Car Warranty and Repairs

[JJDT]

I need your opinion on my next step regarding a car that is still within warranty and the associated repair.

Quick Background:

 

My daughter bought herself an Opel Corsa 1.4 Turbo Sport new in July 2018. After a while there was a slight jerk when power is needed, more noticeable when driving uphills when slightly more power is needed. Other than that the car drives fine but feels a bit low on power for a car that claims power output of 110KW and 220nm.

We decided to report the issue on the first service that was done on 13K km when the car was a year old. We were informed that it was a battery related issue and nothing else was found for the jerking. After a while drove the car again and I felt that nothing has really changed as the low power and jerking could still be found. The car drives fine as my daughter is not a person that easily complains and mostly accept things as they are. We decided again that we will report the issue again at the second service.

The second service we reported the issue again which was done on about 26k km's and 24months and again when the car was collected we were informed that no issue was on the car. I told the Service Advisor that should I find that the car the same I will bring the car back and ask a mechanic to drive with me. The car felt fine after the service.

I drove car again quite a while after the service and felt the issue was back. I told her that we need to take the car back, but as she needs her car daily as she works as an au pair and with only one car between my wife and I who also needs a car daily we decided to wait untill we can negotiate time.

During January I drove the car again and decided that I had enough. We negotiated time and three weeks ago I took the car to the Opel Dealership and requested that a mechanic drove with me. We went for a drive and he acknowleged that there was a problem and back at the dearlership he asked If I can wait a while because he wanted to check something at the turbo but the car needs to cool down a bit. A while later he came back and told me that they can not see anything but they would appreciate if they can have a car a day to conduct some more tests.

The car was booked in on the follwoing Monday. The afternoon when the car was collected and I was informed that the results were send to Opel SA and they need to wait for feedback. I was contacted that Wednesday with feedback that they need to open the motor as the leakage test (was a compression test) indicated that something is wrong. I went to the dealership to ask on what other tests were done as I'm not keen to open a motor that is almost 3 years old(calculated on date of purchase) with close to 30k km's on the odo. I was informed that they need to do it as they need to follow the processes as dictated by Opel SA.

The car was booked in last week Monday as the dealership could only provide a car to use. Last week Wednesday afternoon went back to the delaership to ask what is the status and the result. I was informed that there was some damage on the sleeves and requested a new motor from Opel SA. Nothing was heard again and Friday afternoon went back to find out what the status is. I was informed that the claim was placed on hold pending an investigation from an Opel engineer. Had a quick look at the block and could not see marks on the sleeves.

Yesterday afternoon went back to ask yet again what the status is. I was informed that the block was ok but the rings was the issue because it caused a blow bye resulting the car to jerk sometimes and the low power output. Opel will fit new rings with new big end bearings.

I'm still not happy with the outcome because what Opel is actually doing is to redo a new motor with sligtly less than 30k km's.

I would like a new motor as there were issues reported but never investigated the matter further as there were no engine warning lights to log potential faults.

 

What is your opinion should I accept the rebuild or pursue the matter further for a new motor.

[TheoG]

As far as I'm concerned the issue was present right from the start and you reported it while they chose not to take you seriously.

 

I had a similar issue years ago with my wife's Uno Mia.  We also bought it new and the sump had a crack after about 3000km.  They wanted to weld repair the sump which I rejected.  I wrote a letter to Fiat in my professional capacity where I explained that welding on a casting is a risk at best and insisted that they restore the car to "new" condition.  Less than a week later a new engine was approved and fitted.

 

So bottom line, If the repair can restore to "as new" properly functioning condition, I would accept it.  If not, they need to replace the entire engine.

[The Ouzo]

This is by no means expert opinion, I'm not involved in the after sales side at all.

 

You reported this from the first service. The workshop will have a required process for diagnosis that they need to follow, hence the compression test followed by the motor strip down. Opel SA will also have a minimum damages requirement before opting for a new motor.

 

Get in touch with Opel SA themselves (bypass the dealership), kick up a bit of a stink and demand a new motor, but also bare in mind that the fix could put the vehicle back into perfect working order and is not a bad last option.

[Eugene]

I am no mechanic, but if new rings and bearings are what it takes to fix the problem, you will have a tough time getting a whole new motor out of them.

[Kranswurm]

I need your opinion on my next step regarding a car that is still within warranty and the associated repair.

Quick Background:

 

My daughter bought herself an Opel Corsa 1.4 Turbo Sport new in July 2018. After a while there was a slight jerk when power is needed, more noticeable when driving uphills when slightly more power is needed. Other than that the car drives fine but feels a bit low on power for a car that claims power output of 110KW and 220nm.

We decided to report the issue on the first service that was done on 13K km when the car was a year old. We were informed that it was a battery related issue and nothing else was found for the jerking. After a while drove the car again and I felt that nothing has really changed as the low power and jerking could still be found. The car drives fine as my daughter is not a person that easily complains and mostly accept things as they are. We decided again that we will report the issue again at the second service.

The second service we reported the issue again which was done on about 26k km's and 24months and again when the car was collected we were informed that no issue was on the car. I told the Service Advisor that should I find that the car the same I will bring the car back and ask a mechanic to drive with me. The car felt fine after the service.

I drove car again quite a while after the service and felt the issue was back. I told her that we need to take the car back, but as she needs her car daily as she works as an au pair and with only one car between my wife and I who also needs a car daily we decided to wait untill we can negotiate time.

During January I drove the car again and decided that I had enough. We negotiated time and three weeks ago I took the car to the Opel Dealership and requested that a mechanic drove with me. We went for a drive and he acknowleged that there was a problem and back at the dearlership he asked If I can wait a while because he wanted to check something at the turbo but the car needs to cool down a bit. A while later he came back and told me that they can not see anything but they would appreciate if they can have a car a day to conduct some more tests.

The car was booked in on the follwoing Monday. The afternoon when the car was collected and I was informed that the results were send to Opel SA and they need to wait for feedback. I was contacted that Wednesday with feedback that they need to open the motor as the leakage test (was a compression test) indicated that something is wrong. I went to the dealership to ask on what other tests were done as I'm not keen to open a motor that is almost 3 years old(calculated on date of purchase) with close to 30k km's on the odo. I was informed that they need to do it as they need to follow the processes as dictated by Opel SA.

The car was booked in last week Monday as the dealership could only provide a car to use. Last week Wednesday afternoon went back to the delaership to ask what is the status and the result. I was informed that there was some damage on the sleeves and requested a new motor from Opel SA. Nothing was heard again and Friday afternoon went back to find out what the status is. I was informed that the claim was placed on hold pending an investigation from an Opel engineer. Had a quick look at the block and could not see marks on the sleeves.

Yesterday afternoon went back to ask yet again what the status is. I was informed that the block was ok but the rings was the issue because it caused a blow bye resulting the car to jerk sometimes and the low power output. Opel will fit new rings with new big end bearings.

I'm still not happy with the outcome because what Opel is actually doing is to redo a new motor with sligtly less than 30k km's.

I would like a new motor as there were issues reported but never investigated the matter further as there were no engine warning lights to log potential faults.

 

What is your opinion should I accept the rebuild or pursue the matter further for a new motor.

What does the warranty say??

[Pure Savage]

I am no mechanic, but if new rings and bearings are what it takes to fix the problem, you will have a tough time getting a whole new motor out of them.

Its highly unlikely that if the rings were stuffed enough to allow blow my enough to warrant replacing the big end bearing that the cyclinder walls are not damaged. 

 

They will of course do as little to get it out of warranty. Ask them to sign an agreement to buy back at blue book rate at end of warranty. I would also ask for a compression test vs a new car on all cylinders.

 

You were good to force them to drive with you. A work friend was scammed by Audi like this, 3 services before warranty expired, it was battery issue, firmware, hoses in the engine bay. Then took back after warranty, oh its the fuel pump was the response while she was in the reception. R9k. That exlcudes all the things Audit sold her to "fix" it before. 

[The Ouzo]

Its highly unlikely that if the rings were stuffed enough to allow blow my enough to warrant replacing the big end bearing that the cyclinder walls are not damaged. 

 

They will of course do as little to get it out of warranty. Ask them to sign an agreement to buy back at blue book rate at end of warranty. I would also ask for a compression test vs a new car on all cylinders.

 

You were good to force them to drive with you. A work friend was scammed by Audi like this, 3 services before warranty expired, it was battery issue, firmware, hoses in the engine bay. Then took back after warranty, oh its the fuel pump was the response while she was in the reception. R9k. That exlcudes all the things Audit sold her to "fix" it before. 

dont get me started on Audi. I still have a quote somewhere for R110k to fix an issue that is known world wide on their 2.0T motors but they were not prepared to help in anyway.

[porqui]

Here you go.

 

Don't mess around.

 

https://www.miosa.co.za/index.php

 

Motoring Industry Ombudsman of SA

 

Or contact this lady for advice or more.

 

http://www.wendyknowler.co.za/

Edited February 16, 2021 by porqui

[NateChat]

dont get me started on Audi. I still have a quote somewhere for R110k to fix an issue that is known world wide on their 2.0T motors but they were not prepared to help in anyway.

they caught on crap with their new engines. They put them under too much pressure, i had a almost new Jetta that kept losing compression, eventually the turbo had to be replaced. This was on the supercharged version.

[JJDT]

Getting nowhere...sent my complaint to Opel SA which is actually to blame because they indicated that they do not agree with the dealership on a replacement engine. The reply was just they will repair not stating why.

Approached the ombudsman and they need all the information. Now it is a battle to obtain all the test results and the correspondence between the dealer and Opel SA.

It is my car and surely I'm entitled to have copies of these test conducted and the subsequent results.

The Service Manager at the dealership informed me that I can not have the information as it is confidential between them and Opel SA.

How true is this statement?