Ford Cmax Alternator Failure following Service/MOT

BargainJunky

I know nothing about cars hence posting on here.


My husband took his CMAX into a Ford dealer yesterday for service and MOT (CMAX is old but has been well maintained and is a very good runner).


Car passed MOT and service carried out they advised break fluid change and aircon service plus a replacement turbo charger bracket as it was leaking. All of which he said they could do.



To cut a long story short went to get the car and it was not in the car park but still in the workshop. They went to drive it out and all the warning lights came on and as it was close to closing time we had to leave it there as they said there was something wrong with the electrics.


This morning they have called to say the alternator has blown! Bit of a shot in the dark but could anything they did have caused this.

Browntoa

Old age .........

Aylesbury_Duck

See it as a fortunate coincidence. I doubt they've done anything to cause it, it will be age-related. Much better for it to happen in the garage than when you're miles from home in terrible weather.

BargainJunky

Thanks everyone I guessed it was old age too and are very thankful that it went in the garage and not on Sunday when we about 100 miles away from home on the motorway when it was lashing it down.

System

An MOT is an inspection only, they do not disassemble any parts during a MOT and if you observe one you'll see it is a visual inspection only with someone operating lights, steering and brakes, there's a test for emissions and a check for corrosion on structural components and the area surrounding them. If something fails then it was because it was defective and would have failed anyway. MOT stations are not liable for anything that breaks during a MOT test.

shaun_from_Africa

Tarambor wrote: »

An MOT is an inspection only, they do not disassemble any parts during a MOT

The vehicle didn't only have an MOT. It was an MOT and a service.

When the service was carried out, was the alternator drive belt (or serpentine belt if this is what's fitted) replaced? This may not have been a scheduled change item but may have been done if it was badly worn.
If this was the case then it's possible that when it was fitted it was tensioned too much which caused the alternator to fail.

Browntoa

Don't understand why you are still using a main dealer though

Using a small local independent garage would have done it much cheaper , the savings would probably have covered the replacement alternator

edde

Browntoa wrote: »

Don't understand why you are still using a main dealer though

Using a small local independent garage would have done it much cheaper , the savings would probably have covered the replacement alternator

There's a lot of benefits to using main dealers where the prices are reasonable. Dealers know all the tricks and issues and any mods etc can be done free. Many dealers operate a cheaper service deal for older cars

I'd say coincidence they were messing round near it and it's broken most lolly they will do a deal on replacement so just put it down to good luck it as said easier wasn't broken on a back road at night in the wet.

System

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

If this was the case then it's possible that when it was fitted it was tensioned too much which caused the alternator to fail.

Not that quickly. It'll have taken at least a few days, if not weeks to.

As for main dealer servicing I still get mine done at the main dealer even though the car is 9 years old and did on my previous one even though it was on 168,000 miles and 8 years old because the local Ford 4+ service is quite competitive and also gives you 12 months/12,500 miles free pan-European breakdown cover.

George_Michael

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

When the service was carried out, was the alternator drive belt (or serpentine belt if this is what's fitted) replaced? ..
..
If this was the case then it's possible that when it was fitted it was tensioned too much which caused the alternator to fail.

Tarambor wrote: »

Not that quickly. It'll have taken at least a few days, if not weeks to.

That's not always the case.
How do I know?

A few years ago I replaced a drive belt on an old car (Ford Escort) and tensioned it too tightly and the alternator failed the next day.
I later found out that the main bearings were very worn hence there being a fair bit of play on the shaft and due to having the belt too tight, the alternator shaft was being pulled too much and the rotor was rubbing on the stator windings, something that caused it to heat up very quickly.

fred246

You never have a clue what's going on with garages. Will you be able to prove if the alternator has been replaced? Will you be able to test the old one? They may have just disconnected it. They may be seeing if they can get another couple of hundred pounds out of you. There's no regulation you see. If you discover they have charged you for an alternator and not fitted it what is the worst that can happen to the garage? They have to pay it back. Not the end of the world is it?