Hi about 4 months ago my turbo failed i purchased a recon turbo with a 12 month guarantee. Local garage cleaned intercooler exhaust and fitted the turbo including new pipes and gasket.

Its done approx 3500 miles in the 4 months and it started whistling like a police car siren local garage checked pipes etc and told me the bearings have failed. Sent turbo back under the guarantee but they say its not covered as some foreign object must have entered the turbo causing the failure yet my garage say "nonsense it was spotless before fitting and after removal" the supplier say they can repair it for £180 plus vat but are refusing to cover it under guarantee.Has anyone got any views on my predicament? Thanks in advance of any advice.

Cheers Richy

Your garage didn't clear out the system properly when the other failed so it's down to them I think.

Surely it would have failed earlier had it not been cleaned properly its done 3500 miles since it was put on ? I,m clueless about these things all i know is theyre expensive does 180 plus vat sound fair to repair the thing

Did they say where entered turbo and what bit it damaged

Sounds to me like there just trying to get out of the warranty as from what u have said if the garage u took it to did every u described then there is no other reason it would fail except poor product. Plus if it is in fact the bearings that have failed as ur garage suggested then its highly unlikely to have been caused by a foreign object. Ask them for a full report on the damage and go from there. If need be get the turbo back and get ur own report done b4 consulting the likes of trading standards/cab etc.

thanks for your help guys theres just play in the bearing but the fins look like theyve rubbed on something some sound advice though thank you they say something entered through air intake or could have carbon build up?

Edited 27 July, 201213 yr by biscuit69

You need a profesional opinion/report to confirm which came first, the chicken (bearing damage causing damage to the impellor vanes), or the egg (foreign object damaging vanes causing bearing to fail). Very important if you have to take this further legally. Also, you have the right to a copy of the rejection report from the turbo company to ascertain their reasoning and legal position.

if the shaft play is minimal I dont think it would cause the whistling. How is your pressure holding up? I had a turbo that wistled like mad and from 1.35bar the pressure was down to 1.01, thats right 1.01 with Revo 1. Turbo came out and the wastegate was just ridicilous.

I also believe that they are trying to make more money out of you, is just stupid. If it is a reckon turbo is more likely they did not do something correctly and they dropped something inside rather than the garage.

Name and shame?

If the oil feed lines would have been blocked then the turbo would have failed instently not 3500 later,

Has the impellers scored the outer ring of the turbo housing where they spin due to the play in the bearings

Well as far as I am aware... for your first years guarantee the company that are providing the guarantee must look after your product due to a mechanical break down. If it breaks in that time, it is up to the company to prove that it broke via something you have done.

So that would be the first step and get them to prove its your fault.

If they can prove it then it will go the third party, the garage. There service was meant to sort out any issues prior to fitting the turbo, so if any thing had gotten into the system it could have only been from them playing with it. Requiring them to fix any resulting problem.

Check your original invoice for a new oil feed pipe. Not replacing the oil feed pipe is a very common cause of bearing failure on a replacement turbo. Some garages think that they can be cleaned, but if a blockage is caused by a restriction on the pipe, it will happen again.

Out of interest how come you didn't go for K04 internals?

k04 internals? couldnt afford a new one so went to turbo recon company, im not naming them yet cos theyre supposed to be phoning my garage to sort out whos to blame, i dont want to antagonise them yet . my garage are adamant theyre trying it on as he cleaned everything and a new pipe was fitted at the time

Did you buy the turbo direct from the company or did the garage source the turbo and you paid the garage?

Surely if the recon turbo has a warranty and the said garage took off your old turbo and refitted your new one; you should therefore be entitled to a PARTS and LABOUR warranty. You SHOULD NOT be dishing out more money to rectify this issue.

I work in a garage and retail environment and we would cover you in this instance to the point the manufacturer determine the outcome of your warranty claim.

Pay on credit card? Dispute payment until issue is rectified ; )

Of course I'm assuming your a totally innocent party in this matter

i sourced the turbo and garage fitted the turbo company have discussed with garage and are still refusing to cover the repair under guarantee so looks like ive gotta bite the bullet and pay another £220 to repair im not happy but need my car for work come to the conclusion guarantees are worthless as i cant prove a thing by the way 220 to replace shaft and compressor does that sound ok?

I would find a different company. If they ****** up once what guarantee is there they wont **** up again? I'd also make this very clear to them and pursue them for costs anyway.

Petrol or diesel?

its a 1.9 tdi and thats whats worrying me they just dont seem to give a xxxx and the turbo could go again and im screwed again but i cant afford a new car so im gonna have to take a punt! if it goes again i,ll return it in person

What a nightmare mate!

It's a Shame you never bought the turbo from the same place. Its a typical case of one party not taking responsibility and back heeling responsibility : ( give Chris a shout at universal turbos. These guys are the dogs.

Thanks guys got the damn thing repaired now so fingers crossed i,ll never deal with turbo solutions again trust my garage more than i trust them.

Thanks for all your help

Good news in the end then we hope!

Its a shame most people don't realise how to look after turbos. Its not hard...they aren't performance cars the old diesels.