Cam belt failure - can I claim?
I recently took my 2008 Saab 9-3 to my garage after it started making a rattling noise coming from the engine bay. On inspection the garage advised me that it need a new water pump and cam belt, plus some repairs on my exhaust. I agreed to all of the work (£660) and collected/paid for the work the next day.
After driving the car the next day, it was fine for about 10 miles then the rattling noise came straight back. I immediately called the garage and told them about the noise. They explained that they couldn't see me today and come back Monday. Whilst driving the car home that same day, the cam belt failed and the car broke down, luckily I had recovery cover and got the car taken to the garage for inspection.
The garage then confirmed that the bolt for the cam belt tensioner had failed and sheered off, resulting in the cam belt failing and causing damage to the values etc. The garaged stated that they tightened the bolt to the correct tension and it must be a manufacturing fault and have raised this with their supplier.
My question is, where does all this leave me now? Where to I stand from a legal point of view and getting my car back in working order?
After driving the car the next day, it was fine for about 10 miles then the rattling noise came straight back. I immediately called the garage and told them about the noise. They explained that they couldn't see me today and come back Monday. Whilst driving the car home that same day, the cam belt failed and the car broke down, luckily I had recovery cover and got the car taken to the garage for inspection.
The garage then confirmed that the bolt for the cam belt tensioner had failed and sheered off, resulting in the cam belt failing and causing damage to the values etc. The garaged stated that they tightened the bolt to the correct tension and it must be a manufacturing fault and have raised this with their supplier.
My question is, where does all this leave me now? Where to I stand from a legal point of view and getting my car back in working order?
Asked on 14 December 2021 by Brian
Answered by
Dan Powell
Cam belt failure is usually terminal for an engine. But it will ultimately come down to the type of engine that's fitted to your car.
If it is a non-interference engine then you may have been lucky, because there is a gap between the pistons and valves which prevent serious engine damage.
However, if it's an interference engine (and most diesels are) the internal parts of the engine will have probably smashed themselves to bits. This means broken pistons, valves and a cracked cylinder block.
Where does this leave you with the garage that changed the cam belt? Well, it's certainly suspicious for this to have happened right after the belt was replaced. And it could be the bolt was over tensioned or the part they fitted was indeed faulty.
If the garage refuses to accept liability then you will need to pay for the car to be transported to another workshop for inspection, so you can get the proof you require to make a claim. But any potential legal claim will be against the garage that did the work and fitted the parts, not their supplier.
If it is a non-interference engine then you may have been lucky, because there is a gap between the pistons and valves which prevent serious engine damage.
However, if it's an interference engine (and most diesels are) the internal parts of the engine will have probably smashed themselves to bits. This means broken pistons, valves and a cracked cylinder block.
Where does this leave you with the garage that changed the cam belt? Well, it's certainly suspicious for this to have happened right after the belt was replaced. And it could be the bolt was over tensioned or the part they fitted was indeed faulty.
If the garage refuses to accept liability then you will need to pay for the car to be transported to another workshop for inspection, so you can get the proof you require to make a claim. But any potential legal claim will be against the garage that did the work and fitted the parts, not their supplier.
Tags:
cam belt failure
Similar questions
I have a 2014 Ford Fiesta EcoBoost. In October 2020, at 37,000 miles, it was fitted with a new engine free of charge by Ford because there were apparently engine cooling issues with their engines.
This...
I am looking to buy an eight-year-old Citroen C4 Picasso from a main dealer. The cam belt hasn't been changed and the dealer says it is not due until 10 years. The car comes with a 12-month warranty, will...
My Skoda Yeti had a cam belt and water pump changed five years ago at 48,000 miles. I haven't used the car much over the past two years, but at 78,000 miles (and five years later) my local garage is advising...
Related models
A slightly better drive than previous Cavalier based 900. Stacks of safety kit and a good reliability record.
Elsewhere on 
.jpg)
