Header Tank Leak and OPC Extended Warranty
Discussion
I am getting a wet patch next to the near side rear wheel, so it is definitely not the radiators at the front.
You have got to be kidding me? How can something that is a known problem not be covered? Am I entering the world of: "you will find that nothing is actually covered under the OPC warranty and you are about to be bent over?"
You have got to be kidding me? How can something that is a known problem not be covered? Am I entering the world of: "you will find that nothing is actually covered under the OPC warranty and you are about to be bent over?"
Alternatively it may just be a faulty header tank cap (unlikely tho). If yours has part number ending in 00 (as opposed to '01) then you will have the old version which is worth replacing first. It only costs a few pounds. You'll know if it's the cap if the runoff area at the top of the tank has coolant in it.
Edited by Mousem40 on Monday 9th July 17:38
I have just been thru this. Noticed a white-ish residue around the coolant reservoir cap and was told when I took car ('04 911 C4S Cab) in for service that it was a header tank leak. Given I bought the car new from Porsche, is less than 3 years old, had done less than 11k miles (serviced twice by OPCs in that period) and kept under warranty throughout, thought it would be covered or at least attended too free of charge.
Was informed by tech was not covered, but they would put in a "goodwill claim" with Porsche. End result Porsche picked up the cost or header tank (around GBP50!) but only 50% of the labour (GBP 250 +VAT). Hence am out of pocket GBP150 due to premature failure of a fairly fundamental engine component, I am guessing due to a design fault. The kind of thing you would have thought a warranty would be intended to address. But apparently not....
Was informed by tech was not covered, but they would put in a "goodwill claim" with Porsche. End result Porsche picked up the cost or header tank (around GBP50!) but only 50% of the labour (GBP 250 +VAT). Hence am out of pocket GBP150 due to premature failure of a fairly fundamental engine component, I am guessing due to a design fault. The kind of thing you would have thought a warranty would be intended to address. But apparently not....
Well that really isn't good news.
I am still going to kick off. I really don't think this is right.
Just out of interest, did they actually give you a reason why this was not covered. Particularly since this is obviously a known fault, one which has caused Porsche to revise the design of the part in question and a fault which is causing deaths on the Ring.
I am still going to kick off. I really don't think this is right.
Just out of interest, did they actually give you a reason why this was not covered. Particularly since this is obviously a known fault, one which has caused Porsche to revise the design of the part in question and a fault which is causing deaths on the Ring.
Basically "computer says no"... Apparently explicitly or otherwise not covered by warranty. Hence the OPC has to submit a goodwill claim to Porsche GB and they decide.
Did find it outrageous at the time, and started a thread about it.... Someone else on here said they got it replaced free so seems to be very much discretionary...
Did it really cause "deaths at the Ring"?
Did find it outrageous at the time, and started a thread about it.... Someone else on here said they got it replaced free so seems to be very much discretionary...
Did it really cause "deaths at the Ring"?
What a complete pain in the ass!!!
It is going into OPC Colchester on Mon, so we shall see what their verdict is.
As for the deaths at the Ring, have a look at this thread:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
It is going into OPC Colchester on Mon, so we shall see what their verdict is.
As for the deaths at the Ring, have a look at this thread:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
OPC seem to have found the cause of my coolant leak and doesn't seem to be the header tank (although I almost wish it was now).
It appears to be a pin-hole in the pipe that runs from the engine to the radiators along the length of the car. Where this pipe comes down from the engine and turns at 90deg to go forward, the hole is on the elbow of the bend. He said it looks like something has been wearing against the pipe and has worn it through. But there is nothing there which could have rubbed against it. He even suggested something might have attached itself from the road, rubbed through the pipe and is now no longer there!?!?!?
Whilst the pipe would probably cost about £60 for the part, it is the problem of getting to it. He says it is an engine out job, so for the labour alone I am looking at £1100 (plus VAT I guess). And shock horror, this is not covered by the extended warranty
I have asked him to put a claim into Porsche to see if they will budge but he thought it doubtful.
It takes the bloody pee. No idea how this wore through but I as the customer have to bear the price of a replacement.
It appears to be a pin-hole in the pipe that runs from the engine to the radiators along the length of the car. Where this pipe comes down from the engine and turns at 90deg to go forward, the hole is on the elbow of the bend. He said it looks like something has been wearing against the pipe and has worn it through. But there is nothing there which could have rubbed against it. He even suggested something might have attached itself from the road, rubbed through the pipe and is now no longer there!?!?!?
Whilst the pipe would probably cost about £60 for the part, it is the problem of getting to it. He says it is an engine out job, so for the labour alone I am looking at £1100 (plus VAT I guess). And shock horror, this is not covered by the extended warranty
I have asked him to put a claim into Porsche to see if they will budge but he thought it doubtful.
It takes the bloody pee. No idea how this wore through but I as the customer have to bear the price of a replacement.
Edited by MaKSiNG on Monday 16th July 16:44
I'm very sorry to hear that... perhaps its worth contacting Porsche GB and mentioning you might write to the Sunday papers...
I'm starting to wonder if I wasted my money by getting the extended warranty, practically all the high value items are covered by the goodwill matrix and the annoying mid-priced items (< £895) don't seem to be ever covered.
If I'd have known this I'd have stuck the money in a high risk ISA and risked it...
I'm starting to wonder if I wasted my money by getting the extended warranty, practically all the high value items are covered by the goodwill matrix and the annoying mid-priced items (< £895) don't seem to be ever covered.
If I'd have known this I'd have stuck the money in a high risk ISA and risked it...
Wow, that sucks.... header tank would definitely have been cheaper....
...I just remembered on my car when I took it in for first (v. basic) service, they mysteriously also changed all 3 front radiators. Given car was a year old at time and hence was all done free of charge I didn't bother to question why, but did wonder if there were some systematic issues with the cooling systems on 996..
...I just remembered on my car when I took it in for first (v. basic) service, they mysteriously also changed all 3 front radiators. Given car was a year old at time and hence was all done free of charge I didn't bother to question why, but did wonder if there were some systematic issues with the cooling systems on 996..
The Griffalo said:
Can you post a picture of the problem... There's bound to be a more cost effective method of fixing it 
Problem is, the car is at OPC and not really drivable (I had to stop and put coolant in 3 - 4 times on my 50 mile trip to OPC) so I think I might have to bite the bullet and let them do the work no matter what the outcome of his request to the warranty people.I will most definitely take this up with Porsche GB though. It just seems so strange that they cannot tell me what caused this. Surely, this should be enough for Porsche GB to cough up with getting it fixed.
Dreammeister said:
Just wondering how they managed to ascertain there is a hole in the pipe and are still not able to get to it...
Maybe wrap some tape around the faulty area?
I guess the problem is, that I have not seen the hole. This has just been described to me over the phone.Maybe wrap some tape around the faulty area?
There is a part of the pipe (the bend) which is slightly exposed. You can see that there are some marks around the hole, which suggests something has rubbed against it causing it to wear. Apparently, this is one long piece of pipe and in order to get at the end of it, in order to remove and replace, you have to drop the engine.
The more I think about it, it sounds like a design flaw to me.
I wonder if any other cars have suffered from this same failure.
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