48000 miles, 2013 plate car - head gasket gone

Miss_Ratty

We bought a Vauxhall Meriva in January with 45k on the clock. Carshop offer a three month warranty, and during that three months I reported that the heater wasn't working. They took it in, said it was low on coolant, and topped it up. At this point I'd already topped up the coolant, so this was the second time in three months. Anyway, heaters worked fine, and then went again. Coolant was low. Three times in four months (bearing in mind I don't think I ever had to top up in my old car). Reported it, stating the fault had already been reported during the three months, and they agreed to look at it. At this point we are five months into having the car from them.

I was thinking it may have been a leak in the coolant tank, so I was pretty shocked to have a call from them last week to say the heating problem was actually the head gasket.

They said it was now outside the three months so they wouldn’t fix it, but I stood my ground and told them that the symptom of the issue was reported and documented within the three months. They have now said they will get an independent report from Dekra to establish when the fault would have occured. If outside three months, we pay, inside three months then they will.

I'm dreading it coming back saying it was outside the period, even though the symptom (although not the cause) was documented well within that period.

The car was registered in August 2012, and to my mind, a significant issue such as this shouldn't appear so soon, on a car with now 48k miles on the clock.

If they don't find in our favour, do I have any other options, such as the consumer rights act?

Thanking in advance! Less than five months with us, and I dread such a big bill coming in when things are tight already (we had to buy the car as our only car other was stolen).

markudman

It will be hard to pinpoint when the head gasket failed, I would tell them you are going to back the car under the consumers act, you have had problems with the heater and water loss within the 3 month warranty,

Returning a second-hand car
If you're past the first 30 days but a problem has arisen that you think would have been there at the time of purchase, you're entitled to ask for a repair or replacement free of charge.

In most cases this will be a repair, as whoever sold the car to you will usually be able to prove that the cost of replacing it would be disproportionate.

During the first six months after purchase, it's the responsibility of the seller to prove the fault wasn't there, not for you to prove that it was.

But after the first six months, the onus will be on you to prove that the fault was present from the day you bought the car.

If the attempt at a repair or replacement is unsuccessful, you're entitled to a refund.

But the car dealer can make a deduction from the refund after the first 30 days for 'fair use'.

flashg67

Can't see an easy way for Dekra to be able to say when the fault occurred, just that it has happened? Such reports may have to stand up to scrutiny, perhaps even in court, so the inspector would have to be pretty sure. For me, the real 'proof' is that you've been topping up the coolant for so long.

I fear I know what their answer will be already....

macman

As above, get a formal written claim in now under CRA while the burden of proof is still in their court. Don't wait for the 'independent' report, or you may go beyond the 6 month point.

loskie

Phone DEKRA as a customer. Ask them to carry out an inspection on a car you have and can they specifically state when the gasket failed. I do not believe they will put their neck on the line with that.

AdrianC

Miss_Ratty wrote: »

I reported that the heater wasn't working. They took it in, said it was low on coolant, and topped it up. At this point I'd already topped up the coolant, so this was the second time in three months. Anyway, heaters worked fine, and then went again. Coolant was low. Three times in four months (bearing in mind I don't think I ever had to top up in my old car).

I was thinking it may have been a leak in the coolant tank, so I was pretty shocked to have a call from them last week to say the heating problem was actually the head gasket.

Is the head gasket the cause, or has the head gasket been blown BY running it low of coolant?

It's entirely likely to be the latter. Coolant doesn't just go - as you say, you should never have to top it up. If you do, you investigate immediately. It might be a stone pierced the radiator. It might be a damaged hose. You definitely do NOT keep running it without checking the level right up until it runs out of coolant, causing the heater to stop working... That's when expensive damage happens. Things like the head gasket...


A warranty will cover a perished or leaking hose. It won't cover a stone in the rad. It definitely won't cover damage arising from continuing to run it after the level starts dropping.

foxy-stoat

Headgasket failed as you drove it with low or no coolant.

Good luck on this one.

System

foxy-stoat wrote: »

Headgasket failed as you drove it with low or no coolant.

Your post is only valid if there was a leak found. As the garage found no leak at any time they inspected it then it looks like it lost coolant due to the head gasket.