I took my Octavia LAURIN & KLEMENT TDI (110)to a local Skoda dealer to check it under warranty and see if they could come up with the reason for air con not working. They advised me that my air con wasn't working due to the need for a new compressor which they have fitted. However since I got it back it has begun sounding like an old banger and squeeling when I put the air con on, as well as this metal filings are being thrown up when I drive it. I no longer have any warranty and when I took it back to them they said that the alternator pulley had excessive movement from what they could see initially and it was nothing to do with the new air compressor they fitted.

I'm really not an expert with cars and so am not sure whether them replacing the air compressor could have damaged the alternator pulley (are they that close together)If this is the case then I can push them to sort the problem out. However the garage (SG Smith in Croydon) has lied to me before and told me that an occasionally jerking is due to a broken door seal and worn front tyres - I only changed the tyres in March and the door seal is fine and not broken at all. They have said to me that they will strip the necessary parts down to see what the problem is free of charge and if it is the compressor they will hold their hands up and fix it but if it is the alternator then they will charge me.

I'm not quite sure what to do whether I should take the approach that before it came in under warranty to be fixed it was fine and then after they had put the new compressor in it has been making these noises and the filings being thrown up so they obviously caused the problem and they are liable to fix it - any advice would be much appreciated.

Surely they failed to fix the original problem, so it's all under warranty...

The alternator pulleys are a weak point, a friend paid £45 fitted after I removed the alternator for him, expect to pay an hours labour on top of that price.

If you've had bad service in the past why take your car to the same garage again?

Surely they failed to fix the original problem, so it's all under warranty...

Is that the case even if my warranty has now expired? They did fix the air con - it's now working beautifully (just in time for winter) but in fixing it this other problem has occured.

The alternator pulleys are a weak point, a friend paid £45 fitted after I removed the alternator for him, expect to pay an hours labour on top of that price.

If you've had bad service in the past why take your car to the same garage again?

Do you think that in fitting a new a/c compressor that they could have damaged the alternator pulley? If so then I have a lot more to come back at them with and insist that it is their problem so they need to fix it.

The only reason I went back to them was that their misdiagnosis (lies) of what was wrong with my car happened after they looked at my car under warranty and decided it was the a/c that needed a new compressor. I was already booked in under the warranty to have it looked at again. After they have fixed the problem I will NEVER return to an SG Smith branch again.

The alternator pulleys are made of cheese, they fail frequently, garages keep them on the shelf because they sell a lot because the fail a lot.

No one can prove either way, they run on the same belt but that doesn't mean they damaged it.

How many miles has the car done? What year is the car?

The alternator pulleys are made of cheese, they fail frequently, garages keep them on the shelf because they sell a lot because the fail a lot.

No one can prove either way, they run on the same belt but that doesn't mean they damaged it.

How many miles has the car done? What year is the car?

60,000 miles and it is 03 - it just seems a bit too much of a coincidence that when you turn on the a/c and up the power of the a/c the noise gets significantly worse

60,000 miles and it is 03 - it just seems a bit too much of a coincidence that when you turn on the a/c and up the power of the a/c the noise gets significantly worse

They run on the same belt, with the aircon off only its pulley rotates, with aircon on the whole rotating mass of the pump turns and the gas compresses so there's more load on the belt.

To give you an idea of whats involved aircon consumes approx 5% more diesel when in use and the ecu increase the engines idle speed to prevent stalling.

If you continue to run the damaged pulley it will eventually fall to pieces and you'll need to be towed to a garage as the belt also powers the power steering pump, the steering will be mega heavy when the belt falls off, the belt itself is £50ish if that gets damaged too..................................

They run on the same belt, with the aircon off only its pulley rotates, with aircon on the whole rotating mass of the pump turns and the gas compresses so there's more load on the belt.

To give you an idea of whats involved aircon consumes approx 5% more diesel when in use and the ecu increase the engines idle speed to prevent stalling.

If you continue to run the damaged pulley it will eventually fall to pieces and you'll need to be towed to a garage as the belt also powers the power steering pump, the steering will be mega heavy when the belt falls off, the belt itself is £50ish if that gets damaged too..................................

They told me at the garage that I shouldn't drive it so it has been inactive since Friday - I think I will go back there and insist that as it is their fault under warranty then it gets fixed under warranty - if this doesn't work how much would I be looking at for new alternator pulley and labour?

Simple question - was the squealing present immediately when you picked the car up, or did it take a day or two before it started?

If immediately, surely the warranty would still cover it as they covered the AC compressor?

If a few days later the argument will be the increased load on the pulley has caused it to fail.

If it was goosed at the time the car was with them they should have noticed as it is the same belt and a well known weak point.

You will have to prove that the fault was there when you collected the car from them. Perhaps speak to the warranty company as well as the garage?

Simple question - was the squealing present immediately when you picked the car up, or did it take a day or two before it started?

If immediately, surely the warranty would still cover it as they covered the AC compressor?

If a few days later the argument will be the increased load on the pulley has caused it to fail.

If it was goosed at the time the car was with them they should have noticed as it is the same belt and a well known weak point.

You will have to prove that the fault was there when you collected the car from them. Perhaps speak to the warranty company as well as the garage?

It was pretty much imediate but over a few days got progressively worse. Thanks for your help on this one - will contact warranty company and see what they say.

It was pretty much imediate but over a few days got progressively worse. Thanks for your help on this one - will contact warranty company and see what they say.

In which case complain to the warranty company that the repair was not completed fully and that the garage have left you with a car that they themselves say is dangerous to drive!

How about involving trading standards as well if you get nowhere with the warranty company?

How long was it before you reported it to the garage after collecting the car?

In which case complain to the warranty company that the repair was not completed fully and that the garage have left you with a car that they themselves say is dangerous to drive!

How about involving trading standards as well if you get nowhere with the warranty company?

How long was it before you reported it to the garage after collecting the car?

Sorry about long wait before reply - Really appreciate advice - Trading standards not interested, Warranty company don't want to know because wasn't reported to them before warranty expired. Garage have fixed it for £475 all inc. They only charged me 1/2 labour rate and discounted some of the parts for me. Not happy about the cost but could have been much worse and at least the car is now fixed.