fuel pump fails in current production

[Kananga]

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

That's all heart breaking. Hope all is sorted soon.

I’ve lost all faith. Just focussed on getting back to the UK now.

[Kananga]

AJK7816523 said:

Alpine A110 fuel pump failure. I love my A110! It’s 14 months old and done 9000 miles & I’ve enjoyed every one. Unfortunately en route to the Le Mans 24 hours last Thursday, my car suddenly lost power and stopped on a Smart Motorway north of Sandbach services. A very scary experience- nearly rear ended 3 times before the Traffic Agency got to me. I have Alpine Assist but because a Traffic Agency breakdown truck got to me before Alpine Assists it has cost me £192 to get off the motorway ie travel 5 miles! The car has since been taken to Manchester Alpine Dealer who confirmed it is a fuel pump fault but there are no new pumps to fit so car could be off the road for 2 weeks. Things go downhill further from here. I’ve been told I may get a courtesy car for 72 hours & it’s my responsibility to retrieve the car - I live near Edinburgh! So the car I have come live has let me down in what could have been a very dangerous situation ; I’m already £192 down and now I won’t get my car back for weeks and I have the prospect of paying to repayriate the car despite the fact the whole problem has been caused by my Alpines failure. I’ll keep you posted if Alpine decide do the right thing on all counts!

Tried to email you but your account isn’t accepting emails.

Please drop me a line if you don’t mind (you can email me via PH).

[a110au]

it is well overdue that someone starts a public google sheet with a simple entry method that can be linked here, and in facebook groups and in the French forums for as many owners as possible to record their recollection of their fuel pump fails.

Only that kind of documentation will motivate more action by Renault (the threat of interest from motoring journalists). I would do it but I think it should be someone in the UK.

Realizing this may be regarded by some owners as impacting their car value but I think not doing it and having this drip drip of bad news poorly handled is doing more damage.

[jont-]

Kananga said:

I want to love this car but do not feel that Alpine value me as a customer. I think that it is shocking this issue (which seems to have impacted a material number of cars!!) was not subject to a recall. At the very least, they could have ensured parts availability across the dealer network.

But bizarrely, it /has/ been subject to a recall in the past - my pump was changed under recall (or "service campaign" since it wasn't seen as urgent enough to recall but done when the 2nd annual service was booked in 2021). I can't get mine looked at until the end of the month, will be interesting to hear what the dealer says but I think after reading everyones experiences I'll be nervous if they don't change the pump again.

Maybe they're waiting on more data or sorting out manufacturing of a new batch - I'm not sure what a recall would achieve if there aren't any spares to fit.

I do hope it doesn't put you off future euro trips.

Gsheet set up here if anyone else wants to add details.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yh3tTKBsh6...

Edited by jont- on Tuesday 13th June 07:40

Edited by jont- on Tuesday 13th June 07:44

[Kananga]

Update:

Despite being told yesterday that Alpine Assist would get me back home and recover the car to the UK, they’ve now changed their mind.

I’m in a hotel with no phone reception (but they have WiFi). Sent 3 or 4 emails to the Assist (RAC prestige) team yesterday evening. All ignored. And then this morning they’ve done a u-turn.

Genuinely feel like crying but the folks on the FB group have provided some moral support.

I am absolutely appalled at this whole situation. Haven’t been able to enjoy the trip at all and spending most of my days chasing for info / resolution.

[Kananga]

a110au said:

…

Realizing this may be regarded by some owners as impacting their car value but I think not doing it and having this drip drip of bad news poorly handled is doing more damage.

I could have been very quiet on the basis that could impact the car’s value. However, I’m far from the only one. It is a dangerous fault. Their resolution capacity is woeful. And I find it insulting that there was an implication I should be grateful for special treatment.

I’m lucky that I could have chosen to bring another car and now wondering why the hell I chose the Alpine.

When the breakdown occurred, it was with a touch of irony that a friend in a 993 helped to get me out of harm’s way. Travelling with a group that includes various Porsche models (few 993s, 718 CS, 981 CS, etc). No issues for anyone else.

Edited by Kananga on Tuesday 13th June 08:58

[essexstu]

I have heard several issues of manufacturers breakdown cover being rubbish, not just Alpine. I bank with Nationwide on their Flex account and for £13 a month I have mobile phone insurance, world wide travel insurance and UK and Europe breakdown recovery through the AA. Includes full recovery and things like £120 a day for a hire car in Europe. Well worth the money as it covers me in any car even if I am a passenger.

[Rob_RCF]

Kananga said:

Update:

Despite being told yesterday that Alpine Assist would get me back home and recover the car to the UK, they’ve now changed their mind.

I’m in a hotel with no phone reception (but they have WiFi). Sent 3 or 4 emails to the Assist (RAC prestige) team yesterday evening. All ignored. And then this morning they’ve done a u-turn.

Genuinely feel like crying but the folks on the FB group have provided some moral support.

I am absolutely appalled at this whole situation. Haven’t been able to enjoy the trip at all and spending most of my days chasing for info / resolution.

Wow, wtf? That sounds dreadful. I'm sorry you've been let down.

Document as much as possible (names, phone call times, emails, pictures of the car getting towed, receipts of any incurred costs etc) and then put together a formal complaint. This is something where they should really be pulling out all the stops to help you and make the experience as pain-free as possible.

[Rob_RCF]

jont- said:

Gsheet set up here if anyone else wants to add details.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yh3tTKBsh6...

Maybe you should stick this in a dedicated thread to help visibility.

[Whaleblue]

Kananga, I’m sure we all feel for you. I hope the final outcome is a good one. Raising this issue will not ultimately impact adversely on values as the only thing it can do is increase the likelihood of the issue being addressed once and for all.

It will be very interesting to see how many folk have been affected, and the date of manufacture of the cars involved.

Is the issue also being raised in France and Japan (and anywhere else the car is sold in reasonable volume)? I’m assuming it’s not specific to UK cars?

[erics]

Renault and Alpine really are playing a dangerous game to let this fuel pump issue go like wild fire on social media and forums.

They have a fabulous product, nearly fault free path (save for a car burning on Topgear) and now let this tarnish all these efforts they have been doing.

I better hope they are ready and taking action (or about to).

[Miserablegit]

Kananga said:

Update:

Despite being told yesterday that Alpine Assist would get me back home and recover the car to the UK, they’ve now changed their mind.

I’m in a hotel with no phone reception (but they have WiFi). Sent 3 or 4 emails to the Assist (RAC prestige) team yesterday evening. All ignored. And then this morning they’ve done a u-turn.

Genuinely feel like crying but the folks on the FB group have provided some moral support.

I am absolutely appalled at this whole situation. Haven’t been able to enjoy the trip at all and spending most of my days chasing for info / resolution.

You have my sympathy. When my alternator broke Alpine Assist were crap as well- almost as though they were doing me a favour when in fact they were doing bugger all.
I complained to them about the shocking service and their response was “we’re satisfied we did everything we could” which, on the basis they did sweet FA - was not acceptable.
Alpine really do not value their customers - some of the dealers are doing the best they can in these circumstances but Alpine need to step up. There needs to be a ready stock of alternators and fuel pumps with a rolling recall program. I’m going to look at buying a fuel pump to keep as a spare as it’s only a 30 min job to change looking at it as I had to remove my frunk to replace my battery.
I have a friend stuck in Le Mans with an Emira - waiting for lotus to deliver a spare tyre following a puncture on Friday.
He’s hoping to leave Wednesday

[Whaleblue]

erics said:

Renault and Alpine really are playing a dangerous game to let this fuel pump issue go like wild fire on social media and forums.

They have a fabulous product, nearly fault free path (save for a car burning on Topgear) and now let this tarnish all these efforts they have been doing.

I better hope they are ready and taking action (or about to).

Always worth pointing out that the Top Gear incident was with a prototype vehicle!

[Terminator X]

essexstu said:

I have heard several issues of manufacturers breakdown cover being rubbish, not just Alpine. I bank with Nationwide on their Flex account and for £13 a month I have mobile phone insurance, world wide travel insurance and UK and Europe breakdown recovery through the AA. Includes full recovery and things like £120 a day for a hire car in Europe. Well worth the money as it covers me in any car even if I am a passenger.

Same. I'd be relying on AA not Alpine.

TX.

[jont-]

Rob_RCF said:

jont- said:

Gsheet set up here if anyone else wants to add details.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yh3tTKBsh6...

Maybe you should stick this in a dedicated thread to help visibility.

Done. https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[Kananga]

erics said:

Renault and Alpine really are playing a dangerous game to let this fuel pump issue go like wild fire on social media and forums.

They have a fabulous product, nearly fault free path (save for a car burning on Topgear) and now let this tarnish all these efforts they have been doing.

I better hope they are ready and taking action (or about to).

Fully agree with you sir, these are wise words.

I do think the A110 is a very special thing. As for my experience, I don’t think they care about their customers and it has really tarnished my experience to the extent that I’m thinking about selling it if/when it gets back to the UK. I know this sounds immature, but this trip was very special to me and Alpine has ruined it. They had various opportunities to do the the right thing. The only thing they have done is make me feel as if I should be grateful for their inaction.

[Martyn P]

Kananga said:

Update:

Despite being told yesterday that Alpine Assist would get me back home and recover the car to the UK, they’ve now changed their mind.

Have you tried calling UK Alpine customer suppport number - 0207 660 6969. I think this takes you to someone who can speak English.
Otherwise the French number is 0157 97 98 48

Perhaps the hotel can help out with a phone call?

[matt3001]

Is everyone running 98/99 RON - does that seem to make a difference?

I got my car in March '23 - will do the handbook check tonight to see when it was actually built

[matt3001]

Colin P said:

If it helps anyone, with suggestion that October brought about a new fuel pump, I think you can find your Manufacture date on the last page of the ICE handbook.

The ID sticker is unhelpful stating Model Year 15, but the Key Code sticker is date marked. Mine is 48.22, hopefully meaning it is Dec 22 and has the alternate FP.

What is the 48. A week number?

[Kananga]

Martyn P said:

Have you tried calling UK Alpine customer suppport number - 0207 660 6969. I think this takes you to someone who can speak English.
Otherwise the French number is 0157 97 98 48

Perhaps the hotel can help out with a phone call?

I called Alpine UK customer support. The person I spoke with couldn’t even give me the number for Alpine Assist.

So my car has had a new fuel pump installed, and a software update today. The process took many hours but at least it’s done.

I had been speaking with Alpine Assist throughout the day, as they are the ones who have been dealing with the recovery. I was assured that they will arrange for the car to be transported to my location tomorrow.

Sadly, for the past 5 hours, there is no update. Just had the latest update which is that they are waiting for Opteven (the continental recovery agent) to confirm/accept the booking. This is the same update I’ve had all day.

Honestly, Alpine and/or Alpine Assist are a complete shambles.

My advice to anyone buying an Alpine: do not rely on their European breakdown cover. It is a shambles.