RAC complaint - serious car damage

Tanjawi

Thanks everyone for your input. The dent to the door is the least of my concerns. The engine has seized and it's a very expensive fix. Initial patrol who came out indicated a faulty injector.

My mechanic states that if a car is driven with a faulty injector that was making knocking noises then serious damage can occur. In my opinion RAC flagged a faulty injector and could hear the knocking noise but still advised for the car to be driven to the mechanic and it seized.

Yes it's not a brand new car...It's an old well looked after car with wear and tear but a seized engine could definitely have been avoided if the car had been towed from the start.

In answer to a couple of your questions, it's a Volvo C30 diesel. I do have legal cover so will see what they say.

Thanks again for your replies.

AdrianC

Ah, the joys of the infamous PSA-Ford 1.6HDi/TDCI...

Probably totally internally sludged up through infrequent oil changes, maybe the wrong oil, and leaking injector seals through not being regularly re-torqued. The official service interval is inadequate on these engines.

The Volvo-built units don't seem as bad as the rest, but they're the same design. But I don't know if the C30 used Skövde-built engines, since the cars were assembled in Belgium - they may have used Ford-assembled engines.

Tanjawi

Not sure where this one was assembled but it has FSH and a recent service about 5K before the problem. 

Grumpy_chap

Tanjawi said:

Yes it's not a brand new car...It's an old well looked after car with wear and tear 
it's a Volvo C30 diesel. 

So, a car that was introduced 2006 and discontinued around 2012. 
So, 9 to 15 years old.  
How many miles?

Will make a big difference if the car is really only one bill away from scrapping anyway as to what the possible outcomes could be.

Tanjawi

110K but let's not be carried away here. RAC came out and diagnosed a possible faulty injector and they could clearly see and hear something was wrong. Why would they then advise that I drive the car to the mechanic and not just tow it to avoid any further damage? Why would the RAC driver follow me just in case something happens. Surely if there is any doubt then just tow.   Clearly bad advice from the expert. 

An old car that is well looked after is not necessarily on its last bill. I appreciate all opinions, but I'm of the opinion that RAC failed on this occasion and they should be liable for the damages caused. 

Grumpy_chap

Tanjawi said:

 I appreciate all opinions, but I'm of the opinion that RAC failed on this occasion and they should be liable for the damages caused. 

As your mind is predetermined, why not just sue the RAC?

Mineral1

Did your mechanic check the timing belt. If that broke the timing would have gone and the valves will have hit the top of the pistons. That's what causes the banging sound and eventual seizing. So really, the engine was already dead before the RAC arrived.

Not ideal on an engine with 110k if that's the cause.

Faulty injectors are fairly common on diesels of that age especially if theyve been driven in unsuitable conditions such as short journeys, in all honestly for the cost of replacing injectors on a car that old, it's very likely youd have scrapped it anyway.

So ultimately I'd cut your losses, accept the RAC made a poor decision but really it probably didnt have much impact on the end result, and move onto a new car.

williamgriffin

Tanjawi said:

Thanks everyone for your input. The dent to the door is the least of my concerns. The engine has seized and it's a very expensive fix. Initial patrol who came out indicated a faulty injector.

My mechanic states that if a car is driven with a faulty injector that was making knocking noises then serious damage can occur. In my opinion RAC flagged a faulty injector and could hear the knocking noise but still advised for the car to be driven to the mechanic and it seized.

Yes it's not a brand new car...It's an old well looked after car with wear and tear but a seized engine could definitely have been avoided if the car had been towed from the start.

In answer to a couple of your questions, it's a Volvo C30 diesel. I do have legal cover so will see what they say.

Thanks again for your replies.

Can your mechanic say you hadn't caused serious damage before the RAC were called?

Tanjawi

Timing belt is fine. It was also replaced using genuine Volvo parts at the recommended mileage. The car developed those symptoms when started one morning. It wasn't driven and RAC were called. 

Mechanic says that a leaking injector would definitely damage the engine if driven. He doesn't know what the problem was prior to calling the RAC. He goes by what the RAC put on the call out report e.g. "suspected faulty injector" and the knocking noise. Those 2 symptoms + driving it = seized engine. 

For me it's clear. If the RAC had simply towed the car to the garage then any damage found is purely my responsibility. The fact they advised me to drive the car which obviously needed attention, resulted in damages which they should be responsible for.

I can see your points of view and thanks again for sharing your views. They do help me see things from a different perspective. I reckon this case is not very simple and a legal battle may be the only way. Will let you know how things progress.

williamgriffin

Tanjawi said:

Timing belt is fine. It was also replaced using genuine Volvo parts at the recommended mileage. The car developed those symptoms when started one morning. It wasn't driven and RAC were called. 

Mechanic says that a leaking injector would definitely damage the engine if driven. He doesn't know what the problem was prior to calling the RAC. He goes by what the RAC put on the call out report e.g. "suspected faulty injector" and the knocking noise. Those 2 symptoms + driving it = seized engine. 

For me it's clear. If the RAC had simply towed the car to the garage then any damage found is purely my responsibility. The fact they advised me to drive the car which obviously needed attention, resulted in damages which they should be responsible for.

I can see your points of view and thanks again for sharing your views. They do help me see things from a different perspective. I reckon this case is not very simple and a legal battle may be the only way. Will let you know how things progress.

I think your mechanic means could. Dumping fuel into the cylinder would damage the engine but if he's already determined that then you've already been told what to do. Sue the RAC.