Cam belt gone after 19000 miles
Discussion
Hi all
Friend purchased a Suzuki 4x4 some 20 months ago. The garage replaced the timing belt, pulley and water pump as part of the sale (all listed on paper work).
Now, some 19K miles later the belt has snapped.
Should they contact the seller or are they wasting their time?
Friend purchased a Suzuki 4x4 some 20 months ago. The garage replaced the timing belt, pulley and water pump as part of the sale (all listed on paper work).
Now, some 19K miles later the belt has snapped.
Should they contact the seller or are they wasting their time?
- Note: seller is in Sheffield and buyer is in the Midlands.
It won't hurt to try. But I wouldn't be holding my breath.
If they're going to get anywhere, they're going to have to take it to court. And that's not only going to be a gamble, but would require expert testimony as to why it's failed - which may well exonerate the garage. It may be that the failure's unrelated to their standard of workmanship - in which case, would the claim be against the parts supplier? It may be an unrelated failure that's taken the belt out. It may be foreign object damage (It's a 4x4, have they taken it offroad?)
If they're going to get anywhere, they're going to have to take it to court. And that's not only going to be a gamble, but would require expert testimony as to why it's failed - which may well exonerate the garage. It may be that the failure's unrelated to their standard of workmanship - in which case, would the claim be against the parts supplier? It may be an unrelated failure that's taken the belt out. It may be foreign object damage (It's a 4x4, have they taken it offroad?)
BertBert said:
Why did the garage change all that stuff on a brand new car?
Where does it say it's a brand new car? Seems they bought the car second hand then did 19k miles over 20months and it's snapped. Isn't it usually 5 years / 75kish miles to replace a cam belt? Sounds a bit dodgy!
Bought a second hannd Puma a few years ago. Did all the checks, cambelt and tensioners had been done on time and mileage with the correct Gates kit about 5k miles before. A few months and miles into ownership the belt goes (bent valves, etc.). A specialist strips it and tells us the belt was fitted incorrectly, bits missing and loose. Just had to suck it up and get a rebuild. How are you going to prove anything? It was a fast fit place that did the belt on our Puma, but presumably they will just say it could be a faulty part and to pursue the belt maker?
Worth a try though.
Worth a try though.
vxr8mate said:
The garage
Was it a franchised dealer?Certainly many manufacturers guarantee work for 2yrs and you have a legal right to expect something to last a reasonable time. Although tricky if the work was done by a different garage to the one selling the car as the car buyer didn't pay for the work.
How old is the car? Another angle to use with the seller is that a car with a busted cambelt isn't fit for purpose.
xjay1337 said:
If they are OEM parts do they not come with a 2 year warranty?
Could well be.All cam belt work I have had done in the past had a two year warranty. This was VW main dealer though. Good job it was as the tensioner began to fail at 18 months, twice.
Current car is chain driven so haven't needed to have this done.
You'd have to go back to the garage that fitted the parts to establish whether there's any liability, although since the garage who supplied the vehicle were the customer the terms of warranty will probably be on their paperwork.
If they fitted OEM parts then the cost of remedial work at the garage that fitted them might be covered, depending on the supply terms.
If the car goes somewhere else for diagnosis or rectification then you're on your own unless they're both part of the main dealer network and prepared to cooperate.
If they fitted OEM parts then the cost of remedial work at the garage that fitted them might be covered, depending on the supply terms.
If the car goes somewhere else for diagnosis or rectification then you're on your own unless they're both part of the main dealer network and prepared to cooperate.
This is one of these jobs where I don't mind having my pants taken down by the stealers. I normal take my cars to independent specialists. But with the catastrophic engine damage that can be involved with timing belt failure I think it's worth the extra cost of paying a main dealer. That way if something goes wrong you know your covered. They can't trade workmanship/parts failure against each other and in effect have you chasing your tail until you give up. If there responsible for both then they have no get out.
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