Alternator belt broken - warranty?

Carnmore

2016 Nissan NV200 with 21k miles and the alternator belt has just gone. I heard flapping under the bonnet when driving and on inspection the belt was starting tom strip.

Gone to main dealer and asked for a replacement under warranty (5 year bumper to bumper Nissan warranty) , which they say is doubtful as it is a wear item but highly unusual.

I think it should be replaced under warranty considering the age, mileage and rarity of the fault.

If Nissan refuse would it be possible to challenge their decision?

alfie1950

You could ring Nissan themselves to see if they are prepared to pay....remember that dealers are only franchised so they generally won't do any warranty work that Nissan won't pay them for.

AdrianC

You can always escalate it to Nissan GB.
https://www.nissan.co.uk/customer-service/contact-us.html

Yes, it's a consumable, but what's the service interval for belt replacement? I'd be surprised if it's <2-3yr/21k. <quick google> 18k/2yr interval? So it didn't get picked up at what would have been a fairly recent service?

Can't imagine a serp belt replacement is a terribly expensive job, though, so how much time/effort/blood pressure do you want to put into it?

daveyjp

For the sake of a few quid, a positive report from you on MSE about being treated so well by a main dealer and possible future business no manager would say no.

However this is car dealer, most of which don't understand customer satisfaction so please let us know what they say.

I pushed a £350 repair as a warranty repair due to low mileage.

The part which failed was outside the 5 year warranty terms, but it was fixed FOC as a goodwill gesture.

The dealer has just won dealer of the year for the marque.

System

3 years/21k sounds very premature. My Mondeo is on 125,000 mile 10 year intervals for changing that belt. Most manufacturers are now on very long mileages and time intervals.

daveyjp

Tarambor wrote: »

3 years/21k sounds very premature. My Mondeo is on 125,000 mile 10 year intervals for changing that belt. Most manufacturers are now on very long mileages and time intervals.

The OP states its an alternator belt, not a timing belt. Alternator belts can fail prematurely, but it is unusual. I have never had one fail.

debtdebt

Maybe a tensioner / waterpump or another item feeding off the belt has failed or failing causing it to go itself? When it's being replaced, make sure the garage check all surrounding components.

Inner_Zone

daveyjp wrote: »

The OP states its an alternator belt, not a timing belt. Alternator belts can fail prematurely, but it is unusual. I have never had one fail.

I had one fail at just under 112K miles on a Vectra C, replacement belt was less than £9, fitted it myself.

Prothet_of_Doom

An alternator belt does not wear out at 21k miles and 3 years old, unless it had a manufacturing fault.
If it was a wear an tear item, you should ask them to show you where on the service plan, it should have been replaced, and ask them WHY they didn't check it's condition at the last service.
The last time (and I do 20K miles a year) I had an alternator belt go it was about 3 years ago on a 1997 MX5. It had 110K on the clock, and was the original - so almost 20 years old. That was a cheap fix, (£6) but cost me a mornings work, because I had to be recovered home due to the belt also driving the water pump on that engine. (I had turned to go home, but the engine was starting to overheat)

I have a 200K omega and I reckon the belt is probably the original. Mind you it's a wider more expensive looking thing and I reckon they are at least £40.

mchale

Prothet_of_Doom wrote: »

An alternator belt does not wear out at 21k miles and 3 years old, unless it had a manufacturing fault.
If it was a wear an tear item, you should ask them to show you where on the service plan, it should have been replaced, and ask them WHY they didn't check it's condition at the last service.
The last time (and I do 20K miles a year) I had an alternator belt go it was about 3 years ago on a 1997 MX5. It had 110K on the clock, and was the original - so almost 20 years old. That was a cheap fix, (£6) but cost me a mornings work, because I had to be recovered home due to the belt also driving the water pump on that engine. (I had turned to go home, but the engine was starting to overheat)

I have a 200K omega and I reckon the belt is probably the original. Mind you it's a wider more expensive looking thing and I reckon they are at least £40.

Maybe it picked a stone up

System

daveyjp wrote: »

The OP states its an alternator belt, not a timing belt.

Yes I know they did, that is what I am replying to - I'm talking about an alternator belt too. On my Mondeo the alternator belt is 125,000 miles/10 years the same as the timing belt.