Ford Focus (1998 - 2004) - 03 1.8 Advice/guidance needed on HUGE garage error

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Thu 17 Sep 2009 21:27
03 1.8 Advice/guidance needed on HUGE garage error - melchett21
Hi all, apologies if this is a lengthy post, but here goes:

My 2003 Ford Focus TDCI 115 went in for a Cam Belt change 2 weeks ago (it's approaching 100,000 miles). They told me 2 and a half-hour job and it would be done. A day later they said the car wasn't working and a pulley on the lower engine had worn and a new one was needed from Ford, I said "fair enough" and agreed to the work.

They later rang back and said pulley was on but car wouldn't run correctly and sounded awful as well as throwing out smoke. They admitted they hadn't used the correct key/rod that you insert into the engine when changing belts over and the timing of the car had gone wrong, but would be put right at their own expense.....

Now 2 weeks later the car still does not even turn over and they have told me the fuel pump is broken and I need to cough up £290 to repair it or £600 for a new one as they never touched the fuel pump so it's obviously my fault! But my argument is THEY are probably the ones who damaged it by running the car with an incorrectly timed engine thus chugging through too little or too much diesel?

I really need to know how to approach challenging this as I know that fuel pump functioned fine during the 30-mile trip to the garage where I left it for their mechaning to bodge changing the cam belt.

What are my rights and where do I go next?

Help!

Edited by Dynamic Dave on 17/09/2009 at 22:13

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 17 Sep 2009 22:19
03 1.8 Advice/guidance needed on HUGE garage error - melchett21
Just in case I didn't make it clear, the car has never left the garage during the 2 weeks and they have had it all along...... I realised upon re-reading that I didn't make that very clear!

Also, I've done some reading up and apparently you can damage a fuel pump if it isn't sufficiently lubed so surely they should admit their error there and not charge me for the part?!
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 18 Sep 2009 09:32
03 1.8 Advice/guidance needed on HUGE garage error - Simon
I wouldn't agree to swallowing any more 'charges' from them, it almost certainly won't be coincidence that the fuel pump is playing up, it be be down to whatver they have done.

I don't know what course of action to suggest but they sound like a right bunch of cowboys. I would suggest that you take some proper advice, maybe Trading Standards would be helpful, just so the garage knows that you are not going to roll over and just accept their bill (if they ever get the car to run properly again).

If it was me I think that I would be looking at removing the car from their possession, taking it to somewhere that know what they are doing and then then issue the original garage with the bill for the rectification work. If they didn't cough up, I would look into taking them through the Small Claims court. I have no confidence in garage number 1 from what you have said.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 18 Sep 2009 10:41
03 1.8 Advice/guidance needed on HUGE garage error - Pugugly
It might pay to get it independently examined before it leaves their garage - they will accuse you of fiddling with after it left. You need local advice on this Trading Stds or whatever fashionable name they go under now is what you need and an independent engineer.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 18 Sep 2009 14:27
03 1.8 Advice/guidance needed on HUGE garage error - melchett21
Thanks for the advice guys.. I have a relative in the trade who specialises in Subaru's and he has said the same as you and said I should have the car removed and towed to him (the reason I don't go to him normally is because of the huge distance between myself and him!) and he would do as you suggested.

I will keep this thread updated with what is going on in case anyone else ever experiences it and also to keep everyone posted.

Thanks again and I'll keep this updated.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 24 Sep 2009 14:49
03 1.8 Advice/guidance needed on HUGE garage error - melchett21
Hello again!

Further update to this ongoing saga...

I have left the car with the garage to repair the above issues as they have guaranteed me that the work will be done at no extra cost to myself and before I go removing the car from their posession and taking it elsewhere (if it still doesn't work), I've been advised to give them a chance to repair their mistakes.

Basically, they now have had the fuel pump reconditioned for me and the car STILL doesn't work, now they are saing that 2 of the injectors are clogged and have been sent away for cleaning. Does this seem feasible??

I'm genuinely concerned that should they ever actually get the repair finished, their will still be valve damage to the car so I wondered would the car be able to run with a bent valve or would I know instantly if they haven't addressed the major issue?

Cheers
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 25 Sep 2009 14:39
03 1.8 Advice/guidance needed on HUGE garage error - craig-pd130
Some cars WILL run with a bent valve, it will make a noise but could be submerged beneath the usual diesel clatter. But performance will be down and emissions up.

I suspect the injector problem is entirely due to their foul-up.

Basically let them do the work. Get your car back, then go over it with a fine-tooth comb and if any problems, take it straight back.

Good luck!
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 28 Sep 2009 01:29
03 1.8 Advice/guidance needed on HUGE garage error - melchett21
Cheers Craig, that looks like the best option.

My main concern was getting a car back with a bent valve but it looks like that won't be the case....

Cheers
Reply | Report as offensive | Link