Audi S3 Snapped Cam Belt advice?

Audi S3 Snapped Cam Belt advice?

Author
Discussion

Adamb19

Original Poster:

24 posts

88 months

Sunday 20th November 2016
quotequote all
Hey fellas,

So 6 months ago I bought myself a rather nice Audi S3. Only 29k miles, 11 plate and it is the top spec DSG model. I bought it from a very reputable garage who only deal with high end vehicles, my S3 was the cheapest car they had with most cars over £100k which they were selling.

Anyway, the cam belt was due when I bought it and I have an email and documents from them saying they changed the cam belt for me before I collected the car, but only 6 months and 5k miles later the cam belt has snapped.

I'm still waiting for full diagnostics to determine damage but I'must being told mixed messages. What sort of damage can I expect to occur? What's a ballpark figure for when this happens? And more importantly how strong of ah case do I have against the garage I purchased the car off? If they refuse to cover the costs what is my best course of action?

I appreciate any help you guys can offer, it was not a cheap car and is my pride and joy, absolutely gutted and I'm worried my engine is going to be wrecked frown

Thanks

GroundEffect

13,819 posts

155 months

Sunday 20th November 2016
quotequote all
They should cover the cost of it under warranty. I would want evidence the belt had been changed - that it wasn't the original.

When you say it snapped - what were the symptoms? Did it lock up? If you heard mechanical stuff bumping uglies, you are probably screwed and need a new engine but you might have been lucky.


LiamB

7,923 posts

142 months

Sunday 20th November 2016
quotequote all
Nothing to add but I feel for you mate. I got an A3 2.0T around 2 weeks ago and the cam belt went after I got told it had been done too and it is currently getting a new engine due to various reasons frown

Adamb19

Original Poster:

24 posts

88 months

Sunday 20th November 2016
quotequote all
Well i had it in manual but was sat in traffic, as I went into 3rd gear at about 4k rpm it just cut out. I pressed the accelerator a couple times and the revs just kept dropping and exhaust was popping. It then rolled to a hault and wouldn't restart. I'm pretty sure I have a receipt for the replacement of cam belt but it's in my book which is in the car so I can't check right now. I do have emails from them saying they have changed the belt.

If they refuse to cover costs who am I best speaking to? Would it be trading standards? The car itself is only out of warranty by 2 weeks but surely the replacement part had a seperate warranty?

andymc

7,334 posts

206 months

Sunday 20th November 2016
quotequote all
have you rang the garage?

lord trumpton

7,321 posts

125 months

Sunday 20th November 2016
quotequote all
Adamb19 said:
Well i had it in manual but was sat in traffic, as I went into 3rd gear at about 4k rpm it just cut out. I pressed the accelerator a couple times and the revs just kept dropping and exhaust was popping. It then rolled to a hault and wouldn't restart. I'm pretty sure I have a receipt for the replacement of cam belt but it's in my book which is in the car so I can't check right now. I do have emails from them saying they have changed the belt.

If they refuse to cover costs who am I best speaking to? Would it be trading standards? The car itself is only out of warranty by 2 weeks but surely the replacement part had a seperate warranty?

Shame to read about this happening.

Cambelts don't usually fail safely and you will likely be into some cylinder head work at the least.

If they can prove they changed it there's nothing they are obliged to do other than offer some sort of goodwill gesture.

battered

4,088 posts

146 months

Sunday 20th November 2016
quotequote all
As above. You and I both know that they will be able to prove that they swapped the belt, whatever the truth is. You are indeed looking at head work as a minimum. Head off, head back on, gaskets and fluids is, what, £1k in an Audi dealer? Add in bent valves which is a minimum. Then it's whatever else, there are a lot of parts in close proximity travelling very fast at 4k rpm. Fingers crossed not too much went bang.

Adamb19

Original Poster:

24 posts

88 months

Sunday 20th November 2016
quotequote all
I did ring them but I was asking for them to return the car as this is not the only problem I've had. In the 6 months since I bought it Ive had the air intake snap off, coils go, the gearbox fail and now this. Very disappointing given the garage I purchased it off. They did say when I have confirmation on what's gone wrong to email it over but no response yet.

Do you guys not think I'll be covered under a parts warranty cos it was only changed 6 months ago? Shouldn't be going so early?

battered

4,088 posts

146 months

Sunday 20th November 2016
quotequote all
Maybe, maybe not. Cam belts fail, sometimes early. Nobody will underwrite them for the full 35-50-70k miles or whatever. They may offer parts, but this is the least of your worries. A new belt is £30. Maybe a bit more for a tensioner/idler if that's in the kit. Gaskets £100. Valves I don't know, but they are tenners each. Even 16 won't be a king's ransom. The labour is the killer, you're 5 hours minimum, plus stripping and testing the head when off.

lord trumpton

7,321 posts

125 months

Sunday 20th November 2016
quotequote all
Adamb19 said:
I did ring them but I was asking for them to return the car as this is not the only problem I've had. In the 6 months since I bought it Ive had the air intake snap off, coils go, the gearbox fail and now this. Very disappointing given the garage I purchased it off. They did say when I have confirmation on what's gone wrong to email it over but no response yet.

Do you guys not think I'll be covered under a parts warranty cos it was only changed 6 months ago? Shouldn't be going so early?
I doubt you are covered with anything I'm afraid.

If they 'just' changed the cambelt then it may not have snapped as such; maybe a tensioner failure - same result though. Whenever a cambelt is changed you should do the belt, rollers, tensioner and ideally the waterpump for good measure.

As I've said, I would be pushing for a goodwill gesture as the garage have not done anything legally wrong (as long as they can prove the belt was changed)

If its just bent valves without any bore/piston damage then you will be into £1500 sheets at least. The S3 head and valves are not standard 2.0 vag fare.

Hope it's not too bad. Maybe get it fixed and move it on or maybe push for the garage to take it back as it is for a cash adjustment. As long as they can fix it and sell it on without losing money then they'd be game I reckon.

I bought an Audi once that had invocies for a dealer warranty repair after a cambelt snap and it totalled over £4.5k for internal invoicing - that needed a new set of valves, block and pistons though

Marty Funkhouser

5,426 posts

180 months

Sunday 20th November 2016
quotequote all
Given the list of issues you've had you may have a case under the sale of goods act for a complete refund.

s3fella

10,524 posts

186 months

Sunday 20th November 2016
quotequote all
What's the betting they replaced a belt and left all the tensioners, waterpump and pulleys etc all from the original 5 yr old car in place?

Waterpump seizing or breaking down is common and causes belt failure. OP, check your header tank and see if there are any black flecks of plastic in there, a sign the placcy WP is failing. Although, having said that, it should have ahd an ally one on an 11 plate.
Tensioners can fail with age, not mileage, especially if belt is changes and tension changes as a result. Bearing goes and can seize, then wear through belt.
Hope you get it sorted.

Rich_W

12,548 posts

211 months

Sunday 20th November 2016
quotequote all
Get some pics if you can.

Are we sure the cam belt has snapped? Or jumped off?

Section 8

541 posts

188 months

Sunday 20th November 2016
quotequote all
I had my belt done on my GTI tfsi at 75 k and it looked like new. The tensioners are renound as being a weak point. Have you actually seen the belt and the break in it yet?

Adamb19

Original Poster:

24 posts

88 months

Sunday 20th November 2016
quotequote all
I don't have confirmation yet on exactly what happened but best guess is cam belt has gone. Should be up on the ramp at some point tomorrow and inspected by the garage. I'm preying it's not.

Absolutely gutted. I'll post more info when I hear back from the garage.

ChocolateFrog

24,869 posts

172 months

Sunday 20th November 2016
quotequote all
That's annoying. I doubt there's much you can do other than ask for goodwill. It could be that all they did was fit the cheapest belt possible and nothing else.

This could lead to a number of problems with tensioner, water pump etc.

Damage depends largely on whether or not the valves and pistons are an interference fit or not.

DS197

992 posts

105 months

Sunday 20th November 2016
quotequote all
Don't you get a warranty with the manufacturer of the cambelt? I know there was a one year warranty with cambelt kits for the Clio RS

benjijames28

1,702 posts

91 months

Sunday 20th November 2016
quotequote all
s3fella said:
What's the betting they replaced a belt and left all the tensioners, waterpump and pulleys etc all from the original 5 yr old car in place?

Waterpump seizing or breaking down is common and causes belt failure. OP, check your header tank and see if there are any black flecks of plastic in there, a sign the placcy WP is failing. Although, having said that, it should have ahd an ally one on an 11 plate.
Tensioners can fail with age, not mileage, especially if belt is changes and tension changes as a result. Bearing goes and can seize, then wear through belt.
Hope you get it sorted.
You will be right I rekkon.

My petrol TFSI chain driven had a knackered stat and leaky water pump. Next year I'm going to upgrade the chain tensioner, mayve the chain if it's not expensive.

Going to replace the flywheel before that goes too.

Thw dealer will have gone cheap and only replaced the belt

mcford

819 posts

173 months

Sunday 20th November 2016
quotequote all
DS197 said:
Don't you get a warranty with the manufacturer of the cambelt? I know there was a one year warranty with cambelt kits for the Clio RS
The purchaser of the belt will, in this case it'll be the car dealer.

andymc

7,334 posts

206 months

Sunday 20th November 2016
quotequote all
its sometimes easier to just buy the engine and drop it in