I've just had to send this to a certain person.....

What would you suggest I do now? I'm stumped and curently working in the UAE so my better half has to sort it all out.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

To whom it may concern,

I'm writing this email in relation to an ongoing problem with a Skoda Fabia VRS. I brought the vehicle to the XXXXXXXXXXX Skoda dealership with a water loss issue with an undisclosed cause.

The vehicle was losing roughly a header tank of water after 100 miles whilst being driven under load (60mph+), never losing water when being driven in an urban environment. Having a background in motor sport, vehicle tuning and engine building I carried out an initial investigation to identify any visible external leaks, but due to working in the UAE I wasn't able to resolve the problem myself due to time restrictions and a a flight I needed to catch.

I was able to get 2 garages, one in Newcastle and one in Yorkshire to carry out 'sniff' tests to rule out a faulty head or head gasket, proving no mixing of exhaust gases or water between the cylinders and internal head water jacket. Both tests showed negative for any cross contamination between exhaust gases and coolant.

The Skoda was brought into XXXXXXXXXXXXX and investigatory work was carried out, identifying the water pump to be the apparent fault. I happily paid £300+ for a new water pump and timing belt to be fitted. Upon pick up my partner (Claire XXXX) drove the vehicle to Leeds and within 100 miles was greeted with the low water warning light, coincidentally at the same junction on the motorway it had displayed the warning before the water pump had been replaced. The car had used a header tank of water. The car was allowed to cool down over night, refilled with the correct mix of coolant and driven back to XXXXXXXX under 50mph and returned to the service department.

The vehicle was then inspected again, discovering the water thermostat was not functioning along with the radiator fan. This was not apparent during the running of the vehicle before the water pump was replaced. I had used the vehicle for several days in city traffic, never once boiling over, the fan always engaging and the thermostat displaying valid temperatures on the dashboard.

The radiator fan wiring was apparently damaged and the thermostat faulty. I therefore believe the wiring damage or thermostat damage was caused during the fitting of the water pump. Possible air lock or coolant bleeding issue? The wiring being rectified free of charge and the thermostat replace at cost £80+. Once the wiring was fixed and the thermostat replaced the service department took the car for a road test, upon which the engine boiled over, which had never occurred before. Unable to identify any issue the service department recommended to have the head removed and the internals of the block inspected, against my recommendations due to the two sniff tests being carried out previously proving there was nothing wrong with the head or the gasket.

The car sat in the service department for 5 days without having the head removed or any further work carried out, this being due to them being "very busy". Which to myself, a manager and service provider, appeared a farce as the head required sending away for investigation and we had agreed to pay the removal and inspection costs.. The 2 hours it would have taken to remove the head and send off, turned into a working week. Wasting a week in the resolution of the issue. Only carrying out the removal and sending off of the head after I rang to chase the resolution of the vehicle.

Once the head was checked, it was discovered the head was supposedly warped, requiring skimming and refitting. Once refitted the car was ready for pick up, £350 for the removal and £290 for refitting along with a new gasket.

I demanded the mechanics road tested the vehicle, using in for a weekend if required to cover in excess of 100miles, only then did they realise they had damaged the belt and housing, causing rubbing and a new belt require fitting, only then did they realise they'd some how managed to damage another ancillary of the engine and also split the inlet manifold gasket. Once the belt had been replaced, the ancillary replaced and a new inlet manifold fitted then the car was ready for pick up.

The work so far:

5 weeks down;

1 water pump £330;

1 radiator thermostat and fan assembly rewiring £85;

2 timing belts;

1 engine ancillary (never disclosed exactly what was damaged);

1 Head removed, skimmed and refitted along with a new head gasket £660.

Today, after 24 hours of having the car returned, I receive a call from my partner informing me that the car, after being driven on the motorway, has produced the engine water warning light on the dashboard. The car had travelled around 100 miles from Newcastle to Yorkshire. Within 10 miles of the same junction it had initially produced the warning light the very first time and second time, after the replacement water pump.

I'm now £1,100+ out of pocket, being without a car for 5 weeks, yet I'm still in ownership of a car with exactly the same problem I brought it in with.

I would like someone to contact me first thing on Monday morning (1/11/10) to discuss resolution to this ongoing issue or to discuss the matter.

I have spoken to Liam, the sale manager at XXXXXXXXX and I have booked the car back in for yet further investigatory work on the 3rd or 4th of November, however at this current stage I'm unwilling to pay for any further work. as my previous £1.100+ has gone nowhere to resolving the issue and the vehicle appears to be displaying exactly the same initial symptoms as I brought it in with.

I would like contacting on my UAE number, to get in contact with myself please dial 12345. My partner should you be unable to contact myself, Miss Claire ****** can be contacted on12345 .

I would very much appreciate a response via email to confirm receipt of this.

I look forward to hearing from yourself.

_______________________________________________________________________

I'm tempted to ask for my £ back, not that I'll get it.

Edited 30 October, 201015 yr by apinner
Removed partners surname from last paragraph

Talk to Citizens Advice.

A dealer should have the necessary skill to diagnose such faults and they have clearly failed to do so.

Whats betting it is all down to a corroded hose with a microscopic split that only dumps water under heat and load and effectiivelly reseals itself once it cools down.

Had exactly this on a motor once. Spent money on pressure tests etc etc. One day pulled of the m-way and stopped immediately popped the bonnet to be met by a very very fine spray from the top radiator hose which dwindled to nothing in seconds of the engine being turned off and left no trace due to the heat evaporating the water. No amount of pressure testing etc etc could replicate the fault but driving for any period of time drained the header tank.

I have had this kind of work done before on a car and a washing machine, changing multiple parts and still end up with exactly the same fault. I didn't write any letters but I asked to see the service manager on both occasions, had a little tete to tete in the office and they agreed to to fit all the original parts back and refund my outlay. The washing machine obviously was scrapped and I bought a new one for less than the repair bill would have cost me. The car had magically repaired itself for reasons unknown with it's original bits back together again, the fault never happened again.

As Tom says, all these millions of pounds that main dealers invest in test equiptment, always bring it to a franchised dealer, they know best ,blah blah blah, they should find the problem first time.

You should have asked for your money back in the letter, don't ask don't get.

It's unfortunate that you are not around and working away, could not Claire go and sort them out? A firm but polite lady will make any man tremble. Also, as you bought the car from a Skoda dealer did the warranty run out just before the water loss incident ?

Edited 2 November, 201015 yr by Soot1e