensation for the battery you clearly didn't need either.

onomatopoeia99

Tarambor wrote: »

I'd also want some compensation for the battery you clearly didn't need either.

Given the stated age of the car, if it was the original battery it's very possible it was close to failure . Seven years seems to be about what one can expect out of a battery on a car that's used regularly these days (at least, the last four I've replaced have all been that age), so the battery may well have failed in the coming weeks and the diagnosis correct, even if it wasn't the reason for the engine light.

n217970

OP - once you have got this sorted out do yourself a favour and stop taking 7 year old cars to main stealers.

macman

A diagnostic check and a new battery: £330?!
A battery starts at around £60, a diagnostic check £25-40? If I paid £100 for both, I'd think it was OTT.
Battery voltage check takes 10 seconds with a £5 multimeter.

Shaka_Zulu

macman wrote: »

A diagnostic check and a new battery: £330?!

This is the bit that made my eyes water............ouch!!!

arcon5

It sounds like an inlet metering fault came up and they acting amateurish by not properly investigating the issue. This is exactly why simply having a code reader doesn't make you a mechanic.

I'd be looking for some money back on the failed diagnostics and questioning why a battery was so expensive!!!!

bertiewhite

macman wrote: »

A diagnostic check and a new battery: £330?!
A battery starts at around £60, a diagnostic check £25-40? If I paid £100 for both, I'd think it was OTT.

I was going to say myself - I was quoted (by Chrysler) £90 for a diagnostic test for my '03 Grand Cherokee and the battery was only £70.

Gloomendoom

bertiewhite wrote: »

I was going to say myself - I was quoted (by Chrysler) £90 for a diagnostic test for my '03 Grand Cherokee and the battery was only £70.

Diagnostic check on my car by main dealer (Chrysler/Jeep) in Germany... 30 Euro

Diagnostic checks are a rip off in this country.

markudman

A diagnostic check and a new battery: £330?,
I hope its got a lifetime warranty!

this sounds like the stealer, (dealer) got the tea boy doing diags, and replacing the first thing it said,
Totally agree with Tarambor, if you get a MAF sensor fault you need to look in to it not just replace it,

The diagnostic codes only point you in the right direction, its up the tech, to follow a plan and read the live data etc, to pinpoint the fault, Dealer techs get paid bonus, so get it in get it out, and I agree with n217970, find a good local independent, after you shouted very loudly to the dealer or HQ, maybe when they are full of other customers.