Nissan Primera P12 SE TD - Let down by my insurance company!!

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Sun 17 Apr 2011 19:24
Nissan Primera P12 SE TD - Let down by my insurance company!! - Pricemills

My pride and joy Primera P12 estate was hit in the rear whilst parked, the car would not start EMS light on? Car was towed to the specified body shop for repair by the insurance company. Body work repaired the car was taken to a Nissan dealer who stated no faults were shown in the diagnostics and the engine has a serious fault with no compression on cylinders 1 and 3? Insurers have refused to investigate any further and the car being returned.

I cannot understand how my car can be parked up outside my house working perfectly well and then get hit in the rear by another car, suffer serious damage to the engine and the insurance company are refusing to even investigate? I have witness who can verify the car was working perfectly well hours before the accident.

The car has a tow bar fitted and is always left in gear (on a hill) could the impact transmit shock load directly through the transmission to the engine? The insurance company refused to explore further the reason for no compression in cylinders 1 and 3, cancelling my hired curtacy car and returning my broken car back to me. This situation has left me feeling rather bitter given I have two insurance policies with 9 years no claims on both demonstrating my integrity regarding false claims. An independant mechanic has found the camshaft to be snapped at the drive pully!! I believe that the car being hit in the rear hitting the tow bar that is connected directly to the chassis (bypassing crumple zones) has transmitted a shock load from the forced rotation of the front drive wheels to the transmission whilst connected to the engine in reverse gear. (always left in gear whilst parked on an incline outside of my house) The force of this load transmitted through the transmission in reverse gear has exerted forces in the reverse direction on the engine and given this is a chain drive and not a belt has snapped the camshaft at its weakest point. The car was working perfectly well before the accident. Has anyone got any comments to aid further my cause for complaint against this insurance companies decision???

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Sun 17 Apr 2011 20:46
Nissan Primera P12 SE TD - Let down by my insurance company!! - FP

I must say I can't really see a connection between a rear-end shunt and a broken camshaft. Even if the movement involved turned the engine I can't see why that should damage it.

The car won't start after bodywork repairs, presumably, so it's towed to a Nissan dealer who stated there were no faults showing despite the camshaft having snapped and there being no compression on two cylinders? It sounds as if you have a bone to pick with the dealer, for a start.

Perhaps your independent mechanic can offer a professional opinion about the likely cause of the engine failure.

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Mon 18 Apr 2011 10:18
Nissan Primera P12 SE TD - Let down by my insurance company!! - injection doc

I wouldnt say its impossible to happen. Having a battle with an insurance company is often more stress than its worth.

May be can you find CCTV fottage of you driving home or even parking outside your house before it was hit ?provong that it was running prior to being hit ! . May be an independant inspector may be able to do a report, he should be able to determine the "direction of shear " that in its self may point to when the cam snapped. I myself are inclined to believe it but proving it is another dimension altogether.

I had a serious battle 2 years ago with an insurance company when I was hit whilst stationary but had to take a 50/50 hit and in the end decided the battle wasnt worth it from the stress.

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