Hello, I am after some advise, I am not the most technical guy in the world, but my Mondeo 1.8 Petrol appears to have had a timing belt failure (that is what the RAC said). The car is an 04 plate and has done 55k miles. It was bought in July this year from a car supermarket with 47k miles and had just been serviced. Is this fault mine (should it have been changed) is it a Ford fault - dodgy parts or is it something that should have been noticed at the last service. I am being quoted up to £1k to repair it, which I cant really afford at the minute, but I need my car!! Help please!!
Thanks
Edited by Webmaster on 28/11/2007 at 12:29
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Check the selling dealer's warranty. Check what the Ford "Warranty and Service Guide" says, assuming that one came with the car. Has the car always been serviced totally in line with the recommendations in the service guide? Ignore any opinions you may be given about the necessity to renew cambelts more frequently than is recommended in that guide. Check (if possible) whether the odometer reading is genuine. By the time you've done all that your position should be clear.
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L\'escargot.
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You are seriously in need of a second opinion. A 1.8 Mondeo should have a timing chain, not a belt.
If the chain has gone - and they do - then the six month presumption of pre-existence in the Sale of Goods Act may save you a very large bill. The car supermarket may not be too happy to pick up the bill though.
See:- www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/faq.htm?id=43
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Definitely a chain, not a belt, on a Mk III 1.8 petrol.
So it isn't timing belt failure, chain failure, maybe.
Edited by Galaxy on 28/11/2007 at 13:56
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Yes it us definately a chain cam engine, chains rarely fail though can do.
I would question the veracity of the diagnosis, the RAC guy is not up to much if he thinks it has a cambelt, has the dealer seen it or only quoted on the RAC man's diagnosis?
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>>only quoted on the RAC man's diagnosis?
If so, then I would seriously doubt the dealer's competence. The only person** to trust less than that in deciding a diagnosis is the customer themselves! It's not unknown for AA/RAC and other similar types to say virtually anything to get the car off the back of their truck and into a workshop - especially if the weather is a bit poor!
Number_Cruncher
** Every once in a blue moon, you do come across a customer who has some idea, but it's rare. Funny though, they always seem to "know" that the job shouldn't cost much!
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>>only quoted on the RAC man's diagnosis? If so then I would seriously doubt the dealer's competence. >>
Yes it is the case the the dealer should also know it is a chain cam though:
Cus "The RAC man tells me that my Mondeo's cam belt has failed, roughly how much is it to repair?"
Dealer "It really depends on how much damage has been done by the failure sir, we would have to look at it, (*thinks* it might be old and not worth it) what year is the car sir?"
Cus "2004"
Dealer "really (*thinks*, a Mk III, he must mean cam chain), that is unusual sir though as I say it depends on the damage caused by the failure though I should warn you it will be in the region of £1000"
Edited by cheddar on 28/11/2007 at 17:23
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did it have ford service history?, has it been serviced?
surely the chain was noisey before breaking?. thetrouble with supermarkets are there are cheap but are they cheerful?.
I would say you have a fair claim- county court if necessary
get some legal advice
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