cambelt broken when in for service

whatsupthefrog

using tesco vouchers we sent our ford fiesta lx diesel in for a combined full service and repair at nationwide auto centre. I t is a good little car and were expecting no problems.
We had a phone call yesterday informing us that the tentioner had come off and the cambelt had come off and damaged the cylinder head and valves. The repairs would come to over £1000 including labour, but the car isnt worth that much. We cannot really afford a big repair bill or a new car at the moment, are the garage any way liable for the damage done or is it a case of tough luck.

Keith

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I do not trust Nationwide in anyway shape or form, since they diagnosed the banging of my bonnet prop against the bonnet as a knackered gearbox.

What is their explanation to the cam belt coming off? Unless the tensioner happened to fail whilst it was parked in their garage.

Was it a cambelt change?

whatsupthefrog

well it was a combination full service and MOT and it happened during the MOT, surely they should have done the service first and found that it needed replacing.

they said the tensioner came off and that made the cam belt come off (i know nothing about cars)

seansheep

whatsupthefrog wrote: »

using tesco vouchers we sent our ford fiesta lx diesel in for a combined full service and repair at nationwide auto centre. I t is a good little car and were expecting no problems.
We had a phone call yesterday informing us that the tentioner had come off and the cambelt had come off and damaged the cylinder head and valves. The repairs would come to over £1000 including labour, but the car isnt worth that much. We cannot really afford a big repair bill or a new car at the moment, are the garage any way liable for the damage done or is it a case of tough luck.

Bad luck, that happened to me before xmas, (it was in the garage to solve a noise from the engine, when the cam belt went), I ended up fixing it for £900, but the car lost all it's power, so sold after a week for £600 and then ended up forking out for a new car as well.

anewman

This is most likely to happen to diesel cars during MOT unfortunately as they push the gas pedal as far down as possible for emissions test. It is important the cam belt is in good condition for the MOT. Yes, service should have come first, but unfortunately they may not have noticed the cam belt system was on it's last legs and it's up to you to get it replaced at the x years or x miles specified by the manufacturer. If you asked them to sort the cam belt then yes, this should not have happened and I would imagine they'll be liable.

Cheapest repair would be a good scrap engine with short guarantee. Don't bother with the monkeys at nationwide.

Conor_3

whatsupthefrog wrote: »

well it was a combination full service and MOT and it happened during the MOT, surely they should have done the service first and found that it needed replacing.

they said the tensioner came off and that made the cam belt come off (i know nothing about cars)

By doing the MOT first and then the service, they've done it the right way around. After all, you'd be complaining if they did the service then it failed the MOT and you needlessly ended up paying labour for a part that could be replaced whilst the service was being done.

There's hardly anywhere that checks the timing belt during a service due to the absolute ballache they are to get at. You usually get advised it's due changing based on the mileage of the vehicle although not all garages do. Would you be willing to pay an additional £100 for the service price just for them to strip the engine down sufficiently for them to be able to inspect it? Whilst now in hindsight you'd probably say yes, I doubt you would otherwise.

At the end of the day it is up to you as the owner to ensure that the cambelt has been changed in accordance to the manufacturers stated mileage and age. This is extremely important in regards to the MOT test for diesels, as you've found out, and it states this clearly on all literature about MOTs.

If a cambelt fails during an MOT, it's a case of tough luck unless you've just asked the garage to change it for you.

whatsupthefrog

thanks anyway, what a pain in the arsenal

banger9365

should ain't they have asked first before they did the mot about the cam belt because every garage i have taken my old diesel cars to they have allways asked about the cam belt .
has it been changed and when was it changed and if it had not been changed they would not/cannot do the mot until it had been,
or it that just a naff garge that did not ask first
i have has a cam belt go, it will neaver happen to me again lesson learned
and sorry about your loss

cyclonebri1

Most gargages now have a disclaimer posted in the workshop/reception. I don't know if it's just for the garages protection or needed as a get out.

It is not at all uncommon for a cambelt to fail under service/mot conditions. Especially for molly coddled, below average mileage cars that only get their throttles opened when at the garage.

Car engines are designed to be capable of being reved to safe limits, in fact you cannot over rev one due to rev limiters being fitted to all modern cars. (In fact you can, but only by slipping it into a lower gear during an upward gear change).

If any car was in for a full service it could be reasonably expected for it to be reved to near it's limit, if it wasn't, how would that misfire that happens at 4 to 5 K revs be detected.

Also 3 or 4 k revs sounds alot when it at a standstill for it's emission test.