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I had my 2002 Volvo V70 serviced at a main dealer. Two days later the gearbox failed due to low gearbox oil caused by a leak from a pipe from the oil cooler to the gearbox. The dealer stated that they do not check the oil level at the service - only if the find a leak, which they presumably missed. Another dealer said they routinely check the gearbox oil level.The dealer denied any responsibility for the failure. What do you think?
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What does the service schedule say in your handbook? I'd be surprised if all fluid levels weren't supposed to be checked.
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The service schedule says check level only if they find a leak. However they must have missed the leak!!
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Your problem is that the leak could have started after the service and so is not their fault unless you could prove otherwise. If you could prove it, it would show you had knowledge of the leak and so should have reported it although I agree I would expect a service to pick up a leak. The leak, if small, must have either been there for a long time and thus been easy to spot. For the gearbox to fail it must have lost the majority of the fluid so I would suspect a sudden failure somewhere leading to a fast fluid loss. Sadly, I don't think you'll get anywhere with the garage, you'll have to raid the kids' inheritance.
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Apart from anything else, it would seem you're going to have to prove that there wasn't a leak after you collected your car & the failure 2 days later. If you can't prove that, the servicing garage can always claim the car was ok (i.e. leak free) at time of service, so not culpable (or negligent) in any way.
To play Devil's Advocate - can you demonstrate there was no new catastrophic leak in the post-service 2 day interval after you collected your car? It looks more than co-incidental, to say the least, that a new leak happened just after service - so I would be interested in the details of the service schedule - did any of the service schedule/check items necessitate moving or testing parts near/on the gearbox or its oil feed? If so, could a clumsy mechanic have inadvertantly dislodged or disturbed the oil cooler feed pipe? Not blaming the garage or mechanic, but you have to investigate the possibility.
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Good point, Woodbines. The garage could have disturbed something, but how to prove it? it's probably just co-incidence but worth checking out nonetheless.
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Sorry forgot to mention that the specialist states that the leak was caused by chafing from a plate under the car, which it is necessary to remove to change the oil (if they drained it from the sump plug). In my simple view either the leak was there before the service and they missed it or it was caused by failure to refit the plate properly.
What do you think?
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...that the leak was caused by chafing from a plate under the car, which it is necessary to remove to change the oil (if they drained it from the sump plug)...
I would say that's very good circumstantial evidence - it doesn't prove they did it, but it proves a likely cause & that cause points very strongly at the oil change procedure. As Nick suggested, it's looking more like a large/fast leak than a gradual process.
I'd be a little cagey with them. Before you mention (if you haven't already) that your independent specialist mentioned a likely cause, perhaps on a different tack, make enquiry about the oil service - try to find out, surreptitiously, whether they drain via sump or suck it out. It all adds to the 'dossier'. If you can get a wriiten diagnosis from the specialist, it's amazing sometimes what having a piece of paper in your hand can do - gently suggest that you'll get to the bottom of it somehow & that you enjoy solving puzzles. If the service manager starts to squirm slightly - you're on the right track!
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Also try wearing an old beige raincoat, scratching your head in a slightly confused manner, but then on your way out stop in the doorway and ask the service manger "just one more thing".
Works for Columbo!
Edited by nick1975 on 15/02/2008 at 19:53
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